Ranger's training thread

[PaulH]

I would guess that all sorts of veterans have "learned" how to row well in your definition of the learning process.

Nonetheless, none ever have.

An interesting perspective - so by your reckoning just about all rowers are still learning to row. Now apart from that making the term largely useless, it demonstrates that your claims of "still learning to row" as though it differentiated you from others is meaningless; everyone is still learning to row.

[ranger]

I would guess that all sorts of veterans have "learned" how to row well in your definition of the learning process.

Nonetheless, none ever have.

An interesting perspective - so by your reckoning just about all rowers are still learning to row. Now apart from that making the term largely useless, it demonstrates that your claims of "still learning to row" as though it differentiated you from others is meaningless; everyone is still learning to row.

No, not at all. To be still learning to row, you need to have technical ideals/goals, and you need to use a substantial part of your training time to work on your technical weaknesses rather than just fitness.

You really _can't at all_ work on your technical flaws if you just use your training to prepare to race and then race. When you prepare to race and then race, you parade your physical strengths and, in many ways, undermine what few technical strengths you might have (you trade rate for pace, etc.).

ranger

[ranger]

15K OTErg, just before dawn.

Sun is coming up.

Beautiful morning for rowing.

Time to get out OTW.



ranger

[ranger]

all rowers are still learning to row

No, but I would say this (as I have been for the last eight years):

All veteran rowers _should_ be still learning to row.

If they were still learning learning to row, they would be getting better and better, as I am, rather than getting worse and worse, as they inevitably are, if they just work on their (declining) fitness.

No veteran (50s+) rower has ever rowed well.

60s veterans have missed it by seven seconds per 500m, 4 SPI, 100 watts, a mile over 60min, etc.

ranger

[ranger]

So we now know where ranger claims to be with his rowing - he knows what to do, but can't do it most of the time. That sounds like the perfect description of a HOCR winner, wouldn't you say?

Of the _veterans_/60s race?

As odd as it might seem, yes.

60s veterans are not very athletic.

No 60s veteran my size can do much better than 1:48 for 5K OTErg.

My target this year for 5K OTErg is 1:39.

Young rowers my size can do 1:34 for 5K OTErg.

I'll do a FM @ 1:48.

A FM is done at 5K + 9.

For someone my size, OTW times are in and around 15 seconds per 500m over erg times.

Fitness is a pretty large part of rowing, too.

No?

ranger

[ben990]

But I don't think you have ever posted anything good...

[PaulH]

No 60s veteran my size can do much better than 1:48 for 5K OTErg.

My target this year for 5K OTErg is 1:39.

That's comparing dissimilar things. What are their targets for this year, so we can see how they compare?

[ranger]

No 60s veteran my size can do much better than 1:48 for 5K OTErg.

My target this year for 5K OTErg is 1:39.

That's comparing dissimilar things. What are their targets for this year, so we can see how they compare?

Sure, at the moment.

But I'll be doing all of the distance trials between now and the Head of the Charles.

So, in the end, it _won't_ be comparing dissimilar things.

ranger

[ranger]

The other day, Mike VB reported some OTW rowing that he called "speed work," but oddly, in this "speed work," he only rated 30 spm.

For most people, 30 spm is a middle distance rate.

"Speed work" is something closer to 40 spm than 30 spm.

At 8 SPI, 30 spm is 1:54.

But at 8 SPI, 40 spm is 1:43.

ranger

[bellboy]

No 60s veteran my size can do much better than 1:48 for 5K OTErg.

My target this year for 5K OTErg is 1:39.

That's comparing dissimilar things. What are their targets for this year, so we can see how they compare?

Sure, at the moment.

But I'll be doing all of the distance trials between now and the Head of the Charles.

So, in the end, it _won't_ be comparing dissimilar things.

ranger

NO_YOU_WON'T

[ranger]

Nice 10K OTW over at Europe Lake after 15K of erging.

Stiff NW wind, big chop.

I had to row into the wind or with it.

Couldn't row across it.

Good technical challenge, though.

My speed coach battery died half way through.

ranger

[NavigationHazard]

I'm guessing it died laughing.

Either that or it doesn't work under water....

[JimmyL]

The other day, Mike VB reported some OTW rowing that he called "speed work," but oddly, in this "speed work," he only rated 30 spm.

For most people, 30 spm is a middle distance rate.

"Speed work" is something closer to 40 spm than 30 spm.

At 8 SPI, 30 spm is 1:54.

But at 8 SPI, 40 spm is 1:43.

ranger

have you ever tried rate 40 OTW?
It's next to impossible to row well in a scull at rate 40, around rate 34 is the max for most normal rowers. Anything past that and a persons technique gets worse and they end up going they would at lower rates and expend much more energy.

On an erg it's different, there are less variables and then I'd agree with you that the rate should be higher, but OTW is a lot more difficult.

Also

I don't understand why you base everything on SPI, it's always going to be lower at higher rates because it gets a lot harder to move the fan when you get down to lower splits. i.e there's a huge difference between 1:35 and 1:45 in terms of power.
Using this calculator for SPI
http://www.machars.net/
1:45 at rate 20 gives me a SPI of 15 (I can do this quite easily for 500m)
1:35 at rate 30 gives me a SPI of 13.6 (I'd find this a lot tougher to do)

SPI is always going to be skewed towards low rates and (in perspective) low power outputs.

[kini62]

Finally Ricky Ranger has posted a video of his new and improved and now complete rowing technique. Wonder why he kept it hidden.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgs8qQkE ... grec_index

Enjoy.

[mikvan52]

So we now know where ranger claims to be with his rowing - he knows what to do, but can't do it most of the time. That sounds like the perfect description of a HOCR winner, wouldn't you say?

60s veterans are not very athletic.

Tell us, oh great bombastic one... How many OTW 60's rowers do you know personally?

Here's one you probably have never heard of and would give you eye teeth to even approach in athleticism or skill...
And yes, he sculls.

Charlie Hamlin:
http://www.sports-reference.com/olympic ... lin-1.html



How many 60's sculling races have you attended in your trolling history.?