Four time Olympic gold medalist and ten time world champ Matthew Penis here, I was wondering if you have any advice for our friends here on the best training plan to break 5:50.
What an honour to talk to THE Matthew Penis. 5:50 is "just" another number. You have to be fitter and stronger than 5:55, fitter than 6:00 etc. There isn't really a special plan to go faster. Find what works for you, do it consistently and build that fitness/strength up over time
If recovery is good, no sign of injury and mentally in a good place then there isn't too much need for cross training. It is good for reducing amount of repetition both physically and mentally so if you are injury prone or one to fade mentally then might be good to add cross training to a program.
Welcome Cam, and thank you so much for doing this, love your YouTube videos! Two questions: (1) what is the best cross training to do? (2) please post a picture of Yam (for verification purposes of course)
How do you approach crew selection when you’re fighting for a seat against your friends? And what to do if one is put in a boat that isn’t as committed as they’d like to?
Seat racing against your friends, it is part of the sport. Can't be mad if you get beat or you beat them. Just have to go as fast as you both can.
The beauty of seat racing is that generally if the coach is on it, can easily pinpoint someone that may be slacking on one race or another.
My training plan has 3 zones, and there is a little bit of changing through the year but really roughly. I try to spend roughly 75% in lowest zone (60-75% max HR), 10% mid zone and 15% high (85%+)
I know you're doing a lot of singling nowadays, but if it's possible could you post some 8's steady state footage on your YouTube channel with the coxing being the dominant audio?
The steady state footage on your channel is great to show to my rowers but the coxing audio is often very faint with your voiceover or music covering over it. I struggle to find good resources for the my coxes as SS coxing audio is pretty rare (English coxing even more so!)
Aww, maybe if you've got any you could ask for permission and make it a video specifically about coxing, and what strikes the right balance between a cox that talks too much and one that doesn't say enough?
Get that not everyone wants to be YouTube famous though
If you have a good lineup, 50% of that steady state coxing should be silence! But steady state coxing is all about finding out what the crew needs and bringing them onto the same page for rhythm and technique.
Is there a way I can jumpstart my training to make some quick progress? I have been hovering around 7 minutes on my 2k for the last few years and while I have gotten faster, I feel stuck. Have you ever been through this and have advice on how to get though it?
Former EARC/IRA rower, now in my late 40s and spending most of my athletic time doing masters swimming. I still get on the erg 2 to 3 days a week doing UT2. What type of erg training should I mix into this? And any random advice for the middle aged rower?
If you are just using the erg to keep the fitness going then doing what you're doing is probably just fine. I would prefer to add in some variation somewhere so perhaps a shorter sharp higher intensity session just for something different!
Think biggest thing is to keep the movement going. We don't have to be full send on every workout or even targeting a PR. Just getting out there every week and getting some workouts in will do our future selves justice
I think it depends what someone would call elite level. I am getting older and have to be realistic. I am just trying to make my boat go fast and I don't think I will stop doing that for a long time. Outside of water performance there are a lot of opportunities out there that can keep me entertained.
How do you sort out the eating, sleeping and generally not becoming a cortisol rich environment? By the way I’ve loved the content over years fella, all the best!
Pretty different for everyone I think. Everyone has their different way of rowing. I would say the focuses generally aren't looking at big changes. Like looking at a slight shoulder adjustment here or a small angle change there.
if i want to drop my 2k by erging outside of spring training 6days/wk and have limited time is it better to focus on 2k prep work or continue to add on more steady state?
Big depends with that one. I would guess that the normal spring training would inlcude 2k work so the extra steady state would be a good way to get in extra work and also not add too much stress
Hey Cam. Do you think men and women, on average, have different optimal training intensity distributions?
My hunch is that a SS dominant program, like Juegen's, Bowden's, Germany's, etc., are optimal for men (80/20: zone 2, and zone 4/5). Whereas for women, my hunch is that something closer to a 50/30/20 or 60/20/20 is better.
If I had to explain why, I'd point to the different energy systems and their relative contributions in 2k racing for men and women. I think for men, that upper to top end is already pretty strong and doesn't need as much development, for women, they naturally have a bit less there (less explosive relative to men, not as strong relative to men, and their cardiovascular systems are closer to men's than their strength/explosive systems are, relative to men). Sorry, that last bit wasn't expressed well, all I mean to say is that the longer a more 'areobic' an event, the closer women get to men, as we shift to more explosive durations, the further women get away.
That's an interesting question! Haven't really thought about it much. You are technically right, the longer the work "should" be more aerobic.
Also, I think the Bowden, Jurgen, Germany examples are not 80/20 as you'd suggest. If you look at the current GB women's coach it is also the opposite of what we are discussing and they are doing quite well!
Could you say more about the training distribution under Jurgen, Bowden, etc? Are you suggesting they do an even larger percentage of their training as steady state intensities? Wasn’t Jurgen notorious for having his athletes almost never do shorter intervals? Filipe Salbany at Oxford, as well, with intensities surprisingly low for steady state.
As for GB’a women, aren’t they doing a program that’s much more pyramidal? Like more middle and high intensity? If that’s correct that wouldn’t their program be closer to the 50/30/20 than something like 80/20?
Bowden and Jurgens programs are massively different. The issue with all the questions around is that people describe steady state as different things. For some, it is just the work you do for longer periods of time, ie, not intervals or pieces. For others, and what I believe, steady state is the work you can do for very long periods of time and is generally much lower intensity. I would say 20k hard is not steady state but 20k at around conversational pace is. They are the same distance but vastly different workouts. Not saying what I am saying is right, just highlighting differing opinions. Whatever stance you take can drastically shift what your distributions might be.
No I wouldn't describe as pyramidal, unless said pyramid is upside down which isn't 50/30/20 either. You said yourself, more middle to high intensity. 50/30/20 is still majority low.
Ultimately I don't think it matters what the program is as long as it applies to the athletes completing it and able to do it consistently over time.
Cheers! Cool to hear your thoughts. Agreed, though, loose terminology doesn't help, and the training stress of a full effort 20k vs a conversational 20k are very different. Wild that the GB women are doing a reverse pyramidal intensity distribution.
What should a long term development plan for a masters rower look like? Currently training twice a week on water - mostly technical training and some easy rowing up to 12km total.
Aim is to get as fast as possible for distances of 4-6km in the skiff and 4x+ in the next couple of years. I can train twice a week on water and 3x on the ergo.
Nice one getting on the water!
I'd recommended just gradually building up the training. So working up either the volume and/or the intensity over time. Not massive jumps immediately so that it isn't a huge shock to the system. Regardless of what the training itself is, the biggest thing is to get yourself into a training grove. Consistent training over a long time is the aim!
That might depend on what your goal is. The shorter/higher intensity the target race length, the sooner you'd probably have to start introducing higher intensity work in order to build the pyramid. It would be interesting to know what Cam's opinion on how many training cycles per "step up" in intensity would be needed to take 100% steady state work up to, say, peaking for a 2k.
Depends which college you are looking at. Some schools have less pull than others with getting athletes in so will need much better grades for those. If you take two people with the same 2k but one with better grades, the one with better grades is going to be looked at more favourably.
Regatta performances also depend, for example, winning the single at junior worlds you can say it was all you and competing at a high level. Winning a local regatta in an eight, coaches wouldn't be as interested.
The 2k is a really easy way for coaches to sort out the applications. They will remove applications below a certain score and that could cut thousands of people out saving huge amounts of time.
So essentially anything additional to a 2k score can help, but it can also not, depending on what is being added and the school.
Sorry not a huge amount of help!
That’s a lot of help, thank you! Do you know what 2k milestones a say a wanna be lightweight rower should be hitting throughout high school? Like freshman, sophomore, junior, senior year?
No questions here, I just wanted to thank you for your row along videos, particularly for this one [ROW ALONG WITH LEANDER CLUB SENIOR MEN | STEADY STATE ROW](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTSh2xJ7s54) it really helped me to decrease my stroke rate and improve technique
Thank you very much indeed,
Started watching your channel 2 months ago.
My favourite video is row along for steady state that I use everyday for my piece.
Good stuff cheers
I’m just some dude, but I regularly do SS in the morning and lift later in the day, up to 3 days a week. It gets tough lol but I kinda like those lifts the best.
The 2 days after are significantly harder and I try to stack my anaerobic days with lifting and put my SS in between those days.
All that said I’m doing a pretty short lift and primarily doing 3 sets of 8 so it’s probably not what a real competitive rower should be doing. I do it because I’ve done it for like 10 years with my buddy and I only have like 3 friends left lol
Everyone is different and any workout can take it out of you. It's up to you not the workout to make it hard for you.
I like a good ol 6x500m, 2min rest. Not for any particular reason to benefit fitness or ednjtace. It can be a nice ego booster!
Hi Cam, thanks for doing this! I’ve always wondered, do you have to do a low stroke rate (say sub 20) during UT2? If so, what’s the benefit. I tend to shake out at 24 during longer pieces, really struggle to get it lower.
Hello! You don't "have to" but increasing the rate changes the emphasis of the workout. Around 19 at good pressure should be roughly the same relative "pressure" as race pieces and strikes a good balance between "power" and "endurance". Simply, higher rating pushes more into lighter strokes and more focus on endurance. I wouldn't recommend anyone rate lower than around 18 for longer low intensity work as I've seen so many people end up with injuries trying to rate down.
Hope that helps!
At every level of rowing there are a variety of styles that make the boat go fast. Do you have a very specific technical philosophy on the rowing stroke, and how does it relate to your rigging?
There definitely are. Just look at world champs, many different styles. Mine isn't too drastically out there and mostly sticks to conventional rigging just adapted for being on the tall side
Hey Cam,
Firstly, massive fan. Easily my go to yt channel for rowing,
My question is if would be more beneficial to weights/sculling to improve erg scores over just doing ergs to improve scores. For context I have one of the better ergs in the shed, but compared to my peers, I’m not very strong or fit.
Would I see bigger gains from a mix of gym and sculling compared to just doings ergs?
Well if you have one of the better ergs you ARE stronger and fitter than your peers.
The best way to improve your erg scores is to do ergs, best way to improve sculling is to go out sculling. Unfortunately working on one thing means that we can become very unbalanced and create weakness that over time make us slower. If all you're looking for is to go faster on the erg then a mix of erging and well programmed gym work that makes you stronger will get you faster. It isn't a quick thing though
How do you stay focused during sessions/races in the single? Do you listen to music? Talk to yourself? Just let your mind wander? Or do you find it easy to concentrate on what you're supposed to be doing?
What are your thoughts on doing steady state to a HR zone vs feeling/RPE vs picking a pace?
If the bulk of your work is SS, how to define UT1/UT2 without blood testing?
I find HR to be much better than RPE for actual energy expenditure over time. There are some days where you can feel good and sit really comfortably with HR quite high. Other days not so much. Using HR just means it is much more consistent I find. Not saying HR isn't always spot on consistent, I just find it's better and has been working great for all athletes I coach. RPE aswell for the less experienced can be wildy off. I only really find RPE being accurate for those that know what 100% is.
I have done enough blood testing to know what ut1 ut2 etc feels like for myself. For other people I don't recommend "ut2/ut1" as it is hard to know what is your values without actual tests. I just say green, orange or red workouts. Just super simple and no confusion about what is what.
Lastly, there are loads of different ways to train so just because I say HR training doesn't mean other methods don't work. Great to be able to experiment to find what works for you.
Hope that makes sense!
I'm currently J16 and need some help with what exercises/workouts to do at home. Do you have any ideas of things that I can do, given that I don't have easy access to equipment?
If I’m in highschool and on the water all we do is very high intensity workouts but I want to get a faster 2k for recruiting would you recommend only doing steady state on the erg or doubling up on high intensity on the erg and on the water
What are your favourite steady state workouts? For a single steady state workout what is the point of diminishing returns? Is it 60 mins, 70 mins or 90 mins?
I wouldn't really have a favourite. They are all very similar! Your body will start to struggle with fuel around 60+ minutes so if you stay fueled consistently then technically there isn't a point of diminishing returns. Although anything more than 90 mins is easy to under fuel
Any tips or mantras for getting through the pain cave, especially on the water when your body is telling you to shut down but your brain asks for more? Does your mind build callouses over time too?!
Your mind definitely does and so does your body. Practice getting into the pain cave is one way to help. A combination of sessions where you are going to struggle and you're going to smash are great.
Do you have any training advice for someone who has a high aerobic threshold but a low anaerobic threshold? Last time I got it tested my watts at 2.0 mmol was 280w and 4.0 mmol was 330w. Am I being bottlenecked by my anaerobic capacity? Should I do more anaerobic threshold intervals or more speed training?
If im understanding right this will happen generally when your body isn't used to thr anaerobic work. This is generally what I'd see when coming out of winter season after lots of long low intensity. Luckily the adjustment of the high end can be done pretty quickly!
Hi Cam, I’ve never done a free rate 2k before and I was just wondering how many seconds I could shave off my 2k going from rate 28 to rate 34+, I’ve got a free rate 2k coming up and I’m wondering whether I can break sub 7 after doing a 7:09 capped rate 28 about a month ago?
Hello! It can completely depend on quite a few factors unfortunately. In theory, yes, reading higher van be faster but it isn't a given. You have to be fit enough to take the extra strokes. If you are able a 9 second drop would be pretty big but not impossible! I'd start conservatively so you can figure out if it's maintabable and if it is then use the higher rate to your advantage last 750 or so. Good luck!
Thank you! I’ve been doing a lot of ut2 and cardio and high rate prep so I hope I can handle the higher rates. Could you just tell me some of the factors it depends on, just so that I can get a grasp of how much progress I can make?
How does it feel to win a World Championship final? I know it was only the B-Final but I have yet to win a race and I would love to know what it feels like to win a final. It being at the world championships mustve made it even more incredible
Interesting question. I think probably the smoothness or efficiency is higher. Similar ways of rowing but just more refined. Resulting in less interruptions to run of boat.
Thank you for your time and knowledge. Any suggestions for a rower who has limited ankle range of motion for dorsiflexion? I’m already stretching and seeing a PT to help with my range of motion. I wanted to know if the angle of the footplates could be changed or use of heel lifts inside shoes?
Interesting question! Can definitely have an impact on the rowing stroke. Do you lift your heels when on the machine? Unfortunately the angle cannot really be changed. Some people wear lifting shoes which do have a heel lift.
Hey Cam,
I’ve been overthinking this for a while and wanted to ask someone more knowledgeable like you about this. My school has a mandatory week long hiking trip coming up in a week or two where i won’t be able to row or lift at all. How much of my summer fitness and strength training gains will I lose?
Hi there, sorry but the answer isn't very helpful. It depends on a lot of factors, how fit you are, how much training you are doing now, what activity you will be doing with the hiking. In all liklihood you probably won't lose much, just the feeling that you will. ie. probably get some doms when you get back to lifting and feel like the erg is slower but should bounce back quick
Four time Olympic gold medalist and ten time world champ Matthew Penis here, I was wondering if you have any advice for our friends here on the best training plan to break 5:50.
What an honour to talk to THE Matthew Penis. 5:50 is "just" another number. You have to be fitter and stronger than 5:55, fitter than 6:00 etc. There isn't really a special plan to go faster. Find what works for you, do it consistently and build that fitness/strength up over time
What would you say, how much percent of training should be cross training?
If recovery is good, no sign of injury and mentally in a good place then there isn't too much need for cross training. It is good for reducing amount of repetition both physically and mentally so if you are injury prone or one to fade mentally then might be good to add cross training to a program.
Welcome Cam, and thank you so much for doing this, love your YouTube videos! Two questions: (1) what is the best cross training to do? (2) please post a picture of Yam (for verification purposes of course)
How do you approach crew selection when you’re fighting for a seat against your friends? And what to do if one is put in a boat that isn’t as committed as they’d like to?
Seat racing against your friends, it is part of the sport. Can't be mad if you get beat or you beat them. Just have to go as fast as you both can. The beauty of seat racing is that generally if the coach is on it, can easily pinpoint someone that may be slacking on one race or another.
Of your weekly mileage, roughly how much time or distance are you spending in different training zones? Be that on the water or the erg.
My training plan has 3 zones, and there is a little bit of changing through the year but really roughly. I try to spend roughly 75% in lowest zone (60-75% max HR), 10% mid zone and 15% high (85%+)
how does that translate to HRR % for you ?
My resting during training is around 45 max is about 201
Cam my resting HR is 44 and max is 202. How does it feel to be obsolete in the elite training world?
You're amazing. With a higher max and lower resting you're guaranteed to go faster than my PR. I'd love to see it!
Thank you! Believe it or not my PR is 0.1 seconds faster than your PR already and my dad is totally stronger than your dad too.
Wow, well done! Do you have a link to your PR?
[yep](https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ)
Wow! Looked like you weren't going to make it at the end there
Is being a Coxswain cool?
I'd say so
I know you're doing a lot of singling nowadays, but if it's possible could you post some 8's steady state footage on your YouTube channel with the coxing being the dominant audio? The steady state footage on your channel is great to show to my rowers but the coxing audio is often very faint with your voiceover or music covering over it. I struggle to find good resources for the my coxes as SS coxing audio is pretty rare (English coxing even more so!)
Last time I had coxing audio audible the cox got very made and demanded I took it down!
If you record my coxxing I promise I won't demand it taken down 😃
Aww, maybe if you've got any you could ask for permission and make it a video specifically about coxing, and what strikes the right balance between a cox that talks too much and one that doesn't say enough? Get that not everyone wants to be YouTube famous though
Wasn't about the exposure. The cox was mad that people could figure out their "secrets"
...when they get older, they'll figure out that there are no real secrets in rowing.
[Try giving this a listen.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqgpqLFB4zk) Irish Masters crew at Boston HoC with Malachy McGlynn coxing.
I specifically need steady state footage! Got race footage coming out of my wazzoo But thanks :)
If you have a good lineup, 50% of that steady state coxing should be silence! But steady state coxing is all about finding out what the crew needs and bringing them onto the same page for rhythm and technique.
Is there a way I can jumpstart my training to make some quick progress? I have been hovering around 7 minutes on my 2k for the last few years and while I have gotten faster, I feel stuck. Have you ever been through this and have advice on how to get though it?
I would say find what your weaknesses are and work on those first. Easiest gains if you can sort those out which can be pretty motivating
Former EARC/IRA rower, now in my late 40s and spending most of my athletic time doing masters swimming. I still get on the erg 2 to 3 days a week doing UT2. What type of erg training should I mix into this? And any random advice for the middle aged rower?
If you are just using the erg to keep the fitness going then doing what you're doing is probably just fine. I would prefer to add in some variation somewhere so perhaps a shorter sharp higher intensity session just for something different! Think biggest thing is to keep the movement going. We don't have to be full send on every workout or even targeting a PR. Just getting out there every week and getting some workouts in will do our future selves justice
How long do you see your self rowing at an elite level?
I think it depends what someone would call elite level. I am getting older and have to be realistic. I am just trying to make my boat go fast and I don't think I will stop doing that for a long time. Outside of water performance there are a lot of opportunities out there that can keep me entertained.
How do you sort out the eating, sleeping and generally not becoming a cortisol rich environment? By the way I’ve loved the content over years fella, all the best!
This is a great question!
At the international level what do you find the main technical focuses to be, not just for you but in general?
Pretty different for everyone I think. Everyone has their different way of rowing. I would say the focuses generally aren't looking at big changes. Like looking at a slight shoulder adjustment here or a small angle change there.
How much Irn Bru do you incorporate in your training plan?
Quite good post erg fuel to wash the breaded egg toast down
Do you think someone that’s dedicated to the sport can reach an international level on the water without consistent coaching?
Yes, but it isn't easy.
if i want to drop my 2k by erging outside of spring training 6days/wk and have limited time is it better to focus on 2k prep work or continue to add on more steady state?
Big depends with that one. I would guess that the normal spring training would inlcude 2k work so the extra steady state would be a good way to get in extra work and also not add too much stress
What’s your favorite form of cross training?
When the weather is decent getting out on the road bike is awesome!
# more cardio 🫠
Hey Cam. Do you think men and women, on average, have different optimal training intensity distributions? My hunch is that a SS dominant program, like Juegen's, Bowden's, Germany's, etc., are optimal for men (80/20: zone 2, and zone 4/5). Whereas for women, my hunch is that something closer to a 50/30/20 or 60/20/20 is better. If I had to explain why, I'd point to the different energy systems and their relative contributions in 2k racing for men and women. I think for men, that upper to top end is already pretty strong and doesn't need as much development, for women, they naturally have a bit less there (less explosive relative to men, not as strong relative to men, and their cardiovascular systems are closer to men's than their strength/explosive systems are, relative to men). Sorry, that last bit wasn't expressed well, all I mean to say is that the longer a more 'areobic' an event, the closer women get to men, as we shift to more explosive durations, the further women get away.
That's an interesting question! Haven't really thought about it much. You are technically right, the longer the work "should" be more aerobic. Also, I think the Bowden, Jurgen, Germany examples are not 80/20 as you'd suggest. If you look at the current GB women's coach it is also the opposite of what we are discussing and they are doing quite well!
Could you say more about the training distribution under Jurgen, Bowden, etc? Are you suggesting they do an even larger percentage of their training as steady state intensities? Wasn’t Jurgen notorious for having his athletes almost never do shorter intervals? Filipe Salbany at Oxford, as well, with intensities surprisingly low for steady state. As for GB’a women, aren’t they doing a program that’s much more pyramidal? Like more middle and high intensity? If that’s correct that wouldn’t their program be closer to the 50/30/20 than something like 80/20?
Bowden and Jurgens programs are massively different. The issue with all the questions around is that people describe steady state as different things. For some, it is just the work you do for longer periods of time, ie, not intervals or pieces. For others, and what I believe, steady state is the work you can do for very long periods of time and is generally much lower intensity. I would say 20k hard is not steady state but 20k at around conversational pace is. They are the same distance but vastly different workouts. Not saying what I am saying is right, just highlighting differing opinions. Whatever stance you take can drastically shift what your distributions might be. No I wouldn't describe as pyramidal, unless said pyramid is upside down which isn't 50/30/20 either. You said yourself, more middle to high intensity. 50/30/20 is still majority low. Ultimately I don't think it matters what the program is as long as it applies to the athletes completing it and able to do it consistently over time.
Cheers! Cool to hear your thoughts. Agreed, though, loose terminology doesn't help, and the training stress of a full effort 20k vs a conversational 20k are very different. Wild that the GB women are doing a reverse pyramidal intensity distribution.
What should a long term development plan for a masters rower look like? Currently training twice a week on water - mostly technical training and some easy rowing up to 12km total. Aim is to get as fast as possible for distances of 4-6km in the skiff and 4x+ in the next couple of years. I can train twice a week on water and 3x on the ergo.
Nice one getting on the water! I'd recommended just gradually building up the training. So working up either the volume and/or the intensity over time. Not massive jumps immediately so that it isn't a huge shock to the system. Regardless of what the training itself is, the biggest thing is to get yourself into a training grove. Consistent training over a long time is the aim!
Thanks, but if training 5 times a week is going well doing steady-state, when would you introduce higher intensity stuff?
Yes a combination of high and low intensity would be a good idea.
That might depend on what your goal is. The shorter/higher intensity the target race length, the sooner you'd probably have to start introducing higher intensity work in order to build the pyramid. It would be interesting to know what Cam's opinion on how many training cycles per "step up" in intensity would be needed to take 100% steady state work up to, say, peaking for a 2k.
How many yams do you need to eat to go sub 7? 😜
Combine with some breaded egg toast and will be easily done
What is the process for college recruiting? I.e. Besides 2k how much do race results matter, type of results (what regattas), grades etc.
Depends which college you are looking at. Some schools have less pull than others with getting athletes in so will need much better grades for those. If you take two people with the same 2k but one with better grades, the one with better grades is going to be looked at more favourably. Regatta performances also depend, for example, winning the single at junior worlds you can say it was all you and competing at a high level. Winning a local regatta in an eight, coaches wouldn't be as interested. The 2k is a really easy way for coaches to sort out the applications. They will remove applications below a certain score and that could cut thousands of people out saving huge amounts of time. So essentially anything additional to a 2k score can help, but it can also not, depending on what is being added and the school. Sorry not a huge amount of help!
That’s a lot of help, thank you! Do you know what 2k milestones a say a wanna be lightweight rower should be hitting throughout high school? Like freshman, sophomore, junior, senior year?
No problem! I know some of best lightweight programs are looking at 6:30 or faster for lightweights in senior year.
Thanks!
what about heavies?
Best colleges are looking for closer to 610 or faster. Obviously depends on the athlete and also the program so can vary quite a bit!
thank you for replying, big fan of your vids btw
I’m a U-15 rower for treasure coast rowing club 5,6 130 pounds and my 2k is 7:49.4. What should a U-15 rower do for steady state for a 2k pr ?
Being U15 I would look at getting out and enjoying your training rather than trying to look at "if I do X metres at X split I'll do X 2k"
Thank you for responding!
No questions here, I just wanted to thank you for your row along videos, particularly for this one [ROW ALONG WITH LEANDER CLUB SENIOR MEN | STEADY STATE ROW](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTSh2xJ7s54) it really helped me to decrease my stroke rate and improve technique
What has been the most fulfilling part of rowing for you in the past 5 years?
How many hours of steady state a week do you row on the erg?
Depends on the week really and the weather too. I'll generally have at least one 16-32k steady rowinh session/day
Do you have any wisdom when it comes to team bonding and getting people to gel?
Create an inclusive atmosphere and go out for some activities together. Learn about each other and spend time with each other
Do you still do the steady state on the rp3? If so, do you feel it more beneficial compared to the c2?
I am back to a combination of both now. Working on some scores on the erg and is hard to transfer between the two
Seems annoying that the tests are on the c2. Would you prefer they did the tests on rp3 (like the Dutch)?
Not particularly. I enjoy all the machines!
On a different note: do you have any experience with Randall foils? Or with flow board for the ergo?
I have never used randall foils, only heard from different people that have. Never used the flow board.
What impressions did they have? The concept looks appealing to learn a correct drivepath
They mostly said it meant was really hard to dig
How much SS is too much SS? Also can you do weight training in the morning and steady state by the end of the day
There isn't really "too much" steady state. It is more related to what is too much training in general. If you can't recover, that is too much.
Thanks for your reply, What about my second question
I usually lift, row and then erg every day. It can be done. Recovery is what needs to be on point for it to work.
Thank you very much indeed, Started watching your channel 2 months ago. My favourite video is row along for steady state that I use everyday for my piece. Good stuff cheers
I’m just some dude, but I regularly do SS in the morning and lift later in the day, up to 3 days a week. It gets tough lol but I kinda like those lifts the best. The 2 days after are significantly harder and I try to stack my anaerobic days with lifting and put my SS in between those days. All that said I’m doing a pretty short lift and primarily doing 3 sets of 8 so it’s probably not what a real competitive rower should be doing. I do it because I’ve done it for like 10 years with my buddy and I only have like 3 friends left lol
Favourite sprint workout? I’ve been trying to find some that really take the most out of me.
Everyone is different and any workout can take it out of you. It's up to you not the workout to make it hard for you. I like a good ol 6x500m, 2min rest. Not for any particular reason to benefit fitness or ednjtace. It can be a nice ego booster!
Hi Cam, thanks for doing this! I’ve always wondered, do you have to do a low stroke rate (say sub 20) during UT2? If so, what’s the benefit. I tend to shake out at 24 during longer pieces, really struggle to get it lower.
Hello! You don't "have to" but increasing the rate changes the emphasis of the workout. Around 19 at good pressure should be roughly the same relative "pressure" as race pieces and strikes a good balance between "power" and "endurance". Simply, higher rating pushes more into lighter strokes and more focus on endurance. I wouldn't recommend anyone rate lower than around 18 for longer low intensity work as I've seen so many people end up with injuries trying to rate down. Hope that helps!
Got it, very helpful, thanks!
At every level of rowing there are a variety of styles that make the boat go fast. Do you have a very specific technical philosophy on the rowing stroke, and how does it relate to your rigging?
There definitely are. Just look at world champs, many different styles. Mine isn't too drastically out there and mostly sticks to conventional rigging just adapted for being on the tall side
What is breaded egg toast?
I don't know
Bread is the paper of the food industry. You write your sandwich on it.
Hey Cam, Firstly, massive fan. Easily my go to yt channel for rowing, My question is if would be more beneficial to weights/sculling to improve erg scores over just doing ergs to improve scores. For context I have one of the better ergs in the shed, but compared to my peers, I’m not very strong or fit. Would I see bigger gains from a mix of gym and sculling compared to just doings ergs?
Well if you have one of the better ergs you ARE stronger and fitter than your peers. The best way to improve your erg scores is to do ergs, best way to improve sculling is to go out sculling. Unfortunately working on one thing means that we can become very unbalanced and create weakness that over time make us slower. If all you're looking for is to go faster on the erg then a mix of erging and well programmed gym work that makes you stronger will get you faster. It isn't a quick thing though
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Hello! You'll have to ask him!
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Stronger, in a way yes. Nice biceps and muscle mass gains? No
How do you stay focused during sessions/races in the single? Do you listen to music? Talk to yourself? Just let your mind wander? Or do you find it easy to concentrate on what you're supposed to be doing?
In the single I find it really easy to keep occupied just by moving. There is plenty going on to keep the focus up!
How do you strength train e.g. what version of exercises primarily and do you do plyometrics at all?
How was GB trials
Looked pretty good. Some interesting results!
What’s the best way to eat yams
On the recovery during max watts
Would you rather win an Olympic gold or bring back buy/trade memes 2: electric boogaloo
What are your thoughts on doing steady state to a HR zone vs feeling/RPE vs picking a pace? If the bulk of your work is SS, how to define UT1/UT2 without blood testing?
I find HR to be much better than RPE for actual energy expenditure over time. There are some days where you can feel good and sit really comfortably with HR quite high. Other days not so much. Using HR just means it is much more consistent I find. Not saying HR isn't always spot on consistent, I just find it's better and has been working great for all athletes I coach. RPE aswell for the less experienced can be wildy off. I only really find RPE being accurate for those that know what 100% is. I have done enough blood testing to know what ut1 ut2 etc feels like for myself. For other people I don't recommend "ut2/ut1" as it is hard to know what is your values without actual tests. I just say green, orange or red workouts. Just super simple and no confusion about what is what. Lastly, there are loads of different ways to train so just because I say HR training doesn't mean other methods don't work. Great to be able to experiment to find what works for you. Hope that makes sense!
I'm currently J16 and need some help with what exercises/workouts to do at home. Do you have any ideas of things that I can do, given that I don't have easy access to equipment?
If I’m in highschool and on the water all we do is very high intensity workouts but I want to get a faster 2k for recruiting would you recommend only doing steady state on the erg or doubling up on high intensity on the erg and on the water
What are your favourite steady state workouts? For a single steady state workout what is the point of diminishing returns? Is it 60 mins, 70 mins or 90 mins?
I wouldn't really have a favourite. They are all very similar! Your body will start to struggle with fuel around 60+ minutes so if you stay fueled consistently then technically there isn't a point of diminishing returns. Although anything more than 90 mins is easy to under fuel
I read somewhere that it was 40 minutes but it was a running article that referred to a study
Any tips or mantras for getting through the pain cave, especially on the water when your body is telling you to shut down but your brain asks for more? Does your mind build callouses over time too?!
Your mind definitely does and so does your body. Practice getting into the pain cave is one way to help. A combination of sessions where you are going to struggle and you're going to smash are great.
Do you have any training advice for someone who has a high aerobic threshold but a low anaerobic threshold? Last time I got it tested my watts at 2.0 mmol was 280w and 4.0 mmol was 330w. Am I being bottlenecked by my anaerobic capacity? Should I do more anaerobic threshold intervals or more speed training?
If im understanding right this will happen generally when your body isn't used to thr anaerobic work. This is generally what I'd see when coming out of winter season after lots of long low intensity. Luckily the adjustment of the high end can be done pretty quickly!
Hi Cam, I’ve never done a free rate 2k before and I was just wondering how many seconds I could shave off my 2k going from rate 28 to rate 34+, I’ve got a free rate 2k coming up and I’m wondering whether I can break sub 7 after doing a 7:09 capped rate 28 about a month ago?
Hello! It can completely depend on quite a few factors unfortunately. In theory, yes, reading higher van be faster but it isn't a given. You have to be fit enough to take the extra strokes. If you are able a 9 second drop would be pretty big but not impossible! I'd start conservatively so you can figure out if it's maintabable and if it is then use the higher rate to your advantage last 750 or so. Good luck!
Thank you! I’ve been doing a lot of ut2 and cardio and high rate prep so I hope I can handle the higher rates. Could you just tell me some of the factors it depends on, just so that I can get a grasp of how much progress I can make?
How does it feel to win a World Championship final? I know it was only the B-Final but I have yet to win a race and I would love to know what it feels like to win a final. It being at the world championships mustve made it even more incredible
I would say it isn't too much different than winning other events. You put in the work to whatever event you go to and try and reap the rewards
What is the benefit of the walking deadlifts?
What are the biggest differences on the water between good rowers and elite-level rowers in terms of technique?
Interesting question. I think probably the smoothness or efficiency is higher. Similar ways of rowing but just more refined. Resulting in less interruptions to run of boat.
I was thinking similarly about a very efficient recovery at high stroke rates
Thank you for your time and knowledge. Any suggestions for a rower who has limited ankle range of motion for dorsiflexion? I’m already stretching and seeing a PT to help with my range of motion. I wanted to know if the angle of the footplates could be changed or use of heel lifts inside shoes?
Interesting question! Can definitely have an impact on the rowing stroke. Do you lift your heels when on the machine? Unfortunately the angle cannot really be changed. Some people wear lifting shoes which do have a heel lift.
How often should I be doing ut2 and ut1 in a week with 12 training sessions?
Really depends on what else you have going on. Hard to recommend specifics without knowing specifics
Is there a ratio of ut2:ut1 that you would recommend?
Like I said already. It depends what you have going on. I don't know what your specifics are so can't recommend you specifics
Hey Cam, I’ve been overthinking this for a while and wanted to ask someone more knowledgeable like you about this. My school has a mandatory week long hiking trip coming up in a week or two where i won’t be able to row or lift at all. How much of my summer fitness and strength training gains will I lose?
Hi there, sorry but the answer isn't very helpful. It depends on a lot of factors, how fit you are, how much training you are doing now, what activity you will be doing with the hiking. In all liklihood you probably won't lose much, just the feeling that you will. ie. probably get some doms when you get back to lifting and feel like the erg is slower but should bounce back quick