Tips for smaller rowers

[JIMFOZ]

As the title suggests, I'm looking for tips for improving my erg times (2k,5k 30' rate 20 etc), as a 'smaller' rower.

I'm 6"4 (193cm) and 77kg (169lbs) so one of the smaller ones in my heavyweight men's crew

Several people have suggested trying to bulk up a little to around 85ish kg but I find my cardio is much worse the heavier I get, so I am looking for any tips and tricks/techniques for rowing faster times.

Thanks in advance!

[Citroen]

six foot four and 77kg isn't small. It's skinny and near enough to LWT that you can probably make weight.

Five foot seven and 77Kg is small. Five foot seven and 90Kg is small and fat.

[Gammmmo]

six foot four and 77kg isn't small. It's skinny and near enough to LWT that you can probably make weight.

This.

OP - what are your relative erg times for all distances? That way we can get some idea of what you should work on and how.

[JerekKruger]

Your aerobic fitness will get worse when you build more muscle because that new muscle hasn't yet been trained to do aerobic work. The answer is to add weight then train aerobically whilst eating to maintain your new weight. In the long run you'll go faster with extra muscle, it's just a longer term project.

I'd suggest setting your first target to be 80kg: start lifting more often, dial back on your aerobic work a bit and, most importantly, eat more. Don't go crazy though, slow and steady weight gains are the way to go. 80kg by the end of the year is probably a decent target. When you reach that weight, switch back to aerobic training mode but make sure you eat enough to maintain it. Repeat this process until you reach your desired weight.

[hjs]

As the title suggests, I'm looking for tips for improving my erg times (2k,5k 30' rate 20 etc), as a 'smaller' rower.

I'm 6"4 (193cm) and 77kg (169lbs) so one of the smaller ones in my heavyweight men's crew

Several people have suggested trying to bulk up a little to around 85ish kg but I find my cardio is much worse the heavier I get, so I am looking for any tips and tricks/techniques for rowing faster times.

Thanks in advance!

There are not tricks, just training, volume and mostly low rate work.

Re small, you are around Av height for toprowers, you are only very light, could be your frame. Bulking is not just gaining weight. Don,t know how old you are, but 77 is very low for a rower, eat enough, eat plenty of protein and train well, weight should slowly come up.

[Gammmmo]

FWIW I *think* my aerobic fitness has got worse since I've put weight on. I am convinced looking back I was strongest on the erg (esp distance work) in the year following giving up competitive cycling. My weight went up from 65kg to about 68-69kg throughout 2016. At the end of 2016 I was setting PBs off of less erging than I am doing now. I think there was a residual fitness effect which has now reduced. This is consistent with a good friend of mine who was also a time trialler and stopped - remember him saying he lost hardly anything in the first year fitness-wise. I'm now 73-74kg having put on some upper body mass, and other than breaking my 5K about a year ago, I've not anything decent of note on the erg since! With hindsight I only wish I'd made more of my fitness when I had it.

The quandary I am now in is whether to just erg when I feel like it and concentrate on the weights - so as to maximise building muscle which is something I've never done before so should be fun. OR I try to re-invent myself as shorter distance erger (500m/1K/2K maybe) and keep doing weights, get myself up to 75kg as a max weight LWT and then keep trying to add muscle but reduce body fat. OR I get really skinny again and try for some erg PBs. I don't think I'm THAT far off where I was but I do notice it feels harder. Might be age too.

[hobbit]

FWIW I *think* my aerobic fitness has got worse since I've put weight on. I am convinced looking back I was strongest on the erg (esp distance work) in the year following giving up competitive cycling. My weight went up from 65kg to about 68-69kg throughout 2016. At the end of 2016 I was setting PBs off of less erging than I am doing now. I think there was a residual fitness effect which has now reduced. This is consistent with a good friend of mine who was also a time trialler and stopped - remember him saying he lost hardly anything in the first year fitness-wise. I'm now 73-74kg having put on some upper body mass, and other than breaking my 5K about a year ago, I've not anything decent of note on the erg since! With hindsight I only wish I'd made more of my fitness when I had it.

That's interesting. Since my aim is to use erging to get the best cardio possible. My plan for this winter was to combine the Pete Plan with three weight training sessions a week (squat, deadlift, etc., etc.). After reading what you wrote above, I wonder if I should leave out the weight training and stick to my bodyweight sessions. What do you think?

PS LOL for the 6'4" guy who dares to call himself "smaller".

[Gammmmo]

FWIW I *think* my aerobic fitness has got worse since I've put weight on. I am convinced looking back I was strongest on the erg (esp distance work) in the year following giving up competitive cycling. My weight went up from 65kg to about 68-69kg throughout 2016. At the end of 2016 I was setting PBs off of less erging than I am doing now. I think there was a residual fitness effect which has now reduced. This is consistent with a good friend of mine who was also a time trialler and stopped - remember him saying he lost hardly anything in the first year fitness-wise. I'm now 73-74kg having put on some upper body mass, and other than breaking my 5K about a year ago, I've not anything decent of note on the erg since! With hindsight I only wish I'd made more of my fitness when I had it.

That's interesting. Since my aim is to use erging to get the best cardio possible. My plan for this winter was to combine the Pete Plan with three weight training sessions a week (squat, deadlift, etc., etc.). After reading what you wrote above, I wonder if I should leave out the weight training and stick to my bodyweight sessions. What do you think?

PS LOL for the 6'4" guy who dares to call himself "smaller".

Well....for you you have two things to weight up. First getting "the best cardio possible" and leaving out the weights, and second, going for best overall health in which case you definitely want to do weights (to maintain and build muscle mass, increase metabolism, help keep bones healthy through load) AND not go bananas with the cardio. As we age I think a balanced approach becomes ever more important. That said, it just depends what you class as alot of cardio - my idea of alot (from my biking days - and I conceed biking is easier to rack up the hours than erging) was 10-15hrs/week!! I was very cardio fit in the those days but actually skinny-fat, weak as a kitten, had bad posture, and was getting aches and pains from everyday life e.g. lower back pain. Right now, in terms of overall health I've never felt and looked better (off of 1-2 weights sessions a week and ~60K/week on the erg). Go figure...

[hobbit]

Well....for you you have two things to weight up. First getting "the best cardio possible" and leaving out the weights, and second, going for best overall health in which case you definitely want to do weights (to maintain and build muscle mass, increase metabolism, help keep bones healthy through load) AND not go bananas with the cardio. As we age I think a balanced approach becomes ever more important. That said, it just depends what you class as alot of cardio - my idea of alot (from my biking days - and I conceed biking is easier to rack up the hours than erging) was 10-15hrs/week!! I was very cardio fit in the those days but actually skinny-fat, weak as a kitten, had bad posture, and was getting aches and pains from everyday life e.g. lower back pain. Right now, in terms of overall health I've never felt and looked better (off of 1-2 weights sessions a week and ~60K/week on the erg). Go figure...

Wise thoughts - thanks. I'll see how my autumn 10k road races go. If I get in the top 3 of my age class, then 2019 is going to be cardio and nothing else. To finally discover what I can do if I give it everything. If it turns out that I'm not in the running (ha!) then I'll concentrate on getting stronger to help my erging.

[Gammmmo]

Well....for you you have two things to weight up. First getting "the best cardio possible" and leaving out the weights, and second, going for best overall health in which case you definitely want to do weights (to maintain and build muscle mass, increase metabolism, help keep bones healthy through load) AND not go bananas with the cardio. As we age I think a balanced approach becomes ever more important. That said, it just depends what you class as alot of cardio - my idea of alot (from my biking days - and I conceed biking is easier to rack up the hours than erging) was 10-15hrs/week!! I was very cardio fit in the those days but actually skinny-fat, weak as a kitten, had bad posture, and was getting aches and pains from everyday life e.g. lower back pain. Right now, in terms of overall health I've never felt and looked better (off of 1-2 weights sessions a week and ~60K/week on the erg). Go figure...

Wise thoughts - thanks. I'll see how my autumn 10k road races go. If I get in the top 3 of my age class, then 2019 is going to be cardio and nothing else. To finally discover what I can do if I give it everything. If it turns out that I'm not in the running (ha!) then I'll concentrate on getting stronger to help my erging.

good plan - dont get me wrong - it's fun to put ALL your eggs in one basket and see what happens. For that everything needs to be specific. I'm just saying it's not wise for that to be year after year after year esp as we age if it's mainly a cardio discipline. have fun...