Ranger's training thread

[Byron Drachman]

I thought I would post something useful while we are on pins and needles awaiting the legendary FM@1:48 by our intrepid hero. Since he now has his OTW stroke completely fixed, I was going to ask his expert opinion on the following weighty matter: Many coaches want the blades completely squared before they enter the water at the catch. You are supposed to listen to the oarlock click when the blade is squared and have some time between that and when you hear the blade enter the water. However, some scullers get partially squared and let the water finish the squaring for them. That is fairly close to what is referred to as rowing in. That method requires a light touch at the catch and finesse. Otherwise you are risking catching a crab. However, I will switch the topic to nutrition for a moment.

I just made some delicious oatmeal-raisin-yogurt muffins. I found the recipe inside a yogurt container. It is slightly modified by me but here is the recipe:

Oatmeal raisin yogurt muffins:

Whisk together 1 cup light & fit vanilla or strawberry yogurt, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp cinnamon, 1 large egg, 2 tbsp. canola oil.

Mix in 1 cup flour, 1 cup old-fashioned oats, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup raisins, 1 ½ tsp double acting baking powder .

Put in about 8 muffin tins—sprayed with olive oil or else use paper.

Bake in preheated oven for 22-25 minutes at 375 F.

oatmeal_yogurt_raisin_muffins_c.jpg (70.86 KiB) Viewed 5522 times

Serve with freshly ground coffee (It didn't say that in the recipe. That is my advice.)

[bellboy]

I thought I would post something useful while we are on pins and needles awaiting the legendary FM@1:48 by our intrepid hero. Since he now has his OTW stroke completely fixed, I was going to ask his expert opinion on the following weighty matter: Many coaches want the blades completely squared before they enter the water at the catch. You are supposed to listen to the oarlock click when the blade is squared and have some time between that and when you hear the blade enter the water. However, some scullers get partially squared and let the water finish the squaring for them. That is fairly close to what is referred to as rowing in. That method requires a light touch at the catch and finesse. Otherwise you are risking catching a crab. However, I will switch the topic to nutrition for a moment.

I just made some delicious oatmeal-raisin-yogurt muffins. I found the recipe inside a yogurt container. It is slightly modified by me but here is the recipe:

Oatmeal raisin yogurt muffins:

Whisk together 1 cup light & fit vanilla or strawberry yogurt, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp cinnamon, 1 large egg, 2 tbsp. canola oil.

Mix in 1 cup flour, 1 cup old-fashioned oats, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup raisins, 1 ½ tsp double acting baking powder .

Put in about 8 muffin tins—sprayed with olive oil or else use paper.

Bake in preheated oven for 22-25 minutes at 375 F.

oatmeal_yogurt_raisin_muffins_c.jpg

Serve with freshly ground coffee (It didn't say that in the recipe. That is my advice.)

Are these low GI muffins Byron? I make some similar but instead of yoghurt i use mashed apples. I also use bran instead of oats. Sticks to your ribs and eliminates the need for an infusion of chocolate

[Byron Drachman]

I thought I would post something useful while we are on pins and needles awaiting the legendary FM@1:48 by our intrepid hero. Since he now has his OTW stroke completely fixed, I was going to ask his expert opinion on the following weighty matter: Many coaches want the blades completely squared before they enter the water at the catch. You are supposed to listen to the oarlock click when the blade is squared and have some time between that and when you hear the blade enter the water. However, some scullers get partially squared and let the water finish the squaring for them. That is fairly close to what is referred to as rowing in. That method requires a light touch at the catch and finesse. Otherwise you are risking catching a crab. However, I will switch the topic to nutrition for a moment.

I just made some delicious oatmeal-raisin-yogurt muffins. I found the recipe inside a yogurt container. It is slightly modified by me but here is the recipe:

Oatmeal raisin yogurt muffins:

Whisk together 1 cup light & fit vanilla or strawberry yogurt, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp cinnamon, 1 large egg, 2 tbsp. canola oil.

Mix in 1 cup flour, 1 cup old-fashioned oats, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup raisins, 1 ½ tsp double acting baking powder .

Put in about 8 muffin tins—sprayed with olive oil or else use paper.

Bake in preheated oven for 22-25 minutes at 375 F.

oatmeal_yogurt_raisin_muffins_c.jpg

Serve with freshly ground coffee (It didn't say that in the recipe. That is my advice.)

Are these low GI muffins Byron? I make some similar but instead of yoghurt i use mashed apples. I also use bran instead of oats. Sticks to your ribs and eliminates the need for an infusion of chocolate

Hi Bellboy,

I suspect the brown sugar makes not low GI, and next time I think I will substitute some honey for the brown sugar. The raisins are naturally quite sweet so if I were going to use brown sugar again I would cut back a little. But there was a pleasant surprise: I used strawberry no-fat yogurt and the strawberry flavor permeated the muffins and added a nice touch. I think I will try substituting blueberries for raisins next time and see if blueberry yogurt works. There is always the risk that there would be too much blueberry flavor, but that is a risk I am willing to take. I like to live dangerously. I think bran instead of oatmeal is a great idea, and the mashed apples is brilliant. I have two apples just sitting there. They have gotten a little soft so that would be a good way to dispose of them.

Byron

[Citroen]

LIAR!

Why did you post a photo from 22nd April?


I know your camera has had date problems but the photos from Europa Lake have the correct date so I can safely assume it's fixed.

[ranger]

Why did you post a photo from 22nd April?

Because I didn't want to retake the shot.

Drag is still 120 df.

My legs are still the same length.

13 SPI is still 13 SPI.

When I row 13 SPI, I still hit the top of the PM4 screen, with my force curve shaped the same.

ranger

[Citroen]

Why did you post a photo from 22nd April?

Because I didn't want to retake the shot.

Drag is still 120 df.

My legs are still the same length.

13 SPI is still 13 SPI.

When I row 13 SPI, I still hit the top of the PM4 screen, with my force curve shaped the same.

ranger

For someone who's a professor you really are 100% stupid. What makes you think that a rubbish photo from two months ago is at all relevant to your new, fixed, specially conditioned stroke.

[ranger]

According to _Rowing Faster_ the ideal elite rower is 9% body fat (or less), with a muscle mass that is 1/3 body weight, a VO2max over 60, an anaerobic threshold at 85% HRR, and a max HR of 190+ bpm.

Give or take a bit, I still have all of these things, even though I am 60 years old.

At 6-8% body fat, I also make OTW weight (155 lbs.) as a lightweight, even though I am 5'11 inches tall.

ranger

[ranger]

What makes you think that a rubbish photo from two months ago is at all relevant to your new, fixed, specially conditioned stroke.

I always row with the force screen setting on the PM4 and so see hundreds and hundred of my force curves hitting the top of the screen every session.

Over time, this becomes thousands and thousands, millions and millions.

While it is _very_ hard to do well, the rowing stroke is one of the most stable, repetitive gestures imaginable.

Your accomplishment as a rower is just a product of your technical habits.

No one rows spontaneously, erratically.

Like all other repetitive motion, rowing is habitual.

ranger

[ranger]

Many coaches want the blades completely squared before they enter the water at the catch. You are supposed to listen to the oarlock click when the blade is squared and have some time between that and when you hear the blade enter the water. However, some scullers get partially squared and let the water finish the squaring for them. That is fairly close to what is referred to as rowing in. That method requires a light touch at the catch and finesse.

My catches are getting better, but I have not moved on to matters like this at all.

I had to fix some other matters first.

I'll see what I can do with these things, though.

Thanks for the suggestion.

I am indeed getting a lighter touch with my oars.

I no longer get blisters on my hands--at all.

I have also learned to get fully forward at the catch, using the full slide, and to relax my shoulders, core, and fingers/hands when I fire off with my legs.

This indeed helps bladework--in all sorts of ways.

I am also getting a feel for matching the speed of my oars with the speed of the boat.

Learning these things take time.

I am making slow, but steady, progress.

ranger

[Citroen]

Does anyone else see the contradiction between Ranger's last two posts?

I always row with the force screen setting on the PM4 and so see hundreds and hundred of my force curves hitting the top of the screen every session.

My catches are getting better, but I have not moved on to matters like this at all.

I had to fix some other matters first.

I'll see what I can do with these things, though.

... [ snipped some bullshit ] ...

I am making slow, but steady, progress.

ranger

It's either consistent or it's not. It can't be both (unlike Schrödinger's cat).

[ranger]

I am now settling into 1:45 @ 25 spm (12 SPI) in my everyday rowing.

Delighted with that.

According to _Rowing Faster_, productive training should be no slower than your 60min pace, and 1:45 is three seconds per 500m faster than my 60min pb, albeit a second per 500m off of my 60min target.

Good finishes are helping quite a bit.

If you don't finish with your back, but with your arms, braced against your back, with your weight forward on the balls of your feet at the footplate, it is also easier to keep your hips forward during the full leg drive, because you don't need as big a swing with your back at the finish.

The improvement this brings about is not so much in effectiveness as in efficiency.

A high stroking power is just easier to achieve with this more economical leveraging.

ranger

[ranger]

Does anyone else see the contradiction between Ranger's last two posts?

I always row with the force screen setting on the PM4 and so see hundreds and hundred of my force curves hitting the top of the screen every session.

My catches are getting better, but I have not moved on to matters like this at all.

I had to fix some other matters first.

I'll see what I can do with these things, though.

... [ snipped some bullshit ] ...

I am making slow, but steady, progress.

ranger

It's either consistent or it's not. It can't be both (unlike Schrödinger's cat).

One post refers to erging.

The other post refers to rowing OTW.

Sure, for a novice OTW rower such as me, there are some differences between the two.

There is no bladework at all OTErg.

Dougie, do you row a 1x on a daily basis, or do you just erg?

ranger

[ranger]

It's either consistent or it's not.

My erg stroke is now _very_ consistent.

When all is said and done, I think I might pull a FM, 1:45 @ 25 spm (12 SPI).

That's would be a full 1 SPI better than Matthais' Open lwt FM WR.

Faster (by 1.5 seconds per 500m) at a lower rate (by 1 spm).

20.5 x 2K @ 7:00 (no rest), 12 SPI @ 25 spm, HR steady state at 155 bpm (75% HRR).

ranger

[ranger]

In the 1970s, the East Germans revolutionized training for rowing by doing a lot of steady state rowing at 18 spm in order to train for the 2K, which is quite a bit more intense, being done at over twice that rate.

Sure, but if had been done OTErg by the big heavyweights, I bet all of that rowing at 18 spm was done at something like 1:45/17 SPI.

Not easy at all.

Rowing well!

ranger

[ranger]

Another cloudy, windy day here in Door County, WI.

But the sun is trying to break through the clouds.



Wind is from the east, which should make for some good OTW rowing on the Green Bay side of the Door Peninsula.

I'll try it out after breakfast.

12K OTErg before dawn.

ranger