Starting the 2000m C2 Training Programme

General discussion on Training. How to get better on your erg, how to use your erg to get better at another sport, or anything else about improving your abilities.
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Ben Rea
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Starting the 2000m C2 Training Programme

Post by Ben Rea » September 18th, 2008, 2:00 pm

I'm scared.


an 85' and a 90' piece in the same week??!?!?! like....holy sh*t!


I really want to do this and im definitely an erg freak but wow, i didnt expect it to be this hard.

anyone who has actually stuck with this want to tell me what I should expect or what I should watch out for?
Male 18 164.8lbs 6'3"
2000m- 7:11.1 March 1, 2009
100m- 16.7s March 5, 2009
SUNY Albany

Nosmo
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Post by Nosmo » September 18th, 2008, 3:06 pm

Is this the C2 interactive program on the C2 UK site? If so what did you plug in for your athelete level, number of days per week, & 2K time?

I've never followed the interactive program but in late winter & spring of 2007 I was did many weeks with workouts of one HM and one longer row. I was training for a marathon at the time (which I didn't do because I briefly got a cold and then started doing too much OTW rowing and had 1000m races).

It is really not a big deal if you row at an appropriate pace and build up to it. You will be spending more time on the water then 90 minutes on most days. Plenty of other athletes (cyclists for example) spend much more time working out then this. So time is not the issue. Going too hard and burning out is one issue. The other is boredom. Personally I have no problem with boredom on the erg--and I don't like music or TV, I want to pay attention to what I'm doing. Others do get bored. Really paying attention to technique really helps.

TomR
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Post by TomR » September 20th, 2008, 8:38 pm

Ben,

Do the first couple easy, to give yourself confidence in finishing the piece.

You could also break the session into 2 or 3 shorter segments. Take 60-90 secs, sip some water. Relax. Then refocus.

Ultimately, I've read that you'll get the greatest benefit if you row the pieces straight through, but Xeno Muller has people break their long pieces into 20 min segments (plus or minus).

You'll do fine.

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bloomp
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Post by bloomp » September 28th, 2008, 11:53 pm

Ben, I'm about to start the program myself, I've got a little more than three years rowing experience and don't be scared, it's not as bad as it looks.

Some tips for those 'long' pieces - make sure you're in a cool environment, last week I did a 60 minute piece in a very humid and hot gym and it was hell, so just be sure to keep cool.

Drink water, and even gatorade (i personally hate it cuz of the sugar), but for any exercise longer than 30-40 minutes you'll need to replenish electrolytes lost through sweating.

And those long pieces are the "UT2" right? for my program they tell me to pull at like a 2:18 for that 90 minutes, which isn't bad at all. Practically a paddle. If you back down from the level '5' athlete though, you will do other long aerobic pieces, but nothing over 60 minutes for a level '4' athlete

i wish the american site had this program, i had to dig a lot to find it

Ben Rea
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Post by Ben Rea » September 29th, 2008, 9:22 pm

Im not afraid of the splits of have to hold. it's the amount of time. the fatigue. the boredom. the heat.

I have no choice but to do it in an underground HOT and HUMID room.
Male 18 164.8lbs 6'3"
2000m- 7:11.1 March 1, 2009
100m- 16.7s March 5, 2009
SUNY Albany

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bloomp
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Post by bloomp » October 1st, 2008, 9:13 am

Yay for underfunded mens rowing programs eh? I row for UConn and the women have a very nice erg room, but we're stuck with using the mistreated gym ergs. In the only non-AC'd part of the gym

But just get some good music going, wear as little clothing as you can get away with, and do 5 minute splits. Just keep thinking positive and once you get at least 20 minutes done, you just tell yourself it's nothing at all to do the rest :)

iain
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Post by iain » October 1st, 2008, 4:36 pm

Ben Rea wrote:Im not afraid of the splits of have to hold. it's the amount of time. the fatigue. the boredom. the heat.

I have no choice but to do it in an underground HOT and HUMID room.
Get yourself a C-breeze &/or a fan to blow on your back, both worth there weight in gold!

- Iain
56, lightweight in pace and by gravity. Currently training 3-4 times a week after a break to slowly regain the pitiful fitness I achieved a few years ago. Free Spirit, come join us http://www.freespiritsrowing.com/forum/

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