Category: Ergs

College Ergs Q&A Recruiting

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I am an openweight girl rower who is 5’9″. I really want to get recruited to college. What erg times should I have to even be considered? Thanks!!

Typically coaches are looking for times that are sub-7:30ish for heavy/open weight women but it varies amongst programs and divisions. You should ask the coaches you’re talking to what their expectations are. Keep in mind that erg times are important but they aren’t the only factor – they look at your physiological stats (height, weight, etc.), grades, etc. too.

Coxing Ergs Q&A Teammates & Coaches Training & Nutrition

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My coach makes coxswains do winter workouts and 2k’s with rowers. Do you think that’s fair? We don’t get a break with the workout, at all. We have to do the same exact thing as rowers.

I think it’s fair that they ask you to work out with your teammates … I don’t think it’s fair if they’re expecting the same exact level of athletic prowess from the coxswains that they do from the rowers. The teams I’ve been a part of, even collegiate teams, gave the coxswains separate workouts to do so that they were still doing SOMETHING while the rowers did their thing. I don’t want to say that coxswains are not athletes, because we are, but in an eight, we aren’t the athletes. The rowers are.

In my experience, some of my friends that have coxed, including myself, have had various health related problems that makes it difficult to be as athletic as we used to be. I dislocated my knee pretty severely when I was in high school and can’t run (unless my life depends on it) because the pain from the cartilage degeneration is so painful. Others have asthma or injuries from other sports that prohibit them from running, lifting, etc. If any of those things apply to you, you need to sit down and talk with your coach. Your health concerns should be just as important to them as the rower’s.

You guys should all know my feelings by now regarding how coxswains are treated by the coaches. Often times we’re ignored and left to fend for ourselves. If you are working out with your team and you are injured or develop an injury, do NOT let your doctor, athletic trainer, coach, physical therapist, etc. brush it off JUST because you are a coxswain. Get checked out immediately and make your coach aware of the situation. Get your parents involved and have them speak to them if you’re unable to.

Most importantly, know your limits. I promise you that your rowers see you working out with them and they do appreciate it, but they want you just as healthy as they want their other teammates. They don’t want you to get injured or overdo it either. They will understand and they hopefully already DO understand that our tiny bodies cannot squat as much as their freakishly tall frames can.

If you feel like the workouts are pushing you to a point that is uncomfortable for you (and this is where knowing the difference between discomfort and pain is crucial), talk to you coach. Compromise and say that you will continue to workout with the team, but you need to do something else – treadmill, stair master, core, elliptical, bike, etc. If they still insist on you doing the workouts at the same level as the rowers, have a conversation with your parents, your trainer, etc.. Coaches need to understand the limits and abilities of their athletes and it is their responsibility to know when they are pushing someone too far.

Ergs High School Q&A Rowing Training & Nutrition

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I’m entering my third rowing season this spring but at a different school than I rowed at last year. I come from a good boat at a very strong program but nobody takes me seriously and I want to do really well on my first erg test. The only thing is my old program did 1.5 tests and my new program does 2ks and I don’t know how I’m not going to die that last 500. Do you have any suggestions? I’m a 5’10” 155 lb girl with a 5:45 1.5k.

Before you do your first test I’d suggest doing a 2k or one of the 2k predictor workouts (like 8x500m) just to give yourself a baseline of where you are and what you can expect your time to be. This will also give you an idea of how far into that last 500 you start to really feel the fatigue. Practice, practice, practice – lame answer I know but trust me, you’ll feel a lot better if you’re prepared going into your first test vs. going in blind and not having any idea about what’s going to happen. Jot down some notes after each practice 2k … anything you notice will help you mentally prepare for the “real thing”. Where do you start to feel tired, where would be a good spot to start your sprint, when does the voice in your head tell you to quit because you’re too tired, how do you FEEL, etc. Try giving yourself power 10s, practice making a move at the 1000 meter mark, start building into the sprint at 350 to go, and then start sprinting with 250 to go. See how it goes, tweak it, and find what works for you. Build a “plan” for yourself to loosely follow during your test.

One of the things I liked doing in high school was doing longer pieces than what our races actually were. Instead of doing practice 1500m pieces before regattas, we’d do 2ks. Same with our erg tests – it was ALWAYS 2ks, never 1500s. This helped the rowers a lot because instead of succumbing to fatigue at the end of the race, they KNEW their bodies were prepared to go an extra 500m, so they had an extra 500m of “reserve fuel” already stored and ready to use. I’m convinced that that was a key part of why my team was so successful. It also helped them mentally too because even though they were exhausted like everyone else, they knew their bodies were capable of more than the other rowers we were racing against. That mental edge was HUGE. Make sense? Practice your straight 2k to get a guesstimate of your time and to practice when you’re going to make your moves, but also make sure you’re doing longer steady state pieces to start building up your mental and physical reserves.

If your 1500m time is 5:45, that’s roughly a 1:55 split, which means your 2k would be about a 7:40 … that’s pretty good. Try and hover around that split while you practice and see if you can finish in the 7:40ish range. Don’t settle for that though – if you’re feeling strong and know you can push that split down another second, try it. You’re not a novice and you’ve clearly already proven that you’re a strong rower if you were in a good boat with your previous program so just go do what you know how to do. Don’t try and beat the other girls times just to “prove” yourself. Focus on YOUR erg, YOUR piece, and YOUR time. Let your erg scores, your time on the water, your attitude, your leadership skills, and your commitment to the team speak for themselves.

Ergs Q&A

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Hi, rowing question! Tomorrow I’ve got my first 4k with the varsity team at my school. Obvs it’s for time and the first 2k of it will be rate capped at a 24. How should I approach this piece (split and technique wise, because I’m not too worried, I know I’ll do my best) and what could I do to make it an overall great 4k? Thanks!

As far as how to approach it, go in with a plan. Write it down and look at it a few times before you start. It’s easiest if you break it into three parts – the start, the body, and the sprint.

Since the first half is capped, find that stroke rate in as few strokes as possible while going hard on the pressure. After 15-20 seconds, start to settle down into your pace, whatever you’ve decided that needs to be. Make sure it’s a MANAGEABLE split. Don’t be fooled by your body saying you can go harder…chances are if you listen to it, you’ll fly and die.

It’s OK after those first few seconds if your average split climbs up a little, just make sure you don’t let it come up too much. Say you start at a 2:00, I wouldn’t let it go above 2:05.

Holding your pace, make some pushes every so often like you would in a real race. At the 1500, 1000, 750, and 500 are all good spots to take a 10 or 20.

Coming into the last 500m, start thinking about your sprint. You’ll want to up your power a bit and bring your split down a second or two. Hold that split until the last 300m, take 5 to build into your sprint, and then GO. Make sure you’re still holding a 24, but going all at it with the power. Use your recovery time to wind up the legs and then power through each stroke until the end of the piece.

Watch your technique as you get more fatigued. If you don’t mind someone coxing you while you erg, have one of the coxswains give you a 10 or 20 or remind you to sit up at the finish as you get into the last 500m. Take a deep breath before you start and don’t focus on anyone or anything else except for YOU and YOUR monitor. When you finish, make sure you stay on the erg and paddle lightly for at least 5 minutes or so. Have a water bottle beside you so you can get a drink without having to get up.

Ergs How To Rowing Training & Nutrition

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Do you know any secret remedies for blisters? It’s the first week of winter conditioning and after only two practices I have killer blisters on my hands and ankles that I never got last year until later, and not as bad. I’m wondering if I’m doing something wrong with my form or something, although I’m not quite sure that could be the problem.

I don’t know too many secret remedies but I do know some tried and true tricks to preventing and treating blisters.

Wash the erg/oar handles before and after practice. Even something as simple as a baby wipe is better than nothing. That’ll get rid of any nasty crap on there that can (and will) infect your blisters.

Loosen your grip. Death grips can cause more blisters than not having one that’s tight enough (that sounds dirty when I read it out loud…).

As painful as it will be, swab the blisters with hydrogen peroxide or wash it with really hot water and soap to clean out the area. Once that’s done and your skin is dry, put some Neosporin on it and cover with a band aid before you go to practice. Ideally you should repeat the process post-practice to get rid of any sweat and germs on your hands.

When you’re at home and just watching TV, sleeping, etc., let the skin breathe so that the blisters dry out. If you keep them covered with band aids and tape 24/7, that’ll trap moisture in there which will just make everything worse. Only put band aids on them when you have to. You can still put Neosporin on them, just don’t cover them up.

If you can tolerate it, try putting a little Vaseline on your hands or handle before you start practice. Put enough that it reduces the friction but not so much that your hands can’t get a good grip.

Good luck!! I hope they get better. At least your hands don’t look like this guy’s…

Ergs Q&A Training & Nutrition

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Because of an injury and physical therapy, among other things, I have a really hard time erging. I won’t finish PT until around February and I really want to have a decent 2k time (I haven’t erged the entire fall season) … what’s a good goal for myself? I’m a lightweight (5’9, 125 lbs) and I just had my first season.

I wouldn’t try and set a time goal for yourself until you can actually get back on the erg and do a base workout to see where you’re at now. It’ll basically be like doing your first erg test all over again. Once you’ve done that first one, compare it to the last one you did before you were injured and see what the difference is. Whatever that difference is, make it your next goal to cut those seconds down by a reasonable margin the next time you do a 2k. Once you’ve gotten to whatever your last 2k was, you can do what you’d normally do when aiming to lower your times.

Depending on your injury, I’d try and continue doing some strength training throughout December, January, and February. If you have an upper body injury, stick to lower body exercises (leg press, hamstring curls, leg extensions, squats (without weight), one legged squats, etc.). If you have a lower body injury, stick to upper body exercises (shoulder press, tricep dips, front and lateral dumbbell raises, pushups, high pulls, etc.). Try and do some core as well. If you can do some kind of strength training, that will at least maintain some of your strength and fitness vs. doing nothing and having your muscles atrophy.

Ergs Novice Q&A Rowing

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I just finished my first full year as a novice and I’m a girl, 5’5 and 140 pounds. My 2k time is a 7:58 which for a heavy weight isn’t too great. Do you think it is a reasonable goal to go lightweight by the end of January?

For a novice that’s actually not too bad. If you lost 2lbs a week (the standard recommended amount) over the next month, month and a half, sure. You could technically be a lightweight. But what’s your motivation? Is it just so your erg time seems more “acceptable”? I wouldn’t focus so much on trying to become a lightweight as I would getting stronger at your current weight. Increased strength = increased power = lower splits.

How to Survive Winter Training: Passing the time with music + TV

Ergs Training & Nutrition

How to Survive Winter Training: Passing the time with music + TV

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Previously: Rowers || Coxswains

Does anybody actually like erging, especially in the winter? Everyone’s always wondering what they could do to make them easier or at the very least, more bearable. To make them easier, that’s simple – get stronger, build your endurance, and turn that voice in your head that says you can’t do it off. To make them bearable, you’ve gotta get creative.

There’s no shortage of good playlists on Spotify (you can follow me here) but you can also find good ones on the rowing sub on Reddit if you just search “playlists”. Podcasts or audiobooks are another good thing to listen to if you’re into that. Another thing if you’re on your own and doing a long steady state piece is to put Netflix on and erg while you catch up on shows, movies, documentaries, etc. If you’re into sports, watch a basketball game. You can take a 20 at a few splits below your current pace whenever there’s a time out, a player gets fouled, etc. It’s up to you how you do it.

Now, as a disclaimer: not all coaches are OK with their rowers listening to music (either on the stereo or their iPods) while they’re erging at practice so most of these suggestions might be best saved for on-your-own workouts. Some think that if they’re focusing on their music then they’re not focusing on the piece or they just can’t stand your taste in music so they avoid having to listen to it by banning music altogether. All of my coaches in the past have been cool with us playing music but make sure you ask first and be cognizant of other people who might be in the boathouse – don’t have the music up all the way to the point where a trying to have a meeting with their team has to shout over the noise.

Image via // @brianrenesorenson

Ergs Novice Q&A Training & Nutrition

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Hi there! I just wanna start off by saying I really enjoy your blog! I started rowing in June, and was in an eight this fall. The season is now over and I really wanna continue in the spring, but the coach I was with said I should erg and train in the winter for the spring. I have been on the erg once, and my split wasn’t very good. Around 2:19.0/500m. I was wondering what I should do to improve and how often I should erg? Thanks!

Your coach is right – to be prepared for the spring season, winter training is a necessity. Strength training and core exercises are two things that you definitely want to make a part of your routine. If you have the time and access to the appropriate equipment/facilities, adding in some kind of cross training will help your endurance and get you in (better) shape. Running, biking, or swimming are all great options. You can get your cardio in as part of your warmup on the days you’re not cross training. Those are the days when you can do some erging.

Strength training and doing core exercises consistently will help build muscle, which in turn will help you generate more power when you erg, leading to lower splits. When you erg, you shouldn’t be going for any kind of PRs…you just want to focus on getting the technique right and building up your endurance. As you get stronger, the splits will fall. Don’t force anything.

If you have trouble deciding what to do when you erg, check out Concept 2’s website. They have three different workouts posted daily depending on how long you want your erg session to be. You can also sign up for their daily emails to get the workouts sent to you in the mornings. When you’re just warming up on the erg, keep it short – no longer than 15 minutes or so. A good warmup to do that also works on your technique is the pick drill (arms, arms + bodies, 1/2 slide, full slide). Do each for 20 strokes, then switch. Take your time with this and don’t rush through it. Focus on really nailing each part of the stroke and then connecting all of it when you get to full slide. Once you’ve done that, row at a steady pressure for the last 10 minutes or so at around 18-20 strokes per minute. Work on slide control and keeping the recovery controlled while at the same time getting a good strong press with the feet on the drive. Aim for a split and try and maintain that. Every week or so, shoot for a lower split (by 2-3 seconds) than the one you went for the previous week. Every week or two, test yourself. Do a 2k and record your times and splits. See what the difference are between the times. You’ll start to notice consistent changes as you progress through your training.

Here’s an example of what a winter schedule might look like:

Monday: Erg warmup + strength training (3 sets of high weight, low rep exercises)
Tuesday: Cross training + core (3-5 sets of 10-12 exercises with at least 15 reps each)
Wednesday: Medium – long erg session (45-70 minutes)
Thursday: Erg warmup + strength training
Friday: Cross training + core
Saturday: Long run/bike/swim (80 minutes)

Some things to remember:

Give yourself time to rest. When you exercise, you produce small micro-tears in the muscle. In order for you to get stronger, the muscles need time to adapt to the stress and repair. If they don’t have that time, you’re risking serious injury.

STRETCH. After your erg warmups or a quick lap around the track spend at least five to seven minutes stretching. Your muscles are more flexible when they’re warm vs. when they’re cold, so stretching is key. Not stretching can also lead to injuries such as pulled or torn muscles/tendons/ligaments. ALWAYS STRETCH BEFORE AND AFTER YOUR WORKOUT. If you have a foam roller, use that at the end of your workouts.

Maintain a proper diet. Your body needs proper and adequate fuel in order to give you the necessary energy you’ll need to train effectively. Make sure you’re eating well balanced meals and not skipping any of them. Have a small snack before you workout and another one after.

Get some sleep. When you sleep is when your body repairs itself…if you’re pulling all nighters or just not sleeping for as many hours as you should be, your training will suffer because you’ll be lacking in energy.

Find a time that works for you to go to the gym and make that a daily part of your routine. Don’t blow it off. Manage your time properly around school, work, family, friends, etc. so that you can spend at least an hour every day training. Remember your goals and why you’re doing this. Making training a non-negotiable part of your routine will not only show your coaches how dedicated you are but it’ll also subtly reinforce in your own mind how and why this is important to you.

Coxing Ergs How To Q&A

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Advice for coxing a 5k on the erg? There are only so many times I can remind my boys to keep their back straight and drive with their legs.

Ugh, I feel your pain. Here’s some suggestions.

Talk to your rowers

Ask them individually what they want/need to hear and when. Does one of them start to forget his body positions as he gets more tired? Does another one just need you to ride his ass so he doesn’t quit in the last 300? Take notes and write it all down in your notebook.

Related: Do you recommend carrying a small pocket notebook or having a regular size notebook for notes? I currently have a pocket notebook during erg pieces to jot down splits and times. How do you organize all your thoughts and coxswain information?

Be aware of the rowers who don’t want you to say ANYTHING to them

Erging is a different beast than the boat and everyone has their own way of tackling it. If a rower yells at you to go away while he’s erging or tells you beforehand that he doesn’t like being coxed while he’s on the erg, respect it. Don’t take offense or ignore their request. They get themselves in that zone and you coming up behind them and reminding them about leg drive and such can throw them off.

Don’t try and correct their technique in the middle of the piece

If they haven’t figured it out by now, their times will reflect it and their bodies will feel it. Only tell them what you would tell them in the boat.

Drive: connect with the feet, press, feel it in the lats, etc.
Recovery: control, light on the seat, steady speed into the catch, sequencing, etc.
Body prep: body set early, get the hands and legs to speed, etc.
Bodies: chins up, cores tight, relax the upper bodies, stay light (especially important as they get towards the end and the bodies become sluggish), BREATHE, etc.

Motivate them without being a cheerleader

There are few things in rowing I hate more than perky, peppy, cheerleader coxswains. Get under their skin. Push them. Remind them what they’re doing this for. Are they trying to get one of the top eight times to be in the first varsity boat? Remind them of that when they’re starting to give in at the end. Tell them this is what they’ve been working for over the last few months, do NOT let the last 500m keep them out of this boat. Are they setting out to PR? Tell them to pace themselves, let the time come to them, not them going to the time. Are they trying to lower their times so they can submit them to colleges? Figure out what their top school is and use that to motivate them. When they’re looking particularly strong, get behind them and say “YEA!! That’s what a Dartmouth man looks like!” or “That’s how a Cal Bear attacks it!”.

Know the “science” behind erg strategy

When should they sprint, when should they “make a move”, etc. so you can make the appropriate calls when you cox them. This is also something they should know. Each rower might have their own strategy or your coach can give them a strategy, but it’s up to you to know whatever that strategy is. One rower might say he wants you to come over at 1000m to go to give him a 20…he’s relying on you for that, so you’ve gotta know WHY he wants it and be prepared to give it.

The first 500m, they should go ham just like they do at the start of a race. Get a good start, take a high, hard 20, and then another 20 to settle into their pace. If the pace is capped, make sure no one goes higher than that. 32-34 is probably all the higher they need to be going, although it varies by person.

By the middle 2000 (4000m – 2000m) they should have found a pace and settled into it. Make sure no one is flying and dying. They’re going to start getting really, REALLY tired as this middle 2k progresses because of the lactic acid building up in their systems. This is where you’re going to have to start pushing them and motivating them to not hit the wall – they’ve got to knock it the fuck DOWN.

Watch their splits and make sure they are sustainable, but not 30 seconds over where they should be. If they need to be pulling 1:45 splits, make sure they’re not pulling 1:49. If they back off a few splits during this middle part, the chances they’ll be able to get back down to the original split is going to be nearly impossible (from a physical standpoint but more so from a mental standpoint).

Around 1500m to go they should start pushing the splits down little by little every few hundred meters. Don’t “save” anything for the sprint. If they’ve “saved” their energy, they’re going to have too much to make up in order to get manage a decent time. Remind them of that. Don’t let them fall behind.

Start pushing that split down and then once they’re around 350m to go, drive up the stroke rate and fucking DROP THE HAMMER on the splits. EVERYTHING they have left should be going into this last 350m and it’s up to you to pull that out of them because at this point, if they’re pushing themselves the way they should be, they’re going to want to die.

Pay attention to your tone of voice

If you sound bored when you’re coxing them, they’re not going to listen to you and it can actually drag them down. You’ve got to stay upbeat, concise, direct, and have a good inflection in your voice. When you’re coxing individuals, you don’t have to yell at them 100% of the time. Get right by their ear when they’re at the finish and talk quietly but intensely to them. The person on the erg beside them shouldn’t be able to hear them. Talk quietly for a few strokes then say something like “Now GET IT” or something similar that causes you to raise your voice. You only really need to raise your voice if you’re walking behind them and see they’re going strong (YEA whatever their name is) and when they’re about to sprint (NOW’S THE TIME TO GO!). The rest of the time should be about 75% intensely quiet and 25% intensely loud.

I usually spend more time walking around just quietly observing during erg tests than I do talking to the guys. I’m gonna get more out of doing that than they are from me saying something in their ear (most of the time) so I only try to say something if it really needs to be said.