RETURNING TO YOUR ROWER

So it’s been a little while since you’ve been on your rower. Not to worry – it happens! Whether you’ve been focusing on different exercises or you’ve been busy with travel, we’ve got a number of tips to help you return to form. 

TLC FOR YOUR ROWER

We recommend performing these maintenance checks before you start rowing again. 

• Using a damp cloth, wipe off any dust that’s accumulated on the rails and seat wheels.
• Tighten the bolts on your rower with a 5mm Allen key (instructions here).
• Note: Make sure you don’t over-tighten the bolts, as that may put the rower out of alignment.
• Add a purification tablet to the tank (order more for free here).
  
• Ensure that all of the cables on your rower are firmly connected (instructions here). 

If you run into any issues during this tune-up, please reach out to us at support@ergatta.com and we’ll be happy to assist. 

READY TO ROW

Now that your rower is ready to go, there are a few things we’d recommend before you dive back into your workouts. 

TUTORIALS

If you need a refresher on rowing form, rowing metrics, or the different workouts available on the Ergatta platform, head to the Tutorials section on your rower’s touchscreen. You’ll find articles and videos to answer all your questions.

To access the Tutorials from your home screen, select: “Menu” (top left-hand corner), then “Tutorials.”

RE-CALIBRATE

Next, we’d recommend that you complete a re-calibration exercise on the rower. Re-calibrating can be a good idea if you’ve been off the rower for a while or if you’re returning after any sort of health hiatus.

The re-calibration will set your personalized Intensity Zones to an appropriate level that reflects your current rowing fitness.

Depending on your performance, our system may bring you to a higher (ie, slower) Classification or a lower (ie, faster) Classification, or it may keep you at the same level.

As you start rowing more regularly again, the system will automatically adjust your Intensity Zones and Classification, so that your workouts grow with you.

To access the manual re-calibration from your home screen, select: “Dashboard,” then “Intensity Zones,” then “Recalibrate.”

SET A WEEKLY GOAL

Set a weekly goal on the rower to keep you accountable to your rowing routine. You want your goal to be achievable week in, week out.

To read more about our goal setting feature, check out our blog post Weekly Goals and Streaks. 

CHOOSING A WORKOUT

Start in Your Library. Here, you'll find a list of your past workouts, as well as recommended and favorited workouts.

To reduce decision fatigue, which can derail a budding fitness routine, you might choose to jump back into rowing with one of our Push Programs.

Here are a few great Push Programs to consider: 

REBORN

This program will help you get back on the rower twice per week. It focuses on building your cardio base with eight workouts that center consistent, steady rowing. There are two variations of this program: one with all Meteor workouts, and one with all Pulse workouts. 

STARTER SERIES

This program starts from the very basics. For that reason, it’s a favorite for true beginners. Over the course of 15 weeks, you’ll gradually work your way up to a 1,000m row, a 2,000m row, and HIIT workouts, with practices that begin to introduce higher intensity zones.

LEVEL UP SERIES

This 12-week program builds upon the foundations laid by the Getting Started Series (GSS). With a similar format to the GSS, this program can be a great place to start if you have a high fitness base and you’re looking to develop a rowing habit. 

CROSS TRAINING: MENTAL FOCUS

This advanced program is designed to supplement advanced endurance training. It’s best suited for cyclists, runners, triathletes, and the like who maintain a high level of cardio training off the rower. This classic and challenging program is defined by its longest row, the 90 Min Sunshine Skyway, as well as by the 70 Min Tuneup and the 15,000m final Race workout. 

STAYING CONSISTENT

As you pick up your rowing routine again, it’s important to pay attention to how your body feels during and after workouts. Be sure to stretch before and after workouts to avoid injury (find useful stretches in our blog post, Pre and Post Rowing Stretches).

Remember that small, incremental changes to your routine are more sustainable and are healthier than big, rapid changes. Rest days are critical to a well-balanced fitness plan, so don’t try to make up for lost time overnight.

Adjust your routine as needed. If you set too ambitious of a weekly goal, lower it to a level that you’re 90% confident you can achieve on a consistent, weekly basis. Similarly, if a Push Program you started is too challenging, take a break from it and try one that’s less intense – you can always come back to it later on.

Additional questions? Contact our team at support@ergatta.com and we’ll be happy to help.

Looking for accountability partners? Join our Facebook Community or Reddit group for access to thousands of Ergatta members.