BLOGGER: Rob Forde - Getting into the swing of things

Hi all. Back again. Well hadn’t been on the erg for a couple of days but myself and Danny (ex-junior rower, ex-Commercial) decided to give the machines a good go yesterday evening. Now, you probably hear various theories over erg use versus rowing, i.e. erg-fit is different to rowing fit etc. but in general training on both should be somewhat complimentary. I had been out sculling on a couple of occasions since my last erg session so even though I hadn’t been erging I should have been feeling quite strong. (There are also other theories that sculling a single scull is much more beneficial than erging, ie. you develop strength in a way that can’t be simulated on a erg, you require much more stability from your muscles etc.). The other mantra of good rowers with not necessarily good erg scores is “ergs sink!”

Anyway both Danny and myself hopped on the ergs, with heart-rate monitors and duly kicked off on our 40 mins piece, rating 22-24 strokes a minute. We were both somewhat concerned to see our heart-rates climb quite high, quite quickly. We took a pragmatic decision to stop about 17 mins in and check out heart-straps. We also found that the heart-rate had been disappearing off the screen now and then. We then took the pragmatic decision to take the heart-straps off altogether! We both finished our forty minutes and then took a break. We had various beginners down at Phoenix so we helped get the boats out, took on a bit of water, stretched etc.

I then decided, sure look it’s still early in the evening lets have a crack at a 5k (not a race one but lively nonetheless). Again heart-rate monitors were conveniently left aside. I always think that putting up a specific mileage as a piece i.e. 5,000 metres gets one going in a way that putting up a time doesn’t, e.g. 20 mins (even though the distance covered would be roughly the same). Long story short we both clocked-up an impressive enough mileage for the evening, well over 15k, but not done scientifically. That said we had a go at some high rates in the last piece and given that the erg test will be done c. 30 strokes a minute it was probably no harm to have a bit of a ‘go’. Friday’s workout looks like being more of a sedate one!

BLOGGER: Rob Forde

Hi all. My name is Rob Forde. I'm the Captain of Phoenix Rowing Club, based out of Muncipal Rowing Centre (in between Garda and Neptune Boat Clubs). We are primarily a social rowing club, composed of former competitive rowers (who are gradually being re-introduced into society) and new rowers (newbies), who have "heroically" decided to take up/try the sport of rowing! (They are in fact enjoying the wonders of the sport). As part of my role as Captain, coach and part-time rower, I have decided to re-kindle my love affair with the erg and to this end I thought what bette way than to do the erg championships and maybe set if not quite a shining example to my clubmates, then some kind of endeavour.

In my full-time days training I was no stranger to the erg and would say that I was one of those rowers who was a steady trainer on the erg with respectable enough times without producing anything fantastic. I would complete the dreaded 3 by 5k session but more often than not the third 5k was more about surviving. These days I am taking a more leisurely approach with my aim to complete roughly three erg sessions a week, principally consisting of a 10k/40 mins session each time. I had in fact been back on the erg in the last few months and was ploughing away at the 10ks. However I did find that I was feeling quite tired and I took the sensible approach of strapping on the heart-rate monitor. Immediately I saw that in order to stay under a heart-rate of 150 I had to weaken my splits. This I did and in the last week or so my splits have started to improve. Lesson number one: The heart monitor never lies!

I intend to use this over the next few weeks for any steady state pieces and keep to a 150 heart-rate or less for steady state pieces. An allowance will be made for a little bit of flexibility if I feel like pushing the last 5/10 minutes of a piece. The heart-strap will come off of course for any short pieces, I will know its high so there is no point in telling me!

I am taking a slightly 'casual' approach in that I am not following a set programme but I will mix it up between 'steady' days and 'having a go' days. The 'having a go' days will increase as the dreaded day approaches.

I hope to blog twice a week and hopefully a gem or two of wisdom will unbeknownst to myself be found here. I would say in passing particularly to new/novice or land rowers, make sure you get some technique lessons from an experienced rower. There are some fairly fit dudes out there on ergs but with some fairly unorthodox technique which I would think could/can lead to serious injury, particularly back injuries. Get lessons. Warm-up slowly (ten mins). Get off the erg. Stretch. Get back on and do your training. If possible train with someone who is of similar pace to you.

See you soon!

Paul Buchanan - The Temple of 'Q'

Well Fridays training got put on hold to try and shunt of the lurgy for once and for all, the HRV and HR(am) still showing signs of fatigue, Saturday I spent longer than I thought finishing the roof on the erg shed – or as it’s now known “ The Temple of -Q- ” as well as the electrics, but the main build is done now, a little bit of “pimping” out on the inside to do (paint the block walls and pop a “proper floor” in) but decided rather than erg after 9pm to put that off and train today (Sunday normally a rest day)

Jay Glynn was going to crack through 3million metres on a HM (on rowpro) so proposed that to Q and he was happy with that as long as it was closely monitored on the HR side, 141 cap (about 67% MHR) so managed to get the erg into “the temple of Q” and got a connection to rowpro on the laptop via the iphone (used it as a “personal hotspot”) and off we went, quite pleasant all in all and glad to be putting some metres in – thank god – normal service to resume next week I should think 

Paul Buchanan - 40@20 Heart Rate Capped

Tuesday Sept. 13th
Under orders from “Q” to do a 40 to 60min row with HR cap at 146 tonight - so I did

Had to stop on way home to sort a tyre out for me car so by the time I got home and walked the dogs and got set up it was gone 8pm - so decided on 2k warm up and a 40min at 20SPM then 2k cool down

Felt good and strong at the start with 18SPM for the first 10 min but then had to back off to stay within (well close to) the HR cap - I did go over by a couple of beats here and there but did try to rein it in, the result 10,366m @20 ave 1:55.8 ave HR 143.9

Happy enough with that Going to check out my powerbreath now which I got in the post today - add another edge to my sword

Paul Buchanan - If anyone has seen my mojo can you please send it back?

Monday Sept. 12th
OK - been a while - quick catch up - last Tuesday I was in a 6 by 2min till I die session - unfortunately I died during the first one - the lurgey I had been carrying caught up with me - so Wednesday I had a rest day in to work, came home, still felt ill - phoned in sick for Thursday and Friday didn't feel better till Sunday - so into work today and home for a 5k fletcher and then 9 by 1min - target 1:29.5 or 335m - started on the first min and 268m in (on target) had to stop with a shooting pain through right hip - stopped gave it a quick rub - set up the session again and started again - all going well, 336m, 336m, 335m, 334m, 336m, then 80m into the 6th I had to stop and go talk to god via the porcelain phone - still have the feeling like I just necked a bottle of whiskey - you know that aching swollen type feeling at the back of the throat/jaw area - well anyway I only have two months before the Irish so if anyone has seen my mojo - please send it back!!

BLOGGER: Paul Buchanan - The Indoor Rower

Hi, first an introduction - my name is Paul although I also go under a few aliases’ LOL – two of which I will share here “Butch91” is my sign on to the C2 UK forum and “Beowulf” is a kind of adopted motivation name which I will explain more of as I go along. I’m originally from the UK (Yorkshire) although my father’s family is from Belfast. I moved to Ireland (Cork) in 2005 and have lived and worked here since then, before I moved to Ireland I weighed in at about 120kg (19 stone) - played No.6 for my first team Rugby club every sat and trained in the Gym five days a week - weights and indoor rowing for CV – oh I am also getting a little long in the tooth having just turned 37.

When I came here (Cork) I stopped the rugby and took up an old hobby of American Football for 4 seasons but in 2009 I finished with this as well as the gym. Then the inevitable happened – I gained weight - got to about 137kg (21.5 stone) 18 months ago, and so in March of 2010 I started back in a gym and after reasonable amount of CV work I got down to 127kg (20 stone) but I needed more motivation – I was no longer playing rugby or American football and I needed a reason to go to the gym or I’d get bored and start skipping it.
This is when a flash of inspiration appeared “Gym Challenge” which I only found out on a Thursday night and did it on the Friday, 1km bike - 1km x-train - 1km run - 1km row, in that order, I came fourth overall but found my rowing smashed the rest of the guys so with the help of the internet I found the concept2.com website, on here I found my 1k to be a reasonable time for the distance (barring in mind I’d just completed the other tests as well) from that website I ended up on the concept2.co.uk website which had a forum of guys from around the world discussing indoor rowing ( as well as OTW and cycling and a host of other topics) my interest was further aroused by the “Rowing Ireland Indoor Championships 2010” the topic of which was my grand introduction – boasting of my 3:10.6 1k and 1:25.0 500m LOL – at this point I was introduced to a few of the “PaddyPower IRC” members (no affiliation to the bookmakers) whom over time helped me out immensely and a team I am now proudly a member of .
So after a little work and encouragement I found myself entering the 2010 RIIC and managed a PB with 6:20.1 coming third in the 30-39H group. After coming home I was hooked, looked up and found the English Indoor Rowing Championship was being held in January 2011 and entered, at thispoint I was lucky enough to find a mentor/coach whom is known as “Q” within the C2 UK forum – he put together a training plan and strategy for my race – at the English I came in second with 6:16.7 in the 2k (30-39H) and managed joint first in the 500m (30-39H) with 1:19.1 – I also was lucky enough to be in the mixed relay Gold winning team.


Since January “Q” has geared all of my training towards the Irish in November –there have been a few hiccups along the way – but we seem to be on track – I have to say “Q” is an outstanding coach and has guided me to some huge PB’s including a 17k 60min row.
So that’s me – I’m now weighing in at 117kg (18stone8) and train purely on the indoor rower 5 sessions a week with a mixture of speed work and endurance, I will be sharingmy run up to the Irish here and on the C2 UK forum – please feel free to comment – I got pretty thick skin!

Following the Competitors

As part of this blog, we will be profiling people from all sorts of backgrounds who will be taking part in the 2011 Rowing Ireland Indoor Championships. We hope that reading these blogs 1) make you feel like you have a new training partner (erg can get pretty lonely!) and 2) you may find encouragement from the experiences of someone else.

If you want to be a blogger, or have some info you would like to share with us (re: training, nutrition, etc) why not get in touch!