Are you a negative or positive splitter?

[georgeed]

hjs: I think we're saying the same thing.

[hjs]

hjs: I think we're saying the same thing.

Sorry, proberly yes, although I don,t like the term psyche out, its more really having an advantage/disadvantage, not just a mental edge.

[Gammmmo]

I think my PRs are so close to my max that a slow start makes it impossible to catch up the lost meters in the end.

Dangerous place to be when you don't feel like there's much more headroom over an above what you've already achieved. In reality though I think v few of us get that close.

Stick around 2 years and read this again

What do you mean Henry? That in 2 years I'll have improved, Remi will be better again, or both, or we'll be at much the same level as we are now???

Regarding OTW rowing and purely as an observer, Olympic crews often seem to like going out hard and into the lead so they can observe what is going on with other boats (fleetingly!) and to make a statement. I suppose with erging you still have some feedback - when I did the Devon Indoor Rowing Champs everyone's PM showed where one was in relation to other ergs and the distance between you and them. If you are closely matched then I guess that feedback still plays a role with whether you choose to negative or positive split. One guy went out too hard and his challenge for the overall win melted away....maybe some people employ strategies to "draw others out" and abandon any pacing strategy in an attempt to make others crack. I bet it's been done even though with erging most people must have a clear idea of what they are and are not capable of with a high degree of accuracy i.e. most do what they can irrespective of others and ignore other ergs. (???)

[gooseflight]

One guy went out too hard and his challenge for the overall win melted away....maybe some people employ strategies to "draw others out" and abandon any pacing strategy in an attempt to make others crack. I bet it's been done even though with erging most people must have a clear idea of what they are and are not capable of with a high degree of accuracy i.e. most do what they can irrespective of others and ignore other ergs. (???)

In erg races there are many challengers for the lead in the first 500m

In an erg race you can only pull what your training tells you you can pull. Adrenaline is not your friend.

[hjs]

What do you mean Henry? That in 2 years I'll have improved, Remi will be better again, or both, or we'll be at much the same level as we are now???

Regarding OTW rowing and purely as an observer, Olympic crews often seem to like going out hard and into the lead so they can observe what is going on with other boats (fleetingly!) and to make a statement. I suppose with erging you still have some feedback - when I did the Devon Indoor Rowing Champs everyone's PM showed where one was in relation to other ergs and the distance between you and them. If you are closely matched then I guess that feedback still plays a role with whether you choose to negative or positive split. One guy went out too hard and his challenge for the overall win melted away....maybe some people employ strategies to "draw others out" and abandon any pacing strategy in an attempt to make others crack. I bet it's been done.

Plateauing. After the first gains, progress gets slow if any at all. You still improve, but from here the gains will slow down, I think its not so difficult to reach 90% of ones potentential. Most ergers/rowers, bit depending on the fitness status reach their peak within 1 2 years. Not that there is no more to gain, but thats a few %.

[lindsayh]

Regarding OTW rowing and purely as an observer, Olympic crews often seem to like going out hard and into the lead so they can observe what is going on with other boats (fleetingly!) and to make a statement. I suppose with erging you still have some feedback - when I did the Devon Indoor Rowing Champs everyone's PM showed where one was in relation to other ergs and the distance between you and them. If you are closely matched then I guess that feedback still plays a role with whether you choose to negative or positive split. One guy went out too hard and his challenge for the overall win melted away....maybe some people employ strategies to "draw others out" and abandon any pacing strategy in an attempt to make others crack. I bet it's been done even though with erging most people must have a clear idea of what they are and are not capable of with a high degree of accuracy i.e. most do what they can irrespective of others and ignore other ergs. (???)

IMO the erg is a bit different to OTW where there does seem to be an advantage in getting ahead and then controlling a little. When racing on the erg it can be a big mistake to go out too hard to cover a fast starter - much better to stick to your plan and don't be "spooked" by someone who is probably going to hit the wall (or is much faster than you anyway)

[Gammmmo]

Plateauing. After the first gains, progress gets slow if any at all. You still improve, but from here the gains will slow down, I think its not so difficult to reach 90% of ones potentential. Most ergers/rowers, bit depending on the fitness status reach their peak within 1 2 years. Not that there is no more to gain, but thats a few %.

well, it is interesting I have improved to much the same standard as when I was last into erging just over 10 years ago....I'm hoping I can eek out some more and *in theory* I should be able to comparing the training I did then and what I could do. The problem I have found recently is I pick up little injuries at a certain volume of training.

[hjs]

Plateauing. After the first gains, progress gets slow if any at all. You still improve, but from here the gains will slow down, I think its not so difficult to reach 90% of ones potentential. Most ergers/rowers, bit depending on the fitness status reach their peak within 1 2 years. Not that there is no more to gain, but thats a few %.

well, it is interesting I have improved to much the same standard as when I was last into erging just over 10 years ago....I'm hoping I can eek out some more and *in theory* I should be able to comparing the training I did then and what I could do. The problem I have found recently is I pick up little injuries at a certain volume of training.

I found the same, roughly, after a long break, years I got soon close to my old level, just a bit lower. Age related. Around that level I stayed relative easy. Over the years I do notice that my aerobic fitness has gotten a bit less. And compared to my younger days a good chunck.

Injuries certainly don,t help, for me those are whats held me back often, although proberly not that much. Being strong/balanced is also a talent.

[Pie Man]

The problem I have found recently is I pick up little injuries at a certain volume of training.

This is my problem as well, the PP has done a lot of good, but I do feel on the edge for injuries, even though I have mainly picked them up in day to day living rather than on the erg.

[Gammmmo]

hjs/Pieman, once you start doing any sport alot overuse injuries do happen or it becomes slightly unhealthy. When I was cycling, I got v v fit but it made me physcially v weak. I was effortlessly at 65kg at 5'11" but was weak off the bike e.g. just going to pick something heavy up, and I felt fragile e.g. lower back was often stiff/painful. Taken to an extreme, some professional riders actually can't walk that well - their bodies are so used to sitting on a bike the muscles have developed in a certain way to such a degree anything else feels all wrong. I remember David Millar saying he had to walk in zig zags up steep hills!!!

[gooseflight]

I remember David Millar saying he had to walk in zig zags up steep hills!!!

That's why he never won the TdF. You have to be able to run them these days

[Bob S.]

I bet it's been done even though with erging most people must have a clear idea of what they are and are not capable of with a high degree of accuracy i.e. most do what they can irrespective of others and ignore other ergs. (???)

That maybe the case for older ergers with a fair amount of experience. I doubt that it applies to "most", especially in juniors, collegiate, and elite rowers who do most of their racing OTW. They are the largest groups at the competitions. They are also far more important than all the masters and older.