The Unsanction-250 has been called a “Rowing Cult” due to the standardization of the pre-row and post-row workout. This standardization exists to increase the strength, flexibility and speed of the U-250 rowers in both U-250 events and other related events in crew, canoe, kayak and swimming.
This is the standardized workout:
1. 100 jumps with jump rope
2. 250 reps on speed bag, speed pad or wrecker ball combination
3. 1 minute on heavy bag, or stationary post
4. 50 reps for abdominal workout
5. 50 reps with free weights upper body
6. U-250 event or compatible event
7. 50 jumps with jump rope
The intention and goal of the U-250 community is to bring competitive rowing to communities underserved by traditional competitive rowing by dramatically lowering the cost of entry for the single athlete and the institution. In order to accomplish this, considerable flexibility to the U-250 standardized workout is necessary. For example, some variations and limitations to the workout …
1. Jump rope may be completed with little or considerable effort
2. Wrecker ball and speed bag require more effort than wall pad
3. The effort on the heavy bag cannot be regulated
4. Some abdominal workouts are more difficult than others
5. Choice of weight is left to athlete, as long as basic sequence is used
6. Only U-250 rowing events can be used for record-keeping
7. Final jump rope can be completed with variation in effort.
The outside observer would then conclude, that in order for the athlete to row a strong and potentially record-breaking U-250 time, that the athlete would be wise to minimize effort in the pre-row workout as necessary, but lifting minimum mass of weight, and by choosing easier speed bag and heavy bag workouts. Certainly, it is not the intention of the U-250 rowing community to regulate the individual workout choices of the athletes. However, strong workouts tend to produce strong rowers, and an accepted guideline is to use the same mass of free weights in a competition event as the athlete uses in training.
Ultimately, the efficacy of the athletes workout program can be accurately gauged by the results on the Concept II ergometer, or the in-water events with approved one-design U-250 rowing shells. The following competition classes in the U-250 are noted:
1. Senior Men’s Heavyweight
2. Senior Women’s Heavyweight
3. Senior Men’s Lightweight
4. Senior Women’s Lightweight
5. Adult Men’s Heavyweight
6. Adult Women’s Heavyweight
7. Adult Men’s Lightweight
8. Adult Women’s Lightweight
9. Junior Men’s Heavyweight
10. Junior Women’s Heavyweight
11. Junior Men’s Lightweight
12. Junior Women’s Lightweight
13. Youth Boys
14. Youth Girls
15. Mite Boys
16. Mite Girls
The division of these competition classes are flexible depending on average age and weight classes of athletes, and these divisions can be adjusted as needed, per rowing event.
The current world record for all competition classes is the Senior Men’s Heavyweight U-250 ergometer time of 45.0 seconds, set by Rick Yukon, early in the formation of the sport. We expect this record to be broken as new athletes enter the sport.
For in-water events, there are three general classes of time-keeping:
1. Lake rowing with single length, so that a single 250 meter race can be conducted with no reversals of the boat. These events can be recorded as U-250 Class I Standard events.
2. Swimming pools, typically of Olympic length, 50 meters. For the U-250 event this leads to 5 laps in the pool with four reversals of the boat, and with the starting point at the opposite end of the pool as the finishing point, as required by rowing standards. These events can be recorded as U-250 Class II Standard events.
3. Pond rowing which will require variable numbers of reversals since the entire 250 meter length cannot be completed in the given pond length. These events can be recorded as U-250 Class III Standard events.
Additional clarifications to the U-250 training and events schedules will promulgate as necessary.