6 Week Advanced Program

Distance

This is steady state rowing for a certain distance, usually it is a little higher in stroke rate & intensity than a timed steady state piece. Set your monitor to a distance workout so you can count down a set distance for your session. Set a distance of 5000 meters up to 10 000 meters (3 mile up to 6 miles).  Time range is anywhere between 20 minutes up to 50 minutes.  Stroke rates are usually around 22-24 strokes per minute (spm).  Intensity 65-75% of your maximum heart rate.

Castles

This session breaks up a long steady state row into sets of different stroke ratings. These steps can be in time – 1 or 2 minutes steps or in distance – 500 meter steps. The stroke rate changes are small, increasing by 1 or 2 spm.

For example: 10-15 minutes warm up of light rowing, 2 minutes row at stroke rate 22spm (or your normal steady state stroke rate) concentrating on long strong rowing strokes, after 2 minutes move to the next step of 24spm for 2 minutes, after which row again at 22spm for 2 minutes and repeat this until you have completed your session. Remember with the small increase in stroke rate, do not think of it being harder work, just a little looser and slightly quicker. Aim to keep a consistent intensity of between 60-70% of your MHR.

15 Minute Interval

5-10 minutes warm up rowing 15 minute interval pyramid split up into steps of 5 minutes -4 minutes -3 minutes – 2 minutes -1 minute increasing the intensity and rating by 1-2 spm (strokes per minute) every change. Resting 2 minutes between pieces.

The ratings given below are a guideline:
5 minutes rating 28-32 spm @ 75-80%,
2 minutes rest
4 minutes rating 28-32 spm @ 75-80%,
2 minutes rest
3 minutes rating 28-32 spm @ 75-80%,
2 minutes rest
2 minutes rating 30-34 spm @ 80-85%,
1:30 minutes rest
1 minutes rating 32-34 spm @ 85-90%

You can repeat the pyramid after a 5minute rest or choose to do a cool down. Cool down 5-10 minutes light rowing & stretch.

1000 Meter Interval

2000 meters (8-10 minutes) of light rowing.  4 x 1000m interval pieces at a high intensity with 500m rest between each 1st 1000 meters – divided into 4 x 250 meters, after each 250 meters (250m – 500m -750m -1000m) increase stroke rate.

For example:

1st 250 meters rate 26spm (please note stroke rates are given as a guideline),
2nd 250 meters (from 250m to 500m) increase stroke rate to 28spm
3rd 250 meters (from 500m to 750m) increase stroke rate to 30spm
4th 250 meters (from 750m to 1000m) increase stroke rate to 32spm
Rest 500 meters (+/- 2minutes) then repeat the 1000 meters 3x.

500 – 1000 meters light rowing for cool down & stretch.

Stroke Pyramid

After 5-10 minutes warm up row, begin the stroke pyramid.

10 strokes hard (high rating and at 85-90% effort) 10 strokes light (very light rowing),
20 strokes hard – 20 strokes light
30 strokes hard – 30 strokes light
40 strokes hard – 30 strokes light
50 strokes hard – 30 strokes light
40 strokes hard – 30 strokes light
30 strokes hard – 20 strokes light
20 strokes hard – 10 strokes light
10 strokes hard – cool down for 3-5 minutes of light rowing

Note that you do not take more than 30 strokes light.

5-10 minutes light rowing cool down & stretch.