Concept2 Forum

Hello all,

I have just started rowing to stay in shape. I was wondering how to go about a training program in order to maximize my results. I want to incorporate cross training (weightlifting, stretching, etc...) work into my rowing training plan to become a well rounded athlete and improve my rowing. A little background information:

1) I have just finished a competitive swimming career and was a national level division 1 collegiate athlete.

2) I want to stay in top form, or as close to as possible, but using another medium (why I want to start rowing). I am not planning on competing, I just want to stay in really good shape while hopefully getting pretty fast on the erg as well.

3) I am a 5'10 150 lbs (68 kg) male

4) I am coming from a shorter distance swimming background, and i believe I want to focus on the 2k as my main distance (overdistance training is welcomed, however)

I am wondering about how to get everything in place from the ground up in order to have a successful training program.

Any other reccomendations for a beginner would be appreciated as well. Thanks!

IMO quite a lot depends on how other-directed you are as an athlete vis-a-vis your goals vis-a-vis your time and energy commitments to training. I would recommend taking a look at all of the various training plans that are available:

(in no particular order)

* The C2 Interactive Programme (on the C2 UK site at http://www.concept2.co.uk)
* Various C2 UK "preset programmes" -- basic conditioning, 20' fitness, 40' fitness, weight loss, 2k training at http://concept2.co.uk/training/guide/pr ... guidelines
* Your own "bespoke programme" based loosely on Danish and British principles, constructable at http://concept2.co.uk/training/guide/bespoke_intro and the following pages
* The Wolverine Plan (you can find the basic Plan documents plus commentary plus a Forum thread for devotees on this C2 US Forum under "Training")
* The Pete Plan (a knockoff from the Wolverine Plan, minus the structured rate-prescribed distance rowing that's a significant and idiosyncratic part of the WP), available with a Forum thread for devotees on the C2 UK Forum at http://concept2.co.uk/forum -- look under "Training"
* The Oarsport programme, developed by former British national/olympiuc rowing coach Terry O'Neill for OTW rowers looking to add fitness on the erg. The high-intensity interval version of it is very interesting if you have time constraints -- see http//www.oarsport.uk/training
* The Rojabo program, developed by Danish national coach Bo Vestergaard. It's also idiosyncratic -- and has the virtue of being fitted to your current fitness, time constraints and goals. It's a pay service with a free 30-day trial that I think is worth a look. Full disclosure: I subscribe.

There also are other pay-for-coaching services available over the Internet. If I've left anything out, others no doubt will fill in the absent details.

Finally, there's the CrossFit universe in which erging is part of a comprehensive fitness regimen. See http://www.crossfit.com/ (there's also a CrossFit section on the main Concept 2-US site).

Also RowPro has training programs in the software. www.digitalrowing.com. Though the real attraction of the software is online rowing with others which can lead you to improve once you get the rowpro bug.

The first thing to do is find a boat club and learn to row and scull well. This will give you speed by ensuring there is plenty of work in each stroke. Then you will be able to train at a high power level and so get the resistance to fatigue that enables you to maintain your speed over long distances such as 2k.