...any suggestions for how I should approach my training? I'm an avid cyclist and I'm taking up rowing as a form of cross training. I'm an endurance sort of person who is fine with finding a rhythm and working it. I ride my rollers during the winter months usually 90-120 minutes several times per week. Quite monotonous to most people but I don't mind.
I'd like to build up to 45-60 minutes on the rower several times per week. Any suggestions for what to look for so as to avoid some maybe not so obvious pitfalls to a newcomer? I suppose what I'm getting at is I don't want to overdo it and develop an overuse injury. I'd like to think that most of this is straight forward listening to your body stuff but maybe not. Thanks.
Kevin g
C2 arrives tomorrow...
C2 arrives tomorrow...
http://onekgguy.blogspot.com/
Congratulations on the arrival of the new baby! Enjoy it...Take a photo, show it off.
Early advice, select a drag factor that is comfortable, not too hard. You will find that you will work yourself harder than you thought almost no matter how low the DF is. Most select a DF between 110-140 (damper 3-5 depending on the machine).
I agree with your idea of listening to your body. Your back will let you know pretty quickly when it is done, pay attention to it, and ease into longer rows.
Make sure your technique is solid at the outset. Undoing is harder than doing...Here is a link to a video.
http://www.concept2.co.uk/training/technique_video.php
I too am a cyclist and last summer after erging for the winter I found the transition back to riding on the road to be much easier than I ever had after slogging away on the trainer. I can't wait to see what it will be like this summer!
Good luck and let us know if you have any questions.
Early advice, select a drag factor that is comfortable, not too hard. You will find that you will work yourself harder than you thought almost no matter how low the DF is. Most select a DF between 110-140 (damper 3-5 depending on the machine).
I agree with your idea of listening to your body. Your back will let you know pretty quickly when it is done, pay attention to it, and ease into longer rows.
Make sure your technique is solid at the outset. Undoing is harder than doing...Here is a link to a video.
http://www.concept2.co.uk/training/technique_video.php
I too am a cyclist and last summer after erging for the winter I found the transition back to riding on the road to be much easier than I ever had after slogging away on the trainer. I can't wait to see what it will be like this summer!
Good luck and let us know if you have any questions.
Best advice is to learn technique. So you need coaching. If you don't have several people who know how to row who will look at you, then video tape yourself and post it on the web then link to it here and on the C2 UK web site. Post a new video several at least once a week at first and you will get good advice.
I've tried to convince my cycling team mates that erging is great training for cycling, but they are hard core. However, last Saturday, with a month break from cycling I had no problem with the TT paces and town line sprints with them. That was pretty convincing!
So, about your question... When I start erging seriously in the fall, I do several weeks without the footstraps and at low stroke rates and almost shut damper (low drag factor) to regain form and go easy on my back and shoulders, which are out of shape (I only row on the water occasionally any more, mostly cycling in the summers). I also start weight lifting to strengthen arms, shoulders, and back. Once things are feeling good at about the start of the Holiday Challenge, I start using the footstraps and getting some good workouts. I vary the workouts to keep the monotony at low levels (I even use the Carmichael cycling DVDs on the erg). I also monitor the ranking pages in the online logbook to guage my progress. Good music helps too. In short, start slow and easy, vary things around, use all the resources that C2 provides to keep it interesting.
You'll be kicking butt next summer on the bike! Welcome and have fun!
So, about your question... When I start erging seriously in the fall, I do several weeks without the footstraps and at low stroke rates and almost shut damper (low drag factor) to regain form and go easy on my back and shoulders, which are out of shape (I only row on the water occasionally any more, mostly cycling in the summers). I also start weight lifting to strengthen arms, shoulders, and back. Once things are feeling good at about the start of the Holiday Challenge, I start using the footstraps and getting some good workouts. I vary the workouts to keep the monotony at low levels (I even use the Carmichael cycling DVDs on the erg). I also monitor the ranking pages in the online logbook to guage my progress. Good music helps too. In short, start slow and easy, vary things around, use all the resources that C2 provides to keep it interesting.
You'll be kicking butt next summer on the bike! Welcome and have fun!
Mark Underwood. Rower first, cyclist too.
I did a couple of 2000 meter sessions today just to get a feel for it and play with the display. I'll hit it again tomorrow and focus on technique and a steady rhythm rather than trying to muscle it because my muscles at this point don't have a lot to give. That will have to wait.
It's a beautiful machine with a nice quiet fan noise which isn't annoying at all to people within hearing distance.
Kevin g
It's a beautiful machine with a nice quiet fan noise which isn't annoying at all to people within hearing distance.
Kevin g
http://onekgguy.blogspot.com/
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l2ow/\/\C
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- Location: Pittsburgh PA/ Mareitta OH
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I am wondering what kind of heart rates you are aimming for? As a cyclist I'm sure u have an idea of what range your heart rate falls in on a steady state workout.
Id recommend aiming for that same heart rate on the erg. You'll notice that if u set the damper to a heavy setting (id say anything above a 7 is heavy) it will be difficult to keep your heart rate up. This is because you will not be able to increase yous stokes per minute as easily.
Keep the damper at a lower setting ( a 3 or 5) this will allow you to get stroke ratings around 22 to 26 SPM . The higher stroke rating will make the higher heart rate easier to achieve and probably put you in your training zone if an aerobic work out is what your looking for.
I recommend using a heart rate monitor for two main reasons.
the first one is that you are using the erg as a method of cross training. So your split and time are not something you need to lose to much sleep over. Your focus is to train in your aerobic range.
the 2ed is if you stay between 140 to 160 BPM you will be doing your aerobic base some good and building muscle endurance.
Hope i helped
Id recommend aiming for that same heart rate on the erg. You'll notice that if u set the damper to a heavy setting (id say anything above a 7 is heavy) it will be difficult to keep your heart rate up. This is because you will not be able to increase yous stokes per minute as easily.
Keep the damper at a lower setting ( a 3 or 5) this will allow you to get stroke ratings around 22 to 26 SPM . The higher stroke rating will make the higher heart rate easier to achieve and probably put you in your training zone if an aerobic work out is what your looking for.
I recommend using a heart rate monitor for two main reasons.
the first one is that you are using the erg as a method of cross training. So your split and time are not something you need to lose to much sleep over. Your focus is to train in your aerobic range.
the 2ed is if you stay between 140 to 160 BPM you will be doing your aerobic base some good and building muscle endurance.
Hope i helped
Last edited by l2ow/\/\C on January 11th, 2009, 3:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
start the reactor..... in 2
19YO....175lbs...5'10"
in 3rd year of rowing
Marietta college men's crew
Marietta Ohio
19YO....175lbs...5'10"
in 3rd year of rowing
Marietta college men's crew
Marietta Ohio
My heart rate while cycling can vary quite a bit depending on the kind of ride I'm doing but generally my ahr while on the bike is below 140. It would be higher except that my knees aren't as fit as my heart and lungs are which causes me to not push myself as hard as I otherwise would.
On the c2 today I had my hr up to 163. I can see that easily going higher once my muscles adapt to the new workout and allow me to push harder.
I expect that my ahr on the c2 will be higher simply because I've got more muscles involved in the activity than I do when I'm biking. I'll know soon enough.
Kevin g
On the c2 today I had my hr up to 163. I can see that easily going higher once my muscles adapt to the new workout and allow me to push harder.
I expect that my ahr on the c2 will be higher simply because I've got more muscles involved in the activity than I do when I'm biking. I'll know soon enough.
Kevin g
http://onekgguy.blogspot.com/
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kloben48363
- Paddler
- Posts: 3
- Joined: January 19th, 2009, 11:12 am
- Location: Southeast Michigan
Another new fat guy
have my Concept 2 and am starting to enjoy it. Greatest form of exercise I've ever found and one I think I can stick with. Am feeling pretty comfortable on the erg and definitely feeling the workout, but taking it slowly. Question is on rate versus split. What feels natural for me seems to run around 23/24 spm, but all that I'm reading suggests that is a bit fast. But when I slow it down in the 20-22 range, my split time goes way up. At 24, I'm getting 2:40 +/-; at the lower pace it jumps up near 2:50. What am I missing?
Re: Another new fat guy
It sounds like you are not driving hard with your legs. I do about 2:40 at 12 spm and I am 84 with a replacement aortic valve and bad knees. I haven't gone over 20 spm for the last 9 months.kloben48363 wrote:have my Concept 2 and am starting to enjoy it. Greatest form of exercise I've ever found and one I think I can stick with. Am feeling pretty comfortable on the erg and definitely feeling the workout, but taking it slowly. Question is on rate versus split. What feels natural for me seems to run around 23/24 spm, but all that I'm reading suggests that is a bit fast. But when I slow it down in the 20-22 range, my split time goes way up. At 24, I'm getting 2:40 +/-; at the lower pace it jumps up near 2:50. What am I missing?
Bob S.
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kloben48363
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- Location: Southeast Michigan
Re: Another new fat guy
thanks. Slowed down the recovery and focused on the drive and that did the trick! 2:38 at 21. Nice for us young guys (60 next week) to have some older folks around to teach us the ropes!Bob S. wrote:
It sounds like you are not driving hard with your legs. I do about 2:40 at 12 spm and I am 84 with a replacement aortic valve and bad knees. I haven't gone over 20 spm for the last 9 months.
Bob S.
Re: Another new fat guy
Well, I am glad that it worked. I just ran across an excellent video that was posted on the U.K. forum today:kloben48363 wrote: thanks. Slowed down the recovery and focused on the drive and that did the trick! 2:38 at 21. Nice for us young guys (60 next week) to have some older folks around to teach us the ropes!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0uUhGKw ... re=related
I have met Josh Crosby on a couple of occasions. He is a former national team lightweight oarsman and is one of a very small number of rowers who are making a living out of teaching erging.
Note that on the recovery, he gets his hands away very fast, but then eases up on getting up to the catch. I like to think of it as sneaking up on the catch and then driving hard with the legs. At lower rates (like around 20spm), the recovery usually takes twice as long as the drive. At 12 spm, I count out the seconds, one for the drive and four for the recovery.
Bob S.
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kloben48363
- Paddler
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- Location: Southeast Michigan
Re: Another new fat guy
thanks, Bob. Interesting approach. I'm holding steady at the 5 minute workout right now; have travel next week and will begin to add time when I return. Have been so inactive for so long, want to make sure I don't over do it. The 30 year old brain in my 60 year old body gets me in trouble sometimes. But I do like the 6 minute routine he lays out as I'm starting to feel comfortable enough on the machine that it is hard some days to hold SPM in the low 20s!Bob S. wrote:
Well, I am glad that it worked. I just ran across an excellent video that was posted on the U.K. forum today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0uUhGKw ... re=related
I have met Josh Crosby on a couple of occasions. He is a former national team lightweight oarsman and is one of a very small number of rowers who are making a living out of teaching erging.
Note that on the recovery, he gets his hands away very fast, but then eases up on getting up to the catch. I like to think of it as sneaking up on the catch and then driving hard with the legs. At lower rates (like around 20spm), the recovery usually takes twice as long as the drive. At 12 spm, I count out the seconds, one for the drive and four for the recovery.
Bob S.
Really appreciate your support!