Erg Training Sessions
Winter Training Programme
Principles of Winter Training Winter training is normally when athletes improve their strength and stamina through weights/conditioning programmes and capacity training. However, to stop the training programme becoming too repetitive and stale, the type and nature of training should be mixed up. It is also beneficial for veteran athletes to have regular doses of power training. In the aging process, strength and stamina can be more easily retained than explosive power. Come the spring and summer, training will shift with more emphasis on cardio fitness and power. To get the benefit of this programme members should be attending at least one erg session a week, supplemented with weights/circuits once a week, and a long row (or other exercise) at the weekend.
The target groups for the training can be identified in terms of
Experienced (or competitive less experienced rower)
Novice (or experienced social rower)
Ideally any novice session should have an experienced rower leading the session and setting the pace. New or experienced rowers can join in with the experienced sessions but can moderate their effort according to their level of fitness/motivation.
YouTube
Many of the sessions detailed below have been posted as videos on YouTube and including a number of different warm-ups which should be completed before starting one of the training workouts. You will be able to find these videos at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClAWu2RkxxowSfKAYyOkc0Q/videos . The videos can be used by yourself if you have your own Concept 2 ergometer but can also be used to pace a group in a Lourdes training session.
Physiological Training Targets
The purpose/target of a training session can be broken down into one of three categories:
1. Capacity Building
Objective: Building the vasculature of muscles to improve general strength and stamina
Nature: Low/Medium heart rate, low stroke rate, long duration (>20 mins)
2. Cardio Fitness
Objective: Improving cardio-vasculature fitness (efficiency of heart and lungs at transporting oxygen to muscles)
Nature: Medium/high heart rate (but below anaerobic threshold – “the red zone”), medium stroke rate (or high stroke rate for < 30sec durations), medium duration (5-20 mins, continuous or interval training with short breaks), or erg tests over long distance/time (>20mins, >5k)
3. Power Development
Objective: Improving muscle power output, utilising existing muscle strength in combination with increased speed of muscle application, i.e. more explosive muscle action
Nature: High heart rate, short pieces (<2min) with long breaks, or erg test over short distance/time (<5min, <1.5k)
Types of Training Session
The type of ergometer training session undertaken (following proper warm-up and any technical exercises) can roughly be categorised as follows:
Steady State
Rowing at a steady pace over long periods at about 60-70% of maximum stroke effort (or max heart rate). This is typically used for Capacity Training.
Pieces
A series of fixed times or distances are rowed with rest time in between, e.g. 4 x 5 min with 6 min rest in between (the rower rows light pressure or stops completely during the rest periods). Depending on the length and stroke rate at which the pieces are executed, and the rest intervals, pieces can be used to target either Capacity, Cardio Fitness or Power Training.
Interval Training (Fartlek)
This is similar to pieces but the intervals are shorter and the rower keeps rowing during the “rest” periods. Fartlek is generally very good for Cardio Fitness Training where the rower is pushed close to (but not into) the “red zone” during an short, intense period, before recovering at light pressure. It can also be used for Power Training where the rower pushes very hard for short periods, while given a longer recovery time. The length and rate of the intervals, the “off” time, and the number of repetitions can be adjusted to match the training target regime. In this exercise the interval can completed for a fixed time interval or specified number of strokes.
Pyramid
Here the intensity of the exercise is gradually scaled up and down by increasing and decreasing the stroke rate. This contrasts with interval training where the rower is given a rest period. This tests the rowers’ ability to sustain their technique and stamina. It also tests their ability to control the rhythm while not slackening off. It is one of the most difficult exercises for less experienced rowers to master. Rating Pyramids are particularly good for targeting Cardio Fitness but can also be used to liven up Capacity Training. The length of the steps along with the maximum rate attained in the pyramid can be varied to suit the training target and group.
Erg Tests
These are the ultimate gauge of the overall strength, stamina, fitness, and power of a rower. As the rower is pushed to limit, these are very intense and should only be attempted when in good health and after a comprehensive warm up. Erg tests should not be undertaken every week but are used to gauge progress of the athlete (at 6-12 week intervals). Even if improvements are not made every time, completion of a test is in itself a considerable physical and mental challenge, and worthy accomplishment. Short tests emphasize the rower’s muscle power, with longer tests dependent on fitness and stamina. The intermediate distance of 2000m is the gold standard, as it is the length of Olympic rowing races and the blue riband event for indoor rowing championships. However, shorter or longer tests can be attempted to gauge different aspects of the athlete’s capabilities.
Sample Training Sessions
These training sessions can be used for different training targets and training groups. They are designed to provide variety to the rower’s programme throughout the winter. They provide the basis for a session but can be altered as needed. All these sessions should be preceded by a warm up and (if time available) technical exercises. If it is a Power training session, then there should be an extended and more intensive warm-up before starting.
2 mins @20 – this means the rower should do 2 minutes rowing at a stoke rate of 20 strokes per minute.
Light – light pressure on the drive part of the stroke
Firm – firm pressure, a strong (80-90%) effort put into the drive
Warm Ups
Setting up the Concept 2 monitor for C sessions
CAPACITY (C) TARGET SESSIONS
CARDIO FITNESS (F) TARGET SESSIONS
POWER (P) DEVELOPMENT TARGET SESSIONS
Concept 2 Machine Ergometer Drag Factor
The air resistance of the ergometer fan can be adjusted to suit the size and strength of the rower. Contrary to what inexperienced users of an ergometer think, it is not necessary to have the highest resistance setting to get an effective workout (no serious rower would regularly use the machine at a setting of 10).
The resistance setting (1-10) gives a rough guide of the drag on the fan, but as the erg accumulates dust this is not an accurate guide of the resistance to the spinning fan. This can be accurately measured using the Drag Setting. Hit “Menu” then “Other Actions” then “Drag” and start rowing. A number will come up on the screen indicating the drag factor. The exact value of this is generally not so important as it is possible to get a very good workout even with a light setting. You will see many men in the gym put the resistance setting at 10 but most rowers would never do this unless it was a specific exercise (such as simulating rowing into the wind or a start). A high resistance setting can be useful occasionally for building strength but it liable to cause back injuries if used for normal training. Roughly speaking the following drag factors are recommended for different types of rowers during normal training. Note that the exact value chosen is not so important as the computer monitor takes into account the Drag when calculating split times.
