Stroke Rate for Training on the Dynamic Indoor Rower

[CharleCarroll]

In an article title “Understanding Stroke Rate” [1] Concept2 advises:

“For rowing, a stroke rate between 24 and 30 strokes per minute is typical for most workouts. When racing, stroke rates are generally a bit higher but usually still below 36.

“An increased stroke rate does not necessarily mean that you are working out with more intensity. Instead, the key to increasing intensity is knowing how and when to apply power. Focus on getting as much power as you can into each drive/pull. To focus on this power think of using a ratio of one beat on each drive for every two beats on the recovery. In other words, don’t rush as you travel up the slide to take the next stroke. Instead, relax on the recovery as you prepare for the work of the next drive. See “How to Row Harder” [2] for more information.”

So the key to increasing intensity is knowing how and when to apply power. But this is hardly news to anyone who has rowed any length of time either on-water or on the erg.

Accordingly in my workouts on the Dynamic Indoor Rower I have been experimenting with lowering the stroke rate and applying more power during the drive. Of course I am rowing faster. This was to be expected.

But I also expected to pay a price for making my back work harder — more stiffness in the morning, increased back pain, increased fatigue when I am walking, that sort of thing. What I didn’t expect is that working my back harder would leave it feeling stronger and better than it has in years.

So I have been wondering if this isn’t this just the old challenge and response theory? Challenge your body and it will respond by becoming stronger to meet the challenge.

Consider the Myth of Milo of Croton superhuman strength. Milo is said to have “once carried a four-year-old bull on his shoulders before slaughtering, roasting, and devouring it in one day. He was said to have achieved the feat of lifting the bull by starting in childhood, lifting and carrying a newborn calf and repeating the feat daily as it grew to maturity.” (see Wikipedia “Milo of Croton”)

So every day as the bull grew in size the challenge to lift it became more intense.

But if the challenge had remained always the same, wouldn’t the result also have remained the same? Milo would never have gotten stronger.

Isn’t this why it is important to include a variety of workouts in your training — aerobic, anaerobic, distance, interval, all at different intensities — because if you always do what you've always done, won’t you will always get what you've always got?

I would be interested in hearing from anyone who includes a variety of workouts in his or her training or who may thoughts about this.

[1] http://www.concept2.com/service/monitor ... troke-rate
[2] http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/t ... row-harder

[hjs]

Aerobic sports, like rowing, get the best results, with relative very boring training, the bulk should be long, lower rated, certainly not 26/30. More 18/24. Improvements will be little per session, but after the first gains, improvement will be little. Olympic athletes train years, to improve a few %.
Rowing is not fancy, its doing the same thing over and over. Doing lots of anaerobic work will not help, on the contrary, it will hinder your aerobic fitness.

[H2O]

The story of Milo sounds believable. I too can carry a bull which I can devour in one day. I just haven't found such a bull yet.

[CharleCarroll]

I doubt that there will be much interest, if any, in this thread. But in case there is, I am uploading the link to the identical post I left on rec.sport.rowing.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic ... EKRbspoiK8

[CharleCarroll]

> Aerobic sports, like rowing, get the best results, with relative very boring training

http://www.concept2.com/news/7-reasons- ... %20Monitor

[gooseflight]

But where's numbered point 8?

8. Knock 30 seconds of your 2K in a month

Seriously though, in terms of performance [time reduction] in power endurance sports, the introduction of intervals at the end of a periodised programme and following extensive base-building is well-proven I think.

[jamesg]

I would be interested in hearing from anyone who includes a variety of workouts in his or her training or who may thoughts about this.

See any Interactive 2k schedule: plenty of long stuff, lots of variables, and anything but boring.

[Ombrax]

Consider the Myth of Milo of Croton superhuman strength. Milo is said to have “once carried a four-year-old bull on his shoulders before slaughtering, roasting, and devouring it in one day. He was said to have achieved the feat of lifting the bull by starting in childhood, lifting and carrying a newborn calf and repeating the feat daily as it grew to maturity.” (see Wikipedia “Milo of Croton”)

Beyond the "value of regular exercise" aspect, I think this story may have a second moral: beware of your friends.

I'm sure that calf grew to know and like Milo, given that every day he came over to play with it. Then, after four years of this, out of the blue, heartless Milo kills and eats his friend.

What a surprise that must have been for that poor bull!

[JerekKruger]

The story of Milo sounds believable. I too can carry a bull which I can devour in one day. I just haven't found such a bull yet.

I found that bull years ago: it was red and, honestly, it was a bit disappointing.