Training from Home: Resources from Craftsbury Sculling Coaches

With nearly everyone’s seasons ended prematurely and many boathouses and gyms temporarily closed, rowers are facing losing access to our sport at a time when its mental and physical benefits are most needed. Thankfully, there are still plenty of ways to stay active and keep training. We’ve compiled suggestions from several of our associate directors and head coaches to help get you through this time period, however long it may be, with your strength and spirits intact.

First off, and most importantly, get outside! If you’re lucky enough to still be able to row a single (wet launching, anyone?), there’s no better way to exercise and enjoy the outdoors while maintaining a safe distance from other people. If not, running, cycling, hiking, and even getting out for a walk will have a huge impact on your well-being. If you’re committed to getting your meters in on an erg, consider bringing it out onto your porch or driveway.

The essentials: basement erg, speakers, disinfecting wipes, chain oil. Photo: Mark Sloan

Speaking of ergs, for sport-specific fitness you can’t go wrong with one. Though it might not have quite the appeal of being out on the water, erging from home is going to be a prime option for many rowers. If you don’t have an erg and don’t want to purchase one, we’ve heard about many temporarily-shuttered teams and clubs offering erg rentals – consider asking your local team, and sanitize at minimum the handle, seat, and monitor (as with typical best practices!). Concept2 has some excellent resources available: in addition to their longstanding Workouts of the Day, they’ve been publishing quarantine-specific content on their blog (erg cleaning and maintenance advice straight from the source!), and compiling resources for training from home, including links to free online workout classes.

Don’t forget about technique! Have a family member or roommate film you while you erg so you can keep an eye on your form. Self-evaluate your posture, body positioning, and connection to the footstretcher and handles. Stay engaged by using the power curve display on the monitor - we highly recommend using this feature often to create a smoother and more even application of force on the drive. Adapt on-the-water drills for use on the erg: feet-out rowing is a great one, as are pause and sequencing drills. (This video from GRP coach Steve Whelpley shows an example).

That being said, we advise cross-training in as many different forms as possible, looking for activities that engage the upper and lower body simultaneously. Always aspire to make your movements smooth, rhythmic and well-timed. Prioritize the quality of movement and de-emphasize the degree of effort. 

This is a great time to get stronger! We’ve seen many fantastic guides for strength training at home in recent days, from Instagram to the New York Times. A great deal can be accomplished with only your bodyweight, and minimal equipment (jump rope, staircase, dumbbells, kettle bell, resistance bands, or even a water jug) can provide a boost. Get creative to design circuit-based workouts for yourself, and have some fun with it! Some exercises to consider incorporating include jump squats, burpees, lunges, glute bridges, pikes, and planks of all kinds. One key movement for strength, body control and balance is the single-leg pistol squat. The off-center nature of the movement engages all your stabilizing muscles, and it will really work your quads, glutes and hamstrings. You may need to build up to the full movement in steps - here's a good guide to help you do so.

We also encourage you to use this time to work on your weaknesses. Many of us don’t dedicate enough time to keeping our bodies strong and healthy through prehab. Research your target areas, and pick exercises specific to those. Almost everyone can benefit from improving their core strength, glute strength, and balance, as well as spending time lengthening and strengthening their hip flexors. Develop a consistent warm-up and cool-down routine, try following along to online yoga videos, and invest in a foam roller. A little maintenance work can go a long way to keeping us in good shape to return to the water, whenever that may be.

Thanks to Noel Wanner, Kevin MacDermott, Erika Sloan, Steve Whelpley, Ric Ricci, Jeanne Friedman, Larry Gluckman, Carol Bower, and Troy Howell for contributing.