Author:  Mike Creamer

Mike Creamer is a competitive indoor rower, experienced Decathlon coach, and mastermind behind an 8-week training plan to get you ready for a personal best 500m on the erg. Check out what he has to say regarding technique and training strategies.
 
You've been benching and dipping, doing your pull-ups and wind sprints, but have you been rowing? With less than 2 months to go until D-day, it's not too soon to start training for the 500m row.
 
Training on the row machine and competing in a 500m race are two very different things. To get the greatest benefit from your erg workouts you should always row with the proper technique. Despite the varieties on display at the gym there is really only one way to row correctly which will maximize the efficiency of your stroke. To get your best 500m time on race day you won't want to waste any effort, but your technique doesn't need to be perfect.

I've seen many Decathletes achieve a very impressive 500m time with less than ideal rowing technique!
 
At somewhere between a minute and a half (or less) and two minutes a 500m row is predominantly an anaerobic power event that favors bigger and stronger individuals, unlike a standard 2000m erg race that tests your aerobic fitness. But it’s not just about brute strength. All Decathletes will get their best 500m time when they learn to maximize their power per stroke and stroke rate and by rowing with their full body instead of just their legs and arms.
 
Good rowing technique will always enable you to produce more force (and distance) per stroke, while maintaining a high stroke rate will minimize the deceleration of the flywheel, as will a lower damper setting (adjustable 1-10 lever on the flywheel cage). A higher damper setting causes more drag (air flow) and faster deceleration of the flywheel between strokes. The drag factor affects how much the wheel decelerates during the recovery. On the performance monitor Main Menu see More Options > Display Drag Factor. For most people a drag factor between 130-140 is best
 
Focus on developing good rowing technique and efficiency with a variety of interval workouts over distances both longer and shorter than your 500m race. It would be a mistake to limit your erg workouts to distances of 500m or less, which should be done no more than once or twice per week.
 
Mike Creamer is available for one-on-one coaching on the indoor rower and to answer any questions you may have.  Call Mike at 212-353-8834 or email info@indoorance.com
 
Bring It,

The Decathlon Team