Are easy sessions helpful?

[my0064]

Hey all, I have a training question that I'm curious to hear some responses to: Are sessions on the erg without a specific point at all helpful for training purposes?

In my previous experience training as a middle distance runner, I enjoyed easy days every so often where I'd simply go and run at a pace that I felt like. I'd describe it as 'Fartlek' training, except the purpose was more to clear my head and run off some stress rather than train to go faster or farther. Any opinions on whether a similar type of work out on the erg would be helpful, or would I be better of actually running or taking a day off?

[jamesg]

This is a bit like the "joke" from a certain foreign country: when you get home, take a stick to your husband/wife. You may not know why, but he/she does.

[dg1951]

Hey my0064,

Having spent 20 yrs as a distance runner, I hope my erging experience may help. What I have noticed to be the biggest difference between running and erging is the need for fewer easy days and the fact that an easy day has a larger impact on recovery.

As a runner, my competitiveness would often get the better of me forcing the need for easy day to recover from the high impact nature of the sport and the high quality I wanted to maintain. With erging, I find I can inject more quality more often and recover within 24 hrs. Hope this helps.

Dan

[my0064]

Thanks Dan. That's good insight into the differences btw. training for those two different sports.

I guess another question I had in line with the first was whether there can be erging sessions that are actually counterproductive, or just not worth the time one puts into them. Could time one spends on the erg be fruitless?

[Yukon John]

Thanks Dan. That's good insight into the differences btw. training for those two different sports.

I guess another question I had in line with the first was whether there can be erging sessions that are actually counterproductive, or just not worth the time one puts into them. Could time one spends on the erg be fruitless?

I'm not sure about the physiology of this (at least for rowing), but if I'm going to row with few days off I need easy days. One thing that helps me is to look at it as a technique day and really focus on all the little things I'm doing wrong. Usually on easy days I throw in several 15-20 second speed bursts, so that I still get a bit of a speed benefit without stressing myself. Sorry if I worked around your question . John.

[chgoss]

Well, not being a rowing expert, but having a lot of experience in other sports, I would say that there is no bad rowing sessions. Some are just more beneficial than others.
I would say that a piece that you never broke a sweat on (focussing only on technique), would still train your muscles to be working properly..

[dg1951]

John,
I think, generally, your right about using your easy days as technique days. But,, am I the only one who decides to do a easy technique day, only to find myself sore the next day and needing another easy day to recover?

Dan

[Yukon John]

John,
I think, generally, your right about using your easy days as technique days. But,, am I the only one who decides to do a easy technique day, only to find myself sore the next day and needing another easy day to recover?

Dan

Good point Dan. I've also done technique days and not be as recovered as I thought I would be the next day. For me, I also have to stop thinking about getting lots of metres and just do a few K's on those days. I also take some days off here and there, sometimes planned, sometimes because live just gets in the way .

[LJWagner]

According to the Suunto T6 (top end personal HR monitor) training manual, easy days are always good after a hard workout. Regardless of sport.

Should work the same for rowing as running. Abuse your body training, it needs rest, or at least light workouts, to recover.

http://www.suunto.com/suunto/Worlds/mai ... 0535806007