Category: Erg

Indoor Rowing Workouts That Boost Your Vo2 Max

January 5, 2011 / / 6 Comments

Boosting your VO2 max for rowing on the erg is absolutely essential if you want to score big in a 2k test. Good 2k erg times depend heavily on having a good VO2 max because during a 2k erg test, you are working near your VO2 max. Sometimes even above.

Imagine being able to boost that VO2 max. How much of a difference would it make to your erg scores?

Let’s have a look.

VO2 max is a measure of your ability to use oxygen. The greater your ability to use oxygen during a 2k erg test, the harder you can pull. While a lot of studies by sports scientists say that it is largely fixed by genetics, they still say that it can be increased with training.

How you can boost it – starting today.

You need to aim to train at an intensity greater than 85% of your VO2 max (92% of your Max heart rate). This training requires a good level of mental toughness and you… Continue reading

Empowering Your Workout – Switching Off The Monitor

January 4, 2011 / / 0 Comments

Have you ever tried to erg without the monitor? Maybe the batteries were dead or the connection was broken.
Today I did.
And discovered something revealing.

I found an internal power that I had long forgotten was there.

Forced into a gym with bad weather and new year (over)celebrations, I found a shabby, clapped out erg obviously unfamiliar with hardship.

It also had no batteries – which was ok since I didn’t really have a plan in mind.

So I just rowed and rowed.
Staring at the blank monitor.
And occasionally at a spot on the wall.

I didn’t have a watch with me

So I was just me and the machine.
And I got sucked in…

I found a new… Continue reading

Rowers – Why You Must Always Sprint

January 2, 2011 / / 5 Comments

Rowers like pulling hard. On the erg and in the boat. It’s what gives us speed and makes us feel good. It makes us feel like we’re doing something honest and playing by the cardinal rule of rowing and erging – pull hard and go faster.

But given that you spend most of your time erging and rowing at a rate below 24 strokes per minute you end up pulling A LOT of hard, slow strokes.

Physiologically that’s fine(and necessary) for lots of reasons. But there is one major problem with it- especially for erging:

You teach yourself to mainly pull slow hard strokes when all the money is at fast hard strokes.

How You Can Fix It.

Always finish your session with a stepped sprint. Whether it’s an hour long erg or a short series of 500 meter intervals, always finish the last work piece flat out. Why? Because you will benefit massively in millions of ways – both physically and mentally.

Your body will adapt and respond to the increased stimulus you heap upon it at a point where you are under a lot of stress and fatigue. It will learn to expect that every rowing session you do will have a sprint to the finish. This is a great weapon to have in your armoury for tight races.

Your mind will also respond in a positive way to finishing the session on a high. You will come away feeling good even if you didn’t have a good row. You will also come to realise that you will always be capable of going harder (and faster) no matter how tired you are coming to the line.

But what about your long steady session?

Yes, even if it’s a long 1 hour row on the erg, you should still sprint to the line.

Here’s an example.

  • From about 3 minutes left, step up your rating and power slightly (1 second per 500).
  • Do the same with 2 minutes left.
  • Then in the last minute start to slowly nail it.
  • Incrementally increase your power and rating so that in the last 20 seconds you are all out – recruiting every muscle fibre and brain power in your possession.

The same goes for shorter rowing workouts.
Over time if you practice a sprint in the long sessions you will develop an ability to sprint for short sessions also. Even if you are only able to reduce your average power by 0.5 seconds per 500 it will be worth it.

Sprinting is a great habit to develop. And it will not affect the general core purpose of a particular rowing session.

Introduce it to your rowing and erging sessions and one day when you find yourself in a dog fight use it to blow your opposition away.

P.S. Read the follow up to this article, where I clarify some interesting questions raised by one of our readers.

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Erg Technique (Do Not Read This If you Are A Rower)

December 31, 2010 / / 1 Comment

Have you ever thought that there might be a difference between rowing technique and erging technique?

Is there a difference?
Should there be a difference?

Rowers and Rowing Coaches be warned. You may not like what I’m about to say, but…

Fast erging and fast rowing require different techniques.

The number of technique flavors for rowing boats are as numerous as there are coaches.
But the fundamentals remain the same for most. (basic movements in the drive for maximum propulsion and basic recovery movements for minimum disruption of boat speed)

What about erg technique?

Do you have a different technique for erging?

You should. And here’s why.
 

Some Rowing Fundamentals Do Not Apply To Erging

  • The sequencing of the hands, body and slide on the recovery is not as important for erg technique because you hold a handle not an oar. And the handle position will not affect your ‘speed’ or ‘balance’.
  • The speed of the seat on the recovery is not important because you don’t have to worry about disrupting the flow of the boat.

 

Some Rowing Technique Is Essential For Good Erg Technique

  • The sequence of the drive phase (Legs, back, arms) is very important to achieve max power and efficiency on the erg handle (just like rowing).
  • A good drove/recovery ratio is important from a physiological point of view. You need to recover between strokes. And you will perform better when you are in a rhythm.

 

So What’s The Best Erg Technique?

The most effective and efficient erging technique requires

  • Maximum use of your body positions to lever the handle.
  • The easiest most effective recovery.

Think about these 2 requirements the next time you are erging and see if you can come up with a good system suited to your body, style, fitness, experience and needs.

But it goes without saying that if you are a rower, you should erg like your coach wants you to. If you don’t have a coach you should at least try to erg with a rowing technique leaning towards rowing. (Keep the basic movements on the drive and recovery phase as close to rowing a boat as possible).

All things considered if it’s fast erg technique you’re looking for then consider what I’ve outlined above.

I will write an article very soon on how I think you should erg if rowing technique is not an issue for you.

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2k Erg Mental Toughness – 2 Essential Tips Guaranteed To Prevent Choke

December 28, 2010 / / 5 Comments

I’m worried.

I keep thinking about that 2k next week.

I keep thinking about the last 2k erg test when I just folded up.

And choked.

I like every other rower who chokes does so because of the pain. Or the expectancy of it  – even 4 minutes before it actually arrives.

But this time it’s different. I have a new plan. I leaned something very important from someone who’s been there before. Someone who overcame mental collapse at 2k erg tests. Many times before he discovered what to do about it.

Here’s what he told me
 

Tip #1. Harden into it

There are 2 main types of fitness. First is physical.

The second is mental fitness. Rowing on the erg trains this also. But not that much.

Ok I hear you say. But what about all those hard rowing sessions, hour long ergs, 10k ergs or the dreaded 3 x 20 minute erg? Yes I admit that those sessions do train you to be tough for that exact type of training.

But 2k erging is different.

You need to get acclimatised to taking pain. Dealing with it. Tolerating it.

So how do you do it?

In a word – Training. Both physically and mentally. Doing repeated hard short rowing physical intensity will train your body. Buy it will train your mind more and you will grow accustomed to hardship. And like all rowing training  you must time it perfectly. Only do it for 2 – 3 weeks max before the 2k test. Otherwise you will get tired and will break down.

I like doing 5 minutes all out. Or 1000 meters flat out. Repeats. A few times a week (2 max). Have a look at my 2k erg race winning plans article, where I describe exactly how to prepare physically (and mentally) for the 2k.

I guarantee you that a hardened mind will not give in easily on race day.
 

Tip # 2. Start Slowly In The 2k

Most mental rowing breakdowns happen because of a fear of what’s to come. Long before the really hard part arrives, you are thinking too far ahead and imagining how bad it’s going to feel. And it never really comes because you fold up.

The mind it a complex machine but by pushing the right buttons it can be manipulated.

If you can begin slower than usual (1 – 2 seconds per 500 split) for a few hundred meters (200 – 400) you will give your mind and body a chance to be fooled. Tricked into believing that it’s a good day at the office and that it will not hurt that much.

Then slowly allow your confidence to grow. Steadily and surely release your shackles. Break free an allow yourself to flow. And ultimately unleash hell on that erg. To the line.

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