TacticalBarbell.com

Hi all,

Do we have any experts on the rower here?

I'll soon be moving to a place where running outside isn't feasible (due to the city having one of the highest murder rates in the world.) I'm shipping a new Concept 2 rower there to give me a 'cardio' option in my home gym.

I've done some steady state work on a rower here and there, but nothing serious.

Plan is to that anytime a run is prescribed in Operator + Black then I'll substitute a rowing session for the run. Is there a downside to that?

About all I know to do is strap on a heart rate monitor and pull as hard and as fast as I need to in order to get my HR in the proper zone for that particular workout.

If anyone has some suggestions on stroke rate, damper settings or either some favorite workouts, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

Here are some good basic tutorial. Just scroll down on the left for the rest.



https://www.againfaster.com/assets/AF/b ... ng-part-1/

Don't use it much myself, but here's a huge list of workouts straight from C2

http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/training/wod

I think a big question is... what are your objectives?

You could do it time based (run 15 rounds of 1 minute rows, followed by 2 minute rests), or you could row for distance (1km, followed by 1 ~ 2 minute rests), or you could do the Indoor power intervals.

You could also do it for time - 45 ~ 90 minutes.

You could also row for a period of time, or a distance, followed by KB swings / push-ups / pull-ups / dips, then back on the rower.

I hate(love) my rowing sessions, but it's really versatile, although you'll need to know what you're training for.

One thing to note
The rower is a full body workout, unlike a hill sprint or run for time or Connuaght 1-10. Your entire body, particularly your whole posterior chain is working all the time. That means when you start, it seems slow and light, but as you work for time, fatigue builds and towards the end you could be working for the same time, and in the same pulse rate, but it'll be significantly more demanding than just a LSS run. On the other hand, if you're using it for HIC you'll actually need to push harder (eg. than just sprints) because you're using your entire posterior chain and should be able to do more work.

The flip side is that I find the rower to easier to recover from than a run or sprint. I've done HIC on the rower late at night, worked myself into the ground, had dinner slept, and then the next morning I'm all recovered and ready to go for a LSS row.

Blackmetalbunny wrote:I think a big question is... what are your objectives?

You could do it time based (run 15 rounds of 1 minute rows, followed by 2 minute rests), or you could row for distance (1km, followed by 1 ~ 2 minute rests), or you could do the Indoor power intervals.

You could also do it for time - 45 ~ 90 minutes.

You could also row for a period of time, or a distance, followed by KB swings / push-ups / pull-ups / dips, then back on the rower.

I hate(love) my rowing sessions, but it's really versatile, although you'll need to know what you're training for.

One thing to note
The rower is a full body workout, unlike a hill sprint or run for time or Connuaght 1-10. Your entire body, particularly your whole posterior chain is working all the time. That means when you start, it seems slow and light, but as you work for time, fatigue builds and towards the end you could be working for the same time, and in the same pulse rate, but it'll be significantly more demanding than just a LSS run. On the other hand, if you're using it for HIC you'll actually need to push harder (eg. than just sprints) because you're using your entire posterior chain and should be able to do more work.

The flip side is that I find the rower to easier to recover from than a run or sprint. I've done HIC on the rower late at night, worked myself into the ground, had dinner slept, and then the next morning I'm all recovered and ready to go for a LSS row.

Great info. I try to mix it in with runs and sprints for triples, etc. I've also noticed I recover quicker when I use it more often. One thing I remember about it is the sweet spot on the damper is between 4-6

Wfd144 wrote:Here are some good basic tutorial. Just scroll down on the left for the rest.
https://www.againfaster.com/assets/AF/b ... ng-part-1/

Thanks. I've watched a few tutorials already, but the videos on this link are more thorough than the ones I had already watched.

Blackmetalbunny wrote:I think a big question is... what are your objectives?

I suppose the simplistic response is that my objective is to use the erg as a direct substitute for any time running is required as I follow Black.

The endurance or LSS workout should be rather simple to substitute. LSS x 40m. Just make sure I hit the heart rate

For, say '600 Meter Resets,' I suppose I'd just pull as hard as I can for 100 seconds. What I don't know is what stroke rate to shoot for, damper settings, etc. For BOO, I'll row hard for 2+ minutes instead of run. Etc.

I'm mildly concerned about the loss of the sport-specificity of running. While my days of humping a ruck are behind me and currently the odds of me getting in a footchase are slim, I am in law enforcement and have the option to go to tactical team in the future. I can't completely ignore running. I'll get some runs and sprints in here or there and play some soccer, so it's not going to be a big deal.

Blackmetalbunny wrote: You could do it time based (run 15 rounds of 1 minute rows, followed by 2 minute rests), or you could row for distance (1km, followed by 1 ~ 2 minute rests), or you could do the Indoor power intervals.

You could also do it for time - 45 ~ 90 minutes.

You could also row for a period of time, or a distance, followed by KB swings / push-ups / pull-ups / dips, then back on the rower.

I hate(love) my rowing sessions, but it's really versatile, although you'll need to know what you're training for.

One thing to note
The rower is a full body workout, unlike a hill sprint or run for time or Connuaght 1-10. Your entire body, particularly your whole posterior chain is working all the time. That means when you start, it seems slow and light, but as you work for time, fatigue builds and towards the end you could be working for the same time, and in the same pulse rate, but it'll be significantly more demanding than just a LSS run. On the other hand, if you're using it for HIC you'll actually need to push harder (eg. than just sprints) because you're using your entire posterior chain and should be able to do more work.

The flip side is that I find the rower to easier to recover from than a run or sprint. I've done HIC on the rower late at night, worked myself into the ground, had dinner slept, and then the next morning I'm all recovered and ready to go for a LSS row.

Thanks for your reply. Lots to think about here.

Tyr0331 wrote:Great info. I try to mix it in with runs and sprints for triples, etc. I've also noticed I recover quicker when I use it more often. One thing I remember about it is the sweet spot on the damper is between 4-6

I would think of the rower in this manner. If there is a run, jog, sprint or dash in any HIC, GC etc, you can directly replace runs / sprints with the rower/ERG.

The only thing being: for the same work period - short periods on the rower are less intense than sprints or all out dashes, whereas LSS on the rowers are more intense than a LSS jog.

So if you have sprints or dash, you want to dial up the damper higher than an LSS row, and row like your life depended on it (or like Wiley E Coyote going after the Roadrunner).

On the other hand, if you're going LSS on the rower for time, turn down the damper (relative to a short HIC session on the rower), and start off slower. The fatigue will hit you soon enough.

If there's someone else with more experience on the rower, feel free to correct me, this are my experiences and approaches so far.

Tirofijo wrote:I suppose the simplistic response is that my objective is to use the erg as a direct substitute for any time running is required as I follow Black.

The endurance or LSS workout should be rather simple to substitute. LSS x 40m. Just make sure I hit the heart rate

For, say '600 Meter Resets,' I suppose I'd just pull as hard as I can for 100 seconds. What I don't know is what stroke rate to shoot for, damper settings, etc. For BOO, I'll row hard for 2+ minutes instead of run. Etc.

I'm mildly concerned about the loss of the sport-specificity of running. While my days of humping a ruck are behind me and currently the odds of me getting in a footchase are slim, I am in law enforcement and have the option to go to tactical team in the future. I can't completely ignore running. I'll get some runs and sprints in here or there and play some soccer, so it's not going to be a big deal.

Right, so I actually don't have a straight forward answer for you.

Direct replacement for running

I think you are approaching it the way I am too, basically working for time on the LSS and then when working on the Indoor Power Intervals - it's all about pulling as though you were fighting for your life. I would say, don't worry too much about the stroke rate and split time, instead; make like testing your maxes - test for your optimum or maximum stroke and split time, record it, and benchmark your performance over time.

Damper

For the damper settings, I guess, it's a little more fiddly, I would say to set it to a level just a notch under what works you really hard for HIC - it should be a fight without being and outright strength session, whereas for LSS, I set it to a level that doesn't have leave me a smouldering wreck after 60 minutes.

Sports-specifity

I don't think there's an easy way around this. You're probably right in maintaining runs and sprints, and I think the approach is not to completely replace runs with the ERG, but to use the ERG as an approach to specifically develop your aerobic system, but to also maintain all-out hill sessions, power interval runs as a way to ensure that you keep your body primed for sprints and runs.

I can't say if there'll be any negative impact on your road work if at all, but I'm guessing that if your need to sprint and run is along the lines of a foot-pursuit, a forced entry or a tactical mission, your sprinting and running capability won't take a dramatic hit.

Blackmetalbunny wrote:

Tyr0331 wrote:Great info. I try to mix it in with runs and sprints for triples, etc. I've also noticed I recover quicker when I use it more often. One thing I remember about it is the sweet spot on the damper is between 4-6

I would think of the rower in this manner. If there is a run, jog, sprint or dash in any HIC, GC etc, you can directly replace runs / sprints with the rower/ERG.

The only thing being: for the same work period - short periods on the rower are less intense than sprints or all out dashes, whereas LSS on the rowers are more intense than a LSS jog.

So if you have sprints or dash, you want to dial up the damper higher than an LSS row, and row like your life depended on it (or like Wiley E Coyote going after the Roadrunner).

On the other hand, if you're going LSS on the rower for time, turn down the damper (relative to a short HIC session on the rower), and start off slower. The fatigue will hit you soon enough.

If there's someone else with more experience on the rower, feel free to correct me, this are my experiences and approaches so far.

Exactly the type of insight I was looking for. Thanks again.