Beat Boredom With a Playground Rowing Warm Up

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Warm up your workout with hopscotch and skipping

Does the sound of yet another 3k rowing warm up make you want to stick needles in your eyes?  Or has your usual warmup turned into a chatfest because your students are getting a little too comfortable with the steady-state routine?

Boredom is the enemy of progress, even in the warmup.  Mix it up! Try getting outside and back on the “playground” for your next rowing workout warm up.

Off-erg warmups in general are a super smart – and super fun – way to get your athletes prepped and sweaty for a good SkiErg or rowing workout.  A fast-paced round of moves like jumping jacks, skipping and hopscotch will get your students’ blood pumping and warm up the key muscles used in rowing.  These moves also offer some important work on balance, agility and coordination, which are critical as we age.   practice.  That one is especially important if you’re doing senior fitness, but really everyone can use it.

 

Boredom is the enemy of progress, even in the #workout warmup. Mix it up! #ucanrow2 #rowing Click To Tweet

 

Try a Playground Warmup

Option 1:

We are fortunate at the UCanRow2 Bodyshop to have a 450-meter loop around our gym.  To do this warmup, walk or jog the first loop.  On the second time around break it up about every 25 meters with moves including air squats, jumping jacks, backwards walking or running, lunges or hopscotch.

If you want to ramp it up, use dumbbells and do a lap with farmer’s carries, waiter walks, etc.  It helps that the Bodyshop loop ends with a deceptively challenging hill, but even on a flat track you could make this a great warmup.

An off-erg warmup adds a new twist and more variety to the traditional #rowing workout. #ucanrow2 Click To Tweet

Option 2:

First do a few minutes of jogging or walking to get loose. Then set up a 25-30-yard course.  Do the following moves, in order:

2 lengths heel-to-toe steps (rolling up on the toes, practicing balance)
2 lengths high knees touching opposite elbow to knee
2 lengths side shuffle, tagging the ground at the end of each length
2 lengths karaoke, touching the ground at the end of each length
4 lengths run backwards, sprint forwards
2 lengths frog jumps

On with the workout!

What’s your favorite warmup, playground or otherwise? Tell us in the comments and we’ll share!

 

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