Concept2 Forum

Most of my friends are not rowers, so when I talk about the dread you can sometimes get as you approach a test, the act of practically falling off the erg after, the incredible lung burn you get, the way it feels to just sit on your AT, or the complete non-surprise when someone's running to get outside or to a bucket to vomit after a 2k test, it's still one of those things you really can't convey without them actually trying one.

I also play lacrosse and cycle, but lax is completely different (usually bursts of activity, no sustained all out efforts) and cycling in races is about 75% tactics, with crazy 2k test-like scenarios usually only happens during sprints (and are much shorter). So I can't really find anything there...

I don't swim, but I imagine that certain distances could probably lend themselves to a similar feel. So I'm curious - when you talk about your 2Ks to people who haven't done it how do you explain just how nuts it can get?

I honestly don't think there is any other sporting even of any type that a 2k can be compared to either mentally or physiologically. I would go as far as to say that any sort of test on the ergometer all out has no comparison.

I've played several other sports but I can't think of anything even close to it. As far as how I try to explain to non-rowing friends what it feels like to do a 2k, I just tell them basically what you said - I don't think they really come close to understanding how tough it is though, they just kinda say "wow" or whatever. haha

Running. I did lots of that in my younger (less painful joint) days. A 2k is similar to a mile run, IMO. The anaerobic factor is about the same, the lactic acid burn is there. And most people have some running experience so can relate a little better. However, I don't think I ever got to the same almost unbearable feeling running a mile as when I've pulled max 2k pieces just because the pounding of running didn't let me go quite as hard. The erg is smooth and allows a person to dig as deep as his mind lets him!

a 2k is also
a) longer in length
b) requires more muscles
c) requires more physiologically than running. If I'm not mistaken I read an article claiming that the max. HR achievable running is >2 beats lower than that on the erg.

btw I'm not knocking your post or anything, I'm sure an all-out mile can be pretty difficult, I just don't think it's as difficult (which you basically pointed out)

Boxing and up-hill skiing have their charms too. There's an event in N Italy where CC skiiers after 20 odd km then go up a giant slalom track, with the finish at the top, and a 50 km cross country race might have 2km vertical excursion.

The point about rowing is that it uses a lot of muscle, even if technique is not perfect, so the CV system is fully loaded and passes on complaints to the owner.

Roger Bannister after his 4' mile had trouble staying on his feet, as the BBC repeatedly shows us.

If you really go for amd really try a time trail any sport can be very hard. It's just what you make of it. Try running a 400 or 800 meter. Do a real time trail on a bike. etc.
The point about rowing and erging especialy is that you use lot's of muscle and you don,t need "very much" technique, even when you are very tired you can still find a way to use that last bit of energy.
But I have seen people dig so deep that they fainted in running, cycling, erging, skating. It's mostly what mindset you have and it also helps not to be a real endurance athlete to have mucg pain


btw Doing jumpsquats can be a nice way to compare to erging.

I've wondered this, too. It seems to me that in erging, nothing gets in the way of blasting your CV system. In other sports there's often a different limiting factor, muscle fatigue, technique, safety. The only thing I can compare it to is swimming something like a 400 IM. I also think biking or cross country skiing could compare. It might be that if you are in shape in a specific activity you can push yourself really hard because the other limiting factors are strong enough that your CV runs out first.

But a 2k TT sure is brutal.

Great question, I've asked myself the same one after every 2k test. I've raced everything from 400m to 100 mile running races, swimming, cycling, CCskiing, Crossfit competitions. In my experience, nothing compares. Nothing gives me that nervous feeling of impending doom like I get warming up for a 2k time trial. I call it the F5 Tornado of the exercise world.

Some of the Crossfit workouts I've done have the potential due to the overall muscle mass being used and the cardiovascular component. The problem (or advantage depending how you look at it) is that you always have the option of resting. In a 2k you have that monitor in front of you giving direct feedback every second. That's what all of the other sports lack...the direct feedback telling you that you're being a wuss if you slow down.

I know Crossfitters and MMA fighters dread erg time trials more than any other part of their training.

I did my first 2k yesterday. It both sucks and blows.

Years ago, a world class rower said the 2000M event is like sprinting 1.2 miles with an added grueling simultaneous upper body workout.

They kind of remind me of hard wrestling matches in high school/college.

Similarities:

(1) 3 two minute periods. About same amount of exercise
(2) Lots of muscle groups in use
(3) Aerobic capacity matters more than you would think. Hard matches often ended up anaerobic.

Diffenrences:

(1) You rarely knew before hand if it was going to be an easy or hard match.
(2) If it was a hard match, it could end sooner than 6 minutes (if you got pinned). Quite humiliating.
(3) Quickness mattered more
(4) Could wake up the next day with bruises

I'm pretty sure not much can compare. In almost every other sport you can pick and choose the event you want to do. You cannot avoid the 2k. You don't have a guy that runs the mile testing over other distances... The same thing with swimming - Phelps is such a brilliant swimmer because he can win at most events. Everyone else has to specialize. You pick one thing that you feel you can work at and do it. There is no 'universal' matchup in wrestling, each one lets you approach it in a different manner. Each one can be easier or harder, but still don't compare to rowing. Even in

Ahh I'd forgotten about masters racing. But even on the erg (which is what this forum is about) you still will race 2k. The pain is the same from 10 years to 85 (right Bob?).

I unfortunately have never done a TT on a bike - I would love to someday. I really enjoy this idea:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2e27HdjiTg

Pain contest.

Actually I think cycling is more painful.. the problem with your legs, is they can always take more pain.. you can just keep stacking it on there.. It's more painful to get yourself to the point where you blow on the bike than on the erg..
my 2 cents..