Find Your Perfect 10K Erg Strategy

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If you're thinking of doing a 10,000-meter row or ski, it's best to go into it with a strategy. We give you everything you need to know to nail your goal. ucanrow2.com #endurancetraining #10kergstrategy #indoorrowing #skierg

 

What’s your 10K erg strategy?  Do you have one?

 

If you’ve ever done one of these endurance workouts, you know that they’re a huge mental challenge, almost more than a physical one.  It’s best to go into them with some sort of goal, especially since simply gutting it out over the course of a long distance is HARD, and often unproductive.

 

It’s an interesting distance, 10,000 meters.  Less than a quarter of a marathon but 5 times longer than a 2K.  Among the endurance distances it’s relatively doable and a great place to get started with longer rows or skis.

 

But it’s not a distance you want to go into without a plan, even if your goal is simply to do it as quickly as possible.   For most people and depending which machine you’re on, you’re looking at spending something on the order of 45 minutes to an hour working in that “you can talk but you’d rather not” range.  Not everyone’s idea of fun.

 

If you just “jump on and go,” the machine will punish you.  Especially the Ski Erg.  Even more especially if you’re doing the Concept2 Tour de SkiErg, that crazy series that has people skiing a different distance every week throughout February.

 

Your 10K Erg Strategy

 

There are several ways to approach putting together your 10k plan. You can base it off existing online records, your own past times, or simply set a survival strategy of mind games to get through.  Whatever you do, approach this as a challenge, one that you will be proud of accomplishing.  Or at least saying it’s done!

 

Here’s how we approach the 10k erg strategy:

 

CHECK THE RECORDS

 

Start by heading to the Concept2 website and checking the 10,000-meter rankings for your age group and gender on either the rower or SkiErg.That will give you a sense of what to aim for if you have a big goal in mind.   You can also look there at the world and American records in case you want to go really big.

 

The Concept2 rowing and Ski Erg rankings are a great place to start to calculate your 10K time goal. More help and tips: ucanrow2.com #endurancetraining #indoorrowing #skierg #10Kergstrategy

 

 

Play the percentages

When you’re in the rankings you’ll be able to see what sort of times people are logging for the current ranking year.  So in the example below, the current average 10k row time for women in the 30-39 age group is 47:40.1.

 

Now look under the Percentiles header on the right.  You’ll see the range of times for people in this age group and below them the corresponding average split or pace.   10K times in this age group range from 50 minutes plus down to just over 36 minutes (the current leader in the rankings).

 

 

Use the Concept2 rankings search tool to find your target 10K row, ski, or bike range for your age group. #indoorrowing #skierg #10kerg #endurancetraining #10Kergstrategy ucanrow2.com

 

That gives you an excellent sense for how long it might take you to go the distance.   Think you ‘ll do it faster or slower?  Head over to the Concept2 PACE CALCULATOR to crunch the numbers on what that might look like.

 

Another option is to check your ONLINE LOGBOOK for your previous time(s) at this distance.  How are you feeling?  Ready to PR?

GET ON PACE

OK!  So now we know what target you’re trying to hit.  How to stay on pace?  One of our favorite 10K erg strategy tips is to use a pace rower, skier or rider.

 

Decide beforehand if you’ll be more motivated by trying to keep up with the pacer, stay ahead of it, or keep even.  Adjust your pacer’s split time accordingly.   Everybody’s different – Do you like to be ahead or do you like the chase?  For some of us, there’s nothing better than leaving that little guy in the dust.  For others, it’s all about the thrill of trying to catch him.

 

Use a pacer to row, ski or bike your best 10K. Set the pacer either at the target you want to hit, or use it to beat a past time. Many more tips at ucanrow2.com. #10kergstrategy #endurancerow #indoorrower

 

 

How to set your pacer:

 

  1. From the main menu hit Select Workout > New Workout.
  2. Set your distance, then set your pacer time under Optional Pace Boat (or Skier, etc.).
  3. Hit the check box on the right.4. If needed, hit the Change Display button until the pacer screen appears.

 

NOTE: You cannot reset the pacer during the workout, so think carefully about how you want to use it before you start.

HELP WITH THE HEAD GAME

In the final analysis, 10K erg strategy comes down to how you handle the mental challenge.  Here are our best tips for that:

 

  • Take it 1000 meters at a time
  • Once you get the flywheel going, lock in your pace and keep your breathing under control.  Don’t let adrenaline get the best of you.
  • Every 500-1000 meters take a hard 10 or so strokes to pick up the flywheel if you start to see your split drop or just need a mental pick-me-up
  • Have a best-case and worst-case split or finish time in mind.  Know what your goal is, but also have a bar below which you refuse to drop.
  • If you go out too hard or too fast, the machine will punish you.  If that happens, give yourself a few hundred to 1000 easier meters to recover, then get back in and readjust your finish goal accordingly if needed.
  • For some, the Zen of the flywheel is all they need in their ears to get the job done.  For others, a really good playlist is clutch.
  • When you hit the last 500-1000 meters, empty your tank.  Give it all you’ve got!

 

If your “10K erg strategy” or goal is simply to survive the distance, think about staying at a pace where you can talk but you’d rather not.  Never mind carefully calculating a target finish or split time.   For more ideas on how to “make a game of it,” head over to our post about 10 indoor rowing workouts to kill 10K. 

 

whew!  Glad that’s over

 

It’s a sweet feeling when that monitor ticks over to 0 meters left.  Once you’re done, make sure to hydrate right away with water or a diluted sports drink and stretch.

 

Depending on your usual workout length and whether this was a big effort for you, you might need a post-workout snack or protein shake.  We’re partial to easily digested whole foods like bananas and sweet potatoes with a good hit of protein to help rebuild all those muscles you just used.

 

Don’t forget to record your time in your logbook, and give yourself a high five for a job well done.  Or better yet, hop over to our RowStrong Facebook group and share your success!

 

Questions? Comments?  PRs?  Post ’em down below, we’re excited to see!

 

MORE RESOURCES

 

Tricks to Dominate Endurance Rowing Workouts

4 SkiErg Sprint Tips and a Race Strategy

5 Keys to Nailing the Half-Marathon Row

Monster Meter Endurance Rowing Workouts

 

Learn how to set a goal for a 10K row or ski. We walk you through all the steps of a perfect 10K erg strategy. ucanrow2.com #10Kergstrategy #indoorrowing #skierg

 

 

 

 

Fight Melanoma Cancer – Work Out: Meters for Melanoma 2018 is Here!

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Last updated March 31, 2018


Help us beat melanoma, one of the deadliest cancers! Join us on May 5 for Meters for Melanoma, supporting the Midwest Melanoma Partnership. Join us!

 

 

Fight melanoma cancer and get your row on at the same time!  METERS FOR MELANOMA, our annual fundraiser to support research and education by the Midwest Melanoma Partnership is back for a second year, bigger and better than ever.

 

We’ve added prizes – ERGS! – for top fundraisers and, thanks to a $20,000 challenge grant, your donations are worth even more this year.

 

row a little – row a lot

 

REGISTER NOW to either row as an individual, or get your small team (25 or fewer) or large team (26+) together and plan to raise funds and row meters together.  We’ve made the meter distances accessible for pretty much anyone.

 

You can row as few as 500 meters, or 5000 meters, or beyond.  Not into rowing?  Just want to support the cause?  No problem.  You can even donate to register as a Virtual Rower and your entry will count towards the prizes.

 

WIN A ROWING MACHINE, SKIERG or BIKEERG!

 

This year we’re sweetening the pot and giving one individual and one team their choice of a Concept2 rowing machine, SkiErg or BikeErg.  There are minimum fundraising levels to qualify for the erg giveaway, and the number of meters you get matters too.  Check the registration page for details.

 

Sign up before April 3, 2018 and you will have the opportunity to order an event shirt for delivery in time for race day.  People who register later can still order shirts, but they will arrive after May 5.

raise money to fund melanoma cancer research

 

Melanoma cancer is one of the deadliest forms of the disease.  One person dies from it EVERY HOUR.  Think about that: In the time it takes you to finish your workout at the gym, one person has died from melanoma cancer.  On-water rowers and outdoor athletes in general are at great risk for cutaneous melanoma due to their exposure to the sun.

 

 

Prevention is critical.  And much easier than treating this deadly disease, as we at UCanRow2 know all too well.  That makes Meters for Melanoma a labor of love for us.

 

 A very personal labor as you’ll see below if you watch the video from our own Terry Smythe, who was diagnosed with rare mucosal melanoma late in 2013.  [Did you know that melanoma actually has three forms – cutaneous, mucosal and ocular?]

 

 

Meters for Melanoma 2017 from UCanRow2 on Vimeo.

The Basics

WHEN: May 5th-6th, 2018

WHERE: Anywhere you can find a rowing machine, SkiErg or BikeErg!

WHY: To raise funds for melanoma research and awareness. Our goal is to raise at least $20,000 for these activities, which will then be matched by an anonymous donor.

HOW: Grab your team, or sign up as an individual at this link.

NOTE: While it is Terry’s hope that everyone will be active in some way during this weekend, you DO NOT need to row to participate.  Virtual rowers are welcome, too!

 

Questions? Post them in the comments.  Come row with us and help us fight melanoma!

Workout 5-4-2016

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Try this row/ski/mix alternating workout

This workout is designed to be done alternating between the rowing machine and the SkiErg.  If you don’t have access to a SkiErg you can row the whole workout. Or, if you want a bigger challenge, make it an all Ski Erg workout.  If you do that aim for the lower number of rounds.

 

 

SkiErg Strategy for a 2K Sprint

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PR your next 2000 meter race on the SkiErg with this SkiErg strategy. http://ucanrow2.com

 

A 2000 meter race.  Just the thought strikes fear in the hearts of indoor rowers.  As sprinting on the SkiErg grows in popularity it’s likely to do the same for indoor skiers.  Fear not, intrepid athletes! With a good SkiErg strategy, hopefully paired with a strong training plan, the 2k ski is an entirely doable distance for most people.

As always, before attempting a sprint of this distance you will want to be sure you’re warmed up.  Give yourself 1000-2000 meters to warm up, either on the rowing machine or the SkiErg.  Once you’ve got a sweat starting to roll, switch to the SkiErg if you’re on the rowing machine and do 1-3 practice SkiErg racing starts.  Follow the 1/2, 1/2, 3/4, full stroke formula followed by 10 strokes at race pace, then ski easy for a minute.  Do this no more than three times.

Stretch and hydrate, and don’t forget to visit the restroom if you need to.

For the actual sprint, try this strategy.  Optimally you would practice it and see how it feels before you do your “official” race. But even if you’re doing this without the benefit of rehearsal, this is a solid plan that should get you through in fine fashion.

2k Skierg strategy

Here’s a SkiErg strategy to try: Set the monitor for a 2000 meter piece (Select Workout>Standard List>2000m).  Do a racing start followed by 10-20 hard strokes and then hold your pace.  Take a hard 10 strokes to stay focused every 500 meters. With 250 meters to go, give it all you’ve got!

Ski easy for at least 3 minutes when you’re done to give your heart rate a chance to come down.  Once you’ve caught your breath, get off and stretch.

Record your time in your Concept2 logbook and pat yourself on the back for a job well done!

If you need help on technique, Concept2 has what you need in their SkiErg technique video.

Questions on racing starts? Watch the video below, then post any questions in the comments.  Most important of all, HAVE FUN, and let us know how you did!

 

4 SkiErg Sprint Tips and a Race Strategy

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The SkiErg sprint made so easy even a kid could do it!

Have you tried the Concept2 SkiErg yet? Maybe your first SkiErg sprint introduction is coming this weekend with Concept2’s annual event, the SkiErg Sprints?

 

Don’t let that scare you!  Short-distance pieces and sprints on the Ski Erg are some of the best ways to get comfortable on the machine.  It’s a great way to get your blood pumping, and a nice change of pace from a lot of the other equipment in the gym.

 

Given that gravity is in play and that the Ski Erg is a total-body machine (with an emphasis on the torso and arms), the SkiErg definitely gets your heart rate rolling quickly.

 

4 keys to a spectacular skierg sprint

  1. Warm up properly! As we say in our trainer tips, the shorter the workout, the longer the warmup needs to be.  To ski a 500-meter piece, for example, you should plan on at least a 10 to 15-minute warmup on the rowing machine, jogging, or on another piece of cardio equipment. Don’t be afraid to break a sweat before you start your sprint.
  2. Have a target split: Once you’re warmed up, jump on the SkiErg for 5 minutes or so to get comfortable before you do your actual sprint.  Easy rowing here, but throw in a couple of rounds of 10 hard strokes.  Watch your split on the hard strokes, that will give you a sense for what target you might try to hit during the actual sprint. Write your target split on a piece of paper taped where you can see it during the sprint, or set the pace skier on your monitor.
  3. Use a sprint start: Whenever you’ve got a dead flywheel to deal with, the best thing is to take a few short strokes to get it moving. It saves your back AND gets you to your target split faster.  Perfect.
  4. Have a race plan (See below): Even on a short sprint, it’s helpful to plan how you’re going to cover the distance to your best advantage.  Decide what you’re going to do for each segment of the piece, or have a split you’re determined to either reach or beat.  Whatever it takes for you to stay on target, especially once the going gets rough.  Once you have it in mind, write it out if it helps and tape it to your SkiErg.

Skierg tips for a fast 1000m

Beginners and Intermediates:

If this is your first attempt then keep that thought front and center!  Remember the beauty of the challenge and being a beginner (or even us old experienced dogs) is that if you’re not happy with your time you can do it again, after some rest.  The challenge takes place over 3 days.  Do it Friday, recover Saturday and repeat Sunday if need be.

A 1K blast is just that…a BLAST!  Cardio, strength and heart rate to the max once you find your technique and confidence to go hard.

The goal on your first one really should be just to get it done!  Learn from the experience.  With your monitor set for 1000 meters you can go back into the memory after and see where you felt you could have done better.  You can see your split/500, SPM and heart rate if you wear a HR monitor. All helpful to plan your strategy for the next one.

The best strategy is to train for this so that you are prepared.  It is a mental as well as physical challenge, and the only way to learn is to train and test yourself against your own time, and then your age group.  However, if you just want to do it this weekend there’s no reason not to just jump on and go.  The beauty of the erg is if you go out too hard you can always back off and hold or come back.

The start and strategy:

The flywheel is dead at the start so it’s always a good idea to take a few short strokes and gradually lengthen out from there. The first minute of any sprint is exciting and an adrenalin rush so breathe!  Short strokes to your pace then lengthen and hold.  Watch your split and end time.  If you’re on target stay there.  If you need mental pick-me-ups take a hard 5- 10 strokes every 250 -300m. HOLD ON!  Last 300m dial in your CAN-DO ATTITUDE to the finish!

Plant the poles about eye brow level, drive to your pockets, chest up, hip extension and flexion but not so you kiss the flywheel! And use your legs as shock absorbers. This is not just upper body and if you isolate just your upper body to do the work you will risk a best effort with poor technique and also potentially burnout too soon and not finish. You should feel this total body when done. Watch the technique skier in your monitor under information for a reminder.

When done do not fall off the machine gasping! Please stand up and take all intensity off for at least1 -2 min. Let that HR recover then slip out of the handles and walk around and get some water.

Bravo you did it!

We sometimes see people break out in a cold sweat when they think they have to do a 5k their first time out on the machine.  That’s not necessary!  You should ease into skiing the same way you work your way into rowing, a few minutes at a time.

Give the flywheel a chance to work its Zen magic, and use that time to get your technique right, too.  Concept2 has a great SkiErg technique video that will get you started.

Once you’ve got some skiing experience, short sprints are an excellent way to test yourself on the machine.  Concept2 also offers SkiErg challenges several times throughout the year, and this weekend’s Sprints are no exception.  They’re a great chance to set a goal to work toward, and compete against other skiers around the world.

If a sprint piece (like 100, 250, 500 or 1000 meters) is on your workout agenda, we’ve got some tips to help you nail it.  Read on.

 

If you’d like more ideas for rowing or SkiErging workouts, grab our Meter Monster (erg-only) or Flywheel Frenzy (erg intervals with other equipment) workouts sets.  29 workouts total in both programs, including a suggested calendar for how to use them.  Buy one or both, but they are available only until Sunday, Nov. 12 at midnight EST.

 

suggested 500m skierg sprint race plan

Here’s one way to attack a 500-meter piece.  You can modify it for longer distances, too.  Begin with your sprint start of a few short strokes, gradually building to the full stroke.  Follow that with 10-20 hard strokes, then settle in to your race pace.  Don’t “fly and die,” keep your adrenaline under control and stay steady through the middle of the piece.  Then, with 100-200 meters to go, fire the afterburners and empty the tank!

NOTE: Never stop completely after a hard effort like a SkiErg sprint! Keep moving slowly for a few minutes and let your heart rate come down.  Grab a big drink of water, stretch out, and log your meters and time in your Concept2 logbook.  Well done!!

watch how we do a Ski erg sprint start

 

Try this strategy and let us know in the comments how you did! Got questions?  We’ll answer those, too. SKI ON!

Want more rowing or skiing workouts?

Our Meter Monster and Flywheel Frenzy workout plans are designed to help you stay consistent with your workouts and give you a plan to follow, whether you row solo at home or the gym, or you teach rowing class.  Both plans are available for immediate download now, but only until Sunday, Nov. 10 at midnight EST.  After that they go away until next year.

Last update: Nov. 10, 2017

Rowing Workouts for the Dog Days Challenge

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Dog Days of Summer 2015 rowing challenge

The Concept2 Dog Days of Summer Challenge has begun!  This one starts out easily, with a goal of only 10,000 meters total skied or rowed in the whole week.  Easy peasy compared to the 40,000-meter target you have to hit in the last week of the month.  As with all of Concept2’s online challenges, it’s a good idea to have a strategy for how you’re going to approach the month.

Intrepid rowers/skiers and long-distance/rowing endurance fans may like to hit the goal all at once.  And really, why not try a marathon or half-marathon during the month if you’ve got a good base?  This is also a challenge that lets you count your on-water or on-snow meters, so if that’s an option for you definitely take advantage … and send us pics!

But if you’re a rowing instructor with classes to teach or you like more variety in your SkiErg and indoor rowing workouts, try splitting up the distance over several workouts.  Here are a couple of sample workouts we’ve done at the UCanRow2 Bodyshop during the first week of the challenge.  Obviously you can increase the distances or add more workouts to meet the goals of subsequent weeks.

Let us know what you do, and we’ll share more of ours, too!

 

Workout #1

Row, SkiErg or mix 3 rounds of 1112 meters (use the undefined rest feature on the monitor)

In between do:

15, 12, 10 reps of:

Dumbbell rows
KB cleans
Mountain climbers

 

Workout #2

Row/Ski/Mix 4 rounds of 834 meters (with undefined rest)

In between choose 3-4 of the following exercises, and perform them in descending reps:

12, 10, 8, 6 reps of:

Push press
Tire flips/wallballs
Squats/lunges
TRX sweeps
Sit-ups
200m run

What’s your challenge strategy or fave workout? Tell us in the comments, we’d love to share it with the world!

Living With Cancer: What a Concept … 2

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(This article, first posted on April 8, 2015 and updated Jan. 19, 2016, is the first in a series of occasional blog posts by UCanRow2’s Terry Smythe.  Terry was diagnosed with mucosal melanoma in November, 2013.  Exercise, especially on the Concept2 SkiErg and indoor rower, have been fundamental to her path of recovering from cancer.)

Recovering From Cancer: Fighting My Way Back to Me

A stuffed animal cheers Terry on atop her IV pump in the hospital

 

Just over a year has passed since I had major surgery for rectal mucosal melanoma.  I was diagnosed with this very rare and aggressive cancer on Nov. 5, 2013, with surgery on Jan. 9, 2014 and immunotherapy at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute beginning in August, 2014.

It’s been a roller coaster couple of years, with a background theme of questions: Frequent thoughts of WHY, HOW DARE IT, WHY ME???  I have spent my life, like all active and athletic people, doing the best I can to take care of myself so that my body can perform.  I was a US national team rower, for heaven’s sakes!  Then come the thoughts of WHY NOT?  Cancer does not discriminate.  Why am I better than anyone else?  Why should I deserve a pass with a cancer diagnosis?  Am I that special?  I am human and therefore subject to the same as anyone else, but I don’t like it.  There is anger hidden behind the game face that I am so accustomed to putting on.

The difference today as I look back on this year is the realization that came to me during a recent conversation with my business partner. She said, “You’re mad, you’re pissed off because cancer picked you when this is not how you have lived your life. You have worked your whole life to not have this happen and you went and got it anyway.”  Well put.

(Good thing this a blog because not only am I a multi-tasking, 5-things-going-at-once kind of gal, but cancer treatment has added to my challenges with focus, especially when I have a lot to say. Pardon my randomness and I will work to get better as I blog.)

The surgery

To get to recovering from cancer let me begin at the beginning:

My cancer required a full APR (abdominoperineal resection) since my cancer extended from my vaginal wall through the anal-rectal canal and into my butt!! YES! Doesn’t that SUCK? I was essentially fileted from my belly button to past my butt and I woke up with a permanent colostomy! “WHO AM I NOW?” screamed in my head.

Jan. 9, 2014 I lay in pre-op at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA with my sister and my best friend since age 11 at my side.  My original surgery date was Jan. 7, but pipes burst in the hospital compromising all operating rooms.  You have no idea the prep I had to do for the 7th, then be there at 5:30 AM for surgery at 7:30 AM, only to watch the clock tick past my time and sense the urgency of “something is WRONG.”  Then a nice lady walks up and offers: “There’s no easy way to say this but we will discount your parking. All surgeries are being rescheduled.”  OMG!  Breathe and let that this-cannot-be-happening-to-ME feeling pass.  Being the amazing person she is, my surgeon, Dr. Sarah Russell, called shortly after and assured me this would be OK and not to worry.  Ha!  But I trusted her and she took good care of me.

Terry's Amazing and Strong socks, the good luck charm on her path to recovering from cancer

My sister gave me socks to wear into this cancer war that said, “I am Amazing” and “I am Strong.”  The surgical staff appreciated our attitude and promised to remember who was on the table. I remember feeling scared, but confident that Dr. Russell would get it all.  I also remember completely focusing in my head that at that moment I was lying there fully capable of doing a 100-mile bike, any kind of row, Crossfitting, skiing etc. … and that in a matter of hours my life would NEVER be the same. I had to be brave, I had to dig deep into all I had ever overcome in life to crawl back to me. Not only did my family and friends EXPECT this of me, I DID.

I thought to myself, “I have my army of support and my awesome medical team and I will prevail.  I will not let that expectation down.”  Honestly, I wanted to curl up in the fetal position and just cry; I wanted to be Dorothy in Oz and wake up from a bad dream with Hazel Bear (the UCanRow2 dog) licking my face as if to say that life was just fine and the same as always.  I did not.

Let the Healing Begin

My surgeon assured me she had gotten it all and that now was all about healing.  Easy to say and HARD to do. Healing is a big word and the definition is cancer’s roller coaster of emotions, phases, treatments, doctors, family, friends, everything that gives you joy, a lot of what you hate, and it changes daily.

How my life has changed since Jan. 9, 2014. From daily visits to the gym I have gone to working out whenever I feel up to it and sometimes-daily visits to the hospital. Still, I am lucky: 5 -10 years ago the odds were not good for survival past a year but there was hope. Today there is more hope and I do cling to the thought that with each passing day more is discovered about how to give me more options to live a strong life.

We row on.

The Workout

Terry Smythe looking Terry Strong after her first post-surgery workout

My first workout back at my Bodyshop gym was a far cry from what I’m used to, but a good fit for where I was: Rebuilding my strength after major surgery.  I lasted just 15 minutes on the SkiErg, at a pace slower than 3 minutes/500 meters, close to a minute off what I’m used to.  Afterwards I needed a three-hour nap.  So be it.  I did it, and that’s what matters.  Cancer, and recovering from cancer, changes everything when it comes to fitness, too.  Even for an athlete like me.  Especially for an athlete like me.  I have progressed from where I was that first day but I am still learning to be ok with the ups and downs of the good days and bad days.  When I feel good I push myself as hard as I can.  On my less-good days I am working on being understanding and forgiving.  It’s a process.

Power Tune: Rachel Platten – Fight Song

 If you would like to read more about Terry’s journey please visit her CaringBridge page.  If you have questions or comments for her, leave them in the comments here.  We would love to know what you think! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrate the Big Day With a Big Workout

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Cosmos workout

We love birthdays and other big life events around here!  They’re a great way to celebrate those special moments and build your fitness community, which is an important part of any successful fitness business.  People never get tired of them, and in fact they look forward to that shared sinking feeling you get when you know there’s a challenging workout coming up.  Plus, they’re a great way to add variety to your workout routine.

Yes, lots of gyms like to do birthday burpees and the like, but we’d like to encourage you to take that a step farther and really get creative.  We’ll give you some examples, but we’d also love to hear how you mark those big days.

Life Events

Weddings, anniversaries, birth of babies – or grandbabies.  They all provide opportunities to do something out of the norm.  For example, when one of our members had her first grandbaby (Born 3/12/15, weighing 9.5 lbs., 22 inches long), we celebrated with this workout:

Welcome Cosmos Workout

Warm up then do 3-5 rounds of:

1215m row or ski
9 snatch jacks or jumping jacks
22-sec. plank
9 “Charlie’s Angel’s” squats with a twist (From sumo squat position, extend arms in front of body and interlace fingers as if pointing gun. Rotate ribs slowly R and L, hips facing forward)
22 split lunges or med-ball cleans or ball slams
9 hollow rocks or sit-ups

Birthday Workouts

Landmark or other birthdays are another fun one to do this way.

In our UCanRow2 Bodyshop small-group personal training studio we’ll set up a workout where our athletes row or ski meters equaling the person’s birth year, for example, then add reps revolving around their age.  Or make it harder and make the birth year a meter interval.  Usually we try to include the birthday girl or boy’s favorite moves or machines.  And yes, we always make our birthday workouts challenging.  There’s nothing like a good shared sweat to commemorate another year of life!

Here are a couple of examples we’ve done:

Happy 51st Birthday Sarah 

5 Rounds

Ski 510 m

10 DB snatch (LR=1 or 5 each side)

25 sit ups

510m run or row

10 KB swings

10 Lunges

Finisher: 51 jumping jacks or double unders or burpees.

Lou's 79th birthday workout

Happy 79th Birthday Lou

Row 2000m
7 push-ups, 9 box steps (or box jumps)

Row 2000m
7 DB snatches, 9 bicep curls

Row 2000m
7 jumping jacks, 9 single-leg lateral jumps

Ski 790m
7 bench sits, 9 sit-ups

Row 790m
7 push-ups, 9 sit-ups

Ski or Row 790m

DONE!

 

Holiday Workouts

Holidays work for this approach too of course.  Fourth of July, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, they all work.  Here’s one example:

Firecracker Fourth (7-4-2011)

Warm up for 10 min – stretch
Set erg or SkiErg monitor for 7411m
And GO!
Or…..
Set monitor after warm-up for Intervals: Distance, 500m row/ski with unlimited rest

Then do:
7 – burpees
4- pull-ups
11- pushups
4-7 rounds for time

Done, let the grilling begin!

Got a favorite celebratory workout you like to do? Share it with the world in the comments!