water to erg? on water 2k training

gorow9 · Post by **gorow9** » March 19th, 2006, 7:53 pm

I was wondering if there's any particular water workouts that I can do to get my 2k down (I have to get below a 7:20 and I'm somewhere around a 7:33) Anyways I don't particularly enjoy erging when I can be out on the water, I was wondering if I mostly abandoned erging for the season with (at least) one hour on the water six days a week. We usually row around eight miles.

I am hoping to be able to get a good erg score without erging too much. Sounds lazy... I know and if I have to I'll erg but is it possible to use almost all... (or all) water and lower the score about 15 seconds?

I row in a single or double.

What about Xeno's 2k training program, can I do that on the water and yeild similar results?
Thanks, any advice would be appriciated.

jamesg · Post by **jamesg** » March 20th, 2006, 10:22 am

If you need to get your 2k time down very soon, one way could be to scull short intervals (20-30 strokes) as hard as possible - say 30 of them at lowish rating. I do this every day perforce in summer, because the gearing in my 1x is high, due to C2 smoothies and dead water. It gets my 2k time down by at least 10 seconds in a month, but the effect is short lived. In my experience, same effect can be got by cycling uphill for 2-3 hours a day.

If you want to get your 2k time down long-term, what you're planning looks fine. Eight miles in an hour's pulling, every day, is hardly lazy. If you can do that you're already fast, so I don't see how you can expect to go a lot faster on Long Slow only.

I think Xeno's programme comes straight from some Swiss lake. It must be similar to what he did to get those medals, and as you say you plan on an hour a day, 6 a week afloat, you're probably not far off his schedule anyway. It included 35 UT2 w/o of an hour or more in the eight weeks before CrashB, plus a few sharp pieces . One wonders what he did when not tapering.

On the Italian forum, there's a 3-day weekend plan which is as used by the Federation here. Ratings 18-20-22, HRR 70-80-85% in various types of pyramid.
http://www.concept2.it/forum/topic.asp? ... hichpage=3

gorow9 · Post by **gorow9** » March 20th, 2006, 10:47 am

I'll do a lot of interval work, thanks I do need it down as soon as I can... and seeing I haven't done an all out 2k test since July (I tried at CRASH-B's but I was sick) maybe it will be a little faster already. I'm in better shape now than July anyways.

I have to do a 2k on the 26th and I need below a 7:35 if I want to be concidered for the jr. national team so hopefully I can do that and afterwards I'll start to lower it for trials or selection camp.

I do a lot of interval work with pyramids to break up my row a little bit. Sometimes thirty seconds on/of 1min on/off 1.30 on/off ect. or sometimes by strokes eg 10 on/0ff 20 on/off ect. I don't row often at a low rating so I'll try some 18/20/22 work rowing long and hard.

Maybe if I do both the long rows with interval work it'll combine a faster lowering of my time with lasting endurance to keep the time, I'll have to try it.
Thanks

jamesg · Post by **jamesg** » March 22nd, 2006, 1:34 am

If you mean 26th March, then rest this week with just some short sharp stuff, doing a 500 test. Resting is essential. But then during the race, control is essential too. Use your 500 test time in the French protocol and slow down at 300 in, 2000m is a very long way.

gorow9 · Post by **gorow9** » March 24th, 2006, 12:13 am

Yes, 2k is a long way... and yet they call it a sprint.

Does your time on the water translate to the time it would take on a c2?

For example if it takes me 7min to do a 2k in a single scull on the water would it also take around 7min on the c2 or what? (in ideal conditions)

Thanks

jamesg · Post by **jamesg** » March 24th, 2006, 2:17 am

I always cruise at 20. 500m takes me 42-43 strokes on the erg, and 48-50 on water. What happens to you on water also depends on who's boat you in; if it's yours and geared for you probably you'd be a bit nearer your erg cruise speed. Mine is geared too high.

I only tried a 2k on water twice, and that using a map to guess the distance. 2k on water is much too far for me. Took me 10 and 9 1/2 minutes, when I could do an erg in about 7 1/2.

Suggest you avoid 2k on water if you can, especially in a 1x. Unless the boat is low geared and lets you spin along easily. It's not an Olympic distance for nothing.

Let us know when you do a 7' 2K on water in a 1x.

Carl Henrik · Post by **Carl Henrik** » March 24th, 2006, 8:11 am

Hi Gorow,

I think it is very, very common for general fitness focused rowers to be worried that your erg fitness will be fading when leaving erging for on water rowing or sculling.

I have found this to be a suspicion or fear with no empirical grounds, at least when doing some 1x sculling, but I believe for all boat types.

As an example my 2k erg PB was set after a period of only on water training, primarily 1x, 2x and 4x.

The amount of time and intensity you do one the water will of course determine wether you gain or loose on the erg. My impession has been that for equal time and perceived intensity, on water rowing will make you at least as good on the erg as erging would.