Concept2 Forum

I was wondering if anyone had opinions on whether lifting weights was actually beneficial for rowing. I would think it would be--there seems to me to be a pretty high correllation between rowers with huge quads and rowers with fast times. I also know that pretty much every national team incorporates weights into their training. But I have seen some evidence recently that seems to say that lifting has no real positive effect on rowing.

I saw one article posted up in a boathouse and I found it on the USRowing website called "A Comparison of Traditional and Non-Traditional Off-Season Training Methods on Performance of Elite Male and Female Rowers." Basically they took elite rowers and had one of them lifting and the others just rowing. It was really interesting to read--if you're a USRowing member you can find it in the "Resource Library" on their website. Among other points in the article:

"Not only does supplemental weight training fail to improve physiological and competitive performance, but more importantly it appears that off-season weight training at 20-40% of total training time may actually detract from these performances."

It did say that all the rowers involved were on strength training programs before they started. The study took place during the winter off-season. Maybe the fact that they had a high level of strength from lifting before that winter affects the results? Anyway, when i saw this i got interested in this idea that maybe weight training is a waste of our time when we could be on the erg. Anyone care to share their opinion or know of any other information about this?

The weight training should be as highly correlated to the movements involved when rowing for it to be of benefit. There is little point in simply improving ones skills at various lifting exercises, which will generally be the majority of "progress" seen in the first several months of weight training anyway.

It is not difficult to gain the sport specific strength training required for rowing through appropriate use of the Ergometer. The force being generated is only one component that is important in rowing, the speed at which that force can be developed is another, and perhaps even more critical aspect. This is the case because the faster that a boat moves the quicker the athlete is going to have to be to catch up to that speed prior to being able to assist in the acceleration of the system.

Rowing is unique in another way, as a "power/endurance" sport. While we may only need to generate perhaps a peak force in the 200lb range, with the average force for the drive being about 60% of that, we are going to have to repeat that for 200+ repetitions without a break. So basically, a 3 rep set near maximum effort means almost nothing. (Well, it does come in handy for throwing the coxswain in after a win.)

We also have to be able to move our bodies smoothly and efficiently so as to not upset the balance in the boat, and that is one of the most deceptive things regarding proficient rowing, the power and force that is being applied will be very difficult to percieve through external observation. This is because there is no check or sharpness in any of the movements being performed, they are sequenced but blended smoothly into a continuous motion.

Paul,
I agree - there is probably little you can do to improve the power behind rowing except for more rowing. Several articles I've read over the past year concerning various studies on rowers with/without weight training confirm what you say. However, I have also seen where coaches and some physiotherapists mention that weight training can be used to supplement muscle balance - primarily to alleviate injury that can occur when overdoing it with one set of muscles. In a sense, rowing power will improve by exercising these equal/opposite muscles - with the logic being you are maintaining balance, staying injury free and thus having the opportunity to train more and put more demand on the rowing specific muscles.

In my own case, i've added some weight exercises which 'push' away to my weekly schedule - like bench press, shoulder press, and others. The result has been that the pain I used to have in my shoulders and neck during some of the longer erging weeks, have all but disappeared. I don't do any weights that work on rowing specific muscles because putting in a few 1 hour or HM pieces each week, some at 18spm, over 1000 reps, is probably enough As you say - appropriate use of the erg will improve strength and there is a whole pile of data over in the UK forum looking at various people's diaries over the past years.
- Troy

I fully agree with both previous statements. I have found that rowing incl. power strokes, may be even heavy 10's) is all great for rowing specific strength development (and muscle toning, by the way). The stabilizing and antagonistic muscles are a concern with lots of rowing and I prefer Pilates to cross train for core stability, balanced strength and flexibility. Due to the clear structure of Pilates one gets a very effective and efficient workout. I can cross train my entire body on the mat in 15-25 min (intermediate and advanced level) with no equipment at all (killer abs are another benefit in case you are not over weight in the first place). In case you are interested in this approach I highly recommend the book "Pilates for Men" from Daniel Lyon.

I've just recently starting rowing on Concept2 having never rowed before. After suffering a major injury I was unable to do any form of fitness for the past 16 year, however, I am now able to get into some form of fitness and am looking at rowing to help. Having lost a bit weight and performed cardio exercises over the past 4 month I decided to give it a blast over 2000m. My time below. Is this any good and if so, what can I do to improve my times.

I rowed 2000m in 6:53 secs. I am 5ft 11 aged 44 and weigh 102kg. The damper lever was set a 10 (i think)

Although I was extremely tired, I do think I could go faster?

rugbyfalcons63 wrote:I've just recently starting rowing on Concept2 having never rowed before. After suffering a major injury I was unable to do any form of fitness for the past 16 year, however, I am now able to get into some form of fitness and am looking at rowing to help. Having lost a bit weight and performed cardio exercises over the past 4 month I decided to give it a blast over 2000m. My time below. Is this any good and if so, what can I do to improve my times.

I rowed 2000m in 6:53 secs. I am 5ft 11 aged 44 and weigh 102kg. The damper lever was set a 10 (i think)

Although I was extremely tired, I do think I could go faster?

1) Make sure that you learn the proper technique.
2) Most ergers find that a damper setting of 3-5 works out best.
3) That time puts you at 210th out of almost 1600 in your category, Male Heavyweight 40-49. So, yes, it is a good time.
4) Most people rarely row 2ks very often. They work on endurance by doing much longer pieces such as 5k, 6k, 10k, 30', and 60', which are rankable pieces and other distances and times that are not in the list of ranked pieces. For speed, they work on intervals that can be as short as 45'' or distances of 100m. A typical program for a week might include a long slow piece, like 15k, a more intense long piece, like 30', an intense interval set like 10x1' with 2' rest in between at a much faster pace than their best 2k, and a less intense set of intervals, like 5x2k at a somewhat lower pace than their single 2k time trials, with enough rest in between to get the pulse rate down below 2x the resting heart beat.

There are a lot of programs available on this forum and the C2 UK forum that will provide details for a routine like that I have described above in 4). One convenient flexible program is available from the C2 UK website is the "Interactive Programme (sic)". From that you can get a training schedule tailor-made for your circumstances.

Bob S.

In agreement with Paul S., the weight training should not be at very low reps, and not a slow cadence, and need to be both sport specific, and balanced push and pull is good. Most weight training is done for both bulk and max strength for a few reps. So that style of lifting is pretty pointless as an adjunct to rowing.

When I started in college, my 200 lb leg press was hardly impressive. But 380 lbs by spring was, for multiple sets of 15 quick reps. I'd much rather take 60% of 380 lbs than 60% of 200 lbs to move a boat. We did a one hour weight workout every other day, and rowed six days a week.

The next year we did some squat training with 90 lbs. 10 sets of 10 made the boat seem lighter and lighter in the water. First few sets were easy, the last ones were a struggle. About 1 minute rest between them, about 1.5 seconds up and down as I recall.

I'm also sure that 3 sets of 15 reps bench row with 180 lbs load is far more appreciated than an 80 lb max. I'm two decades away from when I last did that.

Anyone care to share their opinion

Yeah, strength training is an individual question depending on lots of personal traits. What is you physical condition now? What are your goals? What is your experience? What do you enjoy? What else do you do?

You can probably find a ton of advice on the net, the tricky part is keeping in mind to make estimates on what kind of person the person giving the advice was thinking of when writing and in what way you are similar or dissimilar to that.

Alternatively you can find a good coach that will help you find the anwsers to above questions and supply a responsive training plan without the double guessing on who you are, and what is good for whom.