What are classic erg workouts for rowers?

30 minutes at rate 20, 4 × 2,000 m, 4 × 1,000 m, 3 × 3,000 m, pyramids, and 2k, 5k and 6k tests.

How should masters rowers train on the erg?

Mostly steady UT2, one hard piece a week, and enough rest between hard days. Set paces from a recent 2k, not from the one you rowed in college.

BLADES 27

Erg workouts for ex-college and masters rowers

The workouts are the ones you did on the team: 30 minutes at rate 20 for base, 4 × 2,000 m for threshold, 4 × 1,000 m for speed, a 6k for the test. Hold them at the splits on the zone table, not the ones you rowed at twenty.

The classics

Workout	What it trains	Pace
30 minutes at rate 20	Aerobic base, rhythm	UT2 to UT1
4 × 2,000 m, 3 min rest	Threshold	AT
3 × 3,000 m	Threshold endurance	AT / UT1
4 × 1,000 m, 4 min rest	Speed and tolerance	TR
5k and 6k	Aerobic power; the other test	Even split, slightly quicker than AT
2k	The test	See the pace calculator

Splits for each: erg training zones from your 2k.

Rowing it like you remember

BLADES has these pieces built in: the 2k, 5k, 6k, 4 × 1,000 m and 30 minutes at rate 20. Row them on a river with your PM5, against a crew, or in a league with friends. You can get the old crew back together from separate ergs.

Row it on BLADES

Next: an eight-week winter plan.

BLADES isn’t affiliated with Concept2. Paces and zones are rules of thumb; train to how you recover, and check with a doctor before hard training if you’re unsure.