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For a little over a month, I have been ERGing…indoor rowing (see the previous blog to see the device).
It has been great to feel my body getting stronger and to watch the quantifiable evidence of that. For instance, during the first week, while I was just getting started, in fact during my first row, I was able to complete 1500m at a pace of 3:21 per 500.
Today, I completed 6000m at a pace of 2:15 per 500. That is four times further, with each 1500 occurring more than 3 minutes faster than I was able to do on day one! This is also a big difference because on the ERG there is a cube effect that means that to improve by 10%, you need to increase your output by 30%. Wow!
I am on the ERG Monday through Friday, and I am trying to complete over 30,000m per week.
I am doing:
- 6000m on Monday and Thursday
- 2x 2000 m on Tuesday
- 500 m on Wednesday with a 2000m cool down
- 10,000 m on Friday
With the warm up I do, I should be able to make my goal each week. Of course, I am complimenting the ERG with a kettlebell routine that really makes me tired and strengthens my legs and shoulders further.
The best news is that I am sleeping great, eating better, feeling fitter and losing weight! Perfect.
Just thought I would share!
Neil
Now that my foot is acting up, perhaps I should try rowing.
Comment by Seanna — February 5, 2009 @ 12:59 pm
Seanna, next time I see you lets give it a whirl!
Comment by Neil Chasan, PT, MMT — February 5, 2009 @ 1:18 pm
The erg is one of the best pieces of equipment you will find in the gym.
Question: After ACL reconstructive surgery when should you get back on the erg?
Comment by Claude — February 15, 2009 @ 1:04 pm
Claude, good question. The Concept 2 requires a certain amount of knee flexion for proper use. The first restriction will be your lack of knee flexion. Also, depending on if there was cartilage repair or a bone bruise with your injury, you doctor might have other weight bearing restrictions as well. So before you get on the erg, please check with your doc that loading in a flexed posture is OK. Assuming that you have full ROM and no other weight bearing restrictions, as soon as you can bend your knee far enough to achieve a normal erg stroke, then you should be good to go. The erg loads the knee in the sagital plan only, often is one of the easiest loads to attenuate in the knee (as opposed to the frontal and transverse planes), so that is one reason why the erg is actually a good post ACL rehab tool. You get bilateral quad training, good proprioceptive feedback through weight bearing, and good tension of the hamstring if you use good form. In the event that you had a hamstring tendon graft, you should be concerned a little bit about the repair of the hamstring. I would wait at least 6 weeks before pushing hard on the erg to allow the hamstring to scar down.
Comment by Neil Chasan, PT, MMT — February 15, 2009 @ 1:20 pm
Neil thank you for your response and a very through answer to my question.
The ACL surgery was done on a 13 year old girl who is very athletic, extremely intelligent and motivated to achieve a competitive level.
We are having a 2k sprint Feb 28 which would like to enter with her father. I will ask her to be an assistant not a participant.
With your information she can ask her doctor the appropriate questions and get more specific direction for her physical therapist. She has a good therapist but the therapist does not have an athletic background and deal more with the general population.
Comment by Claude — February 16, 2009 @ 12:18 pm
Happy to help, please let me know if I can be of further assistance!
N
Comment by Neil Chasan, PT, MMT — February 16, 2009 @ 12:43 pm