Quad pain at the end of a 2k

[rower1234]

Hello, everyone!

First, here are my stats: 17-years-old, 155 lbs, 5'11" 6:34 2k (splits: 37.6, 38.4, 38.1, 40.2) (rates: 31, 29, 32, 34)

Now, you may notice that the last split of the 500 is not where it should be - that's what I'm here about. When I pull a 2k, my heart rate is solid and all my muscles feel reasonably exerted, with the exception of my quads which burn like hell in the last 400 meters. This excruciating quad pain lingers for 5-10 minutes after the piece (breathing is fine, other muscles are fine, just quads). The same is true for any hard workout I do.

Now, of course, leg pain is basically the whole sport, so I feel the need to elaborate. Until this year, the pain of a 2k or a hard workout was more of a whole-body affair as opposed to just quads. That's what initially drew my attention to this.

Is this a problem of my legs not being strong enough or of my oxygen intake not being good enough (to stop lactic acid from building up)? And... what should I work on to improve this?

Would appreciate any input. Thank you!

[MPx]

You can train for lactic tolerance as well as aerobic as well as strength etc. The lactic stuff tends to be short sharp intervals on equal row/rest. If you're doing them hard they will burn, then you don't fully recover and do it again and again and..... Not pleasant, but it works. eg Try 10x 1min on/off at about 2k-6 or 7. That should do it.

[Tobias Stoehr]

In my experience it was always the whole-body discomfort, as you describe, rather than local muscular pain. My reasoning is, that due to the large amount of active muscle mass in rowing, the cardiovascular system is the bottleneck, not local muscular endurance like in cycling. Therefore the blood acidosis from anaerobic metabolism causes the full body anaerobic discomfort.

Have you changed anything in training?

[jamesg]

37.6, 38.4, 38.1, 40.2) (rates: 31, 29, 32, 34)

First guess, your ratings were a little too low and the pace in the middle 1000 was too fast, so you suffered in the 4th. Pacing needs to let you go fast in the last 500, you might need it, if it's a race.

1:38 is 370W; and on 155 (70kg) is 5.3W/kg, very high. 370W at rate 29 is a 12.7W stroke, also very high. A few extra kg might help too.

[rower1234]

Have you changed anything in training?

Nothing of note - I've never maintained a consistent training plan in any season but the winter, since I do a different sport in the fall and summer training could be sporadic.

That bottleneck idea you describe makes sense, and would suggest that this is more of a muscular strength issue because if this was a lactic acid issue, I'd feel it elsewhere too?

[Sandeman]

Just a (maybe) silly thought... But... Have you grown lately? When I was 17 I wasn't at my final length yet so it might be possible.
I can imagine your bones getting longer and your muscles having to keep up with that and are effectively relatively shorter after a growth spurt.
I'm no doctor (far from it lol) but I can imagine this causing discomfort (and if it's the case it could be solved by stretching).

[iain]

Just a (maybe) silly thought... But... Have you grown lately? When I was 17 I wasn't at my final length yet so it might be possible.
I can imagine your bones getting longer and your muscles having to keep up with that and are effectively relatively shorter after a growth spurt.
I'm no doctor (far from it lol) but I can imagine this causing discomfort (and if it's the case it could be solved by stretching).

I'm not a doctor either, but "growth pains" severely limited the sport a number of my sons friends around that age. No idea of the mechanism or how this effects rowing 'though, so just a suggestion. My initial thought was whether it was more of a capilliary issue. Presumably the blood vessels have to adjust like everything else through growth, but purely a guess and a google search reveals that there is little consensus between doctors.

- Iain

[jamesg]

Now, of course, leg pain is basically the whole sport

Nonsense. You may have also had drag too high.To feel quad pain, a minute or so uphill on a high gear bike is all that's needed. Rowing is not like that, it wants low forces, long action and high speeds.

[Elizabeth]

Have you changed anything in training?

Nothing of note - I've never maintained a consistent training plan in any season but the winter, since I do a different sport in the fall and summer training could be sporadic.

That bottleneck idea you describe makes sense, and would suggest that this is more of a muscular strength issue because if this was a lactic acid issue, I'd feel it elsewhere too?

I have been told that I am quad dominant, and when I hit that lactic muscle issue, it is always my quads and hip flexors - not my full body. I figure that they're plenty strong, and are taking so much of the work that they're the first to go? But I don't have much to back that up.

More conservative pacing can help. But sometimes I just lean in and know that it will come.