List of Erg Workouts

Below you will find a list of erg workouts. The key to keeping motivated over the winter is to keep things interesting, so please feel free to change the workouts to suit you. However, try to follow the rest time as closely as you can. Not taking enough rest can set you back as can taking too much rest. The only way you'll get faster on the erg/water is to push yourself beyond the comfort zone.

Just a short explanation here...

• ' is minutes, while " is seconds
• on/off means full/active rest or really light.
• if you see a + or - it means add (or subtract) that time from your 6k Test average split. TP is your average split.

• Steady State.
  • Row for any length of time (30 minutes or longer) at a steady pace without stopping
  • Row for any distance (6000 meters or longer) at a steady pace without stopping
  • 1 x 21097 meters (half marathon)
  • 1 x 42195 meters (full marathon)
  • These pieces should be completed at 10 to 16 seconds above your 6k Test average split .
• Anaerobic Threshold. Same as above, but some longer pieces are broken up into smaller segments
  • Pyramids. Rate increases at smaller intervals to a point, then drops down again.
    • 3 x 19 minutes (rate change at 4', 3', 2', 1', 2', 3', 4'), 4 minutes rest.
    • 4 x 11 minutes (rate change at 3', 2', 1', 2', 3'), 3 minutes rest.
    • 5 x 2000 meters (change rate every 500 meters), 3 minutes rest.
    • 4 x 2500 meters (change rate every 500 meters), 3 minutes rest.
    • 3' on/3' off, 4'on/4'off, 5'on/5'off, 4'on/4'off, 3'on/3'off
    • 2 x 29 minutes (rate changes at 5', 4', 3', 2', 1', 2', 3', 4', 5'). Intensity changes each segment based on your last 6k test as follows: +16, +13, +10, +7. +4, +7, +10, +13, +16. 2 minutes rest beween pieces.
  • Staircase. Rate increases at regular intervals
    • 4 x 10 minutes (rate increases every 2 minutes), 3 minutes rest.
    • 2 x 24 minutes (18, 20, 22, 24, 20, 22, 24, 26 with rate changing every 3 minutes), 4 minutes rest.
    • 5 x 2000 meters (rate increases every 500 meters), 3 minutes rest.
    • 4 x 2500 meters (rate increases every 500 meters), 4 minutes rest.
  • Castles. Rate increase and decrease at regular intervals.
    • 3 x 20 minutes (rate alternates between a high rate and low rate every 2 minutes), 3 minutes rest.
    • 3 x 18 minutes (rate alternates between a high rate and low rate every 2 minutes), 3 minutes rest.
  • Time.
    • 3 x 20 minutes. 3 minutes rest.
    • 3 x 15 minutes. 3 x (2' at 22, 2' at 24, 1' at -4). 3 minutes rest.
  • Distance
    • 2 x 5000 meters with a time limit, 3 minutes rest.
    • 3 x 2500 meters trying to get same time for each piece, 4 minutes rest.
    • 3 x 3500 meters. First piece at 24, next at 22, last at 20. 4 minutes rest.
  • These pieces should be completed at 4 to 10 seconds above your 6k Test average split .
• Anaerobic Capacity. Pieces become shorter and intensity increases.
  • 14 x 1 minute hard, 30 seconds easy
  • 7 x 6 minutes. 3' at 22, 2' at 25, 1' at 28. 2 minutes rest. To make this more challenging, do this continuous with no rest between pieces.
  • 4 x 10 minutes. 8' at 26, 2' at 20. 2 minutes rest. To make this more challenging, do this continuous with no rest between pieces.
  • 4 x 10 minutes. 8' at +2, 2' at +14. 2 minutes rest. To make this more challenging, do this continuous with no rest between pieces.
  • 5 x 4 minutes at low rate, but high power. 1 minute paddle between each piece.
  • 45 minutes at vent 10, low rate.
  • 5 x 9 minutes. 8' at 22, 1' at 26. 3 minutes rest.
  • 44 minutes broken down into 18' at +7, 12' at +10, 6' at +2, 4' + 12, 4' at TP. 2 minutes active rest.
  • 24 minutes broken down into 5' at 24, 4' at 26, 3' at 28, 3' at 28, 4' at 26, 5' at 24. 2 minutes active rest.
• Race Endurance
  • 5 x 750 meters, 3 minutes rest.
  • 4 x 1000 meters, 4 minutes rest.
  • 4 x 1250 meters. First 500 meters at +12, last 750 meters at -6. 5 minutes rest.
  • 4 x 800 meters. Negative splits - last 400 meters should be 5 seconds faster on split than first 400 meters. 3 minutes rest.
  • 6 x 3 minutes, 2 minutes rest.
  • 3 x 6 minutes. 1' at +4, 1' at +2, 1' at TP, 1' at +2, 1' at -1, 1' at -2. 4 minutes rest.
  • 3 x [ 3x (10 on/off, 20 on/off, 30 on/off, 20 on/off, 10 on/off)] * these are number of strokes.
  • 40 minutes. First 10' at 35" on/25" off, next 10' at 40" on/20" off, next 10' at 45" on/15" off, last 10' at 50" on, 10" off. No rest.
  • These pieces should be completed at 2 seconds below to 6 seconds above your 2k Test average split.
• Fartlek
  • 6000 meters. Row steady state with 100 meter bursts every 500 meters
  • 20 x 1 minute on, 1 minute easy
  • 15 x 1 minute on, 2 minutes easy
  • These pieces should be completed at 4 seconds below to 4 seconds above your 2k Test average split.
• Test Preparation
  • 1 x 2000 meters at +12, 3 x 750 meters at +5, 6 x 500 meters at -2. 2 minutes rest between each.
  • 5 x 750 meters at 2k test pace. 6 minutes rest.
  • 1 x 6000 meters at +12, 1 x 4000 meters at TP. 2 minutes rest between each
• Tests (Time Trials)
  • 2000 meters
  • 6000 meters
• Games
  • Erg Golf
  • Erg Baseball