maybe a long shot but you never know..

I've just joined a local rowing club and as it was too windy last weekend to row, they suggested I go onto the ergs. Fine, but then one of the members explains that there is a training programme on the wall, none of which I really understand. So just did 15 minutes (distance not working) as they ploughed on with various interval training/ heart rate checking etc

At the end they explained there is a race late November so if I stand a chance I ought to do some more strutured training.Any tips?

btw this is all in French which may be why I'm confused.

clubber is a very experienced rower, I'm sure he'll be along in a minute to help.

Loads of info here

Rowing was my first 'real' sport that I took part in seriously. Ergos are just the boring bit of rowing, but can still be very competitive, as well as one of the best ways to get fit.
When I stopped rowing on the water I did a fair bit on the ergo, ended up doing the indor rowing champs. Just bear in mind it's one of the hardest training sessions you can do; I think it's because you always have that little display right in you face which detects any sign of weakness!

At this time of year I'll guess it's going to be a head race (timed over distance, not side by side racing) where's it gonna be?

I'd suggest that you get on the ergo and get used to 20 minute bouts of effort at about 85% of your maximum, although it's important to maintain correct technique or you'll bollox your back in no time at all. Perhaps 3 times a week and get some recovery in between. if you want to do some weights on the legs, back and get some sit ups in to increase your core strength then that would be very beneficial. I'm assuming that you're already reasonably fit due to the cycling, but rowing uses up a lot more oxygen IME and can get you blowing pretty quickly – I usually find it's my arms that suffer afetr a long time out of a boat.

If you're racing as a novice then some more time time is a necessity as it's gonna hurt if you don't get some time to row in a crew and get some technique down in the boat as well.

Most important thing to do is enjoy the sport – if that's not there (either through getting it right or the craic with the crew) then it's all going to feel like hard work. I don't go out much nowadays aftre doing it for 20 odd years, but when I do it's like riding a bike – once learned it's never forgotten.

Rich

thanks all so far – that concept site is packed full of stuff – where to start!?
Rich – thanks for the tips – as far as I can tell yes, its a head race 2000m timed, somewhere near Montpellier.
I did it a few years ago for some corporate team as part of a regatta and enjoyed it so (hopefully) have a few of the basics in place to build on.

this forum is a good place for a row.

LOL @ wwaswas

Training-wise, if you're just starting out, the most important thing is to try and get out on the water – there's a rowing cliche that says "put an erg on the water and it'll sink" which is pretty true really both metaphorically and literally – technique is so important in rowing that you could be pulling a fantastic erg score but with poor technique and you'll be rubbish at racing.

I'd suggest that for now if you can't get out on the water, that you get on the erg and just try and do steady paced stuff (eg 20-22 rating) while learning the technique rather than going for intervals/flat out stuff – and just remember that a bad habit that gets ingrained now will take tens if not hundreds of hours to correct later.

The concept site is very good for showing you the positions but also ask some of the more experienced guys to tell you what you're doing wrong. Rhythm is really important too so try and get on the erg next to people who know what they're doing and follow them up/down the slide to get a feel for it. The biggest mistake is thinking that rowing's all about pulling – it's about pushing – your arms/back are very weak in relation to your legs so learn to provide power legs->back->arms and in a smooth way rather than hammering the power on at the start of the power stroke.

Also, if you feel that your focus on technique is stopping you getting a proper workout then do your aerobic work on your bike as that works very well for lots of rowers (me included as I couldn't do long ergs because of back problems).

Any other Qs, just ask away.

many thanks clubber – i heard that you may be the resident rower
I'm just going to continue to take it at an steady pace for the moment, try to get one of the ergs that has a metres display that works and get out on the water as and when i can (damned wind!)

Just picked this up, great advice from clubber. Emphasise the keeping pace bit which'll be even more important when you get out in a boat. Practice going from say 15 up to 22 and then keeping 22.

Presumably they'll start you off in a 4? Probably in 3 so you can follow stroke.

Fantastic sport, nothing beats that surging feeling of a racing 8 at top speed 🙂

Do you race clubber?

You see for these concept 2 competitions I take it that they are just going for a 2000m blast – is that correct? Also, where is the lightweight heavyweight divide? Is it 75kg for this? Would I get lynched at the British Champs for turning up as a complete unknown and walking away with the gold?

I am addicted to concept 2 rowers and can currently do 6:20 for the 2km, but have been faster in the past.

Fantastic sport, nothing beats that surging feeling of a racing 8 at top speed

+1…though I'm a novice myself.

Got taken out in a double today by an experienced guy I've befriended and he had me doubling nicely…well, for a few minutes at a time (until my technicque would go out of the window again 😳 ). Nothing beat that feeling of the boat surging and the sensation that the boat was sliding under me rather than me moving on the slide (assuming clubber and AA know what I mean??).

My hands are still a bit shit sculling though – it's funny, I've been telling starting-out mountain-bikers not to hod on to their bars too tight for years and what do I do the second I get out onto a scull? Hold on to the **** blades like my life depends on it!! After an hour or so though I had a much lighter touch, not using my wrists so much and when somebody says "don't fight it", well, it's a cliche but very very true.

Can't wait till next weekend.

Practice going from say 15 up to 22 and then keeping 22

Not being a beginner smartarse but would he not be better off keeping to 15/16ish…helps to control the recovery back up the slide instead of flying back up like most beginners (including me)? Slow rate and drive through the legs. Cossack drills help (though they're not fun!!!! 👿 ) too.

Andy, no I don't race any more – after 14 seasons with no breaks I'd had my fill and I reckon I'd done pretty much all I wanted to do other than win HRR and get a top ten at the HORR both of which I narrowly missed and I didn't want to spend any more time chasing them. In fact I don't even row as it's been a year and a half since I was out (baby related!) though I'm planning to get back out again with a few other decent guys just for fun.

Goan, iirc for erg comps lwt is 72.5kg or less. It's not uncommon for non 'proper' towers to win erg comps so you dedinitely wouldn't get lynched. 6:20 would be a decent lwt score but probably wouldn't actually win it. And yes it's just a 2k blast.

15 rating is very low. Good for some specific drill such as control of weight on the toes but not for any extended period. 18+ would make more sense.

I'd done pretty much all I wanted to do other than win HRR and get a top ten at the HORR both of which I narrowly missed and I didn't want to spend any more time chasing them

Ah them were the days. I won our local HORR as a junior and it all went downhill from there! I went back to it for a few years but I've not been out now for 10 years. That was one of the problems with me, all the clubs I associated with were all or nothing (I used to row on the Avon at Saltford, for Saltford then Avon County). It would be nice to find a club that does just 'row for fun'.

I rowed at Saltford when I was at uni 🙂

this club i've joined seems to be more for fun. Maybe it's because I'm now a veteran! and get put out to scull at the moment. Others also pottering around in pairs.

went out again on saturday in my "skiff" and pottered around. I plan to do more time on the ergs, as above as they are great practice but should go hand in hand with time on the water.

It would be nice to find a club that does just 'row for fun'.

Well, if you've rowed for Avon County and Saltford, you can't be that far from Bristol Ariel. They have a really good vets scene – no ergoing, they just get out on the water and row. They do compete at the HORR's around the place but they're not deadly serious.

That's where I've joined.

Thanks for the tip dd, I'll look them up

I was in a surf boat in Oz for a while. Wore holes in the skin of my posterior and thought I was going to die from lack of air regularly. Nothing beats it for a workout. Gave up because I wasn't good enough for competition.

not any more. Used to do it a lot but only when I feel spectacularly masochistic do I yearn for the days of erg marathons again…