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01Chapter 1 · The engine and the erg

One bad session ruins the week?

Transcript

  1. One bad session ruins the week?
  2. Even trained rowers wobble.
  3. That's noise. Not fitness.
  4. Our rule: plus or minus two seconds.
  5. Inside the band? That's flat.
  6. One outside? Change nothing.
  7. Two in a row? Fifteen percent less.
  8. Two better? Improving.
  9. Our band used to be one second.
  10. We widened it to two.

In short

One bad session changes nothing. Here's why.

Row the same piece twice and the numbers won't match exactly. Studies of trained rowers on the erg show it too: every test has some noise.

Draw a band around your own recent numbers. Our rule is ±2.0 s per 500 m on the rower and SkiErg, ±5% watts on the bike and ±7% calories on the air bike.

Inside the band: flat. One session worse than the band: a bad day, so change nothing.

Two in a row: our rule is 15% less main-set volume and an easier target. Two better in a row: improving.

Our band used to be ±1 second. We widened it to two after reviewing the evidence.

How to run and pace each test, and how to read the result.

See the four engine tests

Or start in Telegram.

Sources

  • Paper

    Schabort EJ, Hawley JA, Hopkins WG, Blum H (1999) High reliability of performance of well-trained rowers on a rowing ergometer. Journal of Sports Sciences 17(8):627-632. doi 10.1080/026404199365650, PMID 10487463 (verified on PubMed 31 Oct 2026: eight well-trained rowers, repeat 2000 m trials on a Concept II ergometer, close but not identical). Used qualitatively on beat 2; no figure on screen

    doi.org/10.1080/026404199365650

  • Paper

    Hopkins WG, Schabort EJ, Hawley JA (2001) Reliability of power in physical performance tests. Sports Medicine 31(3):211-234. doi 10.2165/00007256-200131030-00005, PMID 11286357 (verified on PubMed 31 Oct 2026: meta-analytic review of test-to-test variation in performance tests). Used qualitatively on beat 3; no figure on screen

    doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200131030-00005

  • Ours

    Our rules: MaxCals rules, not research findings. Each is labelled OUR RULE.

Nothing here is medical advice. The tests are maximal efforts: if you have a health condition or any doubt about training this hard, check with a doctor first, and stop if you feel unwell.