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!