Concept2 Forum

I've been erging for a couple years now after a collegiate swimming career. I trained for indoor 2K's but have joined a club team this summer to learn to actually row on the water. I need to get my 6K time below 21 minutes. I pulled my first 6K last week and went 21:28.8. Anyone have any tips for training for a 6K?

That's a nice first 6K My smart alec response is all you gotta do is figure out how to shave 2 seconds off your splits and hold 1:45's for 21 minutes.

My follow up, is you probably know best yourself what it's gonna take given that you've been erging for a while. Fundamentally you probably just need to do more longer pieces, but to really know what it's going to take you're going to need to analyze why you couldn't get the time you wanted yet. What sorts of erg work have you been doing?

Did you pull even splits the whole way? Or did you pull negative splits? "Fly and die" perhaps? How did you feel at the end? were you completely blown, or did you have anything left in the tanks?

Anyway, without knowing more, I'd simply suggest longer pieces than you've probably been doing before, and also interval work. I don't believe in any "silver bullet" strategy that will miraculously get you to your goal faster. Do the work and you'll get there...

What was your stroke rate?? When I did my first 6k, my spm was 22 (bad idea). When my coach recommended me to give 26 a try, I dropped about 20sec every 6k after. Now my spm for a 6k is 28. Try to get the hands away faster from the body. Also, do some longer peices like yehster recommended.

I've haven't been erging as much as I do in the winter (since I live in Chicago I have to take full advantage of the warm weather when we have it) so I've been jogging, biking and OTW rowing. I was holding 1:48s with a 24-25 stroke rating and dropped it way down on the last 300 meters to 1:40 to get under 21:30. I think I need to do longer pieces like you guys suggested. Thanks for the advice and if you have any more tips or info I'm all ears.

6k is a very difficult distance. In fact I think it's harder than either a 2k or an hour of power. 2k hurts, but the hurt lasts for about 3 or 4 minutes. An hour of power is about staying just below your anaerobic threshold. But 6k, if you're really going for it, means hurting for almost 10 minutes. Very mentally challenging.

In addition to longer pieces, I would suggest throwing in short interval work as well with minimal rest time in between (just enough for your heart rate to come back down to 100 bpm or so). To optimize your 6k performance, you need to train your body to be efficient at lactic acid removal and intervals will help. This is also an opportunity to get comfortable with a little higher stroke rate.

Here's my plan for a sub-21 6k:

-2 days a week of 60" steady state erging

-1 day a week of holding 1:45 pace for as long as I can.... hopefully a little longer each week

-1 day a week of random interval workouts such as 3 x 10" pieces or 8 1000m pieces

-3 days of OTW rowing each week

One day will be a double workout day... so I can get one rest day in each week

The Sauce is the Boss

Second 6k test is tonight....I've been doing a lot more distance pieces and pulling lots of meters daily. I think I have a shot at breaking 21 tonight. I will keep you posted.

Goodluck! I'll be sittin right next to ya trying for 21:30. HOCR!

You got 21:30

try doing the 6km test with someone else, if you are comparable (or even better, if he's a little better than you) you will be pushed harder. It definately helps keep the stroke rate high if you have someone next to you that is bookin it, and you pace them stroke for stroke. Also, when your are rowing in time with them, it feels like you are on the water, and the whole pulling together ideal sets in and you feel pushed even more.

It's been done, did a 20:49 Held 1:44.1 at a 26/27 stroke rate. The longer erg pieces are definitely the difference. I am pumped up