Returning from erg break

[vepjan]

I just got back from a 1.5 month break from the erg. I had been chopping wood for several hours a day the first two weeks, and the last month I ran every other day (improving my 5k times significantly over the course of the month). Anyway.... back on the erg again I had to check the drag factor and could not believe it was my usual 115. The machine feels like someone poured sand into it. What felt easy 1.5 month ago now feels unsustainable. I am surprised the contrast was that stark since my general fitness has improved. Does anyone have experience with this? What is the best way to get back on track? UT2, UT1, HIIT or a mix? Should I just get back to what I was doing before?

[Anth_F]

It's just because you've been away from it for a while. I remember when i had to take almost a month off the erg with injury, then when i came back to the erg it felt like i was trying to pull a truck Only rowing around 110df then as well. If you were doing weights, body weight training stuff, you wouldn't feel it so much but because not you feel it a lot. Just do what you were doing, the body will adapt again and things will eventually get back to the norm. But keep in mind, that is a long time off for erg training. Erg Fitness soon vanishes if you're not at it on a constant regular basis.

[Dangerscouse]

A mix of UT2, UT1 (just to get you used to pushing your boundaries again) and sharp intervals is all you can do. I'd make the intervals fairly long e.g. 750m up to 3k with three mins rest, but paced reasonably.

I have always found any shorter distances will stop you from really finding a hard sustainable pace, as you end up going too fast and doing too few intervals, which can only limit your progress unless you have excellent mental strength to keep going.

As Anth says, nothing trains erg fitness like erg training. Stay patient and set yourself new temporary goals as it could take a couple of months to get back to where you were.

[hjs]

Perfect example that shows how training is specific. Don,t worry, the feeling will be back soon.

[jamesg]

Take it as an opportunity to start from scratch: three weeks plenty of long hard stuff with technique at low ratings. Think yourself lucky you don't need to develop hard hands again, at school that happened three times a year in the days of wooden sweeps.

[vepjan]

Thanks for the answers. As suggested by jamesg I will try to use it for improving technique and focus more on the leg drive. Hopefully improvement comes fast.