Help me not be utterly hopeless on the erg

[Ergluvvawannabee]

I've been rowing (on the water) for a couple of years now with outings twice a week and weight training once a week. These are the bits I love and am reasonably good at (for a leisure rower). I'm small (female, 110lbs, 5'2", age 40) so am unlikely to ever break any records, but I really like rowing (in boats). I can lift weights as well as those in our top crew so am quite strong. But my erg times are just awful. I'd currently do a 2k in 8.55 I expect.

As much as I hate it, I need to start using the erg and improve my times. If I don't I won't be able to get in a decent crew or improve.

Can anyone offer any advice on how quickly I can expect to improve, and what I need to do in order to do so (except just get on with it!). I need some encouragement and any tactics on how to stick at it. I expect it's my cardio fitness that needs improving so any thoughts on the most efficient way to do that would be useful. I thought a heart rate monitor might help me train most efficiently (most gain for least pain?)

[Gammmmo]

Do you think it is a cardio issue? I mean, are you where you expect to be speed-wise in a boat? If so, is that because your technique saves you, do you feel more able to push harder, or a combination of both?

If it is a cardio issue, then basically you need to just spend more time working aerobically. This can be done on a bike, running, erging, or a combination of sports. Erging will obviously be the best choice i.e. the specificity principle. If I were I'd examine why you hate the erg...and address that because you're going to have to make friends with it. Personally, I like lots of people, like a mix of longer steadier pieces and some sharper interval type work.

[Ergluvvawannabee]

I know I'm strong as I can measure that in weight training. Undoubtedly there are things to work on with technique but I think it's better than average. We get coached and I am regarded by the crew as being good. So that only really leaves cardio as the culprit. In the boat I feel that I'm putting pressure down and keep going with everyone else. But it's also true that our races are quite short (<2.5k) and the river is busy so it's hard to do long pieces without stopping for another boat.

I think I hate the erg because I'm worse than everyone else and it's boring. I don't mind spinning/cycle classes so could do them over the erg. Our next 2k test is in 12 weeks though so ideally need to focus on that.

I've actually just found the concept 2 log and for weight and age I'm actually average, which is encouraging and makes me feel better. At least I'm perhaps not as bad as I thought and it's just my crew are good! Still I'm shockingly bad by their standards so need to be better if I can be in a non beginner boat.

[Gammmmo]

I know I'm strong as I can measure that in weight training. Undoubtedly there are things to work on with technique but I think it's better than average. We get coached and I am regarded by the crew as being good. So that only really leaves cardio as the culprit. In the boat I feel that I'm putting pressure down and keep going with everyone else. But it's also true that our races are quite short (<2.5k) and the river is busy so it's hard to do long pieces without stopping for another boat.

I think I hate the erg because I'm worse than everyone else and it's boring. I don't mind spinning/cycle classes so could do them over the erg. Our next 2k test is in 12 weeks though so ideally need to focus on that.

I've actually just found the concept 2 log and for weight and age I'm actually average, which is encouraging and makes me feel better. At least I'm perhaps not as bad as I thought and it's just my crew are good! Still I'm shockingly bad by their standards so need to be better if I can be in a non beginner boat.

I think you need to start doing some HR work...find you max, calculate your zones, find out just how many hours a week you are spending in appropriate intensity zones. Quite understand you thinking the erg is boring...alot of people on here will either be extremely motivated to use the erg as a tool (with a view to OTW competition) and/or simply the kind who get off on numbers/effort/logging sessions etc. I'm very much in the last category having come over from bicycle time trials where there is a very similar mentality albeit ALOT more variables involved. Like I say you have to do what you can to make the erg more appealing e.g. music, online stuff (others may chime in on this), workouts with lots of variation within them etc. And lastly, if that still isn't enough try adding some cycling...there gets to a point where if motivation is an issue (you seem quite "downbeat" with your terminolgy) you have to ask yourself "do you really want it?". (seriously)

[Ergluvvawannabee]

I think a heart rate monitor will help motivate me and I would probably get into a training programme that focussed on training wrt HR rather than the splits on the erg. I find them so discouraging as it feels impossible to achieve splits others do.

I have just been looking at petes plan and wondering if I can use that to training within a HR.

You are right to question my commitment. TBH if I could row with decent rowers at my current level of fitness then I wouldn't bother with the erg. I work full time, have two young kids, and am just grateful to have any fitness time right now. But, if I don't improve then I will always train with the newer rowers and then you deal with an unbalanced boat, which is hugely frustrating. I don't really have any fitness for fitnesses sake goals. I just want to row with decent people and that means I need to be fitter. As you quite rightly can tell, I'm facing this challenge reluctantly! I am hoping however, that if I get fitter the erg won't be so daunting and it will feel more possible.

That's why I want to know how quickly I can expect to improve and whether there are plans to help keep me focussed and observe results. I too like numbers and targets.

[lindsayh]

you can learn to respect (rather than love it I guess) particularly if you make progress, which is very likely if you work at it. There a lot of threads here already addressing your question and debating the alternative plans. I think the interactive plan may be a better bet than the PP - set a goal and a time (which in your case is already clear) and follow the plan -- it uses HR, SR and pace and you can choose 4 5 or 6 sessions a week to suit your lifestyle - you may find the 6 PPP sessions a week more daunting. It does work and has been tested many many times. It does seem like cardio fitness is the chink in the armour. Good luck - you can have fun and it is very measurable which is a strength.
https://indoorsportservices.co.uk/training/interactive

and BTW you are not "utterly hopeless" of course - no one who does what we do is that - no negative messages now just go for it for 12 weeks and be inspired

[Ergluvvawannabee]

That interactive plan looks great, as i can focus on HR rather than splits. Thank you. I row on the river twice a week so will find it hard to do more than 3 ergs if I'm being realistic. But hopefully I can try to match the outings to the workouts as closely as possible.

[Edward4492]

I'm currently running a Masters program for my club, Cooper River Masters. The club is predominantly female and we have a lot of women who are very good in the boat but are fairly average on the erg. It's just a matter of putting in the work and the time. And you need work outs with a lot of variety and focal points. The things we do are totally different than what you see here. If you want to check it out I'm documenting our weekly sessions on my website under the "blog" section, www.erggonj.com. We do everything based on time rather than meters since we row as a group (20 people most nights) and we all finish at the same time. I break up the distance work, so instead of 20min straight we might do (4) x 5min with 1min rest. We're just starting in with rate change work. Try and find your "steady state" number and then after a week or two start working it down. Good luck!

[jamesg]

I expect it's my cardio fitness that needs improving

I'd say an 8:55 2k is not bad anyway, at 110 lb, so well done you.

Sculling is great fun, so if you can get in a double or quad of peers, you'll never forget it.

If you think you need more endurance, then 1.5 - 2.5 hours a week on the erg using style and ratio as afloat will do the trick.

Since this is probably just what the rest of your crew is doing, might as well follow them. Going afloat, we have to think as crew; it's part of the fun.

[Ergluvvawannabee]

Thanks for the advice, encouragement, and link to your masters programme. It is silly, but I think my issue with the erg is that I have always assumed my splits should be better than they are, and therefore I just kill myself eveeytjme I try... rather than training at an achievable split. I've started the interactive plan and fingers crossed that will keep me training at in an achievable way... and also give me a focus.