Burnout??

[RowtheRockies]

For the last 20 years I have continuously been involved in one type of fitness activity or another. Running, Mt. Biking, Erging. In the last few days, I have finally come to the conclusion after 4 failed restarts over the last 2.5 years that my back just won't hold up for running any more. I am fine with that as I love to Erg.

Problem is starting about a week ago, I have had little motivation to row and the couple of times I have I have been unable/unwilling to push myself and today stopped after only 4K.

Do any of you ever get this way? What do you do to get the hunger to train and train hard back? Open to any and all suggestions.

Thanks,

Rich

[Nosmo]

Take a few weeks off and start again when you want. Don't push your self too much when you get back.

[johnlvs2run]

Change your program and try new things.

Keep an open mind.

Get on and just start rowing. If you get tired of that then try something else.

Wing it. And have fun.

Let go of any and all restrictions and conceptions.

[tdekoekkoek]

I was struggling with this in November. I was stopping after only 10 minutes, or a little over 2K. What I started to do was add 400m to my workout every few days. It seemed silly at first. I started with 2400m, then 2800m. Then 3200. etc. The key is I didn't allow myself to do more than my alloted amount or I found I would get tired and fed up and then miss 3 or 4 days in a row. So instead I just started increasing little, by little. Soon I was doing 10K again and then some days that were 16K or more.

Hope that helps,

Trevor

[Sculler_Deb]

Rich - where in Colorado are you? Do you get out on the water? I'm just starting a new club in Longmont - and while this won't do you much good immediately, within a month we should be ready to row! Are you close enough to come play?

Deb

[Stefan]

I think the trick to get the drive back is to "back off"

First take a couple of days completely off.

Than start over with a very regular, but soft schedule. If you normally go 10 k at 1.59 than now do 2.07 or something comfortable like that. Do not skipp workouts, regularity is very important to get the drive back, but reduce the effort significantly to be absolutely sure there is no risk of "handle down" or something like that.

[chgoss]

For the last 20 years I have continuously been involved in one type of fitness activity or another. Running, Mt. Biking, Erging. In the last few days, I have finally come to the conclusion after 4 failed restarts over the last 2.5 years that my back just won't hold up for running any more. I am fine with that as I love to Erg.

Problem is starting about a week ago, I have had little motivation to row and the couple of times I have I have been unable/unwilling to push myself and today stopped after only 4K.

Do any of you ever get this way? What do you do to get the hunger to train and train hard back? Open to any and all suggestions.

Thanks,

Rich

Get RowPro!
Seriously, there is nothing like training online with other people to help you stay engaged.
FREE evaluation copy at: http://www.digitalrowing.com/default.aspx?ItemId=480

PM me if you have any installation/operation problems. a group of us training monday-wednesday at 7:30 PM EST, thursdays at 7PM EST.
On the weekends, there are many-many races.

cheers
-chad

[Nosmo]

Get RowPro!
Seriously, there is nothing like training online with other people to help you stay engaged.
FREE evaluation copy at: http://www.digitalrowing.com/default.aspx?ItemId=480

PM me if you have any installation/operation problems. a group of us training monday-wednesday at 7:30 PM EST, thursdays at 7PM EST.
On the weekends, there are many-many races.

cheers
-chad

If you are burned out from over training this is not going to help. It will make you work harder and what you need now is a rest and to go easier. Use Row Pro after you get your motivation back.

[iain]

There are some great suggestions above. I have found changing to a different plan has had the desired effect for me. Doing the same sessions slower than before or hurting more was what was causing me trouble having lost fitness through reduced training from illness and commitments.

There are all sorts of motivations for erging and the key to staying motivated is to understand what drives you. I am no sports psychologist, but listing what you find good and bad about erging, recalling what in the past made you fired up and anything that has changed recently. Merely rowing because you can't run is too negative. If you want to stay fit then the rowing is to stay fit, although I would need some more specific objectives as well. That said, my thoughts on other possible options below based on my motivations.

I respond to challenges, so merely backing off pace didn't work for me. But doing intervals that I had not done before at a pace within myself and then being able to finish strongly for the first time in a while was a huge boost. If single distances are your thing, why not try and mix up different rated sections or portions at different paces thereby allowing a generally slower pace, but spiced up with faster parts?

Regards

Iain

[RowtheRockies]

Great Suggestions by all and thanks for that! I think I will take a few days of total rest as it is not just mental. My body feels tired also. Very stiff in the mornings, don't have that springy feeling in my legs, going up stairs feels harder than usual. That sort of thing.

When I feel like starting again I will start out slow until the drive returns and I know it will because I have been activley working out for 20 years and have experienced this before although not for quite a while

Deb, thanks for the invite. Unfortunately I am about 100 miles South of you in Colorado Springs otherwise I would love to come try it out. Never been OTW before.

Thanks again for all the suggestions!

Rich

[philrow]

Rich,

As you may have seen me mention in the training forum, I'm taking this spring break off -- as in, complete rest. And like I also mentioned, while break is only half over, I'm gonna absolutely demolish the erg the moment I get back on it! Or at least I'll definitely be in a position to do so, because I can feel how psychologically and physically rested I am. I need some punishment. And in about 2 hours I'll be getting my hour-long deep-tissue massage. Then a nice 16oz steak out some place this evening. Then a nice sleep-in tomorrow morning, followed by a stop by the chiropractor. Well, you get the point. I'd recommend you follow the same course of training for awhile.

Also, I've got a very detailed plan of my approach to training for the next few months. Or, at least, it will be more detailed. I'm not writing out any course of training right now, because I'm on complete rest! I think this planning helps, though. Previously, and I will continue with this, I would write out a full training plan at the beginning of each week. I would follow through with it completely. This did help psychologically to some extent, as I didn't give myself the option to just not show up for practice, so to speak. I'm not sure if you could implement this aspect or not because you are probably vastly more aerobically mature, but I regularly included 30'r20 in my weekly training because every week or two I would pull for more meters. This to me was a direct indication of aerobic endurance progress, which is currently my main focus. Hence, progress was demonstrated every week if only by a few tenths of a second in average split. Just thinking about getting back on that 30'r20 is huge motivation for me right now while I'm on break. In fact, thinking about numbers and progress is perhaps the one thing that kept me going despite being on the verge of "burned out." I know that right now, if I pull any test, it will be a personal best. But, I am waiting until I'm done with school to do any tests because I want no distractions, only manifestations of progress. Maybe you should think about some attainable personal bests?

Phil

[Veronique]

Rich,
I think that I have the same feeling; could not bring myself over the last few weeks to sit down on an erg for more than 30 min. For me the solution turned out to be going outside: today I went for a run instead of erging and got my long-overdue energy booster. Personally I can't wait to get back on the water as it's the best: 1 more week . OTW rowing takes some time to get the technical skill as to get the full enjoyment but if you have the opportunity I would definitely recommend it. Where I live there's a rhythm of 8 months OTW vs 4 OTE and this suits me very well as by the time any of the seasons ends, I'm looking forward to the next one.

Another solution, paraphrasing what others said, is to go on a do-as-you-like-tour. Take time off, cross-train, or just fool around before getting back into it. You won't lose the long-term acquired benefits overnight and what you do lose will come back fast when you've renewed your enthusiasm.
Good luck!
Veronique

[sheltiegirl]

Change your program and try new things.

Keep an open mind.

Get on and just start rowing. If you get tired of that then try something else.

Wing it. And have fun.

Let go of any and all restrictions and conceptions.

Well put, John

Lynn

[PJM]

Join a virtual team..get their motivation.I love to watch the rest of my team and their incredible spirit.When you can "see" what others are doing despite all of our life stuff..you feel you CAN do it.It makes me get on my erg EVERY day..
Motivation is the key..if you have nothing to drive you to do what you do..it is a challenge at best.I make it my passion and strive for my best.if it were just a workout..I would be more apt to skip it.But it is not.I am accountable to my team.

Pat
Team TimbukTOO

[sledgehammer]

I agree with Chad.

Buy RowPro (www.digitalrowing.com) and hook your erg up to a computer. (The multi-billion videogame industry is built on the assumption that the human brain likes visual feedback and interaction). You will have more fun, and want to row more!