Motivation Problems

[[old] aledieps]

Does anybody have some suggestions to help me stay motivated to get on the erg and finish the peices. I'm on a winter break from college and I have to keep doing workout on my erg to improve my 10k times. They are mostly long peices (60-70m), but I have a big problem trying to get myself up and actually doing the workout, or once I'm in the middle of the peice, just finishing the rest of the workout. There's really no one around me to train with. Thanks

[[old] Rowingrunner]

I used to have that problem too. After crew season, I would find erging extremely boring. I took 6 months off from erging to work run competitively, and recently started getting in shape for crew again. The rest paid off, and I'm more motivated. On days when I didn't want to erg near the end of the crew season, I would just remind myself that it would be harder if I ran the distance at that pace.

[[old] seat5]

<!--QuoteBegin-aledieps+Dec 19 2005, 09:51 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(aledieps @ Dec 19 2005, 09:51 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Does anybody have some suggestions to help me stay motivated to get on the erg and finish the peices.  I'm on a winter break from college and I have to keep doing workout on my erg to improve my 10k times.  They are mostly long peices (60-70m), but I have a big problem trying to get myself up and actually doing the workout, or once I'm in the middle of the peice, just finishing the rest of the workout.  There's really no one around me to train with.  Thanks <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Try amusing yourself with music or movies. Or, try doing 100 m sprints every 500 meters for the 10K. It's distracting and less boring than just rowing to nowhere with no particular goal in mind. Or break the long pieces up into shorter ones. Try to pretend each one is the first one. Sometimes your brain will believe this and you won't get as bored or tired.<br /><br />Also try writing your workout objective on a white board or sign of some sort that you can see as you row, and promise yourself some sort of small reward for completing it as you mandate on the sign. Get involved in some sort of friendly rivalry with someone on the forum. <br /><br />Try joining a virtual team. It's lots of fun. Your meters add to the team's total, and some teams have on line competitions that will keep you motivated. Of course, there's always the rankings and trying to better your position there. <br /><br />Nothing is more demotivational than getting in the habit of starting workouts and not finishing them, so whatever you can do to prevent that is good. If you've wimped out on a whole bunch of workouts in a row, try planning a week of shorter ones that build up in length, so it's less daunting to make yourself complete the first one. That way you can get the feeling back that you actually do have what it takes to finish what you are supposed to do. <br /><br />Good luck!

[[old] Xeno]

<!--QuoteBegin-aledieps+Dec 19 2005, 02:51 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(aledieps @ Dec 19 2005, 02:51 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Does anybody have some suggestions to help me stay motivated to get on the erg and finish the peices.  I'm on a winter break from college and I have to keep doing workout on my erg to improve my 10k times.  They are mostly long peices (60-70m), but I have a big problem trying to get myself up and actually doing the workout, or once I'm in the middle of the peice, just finishing the rest of the workout.  There's really no one around me to train with.  Thanks <br /> </td></tr></table><br />We want your meters. So if you are interested come join the IRON OARSMAN on the concept2 world ranking. If you have trouble signing up let me know.<br />9494007630<br />XENO

[[old] Byron Drachman]

<!--QuoteBegin--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->There's really no one around me to train with. Thanks </td></tr></table> <br /><br />If you have access to a DVD player, you can train with Xeno and Lucas by getting Xeno's training DVD's. They are great fun and you'll never quit before finishing the workout.<br /><br />Byron<br />

[[old] RowedandRode]

Inspiration?<br />Think how great you'll feel when you've finished the piece! <br />Also, I find it helps me a lot on long rows to do a "hard 30" every 500 m. During the slower parts, I find myself looking forward to the next hard 30....sick, eh?<br />

[[old] DIESEL]

Did you ever consider that you are overtrained? <br /><br />You are overtrained because your nutrition and recovery is probably crap. <br /><br />i.e. you are not eating the right foods and you are not eating enough of them to sustain your level of physical activity. You are also probably not getting enough rest. Those hour pieces take a lot out of you. <br /><br />Any half way decent time on the hour will burn upwards of 1,000 calories (which you have to add your BMR just to break even for the day). <br /><br />Your symptoms are classic. The solution: stop training for about a week or so - eat like a squirrel - (a bit every 2-3 hours) - lots of clean carbs, protein and water (so your body gets back "on-line" ), and try to get at least 8 hours of sleep a day, along with a quick 15 minute nap in the afternoon. <br /><br />You'll see that in a few days you'll be getting the "itch" again. That's your body telling you it's rested and ready to get back to work. Trust me on this one.

[[old] ljwagner]

I agree with Diesel. Overtraining likely, and possibly that workouts are boring, too. Vary your routine, both on the erg, and off. Be sure to take at least one day off a week. If it is off season, get a bit more rest and try training every other day. You should find your energy levels really starting to take off, and you'll enjoy challenging yourself again.<br /><br />I've taken the past month off. Off course I had the flu one week, followed by severe chest pain, and cardiac bypass surgery two weeks later on January 13th. I'll probably take another few weeks, too, until my sternum is healed. They saw through it lengthwise to get at the heart. . <br /><br />Actually quite a few people think my exercise the last 8 months had me well-prepped for surgery and a fast recovery. I trained to get over a strained mitral valve last winter, and had to start very slow, 1.6 mph on a treadmill, 104 H.R. My last workout mid-December was three 10:30 2Ks in about 45 minutes. Not bad for two major arteries 99% blocked, and one a bit better (all three were replaced, I did not know about the problem during my training). I just helped some plumbers move around some furniture this morning. Only pushing, no lifting. Ten days lying around has me feeling a lot better. I can stand up using just one leg on a 30 inch bar stool already, too.<br /><br />

[[old] Steelhead]

<!--QuoteBegin-ljwagner+Jan 26 2006, 11:51 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(ljwagner @ Jan 26 2006, 11:51 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I agree with Diesel.  Overtraining likely, and possibly that workouts are boring, too.  Vary your routine, both on the erg, and off.  Be sure to take at least one day off a week.  If it is off season, get a bit more rest and try training every other day.  You should find your energy levels really starting to take off, and you'll enjoy challenging yourself again.<br /><br />I've taken the past month off.  Off course I had the flu one week, followed by severe chest pain, and cardiac bypass surgery two weeks later on January 13th.  I'll probably take another few weeks, too, until my sternum is healed. They saw through it lengthwise to get at the heart.  .  <br /><br />Actually quite a few people think my exercise the last 8 months had me well-prepped for surgery and a fast recovery. I trained to get over a strained mitral valve last winter, and had to start very slow, 1.6 mph on a treadmill, 104 H.R. My last workout mid-December was three 10:30 2Ks in about 45 minutes. Not bad for two major arteries 99% blocked, and one a bit better (all three were replaced, I did not know about the problem during my training). I just helped some plumbers move around some furniture this morning. Only pushing, no lifting. Ten days lying around has me feeling a lot better.  I can stand up using just one leg on a 30 inch bar stool already, too. <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Holy Cow -- and I thought I had it bad tonight with an icepack on my elbow.

[[old] cbrock]

<!--QuoteBegin-ljwagner+Jan 27 2006, 02:51 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(ljwagner @ Jan 27 2006, 02:51 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I agree with Diesel.  Overtraining likely, and possibly that workouts are boring, too.  Vary your routine, both on the erg, and off.  Be sure to take at least one day off a week.  If it is off season, get a bit more rest and try training every other day.  You should find your energy levels really starting to take off, and you'll enjoy challenging yourself again.<br /><br />I've taken the past month off.  Off course I had the flu one week, followed by severe chest pain, and cardiac bypass surgery two weeks later on January 13th.  I'll probably take another few weeks, too, until my sternum is healed. They saw through it lengthwise to get at the heart.  .  <br /><br />Actually quite a few people think my exercise the last 8 months had me well-prepped for surgery and a fast recovery. I trained to get over a strained mitral valve last winter, and had to start very slow, 1.6 mph on a treadmill, 104 H.R. My last workout mid-December was three 10:30 2Ks in about 45 minutes. Not bad for two major arteries 99% blocked, and one a bit better (all three were replaced, I did not know about the problem during my training). I just helped some plumbers move around some furniture this morning. Only pushing, no lifting. Ten days lying around has me feeling a lot better.  I can stand up using just one leg on a 30 inch bar stool already, too. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />Amazing,<br />Just read your post and realised that you head open heart surgery on exactly the same date as me, albeit my surgery was on 13th January 1997.<br /><br />I had my Aortic valve replaced with the Ross Procedure. Look it up if you have nothing better to do!<br /><br />Hope all is well and that you have no heart damage, as unfortunately was the case with me.<br /><br />Eventually I WILL break 8 mins for the 2k tho!<br /><br />Best of luck with your recovery.<br /><br />Chris<br />

[[old] Cant Climb]

<!--QuoteBegin-aledieps+Dec 19 2005, 04:51 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(aledieps @ Dec 19 2005, 04:51 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Does anybody have some suggestions to help me stay motivated to get on the erg and finish the peices.  I'm on a winter break from college and I have to keep doing workout on my erg to improve my 10k times.  They are mostly long peices (60-70m), but I have a big problem trying to get myself up and actually doing the workout, or once I'm in the middle of the peice, just finishing the rest of the workout.  There's really no one around me to train with.  Thanks <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />You could be overtrained but before making that leap one of the most basic things young athletes overlook is the importance of adequate hydration. Not being hydrated properly can surely make you feel sluggish and affect your mental focus.......spend few days upping your WATER intake, don't substitute with sports drinks......try that first.....<br />

[[old] ljwagner]

Good point on the water. By the way, a lot of younger folks think that if 8 cups a day is good, more is better. Wrong. More only to replace sweat losses, and even that is not too much.<br /><br />A lot of people now suffer from too much water in the system, which dilutes electrolytes improperly, reducing cellular interaction, and thus sports performance as well.<br /><br />16 oz 30 minutes before exercise is a good target. Don't use those sipper camel packs; you're more likely to overuse and overhydrate negatively affecting your performance.<br />--------------<br /><br />I got lucky on the heart damage question. 3+ decades of exercise gave me great secondary circulation. No damage. Twice strained the mitral valve, but it seems to be ok now.

[[old] WRJake]

<!--QuoteBegin-aledieps+Dec 19 2005, 03:51 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(aledieps @ Dec 19 2005, 03:51 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Does anybody have some suggestions to help me stay motivated to get on the erg and finish the peices.  I'm on a winter break from college and I have to keep doing workout on my erg to improve my 10k times.  They are mostly long peices (60-70m), but I have a big problem trying to get myself up and actually doing the workout, or once I'm in the middle of the peice, just finishing the rest of the workout.  There's really no one around me to train with.  Thanks <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />I had motivation problems, as well. One day, I just skipped the erg and went to bed. After a lengthy nap (about 40 minutes) I got on the erg and had a great workout. Since then, I've tried to track my motivation: 3 levels - 1 I can't wait to row, 2 I should row, but I don't feel like it, and 3 Ain't no way!<br /><br />I've found that my motivation score is usually portional to the amount of sleep I got the night before. So if I score a 3 on the motivation, I take a long nap and then row. If I score a 2, I just row or take a short nap or rest and then row. If I score a 1, then I'm on the erg.