Using indoor rowing for training

[niceguypaulie]

I've been rowing for a few years, but I'm now six months away from cycling stages 15-21 of the TdF, and wondered if anyone had suggestions as best use of time on the machine.
I've been rowing 10km at the best time I can but would I benefit from shorter, sharper routines?
thanks in advance

[Cycling Athlete]

I have a concept 2 in the garage which I use EVERY now and again just as a change and mainly do TABATA protocol stuff sprints 20/30 - 30/30 stuff. I am training for a couple of sportives and I am riding my bike and using a turbo. If your training for a tour stage then why are you using the rower anyway? Me personally I would just stand it up and do cycling specific stuff with the odd cross training session if you are bored. Even some weightlifting. But not the rower. The metabolic adaptations it causes suit rowing hence why it was designed, if you just want to complete your ride then I see no issue in its use, but if you want to enjoy it? Then stop using it.

[Tony Short]

I've been rowing for a few years, but I'm now six months away from cycling stages 15-21 of the TdF, and wondered if anyone had suggestions as best use of time on the machine.
I've been rowing 10km at the best time I can but would I benefit from shorter, sharper routines?
thanks in advance

The rower is brilliant for high intensity intervals and I have found that this type of training crosses over well into cycling. It really helps me improve my climbing and sprints and given that you only have 6 months to go I would really focus on intervals to compliment whatever training you do on the bike.

[niceguypaulie]

I should just say I ride too, it's just that rowing is often quicker and easier than getting kitted up, even for the turbo. This week I've done a few 10km rows, at around 41-42 mins and average heart rate of 155. From below, maybe that's less effective than shorter, harder bursts.

[Tony Short]

I should just say I ride too, it's just that rowing is often quicker and easier than getting kitted up, even for the turbo. This week I've done a few 10km rows, at around 41-42 mins and average heart rate of 155. From below, maybe that's less effective than shorter, harder bursts.

Hi Paulie,
Without knowing your age, fitness level and so on its hard to give specific advice but 10k in 41 minutes isn't bad if you're completing it without getting your HR up too high. I would imagine that if the tour stages you're going to be doing involve any of the big climbs that its important to focus on max efforts on the rower. Intervals on the rower work well because they get your heart working really hard, really quickly and will also give you an all over body workout - something that bike specific training doesn't really do and I would imagine you're going to need plenty of upper body and core strength as well as leg power to get up some of those hills!

[niceguypaulie]

I'm 45, and err, fit enough to row 10km in that time, which I hope will come down to 40 mins in the next few months. The max HR I hit was 162 I think.
5 of the 7 stages are big - 15 is 220km, before 20km up Ventoux, and there's the double climb up Alpe d'Huez a few days later.

[Tony Short]

I'm 45, and err, fit enough to row 10km in that time, which I hope will come down to 40 mins in the next few months. The max HR I hit was 162 I think.
5 of the 7 stages are big - 15 is 220km, before 20km up Ventoux, and there's the double climb up Alpe d'Huez a few days later.

Hi again Paulie. As I say its hard to gauge your 10k times because I don't know if you're a heavyweight or lightweight or how tall you are etc and whether the times you posted up are absolute maximum efforts or just training rows at a particular heart rate. I would say that if you're only getting your HR up to 162 that you would definitely benefit from shorter and far more intense sessions where you focus on getting to or near your max HR. To get to the top of Ventoux and Alpe D'Huez I would imagine you're going to be out of the saddle and giving it everything. The concept 2 website has some good interactive program's and training guides. I would suggest you time yourself cycling up your toughest local climbs and see if the interval training on the rower improves your times. I would think that even after a few weeks you'll see some real gains whereas if you're just pumping out 10k rows in your aerobic range that you won't be getting that much benefit.

[niceguypaulie]

heavyweight, 6ft, and have just been trying to post best time possible. With 10k, it's not a flat out effort, I find it best to keep steady until a flourish at the end, so most would be done at say 150HR, about 30 less than my max. Thanks for thoughts, v helpful.

[niceguypaulie]

got to 40.04 min and max HR of 170 this week, 163 ave

[Tony Short]

If your training for a tour stage then why are you using the rower anyway? Me personally I would just stand it up and do cycling specific stuff with the odd cross training session if you are bored. Even some weightlifting.

Your reply confuses me. Why does bicycle fitness training have to be bike specific, and why if that's the case is cross training and weightlifting ok but not rowing? The concept rower is a fantastic machine for improving stamina, VO2 max, leg, upper body and core strength without adding bulk. Its also accessible when its cold, dark and windy outside or when there's too much traffic, or when you've simply got bored of being on the bike. What's not to like?