Rowing Facts and Good Pain

Rowing Facts and Good Pain

QIC: Rubber Ducky

Date: 7.29.2024

PAX: Zima (RIRO), Bruin, Schlitz (EC Run), Drano, FNG (Bypass), Rubber Ducky, Green Acres (WD), Tonka, Ziggy Stardust, Headhunter, Inspector Gadget (w/20lb Vest), Super Fly, Dolly (WB)

Coming off a few weeks of stress and 14-hour days, I took the Murph off on Saturday and did Alcatraz which was perfect because it was a strength work minimal running workout to save my knees a bit.  I looked at the calendar on Sunday and messaged Dr. Toot to make sure he was good to go for the Q on Monday.  He messaged back and said Mr. Covid had paid the Toots a visit.

So being the man of action that this organization has helped me become, I stepped in and decided to do an Olympic Themed workout and specifically a Rowing themed one.

Around the Turn of the century (1900’s) Rowing was arguably the most popular sport in the world. It was ahead of soccer, baseball, sailing, cricket, and this new weird American Football.  Routinely there would be 100,000 spectators to witness rowing regattas, especially in the Northeastern USA.

Many of you know I was a rower in college and loved the sport. It was rewarding but unforgiving, so I decided to make this workout sort of that way but with some fun facts.  Here we go!

Warm-o-Rama – (Zima’s Time Wasters)

SSH, Abe, Whirly, Michael Phelps – Mosey to Blocks

The Thang:

• (4) – Burpees – for every 4 years for the Olympics
• (8) – Side to side Merkins on your block – for Rubber Ducky’s seat in the boat (Stroke Oar)
• (33) – Upright Rows – for the number of USA Gold Medals
• (32) – Hand Release Merkins – for the number of USA Silver Medals
• (34) – Bent over row – for the number of USA Silver Medals
  • Rifle Carry Block around track to playground – 5 Pull ups – back to start
• Repeato
  • Lung Walk opposite way back to Playground – Lunge Walk Back
• Repeato
  • Add 20 Curls
  • Rifle Carry Shorter way back to Start Rifle Carry
• Finish – AC/DC – Burpee – Thunder Struck – (33) Total Burpees

During the workout we had some fun facts that I believe the PAX did not know about Olympic Rowing:

• Races are 2000m
• Steven Redgrave – British Rower – Arguably the greatest of all time
  • Gold in 5 Straight Olympics in multiple events
• 1936 – Gold Metal Team that beat the Nazis and is the basis of “The Boys in the Boat” had won by less than .02 seconds. That is less than a blink of an eye
  • That Team and Dan Borrow (Got Bronze in Singles) were our only two medals in rowing in that Olympics
• The Leader Board of Rowing Medals in the Olympics are:
  • USA – 89 Medals
  • Great Brittain – 70
  • Germany – 53
  • East Germany – 48
• Stroke Rate for Olympic Rowers
  • 18-20 Strokes per minute (Warm-ups)
  • 40 SPM – Race Pace – (This is moving)
  • 50 SPM – Starting Pace (We used to call these Power 10’s because you can only hold this for a short time before you settle in)
• Weight Classes
  • Lightweight Men’s – 160lbs and under (Zima could be here)
  • Lightweight Women’s – 130lbs and under
  • Everyone else is Open
• Events for the Olympics
  • Singles – Skulls are (2) oars per rower
  • Pair – (1) oar per rower
  • Double Skulls
  • Coxless Four – 4 Rowers without Coxswain to steer
  • Quad Skulls
  • Lightweight Double Skulls
  • Eight – this is with a coxswain and these are the fastest boats by far

All this to be said, I’ll be pulling heavily for our men and women this week.  We have not medaled since the 2016 Rio Olympics where we got (1) Gold and (1) Silver.

Thank you for the opportunity to Lead.

COT

• Prayers for aging parents
• Prayers for leaders to rise to the occasion in this lead this world that is currently in a leadership crisis.

-Duck Out