Long interval HR zones?

[jim10nicetown]

Everything I read says that steady state is where I should do the majority of my training sessions per week. I also am reading that these should be in HR zone 2. This is easy enough to do, but I also should be doing some long interval training sessions during the week. Do I worry about a HR zone for these sessions? HR Zone 2 seems silly since I could just do a long steady state in zone2 instead. Should I do long intervals in zone 4? I have read that Zone 3 is a gray/non optimal zone.

Same question could be applied to longer varied interval training sessions.

any insights?

[jamesg]

Depends how fit you are and whether you've learnt to row.

There's no point in doing long intervals if your HR exceeds the limits; this simply means you are unfit and you'd be forced into a weak stroke, which has no training effect. When rowing there is no equivalent to jogging; the stroke is always hard, since the work although done by the legs, and two at a time, has to go through the arms. So keep the pieces short and the quality high.

The standard rowing conditions for basic training are a reasonably good stroke (quantified by Watts/Rating and determined by Length x Handle Force as seen in ergdata) at aerobic ratings: 18-23.

If you've had no coaching, see C2:
https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/ ... que-videos

[jamesg]

You find Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced pdf training plans, specific to rowing, here

https://www.britishrowing.org/indoor-ro ... ing-plans/

[Tobias Stoehr]

I personally have found the HR zones which Rowing Australia uses the best to match my physiology (T-Zones).

T1: 60-75% HRmax
T2: 75-84% HRmax (steady state)
T3: 82-89% HRmax (hard steady state, sub anaerobic threshold)
T4: 88-93% HRmax (anaerobic threshold)
T5: 92-100% HRmax (maximal aerobic)

You want your steady state in the T2 zone. It is not super easy.

Intervals to build aerobic capacity can be done in T3, T4, T5.

T3 intervals could be something like 6x10 Min, 3 min Rest, rate 24. Or 10-12x4min, 1min rest, rate 26.
T4 intervals could be 4x10 Minutes, 5min rest, rate 26-28.
T5 intervals could be 5x5 Minutes, 5min rest, rate 28-30+.

The statement that T3 is "non optimal" is not true. T3 should not replace T2 and not be used as your long steady state zone. But T3 can be used to build aerobic endurance if used correctly as interval format.

[Dangerscouse]

I love an occasional grey zone / T3 session. I find they're really beneficial, probably only on a short-term basis, but they always play a role in my training

[MPx]

The bit most people leave out when talking about polarised training is volume . If you're not doing much volume and/or only 3 or 4 sessions a week then its doesn't matter much what you do, just about anything is beneficial. If you do very high volume and/or everyday then you wont be able to recover quickly enough to keep it up for long if you go at it too hard. In those circs, lots of time in Zone 2 is the only way so that the hard days in the higher zones can be recovered from. Zone 2 stuff can be any format you like to keep it interesting, but is just as effective as a single long piece. Most of us can only manage 2 (some 3) hard sessions a week. I do one as short intervals and one as long intervals or TTs depending on what challenges have been set. The rest is much less demanding.

[Tsnor]

Everything I read says that steady state is where I should do the majority of my training sessions per week. I also am reading that these should be in HR zone 2. This is easy enough to do, but I also should be doing some long interval training sessions during the week. Do I worry about a HR zone for these sessions? HR Zone 2 seems silly since I could just do a long steady state in zone2 instead. Should I do long intervals in zone 4? I have read that Zone 3 is a gray/non optimal zone.

Same question could be applied to longer varied interval training sessions.

any insights?

There's research that shows that "100% long slow" is not good for you vs. "mostly long/slow and minimum 1 day/week of intensity". The intensity could be a long/hard row. It could be short intervals. They seem to work the same - mix/match all you want. Your intensity should be high and your HR should reflect that. (Example, for 30 sec on / 90 sec off intervals your HR will not hit as high as 4 X 2K intervals, but they are both intense workouts. That's the type of workout you want for that 1 day/week minimum. I think that is what is meant by : "I also should be doing some long interval training sessions during the week."

Your question: "Do I worry about a HR zone for these sessions?" No, it's hammer time. Definitely not zone 2 HR cap.

Re: "Should I do long intervals in zone 4? I have read that Zone 3 is a gray/non optimal zone." This has been debunked. The originator of Polarized and just about every study result say that there are only two really different workout -- those below the first lactate threshold and those above. Zobne 3, Grey Zone, is just fine. You will need to work longer at zone 3 to get the same workout as zone 4 -- but for many workouts a longer zone 3 is more fun. Mix/match zone 3/4 all you want. https://youtu.be/kC5_0qOJhDk?t=4473

[MPx]

Sorry, too long since my post above so can't edit. I wasn't concentrating on the meaning of "Zone2". I'm guessing the OP was meaning the Ergdata HR zones....whereas I had in my head UT2. I did one of my std steady pieces today 2x5k 3r @ 20 spm which I count as a UT2 piece. The first was very low HR, but the second one which was approx 10 bpm higher across the range peaking at 136 which is mid UT1 for me and avg was 126 which is a little over mid UT2. Ergdata had virtually this whole session in Zone 3 with <10% Zone2. Therefore my comments really related to Ergdata Zone 3 ... not 2. Don't mean to start another debate on real vs guessed HR zones etc - just thought I'd better admit to my misuse of the term Zone 2 even within my own definition!