2026 World Rowing Virtual Series 

APRIL — CHALLENGE 1: PowErg

The format is simple. The suffering is not.

4 intervals. 30 seconds rest. Zero mercy.

3 min on → 30 sec rest

2 min on → 30 sec rest

1 min → 30 sec rest

30 sec on — leave it ALL on the machine

Score: Total distance + max watts on that final 30-second interval (1649 meters and 402 WATTS)

A pure test of engine and execution. Four hard intervals. Just 30 seconds rest. Full rest after the one-minute interval—flywheel must come to a complete halt. The 402 WATTS equates to a 1:35.5 pace—not too shabby with the drag set to just 108. 

'Everything is Equal' 
15 rounds of:
1 min work 1 min rest
Rounds 1-14 26 SPM aim to achieve EXACTLY the same meterage each round.
Round 15 30+SPM MAX distance effort.

Followed along with DH vid. You have to be able to hold whatever you do on the first round for every round so don't come out too hot. Set my target at 240m after the first interval (2:05.0 pace). No holds barred on the last round with goal of 275m. 

500m Row

15 AbMat Butterfly Sit-Ups

15 Russian KB Swings @ 53 lbs

— 5 Rounds for Time —

22:45

Every movement is talking to the same neighborhood—hamstrings, glutes, low back, core and by the end of the third round, the whole block is on fire. The row will punish you if you come out too hot. Long, efficient strokes. Let the machine work. The sit-ups are the active recovery you don't realize you need. The swings are the exclamation point on every round. Hinge hard, snap the hips, let the bell float. No muscling it up. This one sneaks up on you. Rounds one and two feel like a conversation. Round four feels like a confession. Walk yourself to the redline — but don't cross it. Keep moving. No standing around. Transitions matter here.

Stroke Rate Pyramid 
10-minute intervals with 2 minutes rest between
First Interval: change the rate each minute
r18-20-22-24-26-28-30-26-22-18
Second Interval: first minute light, second minute with pressure
r20-24-28-26-22

This was the fourth workout in Skeleton Challenge C2 podcast. During the second interval, your ratio is going to change from the first minute to the next. Your drive speed will increase to apply more power which means you'll need to slow down your recovery to hold the prescribed rate. PRESS the legs to extension, don't just FLOP them to extension. 

Skeleton Crew Challenge Day 1 
RowErg
9:00 steady interval
Increase rate OT3M (20, 22 & 24)
3 rounds of 3:00 work // 2:00 rest
r24 across all intervals with increasing power
9 rounds of 1:00 work/ 1:00 rest
r26 across all intervals - maintain or increase power

Steady effort before church this morning. Tried to maintain negative splits on the one-minute intervals, but should start a little faster. 

Workout 11 - RowErg - The Rhythm Within 
Warm Up  
5 Rounds of 3 Minute Intervals with 20 Second Rest 
 
Interval 1 - 3 Minute steady state low intensity @ 24
Interval 2 - @24*
Interval 3 - @22*
Interval 4 - @24*
Interval 5 - @26*
*(1min light, 1min moderate, 1min high intensity)
 
Workout 
9 Rounds of 1:40 Minute Intervals with 20 Second Rest
 
Interval 1 - @28
Interval 2 - @26
Interval 3 - @24
Interval 4 - @22
Interval 5 - @20
Interval 6 - @22
Interval 7 - @24
Interval 8 - @26
Interval 9 - @28

The goal is to match the calorie output you achieved in Interval 1 for each subsequent round. Aim for a moderate-to-high effort as you'll have to repeat eight more times with very little rest between intervals. This was done around 5K splits, but a 2:05 pace puts you at 400m per interval. 

Workout 42 - RowErg - Hindsight 
Hindsight is 20/20. We head towards 20 Minutes of work at a 20 Stroke Rate.  In the first interval, leave yourself some room to make two jumps (measured in watts) from easy to hard. Set the monitor to view force curve. 
 
Two 10 Minute intervals @20 with 3 Minutes Rest in Between
1st Interval: 3 Minutes Easy, 4 Minutes Moderate, 3 Minutes Hard
2nd Interval: 3 Minutes Moderate, 4 Minutes Hard, 3 Minutes Moderate

My graph looked most like the third image—needs more leg drive.