Three months ago I was rowing daily and looking good to make my year-end goals. I benchmark with three workouts: "easy" is 5000m in 24 minutes; "medium" is 10k in 45 minutes; "hard" is 7000m in 30 minutes. Then I went on a trip where no rowing machine was available. I did multiple forms of workout, including stairs, hill climbs, and half-hour body weight routines that left me breathless, sweaty, and sore. But to paraphrase Rocket Raccoon, it seems "There ain't nothing like rowing, 'cept rowing."
My first time back on the erg, I barely managed an "easy." Three months ago my heart rate wouldn't crack 125 on easy. This time my *average* was 155. For almost a week now I've been trying to do a medium. It's getting better, but I'm still cracking 170bpm at about the 30 minute mark and dying.
Learn from my mistake: never stop erging.
Losing form in ten weeks: a cautionary tale
Re: Losing form in ten weeks: a cautionary tale
That's one problem with being in good shape - you loose it so quickly.
One solution: don't bother getting into shape, and don't ever row at a pace faster than 2:30. That way you'll never loose it no matter how much time you take off.
One solution: don't bother getting into shape, and don't ever row at a pace faster than 2:30. That way you'll never loose it no matter how much time you take off.

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- Marathon Poster
- Posts: 11284
- Joined: April 27th, 2014, 11:11 am
- Location: Liverpool, England
Re: Losing form in ten weeks: a cautionary tale
Wow, I knew that two weeks off wasn't great for me but I didn't expect 10 weeks to have such an effect.
51 HWT; 6' 4"; 1k= 3:09; 2k= 6:36; 5k= 17:19; 6k= 20:47; 10k= 35:46 30mins= 8,488m 60mins= 16,618m HM= 1:16.47; FM= 2:40:41; 50k= 3:16:09; 100k= 7:52:44; 12hrs = 153km
"You reap what you row"
Instagram: stuwenman
"You reap what you row"
Instagram: stuwenman
- hjs
- Marathon Poster
- Posts: 10076
- Joined: March 16th, 2006, 3:18 pm
- Location: Amstelveen the netherlands
Re: Losing form in ten weeks: a cautionary tale
We have plenty of time to rest.....
After we die, untill then, you can never take time off.
After we die, untill then, you can never take time off.
Re: Losing form in ten weeks: a cautionary tale
Around February I had to stop rowing due to problems with my knees due from having fun skiing. I didn't row again tell may.
I sat down dialed in 20mins and set off at a very gentle pace and this was the result.

I had to stop after ten mins. It took about two months rowing four times a week adding one min to the length of the row most sessions to build back to any sort of pace and endurance. Things are going ok now and i have just done a pb 2k at 7:09.5. But missing those three months certainly cost me a huge amount of rowing fitness even though i was still training at the gym....
I sat down dialed in 20mins and set off at a very gentle pace and this was the result.

I had to stop after ten mins. It took about two months rowing four times a week adding one min to the length of the row most sessions to build back to any sort of pace and endurance. Things are going ok now and i have just done a pb 2k at 7:09.5. But missing those three months certainly cost me a huge amount of rowing fitness even though i was still training at the gym....
Piers 53m was 73Kg 175cm to 2019 now 78kg
500m 1:34 (HW 2020) 2k 7:09.5 (2017 LWT) 10k 39:58.9 (2016 LWT) HM 1:28:26.9 (2017 LWT)
500m 1:34 (HW 2020) 2k 7:09.5 (2017 LWT) 10k 39:58.9 (2016 LWT) HM 1:28:26.9 (2017 LWT)
Re: Losing form in ten weeks: a cautionary tale
Yeah wowzers... thats an eye opener. Definitely no substitute for the erg, thats for sure, i found that out myself! I thought some mountain biking might help me for the work on the erg, but in actual fact it was the other way around haha. I get concerned if i have just a couple days break from it. Which also reminds me, i need to crank out a sesh at some point today.
46 yo male 5'10 88kg (Rowing since june 9th 2016) PB's 5k 19:22 30min 7518m