My Training Plan to Row Faster

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My Training ‘plan’ for my RowFaster journey is split into two key elements – The ‘fitness’ side, and the ‘strength’ side.
By fitness I mean both aerobic and anaerobic training, and I know this overlaps with the strength training, but I’m trying to make it easy here… A better way to think of the two training elements is by this key differentiating factor:
- Am I rowing? If so – it’s ‘fitness/rowing’ training.
- If I’m not rowing – then it’s Strength training.
This post is my first outline of how I plan to train. The fundamentals behind my training approach are pulled from Phil Maffetones work along with the protocols outlined in Mark Sissons Primal Endurance Book.
As a result, I have 3 key training Phases:
1) Pure Aerobic Phase
2) Intense Phase
3) Intense Phase with Anaerobic/lactate threshold training (or AT for short)
The specifics of each phase are as follows:
Aerobic Phase
- Row whenever I want and only when I feel like rowing
- Stick to my MAF HR zone only (more on this in another post)
- All training should be solely using aerobic (fat burning) energy systems OR purely creatine/phosphate systems – no glycolytic energy system training.
- Duration – 80% of my training load. Generally in blocks for 4-12+ weeks (if not longer).
- Strength – maximum of once a week – and limited to 3 reps max (with no more than 8seconds ‘work) plus long rests – ensuring HR stays below MAF limit. Grease the groove concept.
As for what drag factor this will be at, I’m not too sure yet. I need to look into this further. If I plan to race on the water I would want to row single scull, so I’ll need to find the drag factor that best resembles the water resistance.
For my Strength training in this phase:
1) Once every 5-15 days doing either routine A or B (note, these lifts aren’t set in stone yet, more on this soon):
- a. A – Front Squat, Deadlift, Row, Push up
- b. B – HB. Back Squat. Hip Thrust. Pullup.
2) All done at 80-90% intensity, for 1-3 reps, and if multiple sets then LONG rests to ensure HR stays below MAF limit. The idea here is to send a short sharp strength stimulus to the body, without creating too much of a stress response or leaving the fat oxidising state.
Intense Phase – Non AT
- This will be done in no more than 4 week blocks (generally 2-3 weeks)
- With a matching ‘aerobic only’ phase (i.e. 3 weeks intense = 3 weeks or more aerobic)
- During this phase I will SPRINT 1x every 5-10 days. This will involve:
- 3-6 repeats (as soon as performance drops I will stop)
- 10-30second effort (I will start with efforts around 15seconds on the erg)
- 30-60second rest, or until I feel ready to hit it again at top intensity
- I will do these on the erg, at my standard drag factor, open rating, feet strapped in
STRENGTH training 2x per week. This will be a ‘Max Sustained Power’ type session (more on this in a future entry). But key points are:
- Routines:
- A – Front Squat, Deadlift, Row, Push up
- B – HB. Back Squat. Hip Thrust. Pullup.
- Weights – using a weight I can do 5 reps to form failure
- Using the MSP protocol. 1 set =
- 3- 5 reps. Micro rest 10-20sec. Second micro set (1-5reps). Micro rest, another micro set etc. Continue until I can’t do 1 quality rep. Record total Reps. That is a set
- Total sets – 1 to 3 max. With 2-5 min rest.
AEROBIC training – 2x per week.
Typical week may look like this:
Day 1) MSP strength A
Day 2) Sprint Session
Day 3) Rest Day
Day 4) Aerobic
Day 5) MSP Strength B
Day 6) Rest
Day 7) Aerobic
Intense Phase – with Anaerobic Training (AT)
- This will be done in no more than 4 week blocks (generally 2-3 weeks)
- With a matching ‘aerobic only’ phase (i.e. 3 weeks intense = 3 weeks or more aerobic)
- This is similar to the Non AT Phase, however has an extra addition – Regular AT Interval Training sessions.
- SPRINT:
- 1x every 5-10 days, done immediately after MSP Strength session. This will involve:
- 3-6 repeats (as soon as performance drops I will stop)
- 10-30second effort (I will start with efforts around 15seconds on the erg)
- 30-60second rest, or until I feel ready to hit it again at top intensity
- I will do these on the erg, at my standard drag factor, open rating, feet strapped in
- AT INTERVALS:
- 30seconds or longer intervals
- MSP STRENGTH TRAINING:
- 2x per week
- As per Non AT Intense phase
- Sprints done immediately after Strength
Typical 8 day cycle may look like this:
Day 1) MSP strength A + Sprint Session
Day 2) AT Intervals
Day 3) Rest Day
Day 4) Aerobic
Day 5) MSP Strength B (no sprints afterwards)
Day 6) AT Intervals
Day 7) Off
Day 8) Off or Aerobic
So that’s my plan.
I’m going to explain a lot of these concepts etc. in future posts, but for now I wanted to leave a general overview of what I had planned.

Alex Fergus
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Blogger, Athlete, Health Coach, Personal Trainer, Health Nerd... I'm in search of enhancing performance through optimising health, self experimentation, cutting edge science (and technology) and I share it all here at RowFaster.net! I also have a popular blog at www.AlexFergus.com