Total newbie on this thing, but I already love it.
Could you give me some workout ideas?
Are the machines standardized/normalized to one another pretty well? Seems like 2:00/500m is cruising OK and sub 1:45/500m is working hard on the machine at my gym.
I didn’t see where one would type in their weight, does that not matter?
What about with the stroke rate? I seem to have fallen in around 26-27 spm in the past two short workouts I’ve done.
How do you synchronize your breathing with the stroke?
I don’t know what type of rower you’re using. But Concept2’s website www.concept2.com has some pretty good workouts if you peruse through. This page has some options: http://www.concept2.com/us/training/programs/default.asp
Go through the “Training for Competition” page. It seems to have some good options.
The hard part is figuring out what pace you can pull at for the duration of the piece. It always feels really easy for the first couple of minutes. If you have a heart rate monitor, maybe correlate the paces to your heart rate and dial in what pace you want to maintain.
But if you’re looking for general aerobic workouts, I’d suggest a minimum of 30 minutes, keep the stroke rate somewhere around 20-24 and pulling at a consistent pace/500.
For our university’s team, we used to base our long, steady-state piece pace off of our 2000m tests, adjusting accordingly. The longer the piece, the slower the pace, obviously. But there are some good options for interval training and such. The 2k pieces hurt so freaking bad, though.
Anyway, good luck!
lot of former rowers on here that should chime in, but as a ref point for paces,
most people base workouts off of their 2000m time (distance of spring races).
my best 2k split per 500m was 1:35
My 6k split was 1:44
at the time this was right at the national team time standards for lightweights (guys under 165/160)
workouts from there can be any combination of things, but if you are doing it simply for fitness, things like 2-5x10 min, 30 min steady, 2x20 min, 6x1000m, etc, are all good. mix it up, but dont start trying to go hard until you have been on it for a few times, its a good way to wake up the next morning and have you back kill you.
without doing a test, you’ll have to simply row a bit before you figure it out. as others have said, what feels simple at the start can come back and clobber you 2 min later in ways you could not imagine till you try;-)
I have one of these machines and love it. Great workout, unfortunately no room in my stupid apartment means it has to live in storage, for now.
did you just put LOVE, and ERG in the same sentence? surely you jest?
newbz, as a fellow rower, I am highly concerned noone has yet mentioned technique while on the erg. Yes you can row at 20-24 spm for an endurance session, through I have never dropped below 28-30spm, especially as a lightweight, but what about technique? I sure do hope there has been some thought into having proper technique prior to long workouts, because if you aren’t concerned, I promise you’ll tear your shoulders and back so good you won’t be able to ride a tri-bike! And yes, I also come from a college background at the international level. For workouts and general information you can search rowingnews.com or usrowing.org. Good luck, and truly try to enjoy the erg (ha!)
So what about breathing? 28-30spm sounds about where I’m naturally falling into a rhythm. Generally with high end aerobic efforts on the bike I’m looking at about 45+ respirations a minute, up to about 60+ at VO2max…I think. How do you work that out on the erg? I’ve been breathing out on the work portion and breathing in on the recovery portion, but at only 30 respirations a minute I don’t think I’m breathing enough when the intensity ramps up. Can you comfortably take an entire breath (in and out) on each phase (work and recover) of the erg stroke? 60 respirations at 30spm? Am I even making sense?!
Hmm…good question. I guess breathing rate is not so much a question as it is a technique. Breathing out in the pull phase and breathing in during the recovery phase of your stroke does play a role, and may be something to concentrate upon. For example, on your return stroke, keeping your hands low and quick back into the “catch” (where the handle/chain reenter the feeding portion of the machine), be sure to breath in a good deep breath, the most you can get. While doing so, keep your back straight, sittiing up straight, shoulders loose and arms outstretched forward. Allow your entire upper body to pivot forward from the waist. Concentrating on breath intake during this phase of your stroke may help keep all of your upper body elements in order and keep your technique solid. For your pull portion of the stroke, explode with legs first, like a seated squat. Your arms should remain outstretched and you should be seated upright and tall. With arms outstretched and holding the handle, your arms should be roughly chest height. As your legs are about to hit max extension, you should begin your pull, quick and fast with your shoulders and lats, into the lower notch of your chest. This is aided with a slight lean-back of your upper body. The release from the catch is just the opposite. Hands are ‘pushed’ straight back out and down, you pivot forward from the waist, arms still outstretched, then you “controllingly” and “slowly” bend your knees and return back down the slide.
Again, I am big in technique, and the above is in no way the whole story of a proper stroke (on a rowing machine or in the boat - very different). However, practice technique, and take a breath for every stroke. Depending upon your strokes per minute and effort level, you will be able to breath less/more dependant.
I dont know if any of this helped, or really answered your question. This video is very good and comes from a great source.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqVmMd7FdAA
Enjoy ( I haven’t been back on a concept2 since rowing in the Henley in 2002!!!
Are you serious? 28-30 spm for steady state pieces? That would be interesting to see. I can’t imagine 28 spm for 30 minutes to an hour. You’d just be sliding up and down the slide. Maybe it works for some, but my 2k TESTS were average about 30spm. Of course the stroke rate would increase at the end of the 2k piece, but on average, probably right at 30spm.
And obviously, technique needs to be sound on the erg. There are PLENTY of resources all around (youtube for one, is a great resource, search for xeno muller aka ironoarsman on youtube) for improving erg technique.
You only breath 60 times per minute at V02max…I’m more like 90 (both running and riding)!
You only breath 60 times per minute at V02max…I’m more like 90 (both running and riding)!
Honestly, I’m not 100% sure. 90 sounds a bit high for me. I’ll pay closer attention next time.
Thanks, this is helpful!
Tell me if you break every right pedal stroke (every second leg) or every third leg (breath L - R breath R-L breath L-R breath…).
for steady state that sounds a bit high to me as well, but for longer/harder peices that rate sounds about right.
my 4-6k tests were in teh 27-29 range, with 2ks around 32-33 for the body of it.
to the OP, yes, make sure tech is solid before attemping anything harder, but i am not even going to try and go into this over the itnernet, find a video and watch someone do it right.