TCU Rowing Summer Workout Program:
Huge thank you to Marisa for putting this program together!
Aim to lift 3-4 days a week while doing cardio on the days you are not lifting, or doing short cardio or HIIT workouts at the end of your lifts to keep up with your cardiovascular fitness during the summer, while still allowing you to build up strength for the upcoming season.
Workout structure:
If you are doing 4 lifts a week, do 2 lower body and 2 upper body, if you plan to only do 3 lifts a week then I would do one lower body, one upper body, and one full body workout. All workouts will begin with and focus on compound lifts and we will work in accessory movements. Mobility is very important so make sure to do the appropriate mobility routine before every lift to ensure you are properly warmed up.
Lower body focused workouts:
– Option 1:
o Barbell back squats
▪ Warm up with bar
▪ 1 set- 15 reps, easy weight
▪ 1 set- 10-12 reps, more moderate weight
▪ 1 set 8-10 reps, more challenging weight
▪ 3 sets 6-8 reps, challenging weight; last rep should be close to failure
▪ 1 set- 1-15 reps, lighter weight (cool down set)
▪ Rest 1-2 minutes in between sets working up to the heavy sets, rest 2-3 minutes in between heaviest sets
o Barbell Hip thrusts (you can also use a dumbbell if you have one that’s heavy enough to be challenging)
▪ 1 set moderate weight 10-12 reps
▪ 4 sets 8-10 reps, heavy weight, last rep should be near failure
• Rest 90 seconds-2 minutes between sets
o Romanian dead lifts (use either a barbell or dumbbells, whatever is more comfortable)
▪ 4×10-12 reps with challenging weight, rest 90 seconds-2 minutes
▪ It is important with these to keep your core engaged, a slight bend in the knees, a straight back, and push you hips back to engage your glutes and hamstring
o Leg extensions
▪ 4×15- or until failure, using a challenging weight and squeezing at the top
▪ Rest 1 minute between sets
▪ Do the last set as a drop set: go until failure, decrease the weight by 20 pounds, then continue until you get down to the last weight
o Super set: weighted walking lunges and wall sits
▪ Use 10 pound-20 pound dumbbells (or a challenging weight)
▪ 30 walking lunges (15 each leg) and then followed by a 90 second wall sit
• Do not rest in between exercises but rest 1-2 minutes after each circuit
Upper body focused workouts:
– Option 1: more “push” focused
o Bench press
▪ 1 set with bar
▪ 1 set 15 reps with easy-moderate weight
▪ 1 set 10 reps with more challenging weight
▪ 1 set 8 reps with challenging weight
• Rest 1-2 minutes between each set as you work up to the working sets
▪ 2-3 sets 6 reps with challenging weight
• Rest 3 minutes in between each set
▪ 1 set 10-12 reps moderate weight (cooldown)
o Sitting dumbbell shoulder press
▪ 1 set with moderate weight 10 reps
▪ 4 sets 8-10 reps with heavy weight- go until failure
• Rest 2 minutes between sets
o Tricep rope pulldowns
▪ 4 sets 12-15 reps, challenging weight
• Rest 60-90 seconds
o Incline dumbbell bench press
▪ 4 sets of 10-12 reps, challenging weight (last rep should be near failure)
• Rest 90 seconds between sets
o Overhead triceps extensions
▪ 4 sets of 12-15 reps each arm
▪ 1 minute rest
o Pushups
▪ As many as possible, 4 sets
▪ Rest 60-90 seconds
– Option 2: more “pull” focused
o Dead lifts
▪ 1 set with bar (to get down motion and form)
▪ 1 set easy weight 15 reps
▪ 1 set moderate weight 10-12 reps
▪ 1 set heavier weight 8-10 reps
• Rest 1-2 minutes in between sets
▪ 3 sets heavy weight 6-8 reps
• Rest 3 minutes between sets
▪ 1 cooldown set
o Pull-ups
▪ These can be banded or assisted if necessary
▪ 4 sets until failure
• Rest 90 seconds-2 minutes in between each set
o Back row machine
▪ 4 sets 10-12 reps, heavy weight
• Rest 90 seconds
o Lat pulldowns
▪ 4 sets 12-15 reps, challenging weight
o Bicep curls with slow eccentric
▪ 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• 3-4 second eccentric motion (lower the weight very slowly
Full body
– Bench press
– Squats
– Deadlift (for these three lifts follow the same reps and instructions as stated with the other workouts above)
– Superset #1: repeat x2
o Walking lunges (can add weight if you want)- 20 each leg
o Pull ups (if needed us either assist machine or band)- 10-12 reps focusing on full range of motion
– Superset #2: repeat x3
o Kettlebell swings- 20 reps
o Push-ups- (if these are hard you can do incline push-ups) x15
– Finish with 5 minutes of abs
–
Ab exercises: try to choose a few exercises and do each for a minute then repeat
– Planks
– Dead bugs
– Lying leg raises
– Oblique crunches
– Side planks
– Bicycles
– hanging leg raise
– Scissors
– Hollow hold
– V ups
– V site
– Jack knifes
– Russian twists
–
Lower body day #2:
– 1. Squats- follow some instructions with squats as before
–
– 2. Leg press- (4 sets- moderate weight 10-15 reps, last set should be until failure)
–
– 3. Single Leg extensions (light/moderate weight, focus more on contraction and squeezing with slow and controlled reps, 15-18 reps each leg x4)
–
– 4. Bulgarian split squats (if you are unsure about how to set this up there are some great videos online explaining it): moderate weight, weight will be in the hand of your working leg, that way you can use the wall for balance support if needed. 10-12 reps each leg x3
–
– 5. Walking lunges drop set: you are going to do this twice. Grab a moderate weight and do 40 walking lunges (20 each leg) then drop the weights and repeat without weight, repeat twice
–
– 6. Finish with five minutes of abs
Additional isolated lifts to do on push days (substitute out isolated lifts like rope pull-downs, don’t substitute large compound lifts for these)
– Single arm cable tricep kick backs– moderate weight 12-15 reps 4 sets each arm
– Rear delt flies- light to moderate weight 15-20 reps x4
– Rope face pulls- moderate weight 10-15 reps x4
– Front plate raises for front delts- moderate weight (like a 25 pound plate) go until burnout x4
Additional isolated lifts- pull days
– 7-7-7 curls with ez curl bar light weight repeat three times (bottom half of rep, top half of rep, full rep)
– Dead hangs as long as possible x4
– Incline curls on bench moderate weight 12-15 reps each arm x4 (slow controlled movements)
Options for cardio:
– Rowing- refer to workouts we used throughout school year
– Running- 2-3 mile jogs: run for 0.5 mile then walk for 0.5 to work up to running the whole way
– Biking
– Elliptical
HIIT:
– Choose 3-4 exercises from list and do circuits with those exercises, either repeat that circuit 3-4 times or choose another set of exercises for another circuit to serve as your HIIT workout, with any of the workouts if you can’t do all the reps at once take a break and then keep going
– Exercises-
o ⁃ Jump squats x50
o ⁃ Plank: 1 minute
o ⁃ Kettle ball swings x30
o ⁃ Push-ups x40
o ⁃ Pull-ups x20
o ⁃ Pistol squats x10 each leg
o ⁃ Wall sit: 2 minutes
o ⁃ Shoulder taps x100 (in plank position)
o ⁃ Box jumps (or step ups) x25
o ⁃ V ups x50
o ⁃ Mountain climbers x100
o ⁃ Burpees x30
o ⁃ Reverse lunge x30 each leg
o ⁃ Jump rope: 1 minute
o ⁃ Flutter kicks: 1 minute
🚣🏼🚣🏼🚣🏼🚣🏼🚣🏼🚣🏼🚣🏼ERG Workouts.🚣🏼♂️🚣🏼♂️🚣🏼♂️🚣🏼♂️🚣🏼♂️🚣🏼♂️🚣🏼♂️🚣🏼♂️🚣🏼♂️
Stretch and Warm up for at least 10′ before each and every workout.
Here are some Pyramids during which you can focus on form as you improve your conditioning.
