We asked Nottingham Rowing Club's Catherine Lineker how her training shifts focus over the winter? & if she has any 2013 targets already set.

Catherine is part of British Rowing's & Nottingham RC High Performance Squad & is hoping to be part of Team GB at Rio in 2016.

"The arrival of Autumn in the rowing world signals three things for my training: Weights sessions, training for head races and having cold fingers and toes!

After a couple of weeks off on holiday in August i returned to training in September and was immediately thrown into hypertrophy weights, in my belief these are aimed at rendering you unable to move but my coach assures me they are aimed at building muscle bulk. This means sets of 10 or 12 repetitions for 3 or 4 sets, as heavy as you can manage, whilst still completing the reps. This usually leaves you feeling like you have been hit by a bus when you wake the next day!

As well as being busy in the gym, winter training also means training for Head races. In the summer the majority of the racing is over 2km and often side by side. Head races are usually between 5-8 km and usually in a time trial fashion. Because of this change in racing distance much of the training on the ergo and the water focuses on slightly lower rates and longer duration. This means i have 18km ergos (3x6km), 30 minute rate 20 ergos and multiple 16km water sessions on a weekly basis in order to build my endurance level up. On the 10th of November i completed my first head race of the season on the Tideway in London in a women's coxless 4, it is the reverse of the Boat race course and is a savage test of mental and physical strength. We had a very successful day, winning the senior women's pennant and breaking the course record by over a minute. We were also the fastest womens sweep crew of the day.

The onset of colder weather also means wrapping up in as many layers of lycra as you can manage and trying to prevent frostbite setting in!

As the season approaches 2013 the longer sessions continue with a 5km ergo test in January and a 2km ergo test in April time, as well as various water assessments over 5km and 2km. Hopefully if i continue to train well i will have a successful time at the GB trials in the spring and summer."

If you need help with your training on the rowing machine or you want to mix your training up then check out our interactive Training guide - http://therowingcompany.com/training/interactive