Concept2 Forum

Hello - I’ve been watching some videos on YouTube from Travis Gardner, though he hasn’t posted in a while. He advocates a drag factor in training (and even racing) which is quite a bit lower than I see most posters use - 100 to 110 is typical, though he does differentiate men/women/youth etc. He seems to talk sense and has a creditable background with decent times on the erg and competitive on water experience. Wondered whether anyone else had seen these videos and had any thoughts about his training style?

To me, SS with a low drag factor makes sense. It helps keep the HR down, along with practicing shorter drive times. I found it more beneficial for 30R20 as you need a short drive time, while having good recovery.

Personally I found his SS recommendations too fast - even 2:18 which he thinks is the lowest even for handicapped people would put me over UT1 quickly. https://old.reddit.com/r/Rowing/comment ... r/jgc5dmx/

But it does work for many people… so if it works well it works well. Just my (not very great) opinion.

I've not watched his videos - or his coaching material - but I think drag factor is subjective and individual, the same as rating.

I personally could not row at 14spm without a pause, would be even harder for me with a lower DF to normal (I row at around 120 for everything) - 18spm is actually really tough for me to slow down to - I have to really really concentrate at it, and it just feels uncomfortable.

Reading the comments on the reddit link it suggests he is very much focused towards close to elite level and not "average joe's" or novices as his comments around pacing are blunt to the point of rude, and there's lots of people that are starting out where those paces are way above what they are capable of for longer sessions.

With all sports - especially ones with technical elements - there's no one-size fits all perfect thing to do though. It's about finding what works for the individual & luckily there's loads of possible ways of making pace that it's easy to find something that works. (and what works OTW is not always the same as what works on the erg)

no male athlete should be benching less than 100 kg x 10 unless they are pre-pubescent, very old, or injured/handicapped. And no male athlete should bench less than 100 kg x 8 period. If you are weaker than that, it is a technical issue, not a fitness issue. Imagine bench press as a scale reading. You can stand on the scale and get your natural weight and you can push down on an external fixture to increase that weight readout. 100 kgs is the equivalent of a small male standing on a scale. Anything below that is related to your size or your work (in the analogy this would be pushing on something to increase your weight readout.) tldr: find a good coach to help you refine technique and you will bench 50 kilos more for reps in weeks with no increase in "effort".

click my link. I do strength coaching. send me money pls. also happy just to video chat for money. or just email me to talk about lifting. (Also for money.)

.

Ruin Christmas wrote: ↑

May 24th, 2025, 11:53 am

no male athlete should be benching less than 100 kg x 10 unless they are pre-pubescent, very old, or injured/handicapped. And no male athlete should bench less than 100 kg x 8 period. If you are weaker than that, it is a technical issue, not a fitness issue. Imagine bench press as a scale reading. You can stand on the scale and get your natural weight and you can push down on an external fixture to increase that weight readout. 100 kgs is the equivalent of a small male standing on a scale. Anything below that is related to your size or your work (in the analogy this would be pushing on something to increase your weight readout.) tldr: find a good coach to help you refine technique and you will bench 50 kilos more for reps in weeks with no increase in "effort".

click my link. I do strength coaching. send me money pls. also happy just to video chat for money. or just email me to talk about lifting. (Also for money.)

.

I'll do all that for half the price

Sakly wrote: ↑

May 24th, 2025, 4:07 pm

I'll do all that for half the price

No male Internet strength coach should be writing programs for half the price unless they are pre-pubescent, very old, or injured/handicapped.

Ruin Christmas wrote: ↑

May 24th, 2025, 4:32 pm

Sakly wrote: ↑

May 24th, 2025, 4:07 pm

I'll do all that for half the price

No male Internet strength coach should be writing programs for half the price unless they are pre-pubescent, very old, or injured/handicapped.

What about if one defines as diverse?

NickKira wrote: ↑

May 24th, 2025, 3:44 am

Hello - I’ve been watching some videos on YouTube from Travis Gardner, though he hasn’t posted in a while. He advocates a drag factor in training (and even racing) which is quite a bit lower than I see most posters use - 100 to 110 is typical, though he does differentiate men/women/youth etc. He seems to talk sense and has a creditable background with decent times on the erg and competitive on water experience. Wondered whether anyone else had seen these videos and had any thoughts about his training style?

I don't know Travis Gardner but I do know who Eric Murray is..lol
My performance has exploded since exclusively just using his methodology.
5 months ago I had never been on a C2. I'm 63 and did two sets of these yesterday before finishing up with 2x2500m@tempo.

https://log.concept2.com/share/2523746/102472612

NickKira wrote: ↑

May 24th, 2025, 3:44 am

Hello - I’ve been watching some videos on YouTube from Travis Gardner, though he hasn’t posted in a while. He advocates a drag factor in training (and even racing) which is quite a bit lower than I see most posters use - 100 to 110 is typical, though he does differentiate men/women/youth etc. He seems to talk sense and has a creditable background with decent times on the erg and competitive on water experience. Wondered whether anyone else had seen these videos and had any thoughts about his training style?

I vaguely know about Travis, and drag factor is a subject that invokes a huge amount of interest. In all reality, it only matters to make you the most efficient, so this might be 100 or 200.

I do have an issue with sweeping statements about pacing being applicable to everyone, as that's just not helpful or applicable, but he does have a very good background of experience, so you can take those comments as you wish

Thanks Dangerscouse - finally a decent answer after all the span above!

milansanremo wrote: ↑

May 25th, 2025, 1:28 am

NickKira wrote: ↑

May 24th, 2025, 3:44 am

Hello - I’ve been watching some videos on YouTube from Travis Gardner, though he hasn’t posted in a while. He advocates a drag factor in training (and even racing) which is quite a bit lower than I see most posters use - 100 to 110 is typical, though he does differentiate men/women/youth etc. He seems to talk sense and has a creditable background with decent times on the erg and competitive on water experience. Wondered whether anyone else had seen these videos and had any thoughts about his training style?

I don't know Travis Gardner but I do know who Eric Murray is..lol
My performance has exploded since exclusively just using his methodology.
5 months ago I had never been on a C2. I'm 63 and did two sets of these yesterday before finishing up with 2x2500m@tempo.

https://log.concept2.com/share/2523746/102472612

Do you have any good sources on Eric Murray’s methodology?
Thanks!

Jerome wrote: ↑

May 26th, 2025, 3:02 am

milansanremo wrote: ↑

May 25th, 2025, 1:28 am

NickKira wrote: ↑

May 24th, 2025, 3:44 am

Hello - I’ve been watching some videos on YouTube from Travis Gardner, though he hasn’t posted in a while. He advocates a drag factor in training (and even racing) which is quite a bit lower than I see most posters use - 100 to 110 is typical, though he does differentiate men/women/youth etc. He seems to talk sense and has a creditable background with decent times on the erg and competitive on water experience. Wondered whether anyone else had seen these videos and had any thoughts about his training style?

I don't know Travis Gardner but I do know who Eric Murray is..lol
My performance has exploded since exclusively just using his methodology.
5 months ago I had never been on a C2. I'm 63 and did two sets of these yesterday before finishing up with 2x2500m@tempo.


https://log.concept2.com/share/2523746/102472612

Do you have any good sources on Eric Murray’s methodology?
Thanks!

Look up asensai rowing on YouTube and that will get you started

https://youtu.be/_MgkFKycqc0?feature=shared

Thanks, John!