This 5-week ergo training program is designed for all rowers to complement your on-water rowing sessions by improving endurance, power, and technique. With only two short structured sessions per week (Mondays and Wednesdays), this plan balances intensity and recovery to help you build strength and efficiency without overtraining.
Each session includes variable intensities to accommodate different fitness levels—whether you’re a beginner refining your technique and fitness or an advanced rower aiming for that bit extra. The workouts gradually progress in intensity, preparing you for stronger, more controlled rowing both on the erg and on the water.
Who is this for?
– Rowers looking to supplement on-water training
– Athletes wanting to build fitness, endurance, power & efficiency
– Anyone seeking a structured, progressive indoor rowing plan
What to Expect
- Mondays: Harder, high-intensity sessions (~30 min)
- Wednesdays: Lower-intensity, technique-focused sessions (~25 min)
- Mix of intervals, endurance work, and power training
- Progressive overload to improve fitness over 5 weeks
Lets get started.
Week 1: Building the Base
This week is all about establishing a solid foundation on the Concept2. Monday’s interval ladder will introduce varied intensities to build endurance and power, while Wednesday’s steady-state session with power bursts will reinforce stroke efficiency. Focus on technique and pacing as you ease into the program.
– Key Focus: Stroke control, endurance, and power bursts
– Monday: Pyramid Intervals
– Wednesday: Steady-State with Power Bursts
Week 2: Strength & Stroke Rate Control
We step up the intensity with short, powerful efforts on Monday, testing your ability to sustain high-intensity bursts. Wednesday shifts the focus to stroke rate control, improving efficiency at different cadences. These sessions will help fine-tune technique for both power and endurance.
– Key Focus: Short bursts of power, stroke rate awareness
– Monday: Short Bursts
– Wednesday: 1-Minute On, 1-Minute Off Intervals
Week 3: Endurance & Power Progression
This week introduces longer work intervals on Monday to build stamina and race readiness. The Wednesday session slows things down, emphasising low-rate endurance to improve efficiency and strength per stroke. By the end of this week, you should feel more control over power application.
– Key Focus: Longer power efforts, low-rate endurance
– Monday: 6 Power Intervals
– Wednesday: Power Increase
Week 4: Power and Endurance
Monday’s Intervals session will help you master different levels of discomfort, teaching you how to pace properly for sustained power output. Wednesday keeps things interesting by applying hard and fast efforts to keep us focussed under fatigue.
– Key Focus: Pacing, speed variations, race preparation
– Monday: 6 x 2min Speed Intervals
– Wednesday: Hard and Fast Bursts to Build Fatigue
Week 5: Race Simulation & Recovery
The final week sharpens race readiness! Monday’s session mimics a race-style interval progression, preparing you for sustained high-intensity efforts. The last Wednesday session is a Race Simulation, ensuring you finish the program feeling strong and efficient.
– Key Focus: Race preparation, recovery, fine-tuning technique
– Monday: Race Prep Intervals
– Wednesday: Race Simulation Sets
Congratulations on Completing the 5-Week Ergo Training Program!
You’ve just completed five weeks of structured ergo training, designed to enhance your endurance, power, and technique while complementing your on-water sessions. By progressively building intensity, improving stroke efficiency, and pushing through fatigue, you’ve become a stronger, more efficient rower.
Whether you’re preparing for a competition or simply looking to maintain peak fitness, keep up the momentum! Stay consistent, listen to your body, and keep refining your technique both on the erg and on the water.
OR, you can print out the file for the whole program by clicking below.
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