In order to be at the top of your game as an athlete, you must commit to year-round training to reap the physical and mental benefits of endurance and strength conditioning. In any competitive sport, the high physical demands required to excel in your discipline involve a dedicated program during the season as well as in the off-season. Implementing a full-body workout through cross-training will drastically enhance your endurance, strength, power, and overall fitness and performance. Cross-training also acts as supplementary training aimed to reduce the risk of overuse injuries to certain muscle groups and joints.
For a sport such as rowing, every major muscle group is rigorously involved. Requiring a specific technique, the strength of the rowing stroke comes from both the upper and lower body as well. Similar to cross country skiing, rowing involves an intense aerobic workout and is considered to be one of the best forms of physical fitness. While it appears to be graceful and somewhat effortless, the sport demands a high level of endurance, strength, power, focus, and mental discipline. Rowing is also a repetitive-motion sport, which requires an immense amount of force and strain on your muscles and joints. This kind of movement leads rowers to overdevelop certain muscles and work joints in limited directions. Therefore, rowers who do not engage in strength training are likely to develop movement and muscular imbalances. As a result, you are prone to experiencing poor movement efficiency which ultimately affects not only your performance and speed but your risk of injury as well. Implementing a cross-training program, whether it is with a rowing machine, rowing workouts, or a variety of different sports, will maintain your physical and mental health and prepare you for your rowing season.
The benefits of cross-training
There are numerous benefits to cross-training for any sport, both physiological and psychological. No matter what sport it is, athletes can cross-train by engaging in various other forms of exercise in order to eliminate the risk of injury, increase endurance and strength, condition different muscle groups, enhance motivation, and improve overall fitness. Through the use of methods and motions from other sports, athletes utilize different techniques and workouts which ultimately aid to their performance and health. By constantly performing the same physical activity, not only is it taxing on your body over time, but also on your mind. Switching up your training routine is crucial for the success of your individual sport, particularly in rowing. Not to mention it will be very difficult to pick up where you left off without the property training during the off-season.
As a rower, the best way to cross-train is through running, cycling, swimming, or yoga. Regardless of which you choose, developing a routine that involves variety, as well as intensity, is key to training. By focusing on exercises outside of the usual rowing motion, it will not only help maintain strength and flexibility but will lead to a more well-rounded athlete. Incorporating high impact, low-impact, and no impact workouts will prevent and rehabilitate an injury and it will ensure that you do not plateau during your training. While the main focus should be on rowing, taking advantage of cross-training activities that support and supplement it is highly beneficial.
Low-impact strength training
Low-impact workouts are essential to any training program. They can be used to improve posture, develop your core, and strengthen the muscles that support your joints. By incorporating low-impact activities into your training program, you are ultimately preparing yourself for more intense, higher-impact movements. While sometimes overlooked due to it being a slower, lower intensity level workout, low-impact exercises are often easier on your body and can be an opportunity for rest and recovery.
Cross-country skiing
An excellent low-impact activity for rowers to take advantage of during their off-season is cross-country skiing. Considered to be one of the best forms of exercise for developing full-body fitness, it is an excellent option for cross-training. Activating every muscle group, similar to rowing, the simple act of the sport relies on the athlete’s own locomotion to glide on snow while using ski poles to propel yourself forward. In order to successfully do so, the entire body must work together to activate the muscles involved in the balance and coordination of the entire body. Rather than targeting the muscles in just your legs or arms, it uses a large percentage of your entire muscle mass as well as your core. Because no single muscle group is being overstressed, this winter aerobic activity can be sustained for many hours, leading to improved cardiovascular health and endurance. This high-intensity, low-impact form of winter training is a highly beneficial addition to rowing.
Swimming
Another low-impact, full-body strength training activity that can be taken advantage of for rowing season is swimming. Indoor or outdoor, swimming can be implemented into your workout routine pre-season, during, or post-season. One of the major benefits of cross-training with swimming is enhanced cardiovascular endurance through increased lung capacity. In addition to this, swimming engages everything, including your arms, core, back, and legs. Most specifically, swimming requires different strokes to propel yourself forward, which is also a major focus in rowing. Though using different muscles, both activities focus on arm strength and dynamic power from your upper body. This low-impact, full-body option is great for developing versatility and aids in managing joint injuries.
Yoga
For improved core strength and flexibility, yoga is a great addition to your fitness routine. With a multitude of benefits, yoga addresses your overall fitness by increasing flexibility, mobility, and strength. Extending your overall range of motion will not only decrease your risk of injury but will also enhance your rowing performance. Many yoga poses require using your own body weight, which can help to build strength and stability in the joints. Rest and recovery are considered just as important as training sessions and yoga is an excellent choice for that. Incorporating a few sessions a week will noticeably support your training routine.
Cycling
Cycling is a highly recommended cross-training activity for rowers. Whether you are exercising on a stationary bike or a road bike, each technique complements rowing due to the shared use of the muscle groups in the legs. It is also great for enhancing your endurance, power, and overall fitness, which ultimately benefits your performance rowing. Utilizing an indoor cycling machine is an excellent option if you are rehabilitating an upper-body injury and can be the perfect workout during the winter months. Though it is a full-body workout, the focus is primarily on leg strength conditioning and core stability.
Indoor rowing machine
It’s no surprise that the best way to cross-train for rowing is with a rowing machine. Mimicking the exact motion of rowing, indoor rowing provides a highly efficient cardiovascular and fat-burning workout by working 86% of the muscles in your body. Targeting the nine major muscle groups, each stroke builds strength, power, and endurance throughout the entire rowing workout. Utilizing a rowing machine also assists with working on proper form and technique which is essential for rowing. A major concept for rowing is the stroke rate, which is measured in strokes per minute. By training with an indoor rowing machine, you are able to track your progress and power output. This is especially beneficial if you are training for competitive rowing. To most efficiently train for your rowing season, cross-training on an indoor rowing machine is
High-impact cross training
In addition to low-impact activities, it’s important to add high-impact sports into your strength training. With high-impact activities, you are inherently using more energy, burning more calories, and exercising at a higher level of intensity. With a sport like rowing, it’s important to maintain a high level of cardiovascular endurance through cardio. A few high-impact activities to incorporate in your training regime are running, CrossFit, calisthenics, or hiking.
Running
For rowers, running is a great form of high-impact strength training. Accessible anywhere and requiring no facilities, running is a great way to quickly improve your overall fitness, enhance endurance and your cardiovascular health. Running can also boost your VO2 max, which refers to the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can utilize during intense exercise. While running requires less upper body strength, it focuses on lower body and leg strength which is just as important in rowing. Be mindful of any injury you may have as running can aggravate preexisting problems. Otherwise, running is an excellent supplementary form of exercise for cross-training.
Cross fit conditioning
High-intensity bodyweight exercise sessions, such as Crossfit, are great for general athletic development, early muscular and strength gains, mobility, and recovery. Whether you are training for a particular goal, base strength, or muscular endurance, circuit training is the perfect form of exercise to prepare for rowing. A major part of strength training that contributes to your overall fitness is using your own body weight in a lot of the exercises. Each session can involve increased reps, decreased rest intervals, dynamic movements, and balance techniques all through the use of your body weight. Unlike traditional rowing practice, circuit training provides unique workouts in a group, competitive setting. This style of training can support team building, prevent injuries, and can train different parts of your body by alternating circuits.
Rowing workout
Rowing is a physically demanding sport that requires your entire body, targeting 86% of the muscles through a repetitive motion that requires an exceptionally high level of stamina, force, strength, and perseverance. In order to train properly during the season, as well as leading up to your season, it is crucial that you implement a cross-training workout routine. While there are many different ways to cross-train, the most effective rowing workout that you can achieve is through a rowing machine. This low-impact, full-body approach to training for rowing not only mimics the exact movements but also strengthens your muscles, enhances your cardiovascular system, and tracks your progress. That being said, while it is highly beneficial, it is also important for rowing to switch up your workouts and welcome variety with cross-training. By incorporating different methods and approaches to your training, you will lessen the risk of injury, exercise different muscles, and keep your routine exciting!