Is Zone 2 training really possible on Rower?

[melindwr4]

So I am following the Attia z2 thing too. Am working through petes plan and around 2.04 splits on longer distances. If I aim around 2.25 it takes about 10 mins to get to z2 then I carry on to an hour. HR does slowly drift up and SR is around 22/23.

It gets me tired but in a different way-and two sessions a week is really helping for the other sessions

[Dangerscouse]

Just for reference, to me today it seems like 150 watts is a rate of exertion that passes the "talk test" Attia talks about, and so I am extending my sessions 3 minutes at a time so I can get to that 60 min target. But honestly I have no idea what I am doing.

Are you also doing shorter, sharper sessions as well as longer distances? Also, it will useful to know what drag factor & stroke rate you're using. Rowing is quite a technical sport, so are you confident that you have got a good technique? Finally, are you gripping the handle? You can leak quite a lot of energy through over gripping.

[Dangerscouse]

I've been having the same problem. Going as slow as I can, at rate 20, puts my heart rate in the 150's.

You could try to row at r18 or r22 to see if that helps the HR. There's no golden rule to say it has to be r20 if slightly higher or lower works better for you.

I'd also suggest just accepting a slightly higher HR and using RPE, and the conversation test as guides. Your HR will probably reduce when you've adapted a bit more, and your subtle stress about seeing your HR rise will be a vicious circle.

[laker]

Just for reference, to me today it seems like 150 watts is a rate of exertion that passes the "talk test" Attia talks about, and so I am extending my sessions 3 minutes at a time so I can get to that 60 min target. But honestly I have no idea what I am doing.

Are you also doing shorter, sharper sessions as well as longer distances? Also, it will useful to know what drag factor & stroke rate you're using. Rowing is quite a technical sport, so are you confident that you have got a good technique? Finally, are you gripping the handle? You can leak quite a lot of energy through over gripping.

My stroke rate is around 20ish. I focus a lot on technique though it’s all self taught following some guy on YouTube called Dark Horse Rowing. And yeah I do sessions focusing on VO2 Max. I am using a protocol coined Sugar Kane by Hubberman to train for those higher intensity sessions.

[iain]

I find that I cannot maintain "Zone 2" at even R18, so do them at R16-17. The important thing for your stroke is that you achieve the lower rating by slowing the recovery. Feels really slow to start with, but can now maintain R13 if I wish (although rarely go below R15, no purpose).

[btlifter]

I find that I cannot maintain "Zone 2" at even R18, so do them at R16-17. The important thing for your stroke is that you achieve the lower rating by slowing the recovery. Feels really slow to start with, but can now maintain R13 if I wish (although rarely go below R15, no purpose).

Meanwhile, I have no trouble staying in z2 at r23... by simple not pulling particularly hard.

[iain]

I find that I cannot maintain "Zone 2" at even R18, so do them at R16-17. The important thing for your stroke is that you achieve the lower rating by slowing the recovery. Feels really slow to start with, but can now maintain R13 if I wish (although rarely go below R15, no purpose).

Meanwhile, I have no trouble staying in z2 at r23... by simple not pulling particularly hard.

We are all different. Yes I could probably manage to stay in Zone 2 for some time at R22/3, but I would be barely moving, certainly significantly slower than at R17. Many disagree, but I believe that those whose fitness is greater than their strength tend to favour higher ratings while stronger less fit people favor lower ones. I am not that strong, but my fitness is even worse! The downside of rowing regularly at R17 is that it takes a more concerted effort to get up to TT ratings. It would be nice if we could deliver the same work with strokes at R30 that we do at R17, I can do for a short while, but the fall out is that I need to get to a high level of fitness (for me) to deliver a 5k at R26 that I could not beat at a lower rating!

[hikeplusrow]

I find that I cannot maintain "Zone 2" at even R18, so do them at R16-17. The important thing for your stroke is that you achieve the lower rating by slowing the recovery. Feels really slow to start with, but can now maintain R13 if I wish (although rarely go below R15, no purpose).

Meanwhile, I have no trouble staying in z2 at r23... by simple not pulling particularly hard.

We are all different. Yes I could probably manage to stay in Zone 2 for some time at R22/3, but I would be barely moving, certainly significantly slower than at R17. Many disagree, but I believe that those whose fitness is greater than their strength tend to favour higher ratings while stronger less fit people favor lower ones. I am not that strong, but my fitness is even worse! The downside of rowing regularly at R17 is that it takes a more concerted effort to get up to TT ratings. It would be nice if we could deliver the same work with strokes at R30 that we do at R17, I can do for a short while, but the fall out is that I need to get to a high level of fitness (for me) to deliver a 5k at R26 that I could not beat at a lower rating!

I'm at 16/17 for UT2 and 18 for UT1, and there's seemingly nothing I can do about it. I've always seen low rating as a good sign, as you're delivering more power per stroke. After all, rate capped work is a staple in the arsenal of most accomplished rowers.