Lincoln Sailing Center Rowing Program
Winter Workouts

February 2006 - ERG Workout I

Ergs for the First ½ of Feb 06
Less is More

For Feb I am going to try something a little different. My concern is that people have gone a little too aggressively in to the erging, and may not have the strength base in place yet to support all the rowing safely. I am very happy that people have fallen in love with rowing to want to erg through the winter, but as with any intense love affair, someone is bound to get hurt. So I am going to slow things down, and give people a choice of work outs or a scale available for the work outs so that they can better tailor the work load to the fitness level they have, or would like to attain. The ergs will be shorter and only 2 to 3 times a week, then again returning to a little more in March.
The strength and exercises will greatly target the muscles of the back, abs and abdominal oblique muscles, and shoulders; almost all of the exercises can be done with little to no weight, but can be very effective in building the strength base needed for long term health.

For the ergs, the effort should always remain in what can be called steady state rowing. If any of you have done any training for the Pan Mass or Boston Marathon, you know that this is the hall mark of training, even for racing in rowing, it is a bout 60% of the rowing that is done. It goes a long way to establish muscle strength and endurance. The cardio vascular system improves at a faster rate than muscle endurance does, so that is why there is a great need to go easy for long periods of time. Not only for individual rows, but also for the better part of winter training.

People tend to get a little antsy that they are not working hard enough, or doing enough to sustain conditioning, and tend to over do it, and injury results. So for Feb let’s concede a bit of on the erg time, to develop the strength base, and provide a better platform for spring.

For the different levels of the work outs, you need to be honest with yourself about your conditioning levels. It is better to go a little easier, than to go too hard and suffer the consequences.

Levels can be thought of this way, and again be honest with yourself about your fitness level

As always, any questions can be sent to john-cotter@hotmail.com

Level 1: First year rowing, little to no back ground in strength training. Or had a long lay off from previous conditioning, or just getting back in to shape.

Level 2: More than one year of rowing and a background in a continuous strength training program. Kept up with off water conditioning, and strength training.

Level 3: Lots of rowing, background in endurance training, and long history of strength training, kept up in the conditioning year long, good aerobic base.

For the work outs, break it down this way:
Level 1, do only half or less of the posted work out, at the assigned stroke rates, concentration should be on the stroke technique, and getting some good exercise.

Level 2: Do the whole work out assigned pace and distance.

Level 3: Complete the whole work out, and if able complete the addition to the work out.

Week 2