ERG WORKOUTS
Start all workouts with ~10 minutes or 2000m of warmup. Row ¼ pressure for the first few minutes, build to ½ until ~8 min, then continue to build in intensity to ¾ pressure by the end so you are thoroughly warmed up. After each workout cool down for at least 5 minutes of steady light rowing. The times listed below are only for the actual workout. Remember to add ~ 15 minutes for the warm-up and cool down to estimate the total time for the workout.
Pay attention to the levels of intensity called for in the different segments of these workouts. This is important to achieving the goal (better overall endurance, increased speed, ability to maintain high ratings when tired, efficiency in rating changes, etc.) of the workout. Be sure to warm up thoroughly, particularly before doing any high intensity intervals.
1. 42 min. Aerobic/anaerobic threshold (AT): Row 7 X [3 min @ 22 spm, 2 min @ 25, 1 min @ 28]. Row at challenging intensity, alternating your stroke rate as follows: row 3 minutes @ 22 strokes per minute (spm), 2 minutes @ 25 spm, and 1 minute @ 28 spm, then back to 3 minutes @ 22 spm. Continue to follow this pattern until you have completed 7 cycles for a total work time of 42 minutes.
2. 34 min. Ratings ladder: row 3 x 10 minutes breaking each piece into 4-3-2-1 minute segments with rates of 18/20/22/24 for the first set, 20/22/24/26 for the second set, and 22/24/26/28 for the third set. If the higher ratings are uncomfortable for you, repeat a set with lower ratings. Row 2 minutes at half pressure between sets.
3. 40 min. Strength/endurance: Row 40 minutes at LOW rating (~18) and full pressure.
4. 36 min. Aerobic/AT: Row 6 x (5 minutes on, 1 minute off). Keep the rate constant at 24 –26 for the ‘on’ segments. The work intervals should be at ¾ pressure (75%), the ‘off’ should be no less than half pressure, preferably 60-70%.
5. 33 min. Speed/stamina: Row 5 sets of 5 minutes on, 90 sec off. Use ratings of 24/26/28/26/24 for the ‘on’ segments, and do these at ~85-95% effort. Use the ‘off’ time for complete recovery. Work on maintaining form at higher pressure and ratings.
6. 29 min. Aerobic: Row a time/rating pyramid of 5-4-3-2-1-2-3-4-5 minutes at ratings of 20/22/24/26/28/26/24/22/20.
7. 40 min. Aerobic/AT: Row 3 x 12 min at close to head race pressure, increase rating for each piece from 20 to 22 to 24. Row at half pressure for 2 minutes between pieces.
8. 35 min. Speed/stamina: Row 12 sets of intervals of 20/10/20 strokes. The first five sets are @ 26/22/26 spm, the second five @ 28/24/28, and the last two @30/26/30. Row ¼ pressure for 30s- 1 min between each.
9. ~ 25-30 min Aerobic: Row steady state 8K with power 10s at each 1K (so a total of 8 power 10s).
10. 24 or 48 min. Aerobic: Row 1 or 2 x[ 20 minutes at almost full pressure but low rating (~20spm), then 1 min each at 24/26/28/30…???]. The goal is to maintain the stroke length and power when you are tired but taking up the ratings.
11. 32 min. Aerobic: Row 2 x 15 minutes starting around 70% pressure and decreasing your 500m split time by 1-2 seconds every 3 minutes. Row easy for 2 minutes between 15min pieces.
12. 37 min Speed: Row 12 x [1 min on/2 min off] intervals switching between stroke rating 26 and 28 for the ‘on’ intervals (‘off’ segments at ~ 22-24 spm). Row 1 minute easy after the first 6 intervals.
13. ~30 min. Aerobic: Row 10/8/6/4/2 minute segments starting at ~ 50-60% pressure for the 10 minute segment and finishing at ~85% for the 2 minute segment.
14. 45 min. Aerobic: Row 3 x 15 minutes, with each 15 minute piece broken up into 5 minute segments at 18/22/26 spm.
15. 40 min. Aerobic: Row 40 minutes at a steady pace. Row two power tens – at 4 and 9 minutes into each 10 minute segment.
16. 30 min. Anaerobic/speed: Row 12 x [30sec on/2.0 min off]. Row almost flat-out full pressure and high rating for the 30sec ‘on’. CAUTION: This is a high intensity speed workout that should only be done when you have been erging regularly – and after you are thoroughly warmed up.
17. 35 min. Efficiency in rating changes; endurance: Ratings pyramid: row 1 min intervals @ 16/20/18/22/20/24/22/26 spm, 18/22/20/24/22/26/24/28, 20/24/22/26/24/28/26/30 and 22/26/24/28/26/30/28/32. Paddle for 1 minute between each 8 minute set. The goal is control in these stroke rating changes.
18. 36 min. Speed: Row three sets of ‘on’/ ‘off’ pyramid intervals of 30s on/30s off, 60s on/ 60s off, 90s on/ 90s off, 60s on/ 60s off, 30s on/ 30s off. Row 3 minutes easy between the sets. Ratings for the ‘on’ segments should be ~ 26-30 spm, and they should be at ~90% pressure.
19. 33 min. Anaerobic/speed: Row intervals of 2 x 30s, then 5 x 1min; row easy for 5 min; then repeat 5 x 1min, followed by 2 x 30s. Row easy for a 1min rest interval after each work interval. Work intervals should be at high intensity (90-95%).
20. 40 min. Power/speed: Row four sets of 4 x [1 min on/ 1 min off] at ratings of ~24, 26, 28 and 30 (or higher or lower if you prefer) for the first, second, third and fourth sets respectively. The object is to control your stroke and keep the stroke length as you move to the higher ratings. Row at paddle pressure for two minutes between each set.
21. 42 min. Aerobic base: Row six 5-minute pieces at about 65-70% effort (moderate ‘conversational’). Alternate ratings between 18 and 20, 20 and 22, or 22 and 24spm. At the end of each 5 minute piece row another 30sec at slightly higher intensity (but still < 80%) followed by 1½ minutes at a slightly easier pace (55-65%) before starting the next 5 minute segment.
22. ~40 min. Aerobic: Row five 6-minute pieces divided into 2 minutes each at 18/22/18 followed by 20/24/20, 22/26/22, 20/24/20 and 18/22/18 strokes per minute (spm). The level of effort should be at slightly more than conversational aerobic pace (65-70%) at the lowest rating, increasing to about ¾ pressure (75%) at the highest rating. Do 1 minute of easier rowing (half pressure) after each piece. Finish the workout with 6-8 ‘tens’ (no higher than 28 spm) before cooling down.
23. ~36 min. Endurance intervals: Row 3 pyramids of 10/20/30/40/30/20/10 strokes ‘on’ with 20 strokes ‘off’ after each ‘on’ interval (except only 10 strokes after the 10s ‘on’). The stroke ratings for the ‘on’ intervals should be 22 for the 1st set, 24 for the 2nd set, and 26 for the 3rd set. The ‘off’ periods should be no less than half pressure for this endurance workout. Row 2 minutes at ¼ pressure between the pyramids.
24. ~35 min. Endurance/speed: Finish warmup by rowing 3 minutes at ¾ pressure (~24-26 spm), followed by 2 minutes easy rowing.
Then row 8 x (1min on/90s off), followed by 4 x (30s on/1min off). The 1 minute work intervals should be at ~ your 5K race pace, and the 30s intervals at a little below your final sprint pace (~26-30spm). Finish the workout with two ‘high’ 20s (>28spm) before cooling down.
25. ~35 min. Endurance: Finish warmup by rowing 2m/1m/30s at increasing intensity (70-90%) from the 2 min to the 30 sec interval (suggested ratings 22/24/26) followed by 90s easy rowing.
Then row 3 sets of [30/60/90/60/30] second intervals ‘on’ with equal time ‘off’ after each (i.e. 30s ‘on’ followed by 30s ‘off’). Row an additional minute ‘easy’ after each set.
26. 35 min. Aerobic/endurance: Row six 5-minute pieces starting at ~70% pressure and bringing the pressure UP and your split time DOWN 1 or 2 seconds at the end of each minute of the piece. Row 2 minutes easy between pieces.
27. 35 min. Aerobic early season warmup: Row five 6-minute pieces with the first 3 minutes at around 18-20spm and at 60-65% pressure, and the second 3 minutes at ~20-22spm at ~70% pressure. In other words, take up the pressure with your legs slightly for the second half of each piece; let the rating come up a couple of beats accordingly. Row half pressure for 1 minute after each piece
28. ~46 min. Interval pyramid: Row 5 minutes steady state, then row a pyramid of 10/20/30/40/50/40/30/20/10 strokes ‘on’ with 20 strokes ‘off’ between each set of ‘on’ strokes. Repeat the whole workout including the 5 minutes of steady state rowing.
29. 37 min.
PART I: Set up the erg display to show your force curve. Row ~5 minutes while occasionally checking your force curve. Start at your ‘go forever’ easy aerobic pace for a couple of minutes and try to reach equilibrium with a smooth curve. After 3 minutes increase the pressure every 30s; you should aim to be at ~80-85% pressure at the end while maintaining a smooth curve. 5 minutes
(Use this exercise to see how your force curve changes as your pressure and rating increases. This may help you figure out what you need to concentrate on with respect to your form when you are at race pressure. For example, do you slack off part way through the stroke as evidenced by a dip in the curve? If so, concentrate on trying to keep the pressure on and make smooth transitions through the drive).
PART II. Row 2 minutes easy, then row 3 x 8 minutes steady state with ‘speed’ pickups for 30s every 2 ½ minutes. This corresponds to 3 pickups per piece (at 2½, 5, and 7½ minutes) and is comparable to doing power tens during pieces on the water. These will be at increasing rating through each piece: The first at 24, then 26, then 28, or 26, 28, 30. Or do them at lower ratings if you choose, as long as you increase the rate slightly from one ‘speed’ interval to the next. The steady state should be at ~ 65-75%, the pickups at ~80-85%. Row easy for 2 minutes between pieces. 30 minutes
30. 36 min. Endurance intervals: Row 10 x [90s ‘on’ / 90s ‘off’]. The ‘on’ intervals should be at ~80-85%, the ‘off’ segments at ~ half pressure. It is important to make sure you can complete the workout – don’t burn out in the first 3 intervals. If you find you have started too fast, slow down for the next couple of intervals until you can establish a good pace for them. The most effective way to do this workout is to be able to hold close to the same pace for the 10 ‘on’ intervals (while getting more tired by the end, of course – you should feel very glad to be finished with the last interval, but not be totally wiped out).
31. 42 min. Endurance interval pyramid: Row 4 sets of 30/60/90/60/30s ‘on’ with the same amount of time ‘off’. The ‘on’ intervals should be at 80-85% pressure, the ‘off’ intervals at ~60%. Row 2 minutes easy between each set.
32. ~ 40 min. Speed/endurance intervals: Row two sets of 5 x [1min ‘on’/ 2 min ‘off’]. The ‘on’ intervals should be at 85-90%, the ‘off’ intervals at ~50-60% (almost full recovery). Row an extra 2 minutes easy between sets. 32 min.
Make sure you are fully warmed up before starting this workout. If you row harder during the ‘on’ segments and easier during the ‘off’ segments this is more of a speed interval workout. If you row slightly easier on the ‘on’ intervals, and keep the ‘off’ intervals firm, this is more of an endurance interval workout.
The second part of this week’s workout is a series of ~4 or 5 30-second ‘sprints’ during which you try to establish a pace by 15s, then try to nudge your split down a few seconds for the last 15 seconds. There will be plenty of rest between these intervals. The goal is to try to break through both mental and physical barriers. ~8-10 min.
33. ~36 min. Speed/endurance intervals: Row 6 sets of 3min on/1 min off/ 90s on/ 30s off. The 3 min intervals should be at ~ 24-26spm, the 90s intervals at 26-30spm.
34. ~36 min. Rating changes: Row 5 sets of 1 minute intervals with ratings 16/20/18/22/20/24; 18/22/20/24/22/26; 20/24/22/26/24/28; 22/26/24/28/26/30; 24/28/26/30/28/32spm. Row easy for 1 minute between sets.
The goal is to control the rating changes and to hit the target as quickly and efficiently as possible. Note that both big and small changes (4 and 2spm) are incorporated into this workout. Don’t hesitate to back off to lower ratings if you have difficulty with the higher ones in the last 2 sets.
35. ~35 min. Endurance pyramid: Row a time pyramid of 1/2/3/4/5/4/3/2/1 minutes ‘on’ with 1 minute ‘off’ after each. The ‘on’ segments should be done at ~75-80%; row easy on the ‘off’ minutes. If this workout is done properly you should be just about able to maintain pressure and form in the last minute ‘on’.
Still need more workouts? Try these.
http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/training/wod http://www.cascadillaboatclub.org/scholastic/erg_workouts_concept2.cfm