Final Preparation for 2000-Meter Race
Coming into the final 3 weeks of preparation for the 2K piece Linda and I wanted to provide some thoughts from a coach’s perspective.
1. Count backward from the day you are going to take the piece to help benchmark certain types of workouts to finish the preparation. This process also helps identify your peaking period. For rowers with full work or travel schedules I would include important other activities as well. This helps reduce surprises.
2. Be sure you identify your Drag Factor during this period so that you as do the final speed preparation your machine is spot on where you like to row it. Keep everything clean, oiled (vegetable not silicone) and batteries full of life.
3. Consider including a test piece 12-15 days out from the last weekend in October. I would not peak significantly for this but would be rested.
4. Begin to include more speed work (anaerobic work) to maximize that portion of the energy system, which helps early and late in the piece.
a. 12-15 x 1 min work, 1 min rest. 6-8 repetitions slightly below race stroke rate and the balance slightly above.
b. 4 x 2 min work with 5 min rest, practice the first and last two minutes of the piece. Very high quality as paces slightly higher than race pace in the beginning and certainly faster in the last two minutes.
c. 5-7 x 500 m with 3-5 times the work time.
d. 10 x 30 stroke with 60 strokes easy paddle
e. 10-15 x 20 sec work 40 sec rest in sets of 3-5 with 4-6 minutes rest between sets. Very low paces or very high watts are necessary to fully engage the short-term energy system.
5. Consider completing a super compensation weekend two weeks out which would include 3-4 rows over a 48 hour period.
a. This would include a morning of 500 5-7 repetitions with a long cool down and your favorite breakfast.
b. That afternoon 3-4 x 1000 exactly like your first and last 1000. Be sure to clear out all the lactate with 20-30 steady state rowing
c. Next morning is 3 x 1500m at 2-4 strokes per min under race rate. But the effort is strong. Include the same cool down.
d. Finally back to 5-7 x 500 meter 2 for the start, 1-2 middle of the race and 1-2 of the last portion of the race
e. Next morning include a 30-40 steady row – low rate very moderate pace. Consider not rowing for 48-60 hours.
6. Be sure to keep the aerobic side of the training included as the speed work is introduced.
7. 4-5 days out treat you to the first 500m with plenty of rest and the final 1000m. 72 hours out a few 20-30 second pieces to keep explosiveness and the neuromuscular system engaged is a good idea. The hay is in the barn at that point. Proper fluids, rest and a normal diet without introducing any new foods are a good idea. Constantly working on strong technique to the end is also important.
8. Good luck we are all pulling for you.
Some considerations for the final three weeks.
Re: Some considerations for the final three weeks.
All this sprinty stuff should indeed be done. But if I understand him correctly, and he says that I never do, people like Mike Caviston suggest for final preparation for a 2K doing a combination of world record-level (almost) marathon-length rows (e.g., for me, 30K @ 1:48) in rotation with enormously difficult rows at high stroking power, e.g, for me, things such as 4 x 4'3'2'1' (with 3:30 rest), 20-22-24-26 spm @ 1:49-1:45-1:41--1:37, all in addition to the kinds of things you are suggesting.lgluckma wrote:Final Preparation for 2000-Meter Race
Coming into the final 3 weeks of preparation for the 2K piece Linda and I wanted to provide some thoughts from a coach’s perspective.
1. Count backward from the day you are going to take the piece to help benchmark certain types of workouts to finish the preparation. This process also helps identify your peaking period. For rowers with full work or travel schedules I would include important other activities as well. This helps reduce surprises.
2. Be sure you identify your Drag Factor during this period so that you as do the final speed preparation your machine is spot on where you like to row it. Keep everything clean, oiled (vegetable not silicone) and batteries full of life.
3. Consider including a test piece 12-15 days out from the last weekend in October. I would not peak significantly for this but would be rested.
4. Begin to include more speed work (anaerobic work) to maximize that portion of the energy system, which helps early and late in the piece.
a. 12-15 x 1 min work, 1 min rest. 6-8 repetitions slightly below race stroke rate and the balance slightly above.
b. 4 x 2 min work with 5 min rest, practice the first and last two minutes of the piece. Very high quality as paces slightly higher than race pace in the beginning and certainly faster in the last two minutes.
c. 5-7 x 500 m with 3-5 times the work time.
d. 10 x 30 stroke with 60 strokes easy paddle
e. 10-15 x 20 sec work 40 sec rest in sets of 3-5 with 4-6 minutes rest between sets. Very low paces or very high watts are necessary to fully engage the short-term energy system.
5. Consider completing a super compensation weekend two weeks out which would include 3-4 rows over a 48 hour period.
a. This would include a morning of 500 5-7 repetitions with a long cool down and your favorite breakfast.
b. That afternoon 3-4 x 1000 exactly like your first and last 1000. Be sure to clear out all the lactate with 20-30 steady state rowing
c. Next morning is 3 x 1500m at 2-4 strokes per min under race rate. But the effort is strong. Include the same cool down.
d. Finally back to 5-7 x 500 meter 2 for the start, 1-2 middle of the race and 1-2 of the last portion of the race
e. Next morning include a 30-40 steady row – low rate very moderate pace. Consider not rowing for 48-60 hours.
6. Be sure to keep the aerobic side of the training included as the speed work is introduced.
7. 4-5 days out treat you to the first 500m with plenty of rest and the final 1000m. 72 hours out a few 20-30 second pieces to keep explosiveness and the neuromuscular system engaged is a good idea. The hay is in the barn at that point. Proper fluids, rest and a normal diet without introducing any new foods are a good idea. Constantly working on strong technique to the end is also important.
8. Good luck we are all pulling for you.
What do you think about this?
Sounds pretty different from what you are recommending.
ranger
Ranger,
Mike's and your successes are not to be questioned. If you have been including the 20 % of your training in the anaerobic portion of the energy system throughout the year it is important to maintain what you are doing and I would not change a thing.
However, if speed and lactate toleranace workouts have not been included then an introduction of those types of workouts 3 weeks out is equally important. Maintenance of aerobic systems is critical. However, the volume suggested at the intensity you posted may cause significant fatigue in some rowers that would prevent them for doing adequate anaerobic work.
If you believe that training builds fitness and rest builds performance then a combination of workouts permitting the maintenance of aerobic power and the fine tuning of the ATP and anaerobic portion of the energy system plus sufficient rest would be the goal in this final period. Each athlete must do what they feel the most comfortable and have had the most successful experiences doing.
I appreciate your point of view. Good luck, lg
Mike's and your successes are not to be questioned. If you have been including the 20 % of your training in the anaerobic portion of the energy system throughout the year it is important to maintain what you are doing and I would not change a thing.
However, if speed and lactate toleranace workouts have not been included then an introduction of those types of workouts 3 weeks out is equally important. Maintenance of aerobic systems is critical. However, the volume suggested at the intensity you posted may cause significant fatigue in some rowers that would prevent them for doing adequate anaerobic work.
If you believe that training builds fitness and rest builds performance then a combination of workouts permitting the maintenance of aerobic power and the fine tuning of the ATP and anaerobic portion of the energy system plus sufficient rest would be the goal in this final period. Each athlete must do what they feel the most comfortable and have had the most successful experiences doing.
I appreciate your point of view. Good luck, lg