Training For Ergs Without Ergs

[old] Mkoll · Post by **[old] Mkoll** » January 12th, 2006, 11:55 am

Hi guys,<br />i am a boarderline lightweight rower, i have started rowing 4 months ago and am trying to improve my 2km erg time for school trials. My PB is 7:35.9<br />As you can see its nothing and i would really like to improve my erg. <br />I have seen many training plans but i do not own a c2 and we dont get to use the ergs at school often as we concentrate on VIII's training. <br />What can i do to improve my erg apart from ergs, and any general tips of things to do before a important erg race to improve my time. <br />Oh and breathing, i find i squease alot of breaths into a stroke, is this bad. if so whats good?<br /><br />Thanks<br />"a very average rower, and by average i mean bad."

[old] PaulS · Post by **[old] PaulS** » January 12th, 2006, 12:03 pm

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Mkoll @ Jan 12 2006, 07:55 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Hi guys,<br />i am a boarderline lightweight rower, i have started rowing 4 months ago and am trying to improve my 2km erg time for school trials. My PB is 7:35.9<br />As you can see its nothing and i would really like to improve my erg. <br />I have seen many training plans but i do not own a c2 and we dont get to use the ergs at school often as we concentrate on VIII's training. <br />What can i do to improve my erg apart from ergs, and any general tips of things to do before a important erg race to improve my time. <br />Oh and breathing, i find i squease alot of breaths into a stroke, is this bad. if so whats good?<br /><br />Thanks<br />"a very average rower, and by average i mean bad." <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />If you are putting in a good hard training effort in the 8+, it will transfer to the Erg, just fine. When Erg tests are coming up, really focus on the feel of the drive you are getting when going hard in the boat and adjust the drag so that the drive feels similar on the Erg when at "race pace". (Having a friend adjust it while you continue to row can be helpful)<br /><br />As long as you are not breathing too frantically and it is relatively comfortable for you, it should be fine. Usually, as intensity increases, we shift to 2 breath cycles per stroke, one being longer than the other.

[old] MarcusLL · Post by **[old] MarcusLL** » January 12th, 2006, 12:10 pm

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(PaulS @ Jan 12 2006, 04:03 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Usually, as intensity increases, we shift to 2 breath cycles per stroke, one being longer than the other. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Is this good or bad?

[old] PaulH · Post by **[old] PaulH** » January 12th, 2006, 12:35 pm

In general breathing is considered to be good <br /><br />One of the issues in rowing, distinct from sports such as cycling for example, is that the torso is compressed in such a way that it's hard to ever get a full breath. That means that taking two breaths is almost mandatory. Quite how you organize this in terms of length, etc, does have some theory around it, but I'd suggest you let it just happen. If you're like most people your body has years of experience in breathing as and when it needs to, so focus on your stroke instead!<br /><br />Cheers, Paul

[old] Spectre · Post by **[old] Spectre** » January 12th, 2006, 2:16 pm

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Mkoll @ Jan 12 2006, 10:55 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Hi guys,<br />i am a boarderline lightweight rower, i have started rowing 4 months ago and am trying to improve my 2km erg time for school trials. My PB is 7:35.9<br />"a very average rower, and by average i mean bad." <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Ok perhaps a little astray from what you are asking but...I remember being in your shoes as a highschool rower myself. I would listen to PaulS he knows what he is talking about and I agree time on the water will help on the Machine. But dont get yourself down for having what you think is a bad erg score. When I was a kid I used to stress myself silly over erg tests and inevitably do poorly because I got so worked up about them. Now that I am older and actually enjoy working out on the C2, I have come to understand that pacing is really the key to doing well. I think alot of younger rowers and newcomers tend to "fly and die". Assuming that you are on the water 3 or 4 days a week and doing dryland training you should be getting the fitness you need for testing. I would suggest (and the advise that would have helped me back then) is that you practice doing the 2k at a slower pace at the start, maintaining negative splits and emptying the tank at the 300 to 250 to go. You would only need to do this once a week tops to get the feel. Your erg times will improve as you spend more time rowing. At this stage in your development as a rower good technique will keep you on a boat just as much as a good erg score. <br />Good luck!

[old] PaulS · Post by **[old] PaulS** » January 12th, 2006, 2:43 pm

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(MarcusLL @ Jan 12 2006, 08:10 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(PaulS @ Jan 12 2006, 04:03 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Usually, as intensity increases, we shift to 2 breath cycles per stroke, one being longer than the other. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Is this good or bad? <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />I think it's a good thing. I actually choose to make the 2 breath cycles at any pace for the purpose of making it into a habit. Obvioulsy it does not need to be done quite as aggressively during less intense pieces, but after a while it pretty much just takes care of itself. When breathing patterns change it can influence our perception of fatigue, i.e. breathing very hard feels like we are stressed. ("Take a deep breath and relax.") The Erg provides plenty of stress, no need to impose any more through other perceptions. Often the key to getting our maximum performance is avoiding tension in the muscles that are not working for our goal. I.e. Tension in the pectoral (chest) muscles works against the muscles in the back that finish the stroke. There is no need for isometric muscle contraction in rowing where the major movers are concerned. However the core muscles work that way for stability.<br /><br />Breathe early, and Breathe often. <br />

[old] c2bill · Post by **[old] c2bill** » January 12th, 2006, 4:43 pm

Penis

[old] DavidA · Post by **[old] DavidA** » January 12th, 2006, 4:47 pm

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(c2bill @ Jan 12 2006, 03:43 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Penis <br /> </td></tr></table><br />

[old] PaulS · Post by **[old] PaulS** » January 12th, 2006, 4:48 pm

<br /><br />Can this be brought back to topic?<br /><br />What did the Elephant say to the naked man?<br /><br />How do you <b>Breathe</b> through that thing!<br /><br />

[old] csabour · Post by **[old] csabour** » January 12th, 2006, 4:49 pm

<span style='color:green'><span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'><span style='font-family:Impact'><u><b>PEEEEENIIIIIIS</b></u></span></span></span>

[old] csabour · Post by **[old] csabour** » January 12th, 2006, 4:54 pm

for those who don't know.<br /><br />this is a game we used to play in grade school. we would start the game saying 'penis' (usually quitely) and the goal is to be the last person to say it the loudest. until ofcourse you get yelled at by a teacher. then the game is over.

[old] Citroen · Post by **[old] Citroen** » January 12th, 2006, 6:06 pm

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(csabour @ Jan 12 2006, 08:54 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>for those who don't know.<br /><br />this is a game we used to play in grade school. we would start the game saying 'penis' (usually quitely) and the goal is to be the last person to say it the loudest. until ofcourse you get yelled at by a teacher. then the game is over. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />They have a variation of it on CBBC (Children's BBC) on the Saturday morning show Dick'N'Dom in Da Bungalow.<br /><br />They go to public buildings like libraries, museums, etc. and Dick will say, <span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>"bogies"</span>. Dom comes back with "bogies". Dick goes, <span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>"bogies" </span>. Then Dom goes, <span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'>"bogies".</span><br /><br />Until they either get evicted by security or bottle it.