Pick a session in 30 seconds
Need a session right now? Building base goes to UT2 steady state (60 to 90 minutes aerobic, 65 to 75 percent HRmax). Sharpening 2k speed lands you on TR lactate threshold (6x500 or 4x1k, five to eight seconds outside race pace). Trial day sits at test pieces (2k, 5k, 30 minutes). Forty-five minute squad session wants a mixed-zone ladder. Set drag factor first (110 to 130 for most senior athletes), warm up properly for ten minutes, log the score.
This is the session library I wanted in front of me when I first started programming erg sessions. Thirty workouts, sorted by zone, with target paces anchored in Rowing Ireland's five-zone coaching framework and Concept2's training documentation. Each one has a purpose, a target pace formula keyed off the 2k and notes on how to flex it for a squad. Bookmark it. New captains can hand it to a J16 on day one. Anyone can pull a session at 6:45am when the Lee is unrowable, the wind on Lough Ree is sideways or Inniscarra is iced over and the boathouse erg is the only honest option.
The 5 training zones
Rowing Ireland coach pathways teach the same five-zone shape every Irish coach speaks in. Zones hang off your 2k pace (or maximum heart rate if you have done a real ramp test). Open the training pace calculator, feed it a 2k time, and it returns the split target for every zone with no maths required at the whiteboard.
| Zone | Purpose | Split (vs 2k) | % HRmax | RPE | Stroke rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UT2 | Aerobic base, fat oxidation | +18 to +25 sec | 60-70% | 3-4/10 | 18-22 spm |
| UT1 | Aerobic capacity | +12 to +17 sec | 70-80% | 5-6/10 | 20-24 spm |
| AT | Aerobic threshold | +8 to +12 sec | 80-85% | 7/10 | 22-26 spm |
| TR | Lactate threshold | +4 to +8 sec | 85-92% | 8-9/10 | 26-32 spm |
| AN | Anaerobic capacity | -2 to +2 sec | 92-100% | 9-10/10 | 30-38 spm |
Worked example: a rower with a 7:00 2k (1:45 average split) trains UT2 at 2:03 to 2:10, AT at 1:53 to 1:57 and TR at 1:49 to 1:53. If the monitor is on power mode, run the wattage through the watts-to-split converter first.
UT2 steady state: 5 workouts
Sixty to seventy percent of weekly volume sits in this zone. Slow. Unglamorous. The foundation under every fast piece. The Skibbereen winter erg block stacks UT2 hours in a way that looks boring on paper and produces Olympic medals at the other end. The pattern is the point.
1. 60-minute steady state
Target: Continuous 60 minutes at UT2 pace
Purpose: Pure aerobic base. The single most useful session in any club's winter calendar.
Notes: Conversation pace throughout - if you cannot chat, you are too hard. Rate capped at 22. Split drifting up two or three seconds over the hour is fine.
2. 4x20 minutes (UT2)
Target: 4 x 20 minutes, 3 min rest, UT2 split
Purpose: Same volume as a 90-minute continuous piece, with breaks to keep technique cleaner.
Notes: Sized for newer rowers who cannot yet hold steady form across 60 unbroken minutes. Rate 18 to 20.
3. 3x30 minutes (UT2)
Target: 3 x 30 minutes, 5 min rest, UT2 split
Purpose: Bridges 4x20 to 90-minute continuous work. Staple of pre-season winter blocks at NUIG and Commercial.
Notes: Often run as a squad session: everyone starts at the same time, splits are individual.
4. 90-minute steady state
Target: Continuous 90 minutes at UT2 pace
Purpose: Long aerobic block. Maximum once a week in base phase, ideally a weekend morning.
Notes: Audiobook or podcast session. Bring water. Watch for technique drift past minute 60 - reset every 10 minutes.
5. UT2 fartlek (60 minutes)
Target: 60 minutes alternating 8 min UT2 + 2 min UT1
Purpose: Adds variation to long aerobic work without leaving the aerobic system.
Notes: Useful for keeping squads engaged across long sessions. Lift rate two beats on the UT1 segments.
AT aerobic threshold: 5 workouts
Threshold work sits just under the point where lactate starts to accumulate. This is engine-building territory. Sessions feel "comfortably hard" - short phrases possible, full sentences not.
6. 4x10 minutes (AT)
Target: 4 x 10 minutes, 3 min rest, AT split
Purpose: Classic threshold block. Builds aerobic capacity and sustained-effort tolerance.
Notes: Rate 22 to 24. The third rep is the test - if you cannot hold split, rep 1 went out too hard.
7. 5x8 minutes (AT)
Target: 5 x 8 minutes, 2 min rest, AT split
Purpose: Shorter intervals, slightly less total volume, easier on recovery.
Notes: Strong Tuesday session after a hard Sunday outing on the water. Rate 22 to 26.
8. 2x20 minutes (AT)
Target: 2 x 20 minutes, 5 min rest, AT split
Purpose: The benchmark threshold session. Holding AT for 2x20 means the aerobic base is honest.
Notes: Pace conservatively across the first ten minutes of rep 1. This session punishes a fast start brutally.
9. Pyramid 8-6-4-6-8 (AT)
Target: 8min, 6min, 4min, 6min, 8min at AT split, 2 min rest
Purpose: Builds mental focus across pace changes inside a single zone.
Notes: Lift the rate one or two beats on the four-minute middle piece. Use the descending sets to build confidence.
10. Ladder 5-10-15 (AT)
Target: 5min, 10min, 15min at AT split, 3 min rest
Purpose: Progressive volume across one session. Pacing-discipline test.
Notes: Most rowers blow the 15-minute piece. Start it two seconds slower than reps 1 to 2 and let it settle.
TR lactate threshold: 5 workouts
TR is where 2k speed actually gets built. Working at or just above lactate threshold - the burn is real, the technique discipline is harder than the lung work. These are the sessions that hurt to programme and hurt more to execute.
11. 6x500m (TR)
Target: 6 x 500m at 2k pace + 4-6 sec, 1:30 rest
Purpose: Bread and butter race-pace tolerance work. Lives in every serious 2k build.
Notes: Rate 28 to 32. The split target is firm - rep 1 sitting two seconds under target means you will pay by rep 4.
12. 8x500m (TR)
Target: 8 x 500m at 2k pace + 6-8 sec, 1:30 rest
Purpose: Higher volume than 6x500. Builds the back-end fitness of a 2k race profile.
Notes: Programme this three to four weeks out from a 2k trial. Not in the final week.
13. 4x1k (TR)
Target: 4 x 1000m at 2k pace + 5-7 sec, 3 min rest
Purpose: Longer intervals stress sustained 2k tolerance. Each rep is roughly half-race length.
Notes: Sit at rate 28 to 30. The transition from rep 2 to rep 3 is where the squad cracks if anyone is going to.
14. 3x1500m (TR)
Target: 3 x 1500m at 2k pace + 7-9 sec, 4 min rest
Purpose: Long TR pieces. Brutal mental session - each piece is more than half a 2k.
Notes: Save for late in a build phase. Most coaches programme this once per cycle, not weekly.
15. Race-prep TR set
Target: 2x500m at 2k pace, 2 min rest, then 2x500m at 2k pace -2 sec, 2 min rest
Purpose: Race-rehearsal session. The second pair pushes past 2k pace.
Notes: Best run 7 to 10 days out from a 2k trial. Project the 2k off it with the 2k prediction calculator.
AN anaerobic: 5 workouts
Anaerobic work is short, sharp and not negotiable if you want a real 2k start. The first 30 to 45 seconds of a race lives in this system. Sessions are intense, technique-heavy and need full recovery between reps. Skipping AN through the winter shows up at Castleconnell when the start sequence goes off and your crew is two lengths down at 500.
16. 8x250m (AN)
Target: 8 x 250m at 1k pace, 2 min rest
Purpose: Power and speed without total failure. Builds the 2k start.
Notes: Rate 32 to 36. Hold the split, do not push past it. The goal is repeatable output, not a one-rep hero number.
17. 12x250m (AN)
Target: 12 x 250m at 1k pace, 90 sec rest
Purpose: High-volume anaerobic work. The shorter rest turns brutal by rep 6.
Notes: Cut the set early if split drops more than four seconds. Intensity matters more than volume here.
18. 10x500m at 1k pace
Target: 10 x 500m at 1k pace, 2 min rest
Purpose: Mixed AN and TR. First five feel manageable; reps 6 to 10 build character.
Notes: Most useful in race-prep weeks. Rate 30 to 34. Project the score with the erg score calculator.
19. 6x500m sub-1k pace
Target: 6 x 500m at 1k pace -2 sec, 3 min rest
Purpose: Pushes past 1k pace in short bursts. Builds raw watts.
Notes: Long rests are non-negotiable. Shortening them does not make this harder, it makes the watts lower.
20. 30s on / 30s off
Target: 20 minutes alternating 30 sec maximum effort + 30 sec light paddle
Purpose: Lactate tolerance and VO2 work. Brief, repeatable, devastating.
Notes: A favourite of CrossFit programmes but originally a rowing session. Rate 32 to 38 on the work intervals.
Test pieces: 5 workouts
Trials give you the numbers everything else hangs off. Pull them under standard conditions, log them properly, trust the trend over any single score. My first 30-minute test was a positive-split disaster - went out at 5k pace and folded at 18 minutes. Tests teach pacing the hard way and the lesson sticks.
21. 2k test
Target: All-out 2000m
Purpose: The gold-standard rowing benchmark. The number every Irish coach asks for.
Notes: Drag 110 to 130. Rate 30 to 36. First 500 one or two seconds under target average, settle and grind across 500 to 1500, lift in the final 250. Set the opener via the erg score calculator.
22. 5k test
Target: All-out 5000m
Purpose: Tests aerobic capacity. Less stressful than a 2k, strong predictor of 2k fitness.
Notes: Run quarterly across the off-season. Most rowers split a 5k at 2k pace plus 8 to 12 seconds. Rate 26 to 30.
23. 6k test
Target: All-out 6000m
Purpose: The winter anchor across most Irish university and senior club programmes.
Notes: Pace at the AT/TR transition. Rate 26 to 30. The hardest mental block is 2.5k to 4k - the middle desert.
24. 30-minute test
Target: Maximum metres in 30 minutes
Purpose: Standard aerobic benchmark. Bridges 2k and 60-minute capability.
Notes: Pace conservatively for the first ten minutes. Rate 24 to 28. Total metres is the headline.
25. 10k test
Target: All-out 10000m
Purpose: Long-form aerobic test. Used as a head-race fitness indicator.
Notes: Mental discipline session. Hold UT1/AT pace for the first 7k then lift. Run by Irish clubs ahead of the Erne Head, the Castleconnell autumn block and the run-in to Skibbereen Regatta.
Mixed-zone sessions: 5 workouts
Mixed-zone work breaks monotony and trains the body to shift between energy systems. Useful for coaches running shorter slots, and for rowers stuck for time who still want a quality stimulus.
26. Alternating set 4x(5min AT + 5min UT1)
Target: 40 minutes total, alternating 5 min at AT and 5 min at UT1, no rest
Purpose: Builds aerobic capacity and threshold tolerance in one block.
Notes: Best minute-for-minute return in the library. Rate steps: 26 (AT), 22 (UT1), 26, 22, repeat.
27. Ladder 250-500-750-1k-750-500-250
Target: Pyramid at TR pace, equal rest to work
Purpose: Tests pacing across distances inside one session.
Notes: Most rowers crack on the descending 750. The fix is to nail the 1k as the anchor rep.
28. Broken 2k (1k + 500 + 500)
Target: 1000m at 2k pace, 1 min rest, 500m at 2k pace -2 sec, 1 min rest, 500m all-out
Purpose: Race-rehearsal session. Builds confidence at 2k speed without the full 2k cost.
Notes: Stack times plus rest for an indicative 2k - usually 5 to 10 seconds under your actual 2k.
29. Broken 6k (4x1500m with 1min rest)
Target: 4 x 1500m at AT split, 1 min rest only
Purpose: Tolerance work for head-race style efforts. Short rests keep heart rate high throughout.
Notes: Most relevant in autumn when the Erne Head and the head-race block roll in. Rate 24 to 26.
30. Mixed pyramid 1k-2k-1k
Target: 1000m at 2k pace -2 sec, 5 min rest, 2000m at 2k pace, 5 min rest, 1000m at 2k pace -3 sec
Purpose: Tests speed before and after race-pace work. Severe session.
Notes: Reserve for race prep. The closing 1k tells you everything about your fitness reserve.
How to pick the right workout
Use the matrix below to match goal to session. Session numbers link back to the workout description. If you do not yet have a 2k benchmark to anchor zone paces, run workout #21 first then come back.
| Your goal | Best workouts | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| General fitness, off-season | #1, #2, #4, #6, #26 | 3-4 per week |
| Race prep (2k focus) | #11, #14, #15, #28 | 2 per week, taper to 1 |
| Race prep (head race) | #3, #4, #24, #25, #29 | 2-3 per week |
| Power and start work | #16, #19, #20 | 1-2 per week |
| Technique session | #1, #5 (low rate) | Anytime |
| Recovery day | #1 capped at 30 min, UT2 pace | After hard session |
| Test week | #21, #22, #24, #25 | One test per week max |
| New to erg programming | #1, #6, #11, #21 in that order | Build over a month |
Coach-led variations
Prescribing a session 1:1 is one job. Running twelve athletes across twelve ergs at 7am is a different job. The patterns that work for squad sessions:
- Lineup grouping: Pair athletes within five seconds of each other on their 2k. Crews self-pace as a unit, which builds racing discipline. The coach tools show erg data by potential lineup.
- Split-target by 2k: Each athlete pulls to their own split, not a uniform pace. The session structure is identical, the numbers are personal. The training pace calculator exists for this exact problem - paste a 2k, get the zone targets, skip the whiteboard arithmetic.
- Squad leaderboards: Run a 6x500 as a session-wide leaderboard. Best total time wins. Works particularly well on #11 and #16. Pipe results into the coach tools so PBs are recorded automatically.
- Group progression: If twelve of fourteen hit target on a #8, push the rep number up next cycle (5x20 the following week). If three of fourteen hit it, drop the target by two seconds.
- Novice modifications: Halve the volume, keep the structure. A J16 4x500 in place of #11. Time on the erg matters more than total volume at that stage.
Pre-workout setup
Sessions only work if the machine is set up properly. Most rowers ignore drag factor. Few rowers warm up properly. Both kill session quality.
- Drag factor: 110 to 130 for most senior athletes. Lighter (90 to 110) for women and Junior rowers. Heavier (130 to 140) for openweight men. Set it before every session via the PM5 menu - the lever position alone does not guarantee drag. Run the drag factor calculator if you are unsure.
- Monitor settings: Display set to split per 500 for steady state and threshold work. Switch to watts for power work. Set up the workout in advance via Select Workout so the monitor counts down splits for you.
- Warm-up (10 min minimum): Three minutes easy paddling at rate 18 to 20, three minutes building to UT2 split, four times (30 sec at rate 26 / 30 sec light). Skip this and rep 1 of any TR or AN session is a write-off.
- Log immediately: Time, split, average watts, rate, body weight and a one-line note ("legs felt fresh", "back from a head cold"). Two minutes of admin protects months of trend data. Row HQ's member portal closes the loop on a phone in 30 seconds.
Common mistakes
These are the failure modes I see most often. Each one is fixable. Left alone, they bleed quality out of every session in the library.
- Going too hard on steady state. If your UT2 looks like UT1, you are not training the aerobic system you came for. The polarised-training literature is now unambiguous: 80 percent easy, 20 percent hard outperforms grinding everything in the grey zone. Cap rate at 22 in UT2 if you are tempted to push.
- No warm-up. Jumping into 4x10 cold turns the first four minutes of rep 1 into a warm-up at threshold pace, done badly. Ten minutes warmed properly beats fifteen warmed badly.
- No split target. "I will see what I can hold" is not a workout. It is a free pass to coast or to blow up. Set the target split before the first rep; derive it from your 2k via the training pace calculator.
- Mixing zones within one session. A "UT2 with sprints" is not UT2. Pick a zone, stay in it. Mixed-zone work has its place (#26 to #30) but every other session should sit cleanly in one zone.
- Not logging. An untracked session is training without compound interest. If you cannot show the trend, you cannot prescribe the next phase. Free option: paper. Better option: the club's coach tools.
- Testing too often. A 2k every fortnight teaches you to pace 2ks, not to row faster. One real 2k per training block (every 6 to 8 weeks), with broken 2ks and TR work in between.
FAQ
How many erg sessions per week should a club rower do?
Three to five depending on phase. Winter base from December through February typically carries four to five erg sessions a week. Once water sessions resume in March, two erg sessions weekly is plenty for a senior club rower. Juniors and IURC squads may push to six during exam periods or when the Lee, Lough Ree or the Shannon turn unrowable.
What is the best erg workout for beginners?
Start with workout #1 (60-minute steady state) at conversation pace, twice a week for the first month. Add workout #6 (4x10 minutes AT) once a week in month two. Run a first 2k trial (workout #21) at the end of month two - that gives you the benchmark to set zone paces from.
How long should a club erg session be?
Most quality sessions land between 45 and 75 minutes including warm-up and warm-down. Below 30 minutes you cannot fit in enough quality work once the warm-up is accounted for. Above 90 minutes returns diminish unless you are preparing for ultra-distance work.
Can these workouts be done on a WaterRower or Hydrow?
Yes, but the split benchmarks shift. WaterRower and Hydrow use different flywheel mechanics, so a Concept2 1:45 is roughly a WaterRower 1:48 and a Hydrow 1:47 at equivalent power. The session structure (intervals, zones, rest periods) transfers cleanly. Most Irish clubs default to Concept2 because the wider rowing world benchmarks against it - including Rowing Ireland trials and IURC selection.
What is the difference between AT and TR?
AT (aerobic threshold) is the highest sustained pace where lactate stays cleared. TR (lactate threshold or transport) is the pace where lactate begins to accumulate measurably. In practice: AT is "comfortably hard, short phrases possible", TR is "hard, single words only". Most club rowers underestimate the AT/TR line and grind too hard on AT sessions as a result.
Should I warm up with rate work?
Yes. After six minutes of easy paddling, include four to six short rate bursts (15 strokes at rate 26 to 28, 30 sec rest between). This primes the nervous system without burning glycogen. Most rowers skip rate bursts and the first hard interval suffers.
How do I know if my drag factor is right?
For most senior club rowers, 110 to 130. Heavier rowers (90kg+) can sit 130 to 140. Junior rowers and women typically run 100 to 120. Higher drag does not mean harder work - it means a heavier boat feel with a slower catch. If your rate is dropping under 22 in a TR session, drag may be too high. The drag factor calculator linked from the Tools hub gives a per-athlete recommendation.
Where can I track ergo scores across the squad?
Row HQ's coach tools include an ergo log built for clubs. Athletes record results from the member portal in 30 seconds, coaches see the squad-wide view with PB highlights, and the data feeds straight into crew selection at Skibbereen, Commercial, NUIG, the IURC squads and any other Irish club running the same workflow. Concept2 Logbook entries import automatically.
- Jason
Sources & references
- Rowing Ireland - Coaching and Performance Framework — Rowing Ireland
- Concept2 indoor rower training guides and sample workouts — Concept2
- Concept2 PM5 monitor reference — Concept2
- Concept2 Online Logbook (rankings and reference) — Concept2
- Workouts of the Day archive (decades of programmed sessions) — Concept2
- Indoor rowing technique and drag factor reference — Concept2
- World Rowing coaching education and training zones — World Rowing
- USRowing performance testing standards — USRowing
- Rowing Australia high performance unit — Rowing Australia
- Polarised training research (Stoggl & Sperlich, Frontiers in Physiology 2014) — Frontiers in Physiology
- Bompa periodisation of training principles (academic overview) — Human Kinetics
- Row HQ training pace calculator (split targets from your 2k) — Row HQ
- Row HQ erg score calculator — Row HQ
- Row HQ 2k prediction calculator — Row HQ
- Row HQ watts-to-split converter — Row HQ
- Row HQ drag factor calculator — Row HQ
- Row HQ VO2 max calculator — Row HQ