Hashway, who has been rowing since 1999, raced with the US National Team in the LM8+ at the 2012 World Championships. His favorite (and self-created) workout is long and intense, but will get your blood moving, your fitness level up – and will make a great excuse for that extra cup of post-practice hot cocoa.

row2k: What is your favorite winter workout?

 Andrew Hashway: My favorite rowing winter workout is 90' long on the erg.  You enter it into the erg as such: Intervals varying, 40' w/ 4' rest, 8000m w/ 3' rest, 20' w/2' rest). The specifics are as follows:

o   40' of firm steady state changing rates every 10' for the first 20', then changing rate every 5' for the last 20'. Rates always go up, so I usually start at a 20 and get up to 30. The idea with this segment is to work the rate, but not kill myself with power, so as the rate gets higher I just try to tap without hauling on it.

o    4' rest.

o   8k broken up into 2k on, 1k "off" steady state (SS) segments.  Each 2k is race prep (start, base, sprint) and the rates for each 2k increase. The 1k is SS at a 20-22. Each 8k has three 2k pieces plus three 1k SS pieces. I try to keep the same split for all three 2ks – about 6 seconds slower than my 2k PR split. The goal here is to focus on 2k strategy and to exhaust the system.  

o   3' rest. 

o   20' of firm steady state broken up into 4', 3', 2', 1' changing rate each time.  20-28 and 22-30.  This is to help with the flush from the previous workout and it helps me focus on bringing the splits down as the rate increases.

 o   Last 2' rest is just a formality, set as a reminder to keep moving after the piece.  After 2' I get up and walk, stretch, and cool down.

 row2k: What about this workout makes it a favorite? How long have you been doing it?

 AH: I have been doing this workout going on 4 years now. I created it myself during the winter during a time in my rowing life were I was between coaches (one had left and we had not hired a new one). I knew I needed to get some volume in, but didn't want to forget to put work in as well. I was bored with the 5x5' and 4x2k workouts.

 Over a few weeks of doing this workout 1-3 times a week I "perfected" what worked for me.  I started with 45', 6500m, 25' but that wasn't nearly enough time and the middle work didn't flow well.  So I tweaked it to not be as long on either end but still try to get 90' in.  Even now, with a proper training program and coach, I try to sneak this workout in if I have the option to do so.

row2k: If you could stay fit in the winter by only doing one type of non-erg cross-training, what would it be, and why?

AH: It would definitely be skate skiing, hands down.  I was introduced to the sport 5 years ago, and every winter I want to travel north to ski in the morning or afternoons.  Too bad I have bills and rent to pay back here!