BRIANS REQUEST ABOUT THE ERG "PART I"

Brian's request about Erg information had generated such great multiple "threads" that I thought I would copy it here. Please don't hold me to the order-Capt'

BRIAN MONDAY 10:49AM
Hey Rockers-

Any of you use an erg to stay in shape through the winter?

I've just started goofing around on one at the Y for the first time, and am trying to figure out the best way to optimize my time on it. If you know of any good workout plans, or just have some personal experience, I'd love to hear it.

Thanks!
brian

FRANK MONDAY 10:49AM
Hey Brian, the Concept2 web sites - US and England - have lots of helpful stuff.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

LORETTA MONDAY 10:50AM
Concept 2 website and there are great erg classes at community rowing in Brighton

Sent from my iPad
Loretta Attardo

JAY MONDAY 11:57AM
Brian,
I agree with Frank. We also have a very seasoned master in veteran Rocker, Dave Greten. He and I have shared his winter training programs and they work! I know Dave would be happy to share his wisdom. The Concept II erg is truly a world unto it's own. Some love it, some hate it. There are even erg races in Boston (called the Crash B's) that attract top towers from around the country.

One tip: Do NOT use with the resistance set at 10 until you are an elite rower. Best to set between 3 and 4 to avoid back injuries. I find this is a good resistance to simulate an ocean shell.

Finally, many ergers also use heart rate monitors to track their work load and fitness. Rowers who like to race, too. I've done a lot of this and would be happy to discuss in more detail with anyone interested.

Best, Jay P.

HENRY MONDAY 3:58PM
I row at the Marblehead Y every week day. I set the Concept II to meters, showing elapsed time, running time per 500, cumulative distance and strokes per minute. I also set the strain handle at 4-5, which I have been told is about the resistance of water. I then go to work trying to maintain the best form I can – no slouching, use the legs, use the core, finish hard with the hands, exhale on the recovery, and check to see if I am balanced on the seat and pulling evenly. I use an on the water rowing motion, finishing high and raising the hands at the catch.

For the workout, first I stretch out, especially hamstrings because rowing shortens these a lot. I warm up with a 2000 meter piece at 22-23 strokes a minute. I shoot for 10 minutes for the first 2000 meters because at my age (old) one needs to warm up slowly. Continuing non-stop, I then go into an interval training period to the end, rowing the next 500 at 26-28 and at about a 500 meter pace of 2:05-2:03, or about 56-61 strokes. The next 500 in the series, I slack back to 22-23 strokes per minute and about a 500 pace of 2:30. At this stage of my training – early – I repeat the interval for 6,000 meters total. The whole workout takes about 30 minutes.

My goals over the winter are to raise the stroke per minute on the intervals to 33-34 and row cumulative intervals for 10,000 meters. I want to see my pace go below 2 minutes per 500 meters. This is a pace under a racing pace with bursts of harder activity. I also plan to use a shorter interval, like 200 on, 200 off. One of the more challenging interval patterns I like is a ‘Fartlek’ which was adapted to rowing from track by the famous German Ratzeburg RC coach, Karl Adam in the 1950’s. In this one, you go 10 light strokes followed by 10 hard. Then 20 light, 20 hard; then 30 and 30, 40 and 40 and one long 50 stroke piece. Then you reverse the process with an easy 50 strokes and so on back down to 10. The cumulative racing strokes are 4000 meters. All the hard strokes are at a racing pace.

I am not ready for this one yet. Also, at my age, and at any age it is important to row to a heart rate. Generally this will develop your aerobic capacity more than if you ignore or override the activity level. One’s target heart rate can be loosely determined by subtracting your age from 220 and then multiplying by 85%. Rowing to that heart rate about 70-80% of the exercise time and then a burst of full exercise for the other 20-30% of the time is a pattern followed by many of the greatest bicyclers and applies to rowing or running.

After each row, I then do a 45 minute workout with a trainer on about 15 different machines or free weight exercises. This is not aerobic, but strength building, and a way to balance one’s exercise after such a narrowly confined effort like rowing. I find interval and cross training are the two best methods to more rapidly grow endurance and strength and also maintain flexibility. Having done a lot of rowing in my youth, I have renewed my effort over the last 1.8 years averaging 3.2 exercise days a week. As a result, I was able to row the double with my son (a ringer) in the HOC this year.

Hope this helps.

Henry Livingston

JACK MONDAY 4:43PM
WOW, thats incredible Henry!

HENRY TUESDAY 2:45AM
Thanks Jack!. If you see the red flashing lights (coming down the driveway...), you'll know they came for me

ED C MONDAY 5:42PM
Henry Livingston, how old are you? I'd like to adjust my pace to your own, I'll be 80 next month!

FRANK 7:06PM
Here are links to the two sites. The first link takes you to the Concept 2 homepage. Click on Motivation, Online Logbook. We could create our own team if anyone is interested. That might help my motivation. Is anyone interested? - Frank

http://www.concept2.com/us/default.asp


http://concept2.co.uk/training/your_programme?levels%5B0%5D=3&levels%5B1%5D=7&weeks=16&estTime%5B0%5D=08&estTime%5B1%5D%5Bs%5D=20&age=65&rhr=70&mhr=175

DAVE MONDAY 8:18PM
I'm interested! Set it up and I'm in.