The Return-to-Train Phase
Archive post from 8/15/22
After spending so much time in 2020 and 2021 talking about returning to training, I’ve accidentally taken this year off until now. It’s fresh on my mind again as junior and collegiate programs begin a new academic year, and many masters are returning from summer away (or inconsistent/reduced training) for fall head race season.
The biggest type, boldest font, above-the-fold, most key takeaway is to start off easier than you think you need to and build gradually from there. No “hell weeks,” high volume/load training camps without preparation, introductory maximal erg tests, or other sudden spikes in training load. It’s not sexy, but neither is being injured.
The first 2-3 weeks of resuming or beginning structured training is the phase of far-and-away highest non-contact injury risk, including low back, ribs, and soft tissue injuries, as well as extreme medical problems like exertional rhabdomyolysis (“rhabdo”), heat stroke, and sudden cardiac death. This applies to all ages and levels of rowers.
I'm particularly sensitive to low back and ribs as common rowing injuries, because prior injury is a major risk for future injury. Once you have one, you're more likely to get another in the future, so preventing the first injury is absolutely key to reducing overall injury rates.
Rowers and coaches often want to “get back to where we were as quickly as possible,” but this is short-sighted. Instead of incurring injury risk that could derail the rest of your season, year, or rowing career, use the return-to-train time to set yourself up to go beyond your prior levels of training and performance.
The simplest system for “how easy is easy and how gradual is gradual” is the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s (NSCA) 50/30/20/10% reductions rule. Using your training volume from your most recent month or pre-layoff month as your “100%” number, train the following progression:
Week 1: 50%
Week 2: 70%
Week 3: 80%
Week 4: 90%
If you did 100km per week before the layoff, begin with 50km during your first week back. Don't do all 50km in one or two sessions to achieve the weekly goal at the expense of the daily progression. Use the same number of sessions per week as in your pre-layoff or normal plan, and the same intensity zones/targets for each session, and just cut the volume in half. The next week, go up to 70km across the same number of sessions and intensity zones, then 80km, then 90km, then you're ready to go to your full training program if all is still well.
If you've continued being active with cross-training, but just haven't been erging, rowing, or sculling, then backfill the remaining volume with familiar cross-training. For example, we might do 50km on the water/erg that first week back, and make up the equivalent "other" 50km with whatever cross-training mode you've been doing. The next week, go to 70% row/erg and 30% cross-train, then 80/20, then 90/10. This preserves general fitness while increasing the specific training volume.
Read more in my 2020 article here, including information about strength training, rowing research, and additional resources. Links below to webinars on this topic: May 2020 by myself, April 2021 with Liz Fusco to discuss nutrition/hydration.