Tag: erg

Question of the Day

By readyallrow July 26, 2013

Hi. As fall season is coming up, one of my rowers is getting ready for 6K testing and prepping for them. After a summer break, he’s feeling a little out of it and he really needs to work on stamina. I was wondering if there are any pieces on the ergs that could help him with that because I’m low on ideas. Thank you!

Steady state, steady state, and more steady state.

I scribbled this down sometime last fall from something I read online (and of course now I don’t remember where I read it). It’s basically what a week of workouts in the mid to late summer looks like knowing you’ve got a 5k or a 6k coming up once fall season finally rolls around. All the interval stuff should be done at your at or around your goal pace and your steady state pace should be 6k+12ish.

Monday: 5x1500m, 5 minutes rest in between
Tuesday: 10k SS at 18-22spm
Wednesday: 2x6k, 3 minutes rest
Thursday: 12k SS at 18-22spm
Friday: 4x2k, 5 minutes rest
Saturday: 10k SS at 18-22spm
Sunday: Off

Essentially what you want to do is do 2-3 days of intervals and 2-3 days of long steady state. Other intervals I’ve seen are 8x1k 4x2k, 4×10 minutes with 4-3-2-1 minute rate changes and 5 minutes rest between pieces, 4×15 minutes with 3 minutes rest, 3×20 minutes with 4 minutes rest…it goes on and on.

Make sure you’re not forgetting to do core, some kind of lifting, and lots of stretching and rolling out. Doing all the work on the erg isn’t going to do you any good if you forget to do the other stuff too.

Ergs Novice Rowing

Video of the Week: Learn to Row with Marcus McElhenney

By readyallrow May 6, 2013

Coxing Ergs Q&A

Question of the Day

By readyallrow May 5, 2013

What’s a good split for an average coxswain to have for 2k?

It’s been quite awhile since I last erged but I could probably hold a solid 2:15-2:20, so for a girl of around my height and weight (4’11”, 95lbs) with reasonable athletic ability I’d say anywhere from 2:10-2:30 would be good. If I pull my ass off I can go 1:55-2:00 for about 300m, so I tend to save that for the end. For a guy, that’s a little harder for me to guess for obvious reasons, but I’d say 1:40-2:00 would probably be reasonable.

Ergs Q&A Rowing

Question of the Day

By readyallrow April 12, 2013

I’m so stressed out ALL the time, but when I get to crew, I feel like a massive weight has been lifted. I love it so much, when I’m not rowing, I feel like shit. But then 2k’s come around and it’s just paralyzing, I have no clue how to do a 2k, having come off of an injury and I don’t want to do poorly and I’m just scared?

Don’t be scared. Way easier said than done, I know, but honestly, that really does make it worse. Coming off an injury you’re not expected to pull some miraculous 2k that blows everyone’s minds. That’s what we tell ourselves we have to do but no one actually expects that of us. (And if you’re coach does, perhaps someone should direct him to the “priority” entry in the dictionary and remind him that this shouldn’t be one of them.) 2ks coming off an injury are just the same as any other 2k minus the goal of PR’ing (assuming that’s what you’re goal is each time you 2k). Just go out and do the best you can. As your injury heals more and you regain your strength, your 2ks will improve a lot.

It’s literally seven and a half to eight minutes of your entire day. That’s something like 0.005%. Are you really going to let something that takes up that little amount of time screw with your head?

Related: 2k test strategy

Have a plan. Get on the erg, close your eyes, deep breath, strap in, deep breath again, remind yourself you can do this, and then go do it. You can think when you’re done.

Ergs Q&A Rowing Training & Nutrition

Question of the Day

By readyallrow March 27, 2013

What’s the best way to adjust to higher rate ergs? For a few years now after winter training I just take forever to get my body/legs adjusted to 30+ rates on ergs. It’s fine in the boat, it’s just ergs. My teammates don’t have this problem as much as I do and we’re doing the same workouts. We’re all lightweights. I just feel like I’ll never be able to do good 2ks this way and it’s holding me back from being put in top boat. My coach told me it’s my erg scores, so what should I do?

Try adding in some intervals (8x500m, something like that) into your training during the winter. Right now though, you’ve just got to get on the erg and practice. Short sprints, 2ks, etc. The best way to get better at doing 2ks is to do steady state and more 2ks. Try doing 3x2k with a decent period of rest between each one. Bump the rate up each time – 28, 30,32, etc.

Also, don’t get discouraged. Talk with your coach too and ask them what they think you should do. They’ve got a better idea that I do of what your training, technique, etc. is like so they would be your best resource for figuring out what you can do to improve your erg times.

Ergs Q&A Training & Nutrition

Question of the Day

By readyallrow March 27, 2013

Hi, I have a couple of questions for you! First off, can you please explain to me how the boats/age groups work in the US? We just row in under 15, under 16 etc but what does JV 8 mean? And secondly, do you have any tips for erg workouts during the off season? I’m just going into mine, and 30-45 min. ergs are great but get a bit boring after a while! Thanks. 🙂

I talked about what JV means, as well as the other classifications we typically use, in the post linked below.

For off-season workouts, listening to music (I have a ton of playlists on Spotify), podcasts, audiobooks, or even watching Netflix can all help with the boredom that sets in during long pieces. Try to mix it up though so you’re not doing the same pieces all the time too. 7 x 10′, 2 x 30′, 3 x 20′, etc. are all solid go-to pieces though.

Ergs Rowing Training & Nutrition

Splits vs. Watts: What’s the difference?

By readyallrow March 7, 2013

A few questions have come up recently about splits, watts, and the difference between the two so that’s what I’m gonna go over today.

Splits

Typically the standard unit of measurement on the erg. Splits tell you your speed by displaying the amount of time (in minutes and seconds) it will take for you to row 500m at the pace you’re currently going.

Watts

Measures the amount of pure power you are producing.

Watts, as mentioned above, measures the amount of power you produce on each stroke and can also be an indicator of fitness and efficiency. High watts are often correlated to low splits but the relationship between the two isn’t always one being the product of the other. An example of this is comparing someone who does CrossFit to an elite rower. Both have a lot of strength so theoretically they’d both be able to produce the same low splits. What this doesn’t take into consideration though is their technique, which obviously plays a big part in how efficiently the power you’re generating is applied to moving the boat.

If you want to get an idea of the watts you’re producing, check out Concept 2’s watts calculator. It lets you put in your average split and in turn it calculates how many watts you produce. You can also use it the other way around and determine your pace from your watts. You can also use this watts/pace chart (the second tab under “indoor rowing”) to calculate and see the relationship between the two.

Another thing to think about is weight-adjusted scores. This helps coaches see who is the most efficient at moving their weight. If they put in everyone’s weights and splits into that calculator, they can get weight adjusted splits that they can then put into the watts calculator. This will give them a good idea of how well lighter rowers stack up in terms of power output compared to heavier guys.

Image via // Eigenberg Fotografie

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Coxing Ergs Q&A

Question of the Day

By readyallrow March 4, 2013

When we write down erg scores/times, I never fail to copy one down wrong. Ugh. Any advice? I know it’s SO simple but…

Trust me, you’re not the only coxswain to have a brain malfunction while trying to write down splits, times, watts, average stroke rate, etc. Multiply all of that by 25+ rowers and you’re bound to make a mistake. It happens, you’ve just gotta make sure to minimize the number of times it does so that time’s not being wasted and the data the coaches are getting is accurate.

My friends and I came up with a “system” in high school to make writing everything down easier, simpler, and faster. We had a similar system in college too that made the process a lot smoother, especially since there were twice as many rowers to collect data for. In addition to all this, another thing that helps is dividing up the rowers amongst the coxswains, i.e I’ll take the front row, you take the second row, and so on, that way you’re not rushing around trying to get everyone done.

Before

All the ergs are numbered, 1-x. Each erg must be full, meaning it can’t go someone on 2, someone on 3, no one on 4, someone on 5, etc. That’s what always trips me up when I’m writing stuff down. When they sit down, I write each person’s name down beside their erg number. Once I’ve written their name down, they can’t switch ergs. While they’re erging, each coxswain makes a “table” for whatever we’re supposed to be writing down so we can quickly fill it in when they’re done. (You can also input them directly into Excel if you’ve got a laptop on hand and a spreadsheet pre-made that’s ready to be filled in.) Also, if for example you’re taking splits and time, make sure the order you have them written down in is the same across the board, that way when you give your coach the numbers or they look at the sheets they don’t have three pieces of paper that have splits written down first and one that has their overall time down first.

After

#1 rule, no one is allowed to leave their erg until their stuff has been written down. This just ensures no one gets skipped or erg #5’s times are written down in erg #4’s place. I make sure the screen that displays everything is up so I can get time, splits, meters, etc. off of it all at once without having to waste time cycling though them. If I’ve gotta write down watts, which isn’t on the main screen, it’s always written down last and is always listed last on my table. All the info on the main screen I take down in the order it’s displayed. Time goes down first, since it’s at the top, then splits, then whatever else, that way I don’t get confused as to whether I just wrote splits in the time column or time in the splits column.

Also, take your time. Be quick about it obviously but don’t rush to the point where you’re being sloppy, can’t read what you’ve written, or aren’t looking carefully at what you’re writing down. Don’t let the rowers mess with their screens either. If they want to look at something just tell them to wait until you’re done so they aren’t in the way and/or slowing you down. Also, double check everything before moving on to the next erg. #1 rule of coxing, better safe than sorry.

Ergs Video of the Week

Video of the Week: Henrik Stephansen’s Lightweight 2k World Record

By readyallrow March 4, 2013

Coxing Novice Q&A Teammates & Coaches

Question of the Day

By readyallrow February 23, 2013

Hi, I’m a novice rower. During our erg workout the other day, I was trying to boost morale and get everyone pumped and keep them at the same rate by yelling and cheering, etc during the pieces. My coach said the only reason she let me do it is because I kept my split down where she wanted. Is it bad for rowers to cheer each other on? I know it’s the cox’s job but they weren’t doing anything. Thanks!

I hate to say I agree with your coach but I agree with her. Your intentions were good and you’re a novice so you probably don’t know any better but being that person who takes on the role of cheerleader tends to piss people off more than help them. It’s not bad, per se, for you to cheer on your teammates but personally, if I was on the erg and had another rower yelling and cheering behind me, I’d just be annoyed at how distracting you’re being.

Rowers tend to get less annoyed when coxswains do it because, like you said, it’s our job and they expect it from us. If you saw that the coxswains weren’t doing anything, in the future my suggestion would be to go up to them and say “hey, Alex looks like he’s struggling a bit, can you go help him out?” or “on this next piece, can you guys walk around and make some calls to keep people focused and pushing hard?” and then let them take care of it.

Boosting morale and pumping people up in rowing is a weird thing. Like, obviously you don’t want the erg room to feel like a prison camp but you also don’t want it to be Cheerleader-Barbie Central. How each rower derives motivation on the erg is different – some like that “prison camp” feel where you’re kind of deep in the depths of misery whereas others like a lighter atmosphere but each person gets into that zone a different way. Having someone yelling, cheering, and being all perky behind them can throw off their concentration.

The reasons why coxswains are able to get rowers to give more on the ergs is because, for me at least, I talk to them beforehand to figure out what they want and what kind of zone they’re in. How I motivate one person is usually vastly different from another. Sometimes I have to be really upbeat to get one person to keep going but for another I have to get right in their ear and be very quiet but insanely intense with my words.

Like your coach, if you hadn’t pulled a good time and were doing this I would have shut you down immediately, but the fact that you did a good job (slightly) makes up for the fact that you potentially were driving everyone else a little crazy. Don’t take it the wrong way or let this get you down – it’s just one of those things with rowing that, in time, you learn not to do. You’ll learn too as you get to know your teammates better what they like and don’t like. Some rowers HATE being coxed on the erg, regardless of whether it’s a coxswain or rower, and you have to respect that.