Rowing New Year Resolutions: Setting Goals That Last

Most resolutions fade by February because they are vague or too ambitious. A good rowing goal is specific, has a deadline, and fits the life you actually have.

Choose a goal you can measure

“Get fitter” cannot be checked off. Rowing gives you plenty of numbers to use instead. Pick one main goal and no more than two small supporting ones:

• Row three times a week for twelve weeks.
• Complete a 2k test in January, then beat it in spring.
• Row 100,000 metres in a calendar month.
• Join a club and enter a first race or head.
• Learn to scull, or finish a beginner’s course on the water.

Use the SMART check: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound. “Take 10 seconds off my 2k by the end of April” passes. “Row more” does not. If your goal is a time, set a short-term marker as well, such as improving your 500m split on a repeated session every few weeks, so that progress is visible long before the deadline. More on this in goals for yourself.

Turn the goal into a weekly plan

Work backwards from the date. Say you want a better 2k in twelve weeks:

Week type	Sessions	Example
Base weeks (1 to 4)	3	Two steady 30 to 40 minute rows at an easy rate (18 to 20 spm), one set of intervals such as 5 x 4 minutes with 2 minutes rest
Build weeks (5 to 8)	3 to 4	Add a longer steady row of 45 to 60 minutes, keep one interval session
Sharpen weeks (9 to 11)	3	Shorter, faster intervals such as 8 x 500m with 90 seconds rest
Test week (12)	2 to 3	Easy rows, then the test itself

If you are new, start with your first month on the erg and then move to a structured training plan such as the 12-week beginner to fit. Put the sessions in your diary like any other appointment. A plan that lives only in your head loses to a busy Tuesday.

Track progress properly

Log every session: date, distance or time, average split, rate, and how it felt out of 10. Once a month, repeat the same benchmark piece, for example 4 x 1,000m with 3 minutes rest, and compare the averages. Do not judge your progress from a single session; tiredness, sleep and stress all move the numbers. Keep the log somewhere you will actually open, whether that is a notebook, a spreadsheet or the Concept2 online logbook. Our guide to measuring your results covers what to record, and a heart rate monitor adds useful context for steady sessions.

Build the habit

Habits stick when they are easy to start. Three tactics work well:

• Fixed cue. Row at the same time each day, or straight after something you already do, such as the school run or finishing work.
• Low floor. On bad days, commit to ten minutes. You will often carry on; if not, the habit survives.
• Remove friction. Lay out kit the night before, and keep the erg set up instead of stored away if space allows.

Rowing with other people helps a great deal. A friend who expects you at 7am is more reliable than willpower, and a club gives you coaching and a reason to turn up. Consistency beats intensity every time, especially in the first three months.

Plan for setbacks

You will miss sessions. Illness, travel and work all get a vote. The rule is simple: after a missed few days, resume at the planned session; after a week or more, repeat the previous week at a slightly easier effort before moving on. Plateaus are normal too, usually around week six to eight. Change one thing, such as adding a longer steady row or an extra interval set, rather than everything at once. The article on the upper limit problem explains how to break through.

Look after recovery

Training improves you only if you recover from it. Keep at least one or two rest days a week, and treat sleep as part of the plan. Eat enough to fuel the work you are doing; do not use a resolution as an excuse for a crash diet. If you feel sharp pain, rather than ordinary tiredness, stop and get it checked. If you have a health condition, are returning after a long break, or are older and increasing exercise a lot, speak to your GP first.

Pick a finish line

Resolutions work better with an event at the end: a club time trial, an indoor race, or a charity distance. A date focuses the plan and gives you something to look forward to. More ideas live in the training hub.