Concept2 Forum

Looking for a bit of advice on how to make some more progress as I seem to have hit a bit of a standstill, some background:

Age: 44 , 5'10", 76kg, goals are trying to improve my body shape, fitness and strength.

Started rowing a couple of months ago rowing each day Mon - Fri and having Sat/Sun off. I row for 30 minutes and the resistance nob is between 5&6. When I started I was getting 6900m which has been gradually going up to my current 30min PB 7372. For the last couple of weeks I've not been able to get past that, seem to have hit a bit of a wall. The top leg muscles (quads?) seem to run out of steam if I try and get over this level. I'm now determined to get past 7500 at some point, it seems like a nice goal to aim for.

Any tips on how I can achieve this and get over this wall? I might get someone to video me for a short time so my technique can be seen, I'm sure it could do with improving as I've not had any advice other than watching youtube. Maybe a different length or pace of row although 30 mins fits in well with the time I get during the day.

Any advice much appreciated!

Welcome to the forum.

Are you doing the same workout every day?

Welcome aboard!

I am no expert but other have advised me that rest is as important as training so 5 consecutive days may be a bit much. Also, doing the same row each time may not be pushing your body past it's current limits.

Maybe try some interval sessions.

I have been following the Beginner Pete Plan and found it good for progression.
https://thepeteplan.wordpress.com/beginner-training/

I'm sure others will have more insights and advice.
Cheers
Alex

Thanks for the welcomes/replies, yes same workout every day, I basically just try and row as far as possible in 30 minutes which seems to have been working well up until recently when I've made no progress.

Having a look at that Pete plan now, looks interesting.

Doing the same thing every day delivers the law of diminishing returns. No surprise you have reached a plateau and not progressing. True of all training, not just rowing.

I'm also a beginner. That said look at the structure of the Pete Plan, Beginning Pete plan or one of the British Rowing training programs. You may want to do one, but just as importantly realize that all those plans include different ways of training from long steady rows to intervals, include other activities besides rowing and rest is an integral part of it. I don't know if it is true, but Dark Horse Rowing claims optimum results are reached with two or three rowing sessions per week. Easy enough to google these and plenty of videos available to help with technique and rowing sessions. Dark Horse has a new video this week for a 10 minute workout working on technique and mechanics. Worth watching even if not using it. I am not affiliated with any particular training program nor with Dark Horse.

Kudos to you for being able to grind it out day in, day out for two months. That alone is a worthy accomplishment. Improvement will come with periodic change in load, time, distance, and type of training.

Good luck!

Two months is not a lot when learning to row. You may need to improve your technique with more length and/or handle force in the stroke, and then maybe increase the rating.

Try some AT work such as from 2 x 5 to 3 x 7 minutes at 220 Watts rate 22-24. You can reduce drag to get a good rhythm at the rating you choose, which can make it a bit more comfortable, and also make sure your feet are not too high; this makes it hard to get a good catch and a long stroke.

Wolverine L4 workouts too can help technique: 2 minutes each at ratings 20-22-24-22-20 (non-stop), rest, repeat. Each stroke must contain a large amount of work, more or less the work used in a 2k race.

Welcome to the forum.

Never forget you can only train as hard as you can rest, so make sure you take occasional rest days when you feel tired.

As mentioned by Aimless, a good variety of distances, intensities and times is needed to make good progress. To some extent you have made progress due to newbie gains so now you need to assess and adapt to keep you on track.

What stroke rate are you rowing at? At what point do you start to feel tired?

Aimless1 wrote: ↑

October 29th, 2019, 7:00 pm

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activities besides rowing and rest is an integral part of it. I don't know if it is true, but Dark Horse Rowing claims optimum results are reached with two or three rowing sessions per week. Easy enough to google these and plenty of videos available to help with technique and rowing sessions. Dark Horse has a new video this week for a 10 minute workout working on technique and mechanics. Worth watching even if not using it. I am not affiliated with any particular training program nor with Dark Horse.
<>

Good luck!

Dark Horse Rowing has some controversial views, and I recall feeling a bit baffled by his "twice a week" comment. A lot of his stuff is really good, though, but I'm a bit skeptical of that video (and the "don't raise your heels ever" one).

You need to work to a programme where you are covering the whole range of training needs
Speed, speed endurance, strength, strength endurance, aerobic and anaerobic workouts.
Use the online workout of the day as a starting point.
Split you train8ng into phases and alternate steady days with interval days over a two week period so yo7 are doing 5 steady days, 5 interval days.
Spread your rest days over the week to Wednesday and Saturday

Everything works
Some things work better than others.
Nothing works for ever.

As you improve you need to mix it up more and more.
Resist the temptation to over complicate, but you'd definitely need some variety.

Try an interval workout twice a week. And make one of your workouts lower and slower.