Three-month elite level winter training program for ACT rowers Adair Ferguson, Sports Development Officer, ACTRA The importance of goals All rowers must have realistic goals to keep them going through the cold winter months. Even at elite level they need not be aspirations to national selection in the coming season. A more attainable goal might be ACT selection in a particular crew for this season, and national selection the season after that. Or it may be to go to the next National Titles and make the final in your particular event. Pluses and minuses of winter training Pluses There is low pressure to perform, and plenty of time to improve fitness, strength, endurance, and flexibility. There is also time to work on technique problems and weaknesses evident from last season. Minuses Minus 4, minus 2, yes, the cold! And it's a long time without 'real' racing (as opposed to the 4 km winter time trials). Those who thrive on competition may lose incentive. Others may lose direction because there is no immediate feedback on how much you've improved over the race distance. Inevitably some crews will split up when individual differences in goals and motivation become more apparent. First steps Choose your long term and short term goals. Decide the aspects of technique that you would like to improve on for next season. Divide the winter season into 4-week or monthly blocks. Commit to testing your fitness at the end of each block using one or more of the fitness tests listed later in this article. You may need to add in or take out the odd extra week here and there so your four-week training cycles align with calendar months or with a particular event that you are aiming for. Set goals for each month. Draw up some sheets like the samples given in this article and start filling them in, in conjunction with a coach if you need to. Remember the basic principles of hard sessions being followed by easy sessions, and three to four weeks of building overall training load followed by an easy week. Hints on winter training Winter is the ideal time to do some cross-training to improve basic endurance or aerobic ability. That way you won't have to spend all your time on the water. Try running, cycling, stationary cycling, swimming, roller blading, cross-country skiing and the ergo ­ anything that will push your heart rate into the aerobic training zone or higher. Make sure time on the water is well spent, i.e. make sure you get either good technique coaching or a decent training effect. Don't just paddle around. You should do at least one long 20 km row per week. Winter is a good time for building strength with weights, ergo work on a heavy setting, or boat work with increased resistance (e.g. using rubber tie-ons). Make sure you build in a light training or recovery day after strength sessions. Train in the middle of the day if you can. It is much more pleasant! Train in different boats, different crews and with different crew members. In other words try things you haven't had time to try. Get a video taken of your crew so that you can see more clearly the aspects of your technique that could be improved. Use the winter time trial series as much as possible to keep motivated and excited about your rowing, and as a regular test of fitness.  Testing alternatives Progressive step test (see Level 1 Coaching Manual) 5000 m ergo 2000 m ergo Time trial (4 km winter time trial course or 5.3 km water police to East      Basin course) Timed 1800 m pieces on the course at a set rating 500 m ergo test (for power/speed/strength) Sample program June goals Improve endurance and basic fitness by doing at least 1 hour of varied aerobic work 6 days a week. July goals Improve endurance, strength and basic aerobic fitness further by introducing AT work and increasing intensity and duration of aerobic training compared with June, but retaining good technique. August goals Maintain aerobic base but build muscular endurance and raise the anaerobic threshold by increasing intensity of training. Notes: All sessions involve at least 20' warm up and 15' warm down. Leapfrog: One sculler paddles at U1 to AT intensity a length or two in front of his/her partner/opponent. The 'opponent' has to pass the sculler that is in front by rowing at a higher intensity and/or rating. Once they are a length or two past, they slow to U1/AT intensity and call out to the trailing sculler who then has to pass the sculler in front by raising intensity and/or rating.     June ­ PREPARATION Day/date Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Mon Technique row (incl. 3 x 20 pwr strokes with strap) Endurance weights Endurance weights Endurance weights 3 x 40-50 reps Tue Row 15-20k U3 15-20k U3 (incl. 4 x 20 pwr str with strap) 15-20k U3 (incl. 5 x 20 pwr str with strap) 10-15k U3 (incl. 4 x30 pwr str with strap) Wed OFF or run 5-10k or swim 0.5k OFF or run 5-10k or swim 0.5k OFF or run 5-10k (hills) or swim 1k OFF or run 5-10k or swim .5k Thu Row 10-12k (incl. 2 x 4'-8' U1 @ 24-26spm) Row 12-15k (incl. 2-3 x 4'-8' U1 @ 24-28spm) Row 12-15k (incl. 2-3 x 4'-10' U1 @ 26-28spm) Row 10-12k (incl 2 x4'-8' U1 @ 24-26spm Fri OFF or light swim/jog + stretch OFF or light swim/jog + stretch OFF or light swim/jog + stretch OFF or light swim/jog + stretch Sat 4k time trial small boats, 9am, @24-26spm 2-3 x 1500m @ 22/24/26 Biomech lab 15-20k 4k time trial big boats, 9am, @26-28spm Test fitness Sun Easy cycle/walk or swim Easy cycle/walk or swim Easy cycle/walk or swim or tennis etc. Easy as before Note: A Week 5 June program can be inserted here to make up a 13-week program over 3 months (June to August). The week 5 could be a repeat of week 4 with a small boat time trial on the Saturday. Then move on to the July program. July ­ PREPARATION Day/date Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Mon          am Fartlek row 15-18k U3/U2/U1, incl. sprints and power strokes Ergo 2 x 1000m @2.00/500m Fartlek row U3/U2/U1 incl. sprints Ergo 3 x 1000m @2.00/500m Fartlek U3/U2/U1 incl. sprints Ergo 3 x 1000m @2.00/500m 10k row U2          pm Jog/run 5k OFF OFF OFF Tue          am Leapfrog 1 x 8' Leapfrog 1 x 10' 2 x 10' AT (22/24/26/28spm for 4'/3'/2'/1') 4k TT, 1st 500m @28spm, then 3 x 1000m @ 26 (30 break in between) 1 x 30 str sprint          pm Weights/ swim Weights/ swim Weights/ swim Weights/ swim Wed          am Recovery row 14-18k U3/U2 Recovery row 10k U3 Recovery row 10k U3 Recovery row 10k U3          pm OFF Jog/run (Red Hill) Jog/run (Red Hill) OFF/Swim Thu          am 2 x 8' AT rating play 24/26/ 28spm Pwr strokes 1 x 20 1 x 15' AT @24-26spm. Pwr str 2 x 20 Leapfrog 2 x 8'. Pwr str 3 x 20 1 x 8' AT (1' @ 30, 7' @ 26)          pm Weights/ swim Weights/ swim Weights/ swim Weights/ swim Fri          am OFF or light row U3/U2 12-15k OFF or light row U3/U2 12-15k OFF or light row U3/U2 15k OFF          pm Swim + stretch Swim + stretch Swim + stretch Swim + stretch Sat          am 4k TT, 1st 500m @28, then 3 x 1000m @ 26spm (30 break in between) 4k time trial big boats, 9am, @26-28spm 10k U3 row Test fitness 6k ergo, then 12k U3 row 4k time trial small boats, 9am, @28spm 10k U3 row          pm Ergo 2 x 2000m or Cycle 40-60k Cycle 40-60k Cycle 60k Cycle 40k easy Sun          am Easy cycle/walk/ swim or duathlon (Yacht club) 9am Easy cycle/walk or swim Easy cycle/walk or swim OFF          pm Active recovery Active recovery Active recovery Active recovery   August ­ PREPARATION Day/date Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Mon          am 20k row (incl. 3 x 20' @ U2, 3 x 20 pwr str) Ergo 2 x 2000m @2.10/500m Row 2 x 10' @ U1 Ergo 3 x 1500m @2.10/500m Row 10k U3 Row 1 x 10' U1, 1 x 10' U2, 1 x 10' U3          pm OFF OFF/Swim OFF/Light jog OFF Tue          am 2 x 2000m AT/TR @ 24-26spm (2'-4' rest) 2 x 1800m AT/TR (1 @ 22/24/26/28, 1 @ 26/24/22/20) 3 x 25 pwr str 3 x 7' AT @ 26+ 3 x 30 pwr str 1 x 4k @22-26spm, with 500m @28, 2 x 20 pwr str          pm Weights/ swim Weights/ swim Weights/ swim Weights/ swim Wed          am OFF Recovery row 15k U3 Recovery row 15k U3 Recovery row 10-15k U3          pm Run (Red Hill) Run (Red Hill) Run (Black Mtn) Run (light, flat) Thu          am Leapfrog 2 x 9'. Pwr str 3 x 20 Leapfrog 2 x 10'. Pwr str 3 x 25 Warm up incl. 22/24/26/24/22 @ U3/U2) 2 x 9' AT (@ 28/26/24/22/28 for 1'/2'/3'/2'/1') 3 x 30 pwr str Leapfrog 2 x 8'. Pwr str 2 x 20          pm Weights/ swim Weights/ swim Weights/ swim Weights/ swim Fri          am Light row U3/U2 12-15k OFF Light row U3/U2 10k OFF          pm OFF Light jog/swim + stretch OFF OFF Sat          am 2 x 4k @ 24 incl 2 x 500m @28-30spm 4k time trial big boats, 9am, @26-28spm 12k U3 row Warm-up 5k, then 5k TT @ 24, paddle 4k, then 4k TT @ 24 4k time trial small boats, 9am, @26-28spm 12k U3 row          pm Cycle 40-60k with Nick's group Cycle 40-60k Cycle 2 peaks, Ainslie then Black Mtn Cycle, easy Sun          am OFF OFF OFF OFF          pm Active recovery Active recovery Active recovery Active recovery