This version of our Three Week Program is designed to help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. The program will introduce you to a wide variety of workouts, which will provide the structure and interest to keep you burning calories with rowing, while also allowing the flexibility to target the workouts to your own personal goals.
| Day |
Workout |
Details |
Weight loss/control |
Monday |
Threshold Intervals |
Alternate 4 minutes of hard rowing with 3 minutes of easy rowing |
Row at a moderately challenging pace for the hard intervals, and a moderately easy pace in between. Try for 4-6 intervals. Fewer for novices; the more the better for weight control. |
Tuesday |
Steady Row with short bursts |
Long moderate row with a “power ten” every 500 meters. (Power Ten = ten strokes at higher intensity). |
Row for 30-45 minutes. For weight control, the longer the better. Pace: conversational. Find a friend to row with and talk as you row.
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Wednesday |
Short intervals |
1 minute of hard rowing, followed by 30 seconds of easier rowing. Repeat four times for one set then take a break of 3 minutes before starting the next set. |
Beginners should do 2-3 sets at moderate intensity.
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Thursday |
Longer row with alternating intensity |
Alternate 45 seconds (or 20 strokes) of moderately hard rowing with 15 seconds (or 5 strokes) of easy rowing. Make the transitions smooth. >
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Row with this alternating intensity pattern for 10 minutes. Take a break for five minutes of easy rowing, then return to the alternating pattern for another 5-10 minutes. |
Friday |
Easy row! |
Watch a movie; talk to a friend; row with your kids. Take a break to stretch in the middle. |
The longer you go, the more calories you’ll burn. |
Saturday |
Decreasing length pieces |
Starting with a 5 or 6 minutes piece, each successive piece will be shorter by a minute and a little more intense, until you get to the last piece of 1 minute as hard as you can go. Row easily for 2 minutes in between pieces.
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5 minutes moderately easy,
4 minutes moderate,
3 minutes a little harder,
2 minutes a little harder still,
1 minute piece as hard as you can go! |
Sunday |
Rest day |
No rowing! |
Take a walk or do outdoor chores to burn some calories. |
Monday |
Alternating intensity |
Row three minutes at a low stroke rate (22-25 SPM); then two minutes at slightly higher stroke rate (24-27 SPM); then one minute at a still higher stroke rate (26-30 SPM). |
Row this sequence 4 to 6 times for a total elapsed time of 24-36 minutes. Intensity as follows:
3min @ easy conversational pace
2min @ moderate pace
1 min@ hard pace |
Tuesday |
Steady row |
Row at a comfortable conversational pace. Take a few power tens in the first 10 minutes to make the pace feel easier. |
Don’t go too hard, but try to row for longer than you rowed last Tuesday, aiming for 35 to 50 minutes total. |
Wednesday |
Short intervals |
Row 20 seconds hard, 40 seconds easy, and repeat for a set of 10. Aim for a stroke rate of 28-30 SPM for the 20 second work interval.
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Do a set of ten of these intervals, starting off a little easier and gradually building intensity through the set. Row easily for five minutes then do another set of ten. Be sure to maintain good technique at the higher intensity. |
Thursday |
Long pieces |
10 minute pieces with 4 minutes rest between |
Do at least 2 of these pieces; add a 3rd if you feel good and want to burn more calories. Row at a steady moderate pace. |
Friday |
Mostly mindless, but steady and long. Earn your weekend!
Bring a friend so you can talk while you row. |
Every 1000 meters row harder for 30 seconds. |
Aim for 6-8k total |
Saturday |
Pyramid pieces
|
1-2-3-4-3-2-1 minute pieces with equal rest time. |
As you work up the pyramid, row at a moderate pace. As you come back down the pyramid, try to row a little harder on each successive piece. |
Sunday |
Rest. No rowing. |
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Walk, mow the lawn, do something easy but active to burn some calories. |
Monday |
Intervals |
1000 meter pieces with 4 minutes rest between. |
Aim for 4-5 of these pieces. Row at a moderate pace on the first and last pieces, and a little harder on the rest. |
Tuesday |
Easy steady row at a comfortable pace. Listen to music, talk to a friend or watch the news. Take a stretch break in the middle if you want to.
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Aim for 40-50 minutes. |
Wednesday |
Stroke pyramids
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10 strokes hard, 10 strokes easy;
20 strokes hard, 10 strokes easy;
30 strokes hard, 10 strokes easy;
20 strokes hard, 10 strokes easy;
10 strokes hard, 10 strokes easy.
Row easy for three minutes between pyramids.
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Try for three of these pyramids. Build gently into the first few strokes of each hard piece and be sure to maintain good technique. |
Thursday |
Rest or Cross-Training |
Rest or do some light exercise. This is your “taper” for tomorrow’s time trial.
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You may do an easy row if you want to, for the purpose of burning some calories. |
Friday |
2000 meter time trial.
Be sure to record your score! |
Suggested warm up: Row 10 strokes hard, 10 strokes easy and repeat three times. Row 20 strokes hard, 10 easy and repeat two times. |
Start at a pace that you know you can maintain for 2000 meters. In the second half of the piece, if you feel good, increase your intensity, and be sure you are exhausted by the end! |
Saturday |
Long steady row:
Row with a friend, or listen to music or books on tape, or put your erg in a new location – even outdoors if you have the option and the weather is good! |
Row 10 minutes, get off and stretch. Continue rowing, taking five power tens in the next few minutes. Settle into a comfortable conversational pace. |
Aim for 60 minutes - or longer than you have rowed before at one sitting. |
Sunday |
Rest, celebrate! |
play, do something active. |
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