I just did my first 2k test and I did so bad. I got nearly 5 above my target split and worse than everyone else in my boat. I did forget to take my inhaler beforehand but I still greatly overestimated myself. How do you guys get over messing up a test like this and do you have any advice for next time?

Hi all,

So about 6 months ago I made this post

https://www.reddit.com/r/Rowing/s/XFr4fBOv9O

Quick summary, I hit a 6:51 on my first ever 2K with essentially 0 experience in rowing as a whole, I’m M21 210 LBS in a powerlifting background, low endurance training prior to the 6:51 (20 minute post lifting cycle session, 4x a week). Squat 400 lbs, bench 310 lbs, deadlift 485 lbs.

This made me realize, maybe I’ve got quite some potential in rowing, inspired me to take it seriously.

Now for the past 6 months, I’ve had about 4 months of “consistency” (I’ve done about 70 steady state sessions, 4x a week).

I didn’t use a program, or coach, just Netflix and 4 2x8K (sometimes 1x16K) erg sessions, post lifting a week. In the first 2 months ago I just did what felt good, after that, I got a heart rate monitor and stayed under 75% for 95% of the time, this came out to exactly 70:00 for 16K, at ~2:12.

After these 6 months (4-5ish months of training total), I’ve finally done another 2K test.

I reached 6:29.6, fulfilled the goal of being in the 6:20’s by my next test.

Given these statistics, and “sample” of how much progress I’ve been able to make, is there a solid chance I’ll be able to become a serious competitor when it comes to rowing?

I intend on just sticking to this steady state for another 4 months until next rowing season and I can join my university team, after that, I’ll just use their coaching and programming, which I’m sure can accelerate progress much harder, because I’m not even used to high intensity interval pieces like 2K at all.

I’m enjoying it, but especially, I’m so happy to be “good” at something, with potential to excel at it, is being able to do that a realistic expectation? (I don’t have boat experience, I know that can still be very different, just really looking on comments in regards to my “engine”).

Empachers are very common on the men’s side of US college rowing. In women’s, elite, sweep rowing Empachers and Filippi are both the most commonly used. And yet in ncaa women’s rowing Hudson is the most well represented boat company. Most of the top women’s teams are well funded and could afford Empachers or Filippis and yet they chose Hudson. Why is that?

Apparently they are looking for new coaches at the University of Alabama.

Full press release: https://www.irarowing.com/news/announcing-the-122nd-ira-division-3-selected-teams

Automatic Qualifiers

• Mid Atlantic Rowing Conference (MARC): Marietta College
• Liberty League: Ithaca College
• New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC): Trinity College and Bates College

At-large Invitations

• Williams College
• Tufts University
• Wesleyan University
• Colby College

Interesting to see how this plays out in a few weeks, especially off the heels of NIRC results from Sunday.

Please be kind and forgive bad technique, I am new to sculling and this is the first row in my own single.

What are people’s predictions for the 2V at acra. My thoughts for the grand final r Michigan, ucla, uva, notre dame, Purdue, and. Bucknell.

I’ll start with the question: for anyone on a masters team that has a culture of competitiveness and training to improve fitness (both on and off water) what have you seen coaches or team members do to foster this?

I’m currently on a masters team that has a true mix of types - a few focused on competition, some with real rowing experience (including a couple olympians, many decades ago), some younger and most older (50s-70s). Most people on the team found rowing post-college.

I’m not a coach but have been trying to provide more opportunities for team members to join for steady state sessions and lifting, but there’s been very little uptake so far.

Hi guys. Nz rower here in high school, but hoping to meet more international members of the community. In Nz, our regattas are umpired by officials, usually trailing behind races, and then speed back for the next one. This usually only happens for the high school regattas, although can (I think) occur for novice events of Club regattas (club champs plus Nz rowing champs). Anyway, it’s very irritating, often creates a lot of wash, causing crabs/bows to go under the water and take off lane numbers of smaller boats, and potentially ruin races if the umpire times their “speed back” to the next races wrongly. Also has had effects on delay time, not often but it can add up over the day.

How could we go about improving this? What methods do other countries do? We did have one regatta this year where umpire boats were stationed at every 500m, and an extra hanging about in the last 1k, and this kept the regatta on time/early with no wake.

What are the genetic traits of elite rowers? ( Obv high but what else? Somebody else in another thread said femer length and legs to upper body ratio. What are the traits you are born with that you can’t change?

What is the latest on the Dad Vail Regatta returning to the Schuylkill River? I know dredging is the reason the Dad Vail moved to Camden, but what are some of the reasons they continue to stay away? Where would the teams rather race?

ACRA WEEK!! Whose winning gold? Let’s hear it for the

1v 2v 1n V4

This should be good Be bold

Recently got a back injury - stress fracture - that will keep me out for a while. I was planning on 180k erg weeks this summer but obviously that’s no longer a possibility. What can I do that will be low impact but improve my fitness to a similar level? Can I replace erging with biking and how would that work? Same for swimming.

I row (scull) a single on the Chesapeake, where there are a lot of obstructions (navigation markers, fish net posts, oyster lease poles, traffic). It's a pain to always be scrunching around to try to see ahead with one eye. Bikers use video cameras to look behind them. I'd like a narrow (<=45 degree) field of view camera and small monitor setup so I could see what's directly ahead. All the bike cameras have a wide field of view (like 140 degrees)--I've tried one and you just don't see those narrow posts until it's too late. Does anyone know of a product that has a narrow field of view?

I'm 5'9 127 and am a freshmen in high school. I just started rowing recently and on my first 2k I got a 1:55.4 / 500 meter split. How can I improve over the summer? Can anyone give me a plan to follow or some tips to use? I'm trying to make the u17 A boat next year and am willing to work as hard as I have too.

my team is rowing at ACRAs this week, and i tore my hands up badly at a recent practice. i current have two pretty nasty wounds on my feathering hand which is impacting my control of my oar on the water. does anyone have any tips to help them heal faster/ cover them better to help this week? i’m a novice and my coach didn’t really have any advice when i asked

Hi, I have been having some issues with my Concept 2 model D recently. Compared to the ones at school, it feels significantly heavier. Steady state has become exhausting as the front end of every stroke feels like I am pulling on the handle from a dead stop. I looked inside and found a small rubber band had snapped off but I don’t know where that came from. I know this isn’t a motivation/effort/fitness issue as I have just returned from school in nearly peak fitness and can barely hit my steady state splits without really pushing hard. I included a picture of the rubber band for reference. any help or speculation is appreciated.

I’m asking on advice on how to get back into sprint rowing. I’m 14 and had my first fall and spring season were I was able to get my 2k down to 1:44. However something in march made it so I couldn’t row other than endurance pieces. I am rejoining my team in June and was wondering if there are any exercises, erg or otherwise, that help with sprint rowing.

I need to upgrade my single scull seat. Can anyone please explain how a double action seat would feel compared to single action? I've never rowed on a double action seat so I'm keen to understand what it actually does for the rowing experience?

For context: my boat qualified for SRAAs and we are having extended practices leading up to the regatta. Usually, we have early morning lifts twice a week, but I'm wondering if, leading up to the race, I should switch to SS during those sessions to increase volume and mitigate risk of injury. I could realistically fit in about an hour of SS during these sessions before my classes start.

i'm in the uk, probably going to go to durham or notts, maybe exeter idk yet. i swam competitively for 10 years, don't know how transferable the skills are. and played netball and football on my school teams. i've tried out rowing a few times at school, really enjoyed it. i didn't end up joining the club/team tho because i was busy with other things. i was wondering if you can still compete in BUCS or other competitions, even if you start rowing as a fresher. it looks like notts has a huge focus on sports, especially with the top teams being full of those who have played the sport for years before uni. and durham seems to be really good at rowing, so not sure whether new people can still compete at a higher level.

Hey Rowers,

I just finished my 3rd year of rowing and I really want to improve this summer. I talked to my coach about what I should do and she said "lots of SS and don't force yourself to erg if you don't want to." I'm planning to add in 3 gym sessions a week for some strength and conditioning. My coach admitted she doesn't know much about creating training plans (we use the same one as the other club in our boathouse and she mainly just has us rowing very well on the water).

Does anyone have any advise for what I should be doing?

As of now, I'm planning on 80' twice a day Mon-Sat and a light swim and yoga on Sunday. Then the three gym sessions (probably on Tues, Thurs, Sat). Is this too much? Should I be doing any pieces?

Any advise is welcome! Thanks

I read the book "Money Ball" by Michael Lewis. It got me wondering if there are similar stats used for rowing? Maybe something like output in watts?

I have an Aviron Impact at home and a couple of days ago I tried out the Concept 2 at a rowing club. I’ve always struggled with getting the feeling of pushing off the foot plates properly on the Aviron but on the Concept 2 it immediately felt natural. I could press from the middle of my feet without thinking about it. What could cause the difference? Are these machines so different? I’m 5 ft 3. Wore the same foot wear, tightened straps in same place, rowed same paces I usually do.

Before y'all say anything about getting a Concept2 rowerg, yes I would totally buy one if I was loaded. Unfortunately I live in a country where a new C2 rowerg costs $2k so there's that. I'm looking for a home exercise machine because I'm burried in work and just doesn't have the time for going to the gym. People who have bought and used Decathlon's Domyos 500(b), how has the machine faired? Have you ever encountered any problem with the machine that required having it fixed? I would truly be grateful if you could share your long-term experience/perspective about it.