Olympic rowing training programme

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Eight-month training plan to improve all aspects of rowing

This training programme was created by three times Olympic rowing coach Terry O’Neill. It covers an eight-month period and is subdivided into three eight-week training blocks. Each block has a specific training aim.

The high-intensity programme is ideal for veterans (masters) as their race distance is 1000m – a distance that takes between three and four minutes. It is also suitable for rowers (of 2000m) with limited training time and for clubs who normally race over distances less than 2000m. The training programme should be seen primarily as a guide: you may find it useful as it is but may have to adapt it to suit your needs.

The high-intensity programme will draw criticism from traditionalists, who will quite rightly point out that, even when racing over 1K, the sport is still predominantly aerobic. This high-intensity programme is based on anaerobic sprint training principles and not aerobic endurance. My answer is that although it is based on sprint training, I have produced a training programme that will still provide good results, particularly with limited training time.

I would like to dispel some myths. Some time ago, a research study showed that exposure to high levels of lactate could lead to muscle damage. As a result of this report, training schedules were produced that avoided building high levels of lactate. However, although lactate is an acid and can cause damage, we have to keep this in context (the damage is not long-lasting and is caused by the irritation of muscle nerve endings). The total training time in the programme where high levels of lactate are present amounts to a couple of hours a week and this exposure does not present itself as a risk.

All training causes muscle damage, and it is in response to the damage that adaptation in the muscle takes place, so that for any given level of intensity this damage does not occur again – basically, endurance and/or strength is elevated. But this damage is microscopic in nature and a natural consequence of training and it should not be confused with muscle damage caused as a result of impacts or strains.

Block 1 Weeks 1-8	Block 2 Weeks 8-16	Block 3 Weeks 16-24	Block 4 weeks 24-32
Training aim/aims
To develop speed over short distances and Increase mechanical efficiency	To improve aerobic capacity, maintain mechanical efficiency and speed (AT)	To develop the cardiovascular system (TR) and increase basic strength. This is achieved by medium intervals plus speed retention	To develop fast strength and lactate tolerance. Specific to race distance and composite containing sessions from previous three blocks

See below for a guide to the types of training required in each block

Key to blocks

MHR refers to maximum heart rate. You’ll see these terms used to describe the workouts you should be doing in each of the sessions in the blocks

UT3 50%MHR	Bursts 100% MHR	Pyramids 100% MHR Pyramids (PYR)	Medium intervals 95-100% MHR (TR)	Anaerobic Threshold (AN) 85% MHR
Aim: to improve mechanical efficiency by long continuous rowing. Intensity should not exceed 50% MHR	Aim: speed work using the creatine phosphate energy system. 10-stroke bursts flat out performed in groups of 100 (10x10), ie. 500 strokes = 5(10x10) rest between bursts is when heart rate reaches RHR x 2*	Aim: extended speed work using anaerobic system. Blocks of 100 strokes performed as follows: 15-20-30-20-15, rowed flat out with equal-effort light strokes between. 4 minutes’ rest between sets	Aim: development of lactate tolerance and lactate metabolism. Series of intervals from 2-4 minutes duration are performed with equal rest. All at max speed (TR)	Aim: develop cardiovascular efficiency. Series of intervals of between 5-8 minutes duration (AT). Sessions last 45-60 minutes

Further clarification of terms used in the training programme

AN:: Training band at the border of where the body switches from using oxygen as its primary fuel source through the aerobic energy system, to anaerobic energy production (hence anaerobic threshold). There is a greatly reduced reliance on oxygen and lactate levels rise despite attempting to remain at threshold.
TR:: These are extremely tough workouts producing significantly elevated levels of lactate. They develop muscles’ ability to better combat its detrimental effects on performance.
Creatine phosphate:: This training band specifically targets the short-term anaerobic energy system directly. This energy system has very little reliance on oxygen to fuel it and instead uses stored body-fuel sources, primarily creatine phosphate, to supply the energy. The short-term anaerobic energy system supplies energy for up to 90 seconds.
UT3:: This training band utilises very low heart-rate levels (50% of max heart rate) and will not have a very significant effect on improving rowing performance directly. However, it will, develop the body’s ability to preferentially burn fat as a fuel source (at all aerobic intensities) if included in the rower’s training on a year-in, year-out basis. These sessions are also suitable for recovery and warm-down purposes.

Resting Heart Rate (RHR) recovery

You’ll see that some of the sessions have a two times RHR recovery. To work this out, you’ll need to take your RHR over a couple of days and calculate the average. Therefore the designated recovery is determined by the drop in heart rate until twice RHR is reached. RHR is taken a few minutes after waking.

Block 1 weeks 1-8

Week No. Rating	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
1 Light	30mins UT3 200 bursts	40 min. UT3 300 bursts	45 min. UT3 45 min. bursts	50 min. UT3 500 bursts
2 Medium	60 min. UT3 200 Pyr.	50 min. UT3 300 Pyr.	45 min. UT3 400 Pyr.	40 min. UT3 500 Pyr.
3 Hard	60 min. UT3 500 bursts	70 min. UT3 600 Pyr.	80 min. UT3 700 Bursts	90 min. UT3 800 Pyr
4 Light	50 min. UT3 500 Pyr.	60 min. UT3 400 Pyr.	40 min. UT3 300 Pyr.	50 min. UT3 200 Pyr
5 Medium	60 min. UT3 300 Bursts	80 min. UT3 400 Bursts	70 min. UT3 500 Bursts	90 min. UT3 600 Bursts
6 Hard	90 min. UT3 700 Pyr	80 min. UT3 800 bursts	70 min. UT3 900 Pyr	60 min. UT3 1000 bursts
7 Light	50 min. UT3 400 Pyr.	60 min. UT3 300 Pyr	45 min. UT3 400 Pyr	50 min. UT3 500 Pyr.
8 Medium	90 min. UT3 500 bursts	80 min. UT3 500 Pyr.	70 min. UT3 500 bursts	60 min. UT3 500 Pyr.

Block 2 Weeks 9-16

Before AT sessions, do a 20min. warm-up and do a 20min. cool-down after sessions, both at UT3. Rest until your heart rate drops to twice RHR, before going again (see above).

Week No. Rating	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
1 Hard	2x8 min. AT	3x8 min. AT	2x8 min. AT	90 min. UT3 800 Pyr
2 Light	30 min. UT3 200 bursts	2x6 min. AT	3x6 min. AT	4x5 min. AT
3 Medium	3x7 min. AT	50 min. UT3 300 Pyr.	5x5 min. AT	4x7min. AT
4 high	4x8 min. AT	7x5 min. AT	80 min. UT3 700 Bursts	5x8 min. AT
5 Low	3x8 min. AT	4x7 min. AT	5x4 min. AT	50 min. UT3 200 Pyr
6 Medium	60 min. UT3 300 Bursts	8x5 min. AT	5x8 min. AT	8x5 min. AT
7 High	6x5 min. AT	80 min. UT3 800 bursts	5x5 min. AT	8x8 min. AT
8 Low	3x8 min. AT	4x6 min. AT	45 min. UT3 400 Pyr	3x8 min. AT

Block 3 Weeks 17-24

30mins warm up should be carried out before TR and AN sessions. 20mins cool down on completion of the set. Rest between sets resting heart rate x 2.

Week No. Rating	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
1 Medium	4x3 min. TR	6x2mins TR	60mins UT3 500 Pyr	4x3 min. TR
2 High	4x8 min. AT	7x5 min. AT	80 min. UT3 700 Bursts	5x8 min. AT
3 Light	3x5 min. TR	8x2 min. TR	3x4min. TR	45 min. UT3 400 Pyr
4 Medium	60 min. UT3 300 Bursts	8x5min. AT	5x3 min. TR	8x5 min. AT
5 High	6x3 min. TR	2x(10x1min.) AN	80 min. UT3 700 Bursts	6x3 min. TR
6 Low	3x5 min. TR	4x4 min. TR	50 min. UT3 400 Pyr.	3x5 min. TR
7 Medium	6x2 min. TR	8x2 min. TR	90 min. UT3 600 Bursts	6x2 min. TR
8 High	90 min. UT3 500 bursts	4x3min. TR	6x90 sec. AN	6x2 min. TR

Block 4 weeks 24-32

Week No Rating	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
1 Light	50 min. UT3 400 Pyr	4x3 min. TR	6x2 min. TR	10x1min. AN
2 Medium	10x45 sec. AN	20x30 sec. AN	4x3 min. TR	60 min. UT3 300 Bursts
3 Hard	8x90 sec. AN	10x90 sec. AN	6x90 sec. AN	8x90 sec. AN
4 Light	3x8 min. AT	4x6 min. AT	45 min. UT3 400 Pyr	10x1min. AN
5 Medium	10x45 sec. AN	90 min. UT3 600 Bursts	8x1 min. AN	6x2 min. TR
6 Hard	90 min. UT3 500 bursts	4x3 min. TR	6x90 sec. AN	6x2 min. TR
7 Light	50 min. UT3 400 Pyr.	60 min. UT3 300 Pyr	45 min. UT3 400 Pyr	50 min. UT3 500 Pyr.
8 Medium	10x45 sec. AN	8x2 min. TR	90 min. UT3 600 Bursts	6x2 min. TR