Concept2 Forum

Hi All,

I'm new to the forum - so hello everyone!

I wondered if anyone knows if there are strict rules as to form when competing in indoor rowing races?

I have no 'real' rowing training, and while my form isn't terrible, I can have a tendency to round my back when I increase my speed.

I'm hoping to enter a few races, but don't want to be disqualified (if that's a thing?).

Many thanks in advance for any advice or tips!

It's not a style contest. Your mission is to get from 2000 to 0 in the fastest way.

That is true, though generally it's accepted that the proper form will maximize efficiency allowing you to get the most distance out of the energy you can muster. If you watch races though you'll see things break down at the end as the athlete ekes the last little bit of performance they can. As a beginner I think concentrating on form is very important as you are laying down the neural and muscular memory pathways and wouldn't want to ingrain bad habits that will be harder to break down the line.

rustyben wrote: ↑

September 17th, 2022, 11:48 am

Hi All,

I'm new to the forum - so hello everyone!

I wondered if anyone knows if there are strict rules as to form when competing in indoor rowing races?

I have no 'real' rowing training, and while my form isn't terrible, I can have a tendency to round my back when I increase my speed.

I'm hoping to enter a few races, but don't want to be disqualified (if that's a thing?).

Many thanks in advance for any advice or tips!

Welcome to the forum. The only thing you really need to be careful of is a false start, or two. I assume you're not around the LWT cutoff? If you are, your weight on the day will also be important.

There are some really good training plans out there to prepare you, which should be fairly easily found with a search.

Thank you all for your replies - much appreciated.

I read some articles which put a lot of emphasis on form in competitions, which probably encouraged me into overthinking it!

But then when I actually watched a few ERG races, I saw that the form varied quite a lot between competitors (some were leaning back so far they were practically horizontal!).

So, I will endeavour to keep good form, but won't be too hard on myself if it slips a little in the final 500m

Thanks Dangerscouse for the advice about the training plans - I will definitely get started on this next!

Things to remember are warm up well, adjust your damper low and tie up your shoe laces. Optional keep feet as low as possible, practice race start, slow down when you get to 500 or sooner since there's still another 1500m to go, don't try to get ahead: the slower you go the faster you can finish.

rustyben wrote: ↑

September 18th, 2022, 4:18 am

I read some articles which put a lot of emphasis on form in competitions, which probably encouraged me into overthinking it!

There is a lot of research on what the best way is to squeeze those last seconds out of the pace on an erg. But it isn't a jury sport, only thing that counts in the end is the clock.

Proof in point: world indoor rowing champion on the 2K is Ward Lemmelijn. His technique contains a lot of things frowned upon here in the forum as they are deemed inefficient, but he is reigning world champion with those things, effectively reducing the debate to "Would he be even more dominant if his technique improved, or have we been doing it all wrong for decades?".

Please note, the last question isn't a hypothetical. It took a very determined athlete to push the V-shape in ski jumping, despite many setbacks (as it is a partial jury sport), proving much of the status quo wrong.

So be your best self in such a competition and just enjoy it.

JaapvanE wrote: ↑

September 18th, 2022, 5:23 am

rustyben wrote: ↑

September 18th, 2022, 4:18 am

I read some articles which put a lot of emphasis on form in competitions, which probably encouraged me into overthinking it!

There is a lot of research on what the best way is to squeeze those last seconds out of the pace on an erg. But it isn't a jury sport, only thing that counts in the end is the clock.

Proof in point: world indoor rowing champion on the 2K is Ward Lemmelijn. His technique contains a lot of things frowned upon here in the forum as they are deemed inefficient, but he is reigning world champion with those things, effectively reducing the debate to "Would he be even more dominant if his technique improved, or have we been doing it all wrong for decades?".

Please note, the last question isn't a hypothetical. It took a very determined athlete to push the V-shape in ski jumping, despite many setbacks (as it is a partial jury sport), proving much of the status quo wrong.

So be your best self in such a competition and just enjoy it.

Good point. Everyone laughed the Fosbury flop in high jump until they all realised it was the right way to do it.

I have seen some terrible techniques but they can achieve 6:10 or quicker, so they're doing the important things very well.

rustyben wrote: ↑

September 18th, 2022, 4:18 am

Thank you all for your replies - much appreciated.

I read some articles which put a lot of emphasis on form in competitions, which probably encouraged me into overthinking it!

But then when I actually watched a few ERG races, I saw that the form varied quite a lot between competitors (some were leaning back so far they were practically horizontal!).

So, I will endeavour to keep good form, but won't be too hard on myself if it slips a little in the final 500m

Thanks Dangerscouse for the advice about the training plans - I will definitely get started on this next!

Form is important, but when you're tired it will fall apart and you'll possibly look like a really bad breakdancer.

Tactics are far more important. If you're not very careful there will be an adrenaline rush to start with, and you'll be going far too fast (eight seconds it was for me) for about 400m, then it will quickly fade and you'll struggle through to 1k and it will badly deteriorate from there on.

Control that urge, and stick to your race plan, and gauge whether a positive split (start fast and fade a bit), flat pace or negative split (start slower and increase pace) is best for you. There is a French protocol method (fast first 500m, back off in the next 1k, and then finish as strong as possible), but that might not suit you.

Understand the discomfort that you'll feel and embrace it, as there's no hiding place. The 2k is a gruelling effort if paced correctly, but it's sort of manageable if you prepare properly.

Dangerscouse wrote: ↑

September 18th, 2022, 10:58 am

… There is a French protocol method (fast first 500m, back off in the next 1k, and then finish as strong as possible), but that might not suit you.
…

I like the French method, but there’s fast and there’s fast. It’s based on your fastest 500m time and say you were aiming for a 7:00 2k it’s 1:43 for the first 500, so only 2 secs below average pace, middle 1k at 1:47 then last 500 at 1:43.
I read somewhere else (can’t find it again) that 1 second too fast in your first 500 = 3 secs slower in your last 500. So you could make the mistake of flying off and doing the first 500 in 1:40 then dying to 1:55 in the last 500 for a 7:09

2000m Race Strategy French Rowing Federation brings it up as pdf.

With a 500 at 1:35 I could do 7:10 2k (1:47.5). The Watt difference is about 30% slower than 500m.

The so-called French Protocol is ridiculous. I defy anyone to prove it is based on objective data and not someone’s overactive imagination. Starting a 2K at a pace you know is faster than you can hold for the entire race guarantees you will not achieve your best performance.

The FP would be too fast for my taste now since I don't train for 2k. For those who do, it's far better than nothing and very simple, needing only a 500m test. When used, it worked for me despite zero prior 2k racing.

The FP I believe was tailored to a French Olympic 4-, so no surprises if we're not that size age and shape and don't have their technique and endurance. In this case it could serve to indicate what training might help.

jamesg wrote: ↑

September 19th, 2022, 4:00 am

The FP would be too fast for my taste now since I don't train for 2k. For those who do, it's far better than nothing and very simple, needing only a 500m test. When used, it worked for me despite zero prior 2k racing.

But the big question is, did the French team win anything wis this plan?

You could try 800, 600, 400, 200m @ respectively TP+1” TP, TP-1”, what you got left and a kick at the end. Less time to sustain each successive rate pickup, probably as effective as attempting flat-paced for the inexperienced, and maybe no power loss catastrophe? The psychological carrot is the illusion of decremented challenges, each smaller than the one preceding.