Background
From 2017 to 2019, I was fortunate to support the Dutch “Project 2020” women’s eight rowing selection as a strength and conditioning coach. My task was to create and perform the day-to-day physical strength training to complement the large number of weekly rowing sessions the team performed. The team was formed in a slightly different manner than usual. The coaching staff, who included Nico Rienks, Henk-Jan Zwolle, and Rob Robbers, had all performed at the Olympic Games and won both gold and bronze medals in 1988, 1992, and 1996. Their goal was to put a rowing team together from scratch (the athletes would have limited to no prior rowing experience) and design a program allowing them to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. In 2014 over 300 women signed up after an initial media campaign and a final 8 athletes were selected to start the project. Strength training has always been a part of high-level rowing, so I contacted the team during the 2016-2017 season and offered to help incorporate more concentrated strength training sessions into their weekly training. And so, a multi-year effort toward the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games began.
This article will cover a small portion of the main program, focusing specifically on the strength and conditioning work done in the gym. The protocols discussed account for 15-25% of the total weekly training sessions.
We will cover the insights and details leading to the creation of the program, along with our results and key takeaways. I want to express my gratitude to everyone involved in this project. Thank you to the coaches, staff, athletes, and the invaluable support from StrongFirst and my personal circle.
Design
The core design of the program was developed by Pavel, Fabio Zonin, Brett Jones, and Craig Marker. Additionally, key concepts from the Strong Endurance™ and Second Wind curricula were integrated. Principles for warm-up and mobility were drawn from my years of experience with Virgil Spier and Erwin Maaswinkel. Together, these elements formed a protocol aimed at meeting a wide range of demands and ambitious goals, all while keeping the athletes injury-free and in peak condition throughout the season.
Pre-season Assessments
To effectively implement the program, it was essential to establish a precise baseline assessment of the athletes’ strength, flexibility, and power output.
Before starting the program, individual athletes were tested, and a team analysis was done. The most critical areas of focus, as determined by both the rowing coaches and myself, included:
- Functional Movement Screening (FMS) for overall movement assessment.
- Power transfer tests and video analysis of the rowing stroke, cross-referenced with FMS results.
- Baseline strength testing using 1-5 rep max (RM) assessments:
- Zercher squat (1RM and 5RM)
- Pullup (1RM, strict with full range of motion)
- See-saw press (1RM and 5RM)
- Corrective exercises tailored to each athlete’s needs.
The Training Plan
“Strength endurance, unlike strength, has no growth limits.”—Streltsov
Not all the athletes had experience with strength training, so we spent the first three to four months focusing on building basic strength and movement patterns. This involved the fundamentals of StrongFirst, including exercises like the deadlift, swing, get-up, goblet squat, back squat, front squat, Zercher squat, pushup, and more.
Once the athletes had become proficient enough with these techniques to perform 1-12RM tests, the main program began.
Each training session included the following general and movement-specific warm-up:
- 5-10 minutes of floor breathing, Dr. Stu McGill’s “big three” exercises (curl-up, side plank, and bird-dog), thoracic extensions with a foam roller, rib pull/Brettzel stretch/scorpion stretch, and any individual corrective exercises identified as necessary for athlete development.
- Hang/suspension drills, one-arm supine shoulder packing drill (from the SFG I manual), halo, get-up, goblet squat, and pushup.
- 1-2 rounds of the main program with lighter warm-up weights.
- Separate sessions or at the end of a session: Second Wind straw breathing practice (±15-30 minutes).
It was suggested to incorporate only a few barbell exercises to limit variety for the main program. This approach would make it easier to evaluate what worked well for the team and what didn’t.
Additionally, we anticipated that rowing sessions (both on the water and with indoor rowing machines) might introduce more glycolytic demands than ideal. As a result, we needed to find solutions that would allow the team to build a strong foundation of strength and power at the start of the season and maintain those gains effectively during the season. Peaking windows were dictated by pre-set competition dates and the coaching staff’s priorities for the team, meaning that reducing high glycolytic outputs throughout the season couldn’t always be fully controlled.
One of the key goals of the training plan was to help athletes naturally avoid relying on spinal flexion and compression for stability. The focus was on developing the strongest and most efficient strokes, ensuring they could maintain natural breathing and delay any “all-out” movements, which could increase the risk of injury.
The Main Protocol
With the training goals in mind, Protocol #7 from the Strong Endurance™ manual was selected and adapted to fit the team’s specific needs. An additional study provided a second layer for applying the Strong Endurance methods in practice. The final program, outlined below, includes 12-15 sets of:
- Zercher squat x 3-5 reps
- Pullup (assisted where needed) x 2-5 reps
- See-saw press x 3-5 reps per arm
- Rest 3-4 minutes between sets
- Waving the load: light for 8-11 sets, medium for 12-15 sets, heavy for 15+ sets
- Light and heavy: ±15-20%
- Medium: ±60-70%
This program was followed by the team for four to six months.
Results
The results from April to July, which represent the most consistent and competitive phase of the season, are shown in Table 1 below. The impact of the protocol was clear across several key metrics.
Strength gains
While we anticipated strength improvements, the gains exceeded expectations, continuing to grow even during the competitive portion of the season despite 6-10 additional boat/indoor rowing training sessions and competitions per week. On average, the team saw:
- +5.8% increase in the Zercher squat
- +2.2% increase in see-saw presses
- +0.6% increase in the pullup
Individual strength increases ranged from 19.8% to 37.5% over the course of the season, depending on the athlete and exercise.
Work capacity
Total working capacity per training session increased by 10-26%. The team’s average training volume per session rose from 3,215kg to as much as 5,235kg per athlete.
PPF and RPE
Perceived Physical Freshness (PPF) before training showed a slight decline as the season progressed.
Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) post-training initially decreased but spiked toward the end of the competitive season.
Note that these metrics were collected solely during strength and conditioning sessions.
Rate of recovery
One major benefit of this protocol was an improvement in recovery rates. This was partially reflected in the early season decrease in RPE (suggesting athletes felt more energized and less fatigued) and in the significant increases in both work capacity and strength. It is also worth noting that peak performance efforts occurred toward the end of the season, particularly in the final month (July).
As emphasized in StrongFirst principles, the ability to generate tension, strength, power, or speed during movement is only one side of the equation. The other, equally important aspect is an athlete’s ability to relax both the muscles and mental state after exertion, which often distinguishes top-level performance.
“There is no endurance where tension is not alternated with rest. A stretched bow snaps.”—Komensky
Post-season strength training results
Note a: Measuring Perceived Physical Freshness (PPF, pre-training) and Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE, post-training) was used to assess how physically and mentally fresh the athletes felt each day. A PPF score of 1 indicated low energy and freshness, while a score of 10 indicated maximum energy and freshness. Similarly, an RPE score of 1 represented minimal effort and 10 indicated maximum effort. Along with daily heart rate variability (HRV) measurements, this data provided insight into the athletes’ personal experience with the training demands and its effects.
Note b: The Zercher squat was typically performed with weights ranging from 55 to 70kg, while the see-saw press was done using double kettlebells weighing 12-16kg. The team progressed from assisted pullups to full bodyweight pullups, which was a significant mental and physical achievement for some athletes, given that the average height was ±1.85m and the average weight was ±80kg, making strict bodyweight pullups a challenge for many. Additionally, two athletes performed pullups with an extra 5-8kg of added weight.
Strength training sessions comprised 15-25% of the athletes’ weekly training program. These sessions established a solid foundation for their physical development; however, rowing technique could only be practiced through dedicated hours on the water or indoor rowing machines.
Other Results and Insights
Exercise selection
The overall rowing results in June and July highlighted the effectiveness of the strength training program. The incorporation of the Zercher squat helped reduce lower back strain while maintaining/increasing power output in the boat. Because the rowers used one oar (or rowing blade), there was a tendency for unilateral imbalances to develop between their dominant and non-dominant arm/side. Imagine doing your kettlebell swings and presses only on one side of the body at a competitive level. The Zercher squat, see-saw press, and pullup were specifically included to promote balanced and symmetrical pushing and pulling abilities in each athlete.
Visualization and personal tracking
Visualization exercises proved invaluable in keeping athletes mentally focused while enhancing their movement awareness and coordination. We utilized visual feedback tools to assess individual exercises and movement patterns, tracking progress for each athlete. Personal notebooks, along with detailed reviews of pre-season test results and in-season development challenges, also played a crucial role in the learning and improvement process.
Peaking timing
The team’s performance indicated the need for a shorter peaking window, suggesting the need for better periodization and tapering strategies.
Competitive Successes
The team took three first-place finishes in June, including two national-level competitions and the team’s first international victory against the Dutch and German national teams at the Regatta of Essen in Germany.
There were mixed results in July with performances not consistent with the races in June. This led to a loss in the finals at the National Championships in the Netherlands and a third-round exit (following 1-on-1 elimination rounds) at the Henley Royal Regatta in the United Kingdom.
The overall team was disbanded in the final year leading up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. However, two athletes from this group were selected for the Dutch National Team and continued their training to qualify for an Olympic boat selection. While our team and I were no longer involved in the training of these two athletes after the project concluded in 2019, it was incredible to see that they (Tinka Offereins and Hermijntje Drenth) won Olympic gold in the Women’s Four at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Main Takeaways
The most valuable takeaway from the results discussed in this article, and the entire two-year journey, is the intelligent application of antiglycolytic training. While more professional athletes, coaches, and sports have begun to recognize the benefits of antiglycolytic training, the traditional “workout” mentality, where training is focused on pushing through fatigue and glycolytic exhaustion, still needs to be better understood and re-evaluated.
The ability to perform movements in high volume and with greater quality under medium to high loads proved to be a key factor in the success of this program. This approach led to increased strength gains, improved work capacity, and faster recovery rates.
The insights gained from this training program will guide future programming, including off-season “raising the ceiling” training, a stronger emphasis on addressing individual energy leaks, and a focus on developing alactic+ aerobic work capacity, paired with carefully timed competitive peaks.
I would like to personally thank the StrongFirst leadership team for their invaluable contribution of time and expertise to this project. I would also like to extend my gratitude to Roger McCarthy, Derek Toshner, Alexey Senart, Lois Robin Monaco, and Willem Enschedé for their contributions and for being continual role models to me. It has been an incredible honor to begin my professional career as a trainer with this team and within the StrongFirst community at just 18 years old. The most rewarding gift was the opportunity to personally apply StrongFirst programs, become a lifelong student of strength, and share that knowledge in an impactful way.
Starting university, Thom decided to become the trainer, coach, and mentor he had always wanted, with the aim of supporting young athletes in their progression to professional performance levels.
His journey led him to StrongFirst, where he earned his SFL certification in Vicenza at the age of seventeen. By the time he was nineteen, he became a StrongFirst Elite instructor. He is currently certified as an SFG I and SFB instructor.
During this time, he received the remarkable opportunity to work as a strength and conditioning coach for the Dutch Women’s Heavyweight Eight rowing team, known as Project 2020. He coached the team until his move to Switzerland two and a half years later.
Having completed a degree in Neuroscience, Thom is now an active researcher in Zürich, focusing on sleep, brain health, and the neuroscience of learning. Outside work, he spends his weekends climbing mountains, trail running, teaching strength classes, and offering in-person and virtual one-on-one sessions.
StrongFirst taught him the impact of purposeful training, the power of community, and that a student mindset should be at the heart of all you do.
Follow him on Instagram at @thomvdermeer.
