New Wolverine Plan Thread

[Mike Caviston]

The real trick to the WP is incremental improvement. Don't try to rush it the first or second three week cycle. If you can beat your average pace for your L1s and L2s each time you repeat a workout (every three week cycle or so)

One of the misconceptions regarding the Wolverine Plan is that L1 consists of 8x500m, 4x1K, and the pyramid; L2 consists of 5x1500m, 4x2K, and 3K/2.5K/2K; and all you do is rotate through those workouts every three weeks or so. You certainly CAN do that, and there’s no particular reason not to, but it is possible to create enough L1 & L2 variations that you never have to do the same workout twice in one season. I like to create alternate versions for variety while doing basic/familiar versions just often enough to get a sense of progress, since I have a historical record to make comparisons with past seasons and more data on how they correlate with 2K.

[wjschmidt2]

Also, the drop in the drag factor seemed to help during the low ratings (16 to 22). I really have had great success using a df of 125 for training and racing last season, however, the low rating seems too hard for a 125 df. I may even drop the df even lower (possibly to 115). My normal racing spm is 36 for 2k (6:39) and spm 32 for 10k (35:50) both were using a df of 125. Any thoughts?

I reviewed the WP and missed the Other Training Factors section where Mike recommends reducing the drag factor for Level 3 and 4 workouts. I will take the advice! (Most likely 115 for L4s and 120s for L3s; df 125 works great for my racing thus the L1 & L2 will hover close to this mark.)

Bill

[pmacaula]

...it is possible to create enough L1 & L2 variations that you never have to do the same workout twice in one season. I like to create alternate versions for variety...since I have a historical record to make comparisons with past seasons and more data on how they correlate with 2K.

Mike - Your historical performance and workout record is an advantage you have over most, if not all, of us.
Would you say that alternate L1 & L2 sessions are most useful once you have a solid view of where you sit in terms of the basic sessions (e.g. 4x1K, 4x2K, etc) ?
What I found the most helpful in L1/L2 sessions was your suggestion to use the previous effort's average pace to determine the pace target for a specific workout & specifically for the first interval. Depending on the week, sometimes it would be too slow, sometimes too fast, but never so far off that the adjustment after the first interval of the session was enormous.
At least for me, it is a confidence thing. I do try variants, but mainly after a few cycles to establish baselines.

Cheers. Patrick.

[wjschmidt2]

Mon 5 Jul L3 60' 15601 df 120 1:55.4 ave

The drag factor made a positive influence on the long hour row. I was able to maintain a nice steady 25-26 spm the whole way. The first half was actually harder than the second. Once I got into the grove I was stroking away at 1:54 to 1:55 at a 25 spm the last twenty minutes.

The pace was close to my 2k PB +15 seconds from last year and the effort level was about medium to hard. So, I may be closer to a 6:40 ref pace than I realize. Lets see how the df 115 works for a L4 workout.

Bill

[Nosmo]

...it is possible to create enough L1 & L2 variations that you never have to do the same workout twice in one season. I like to create alternate versions for variety...since I have a historical record to make comparisons with past seasons and more data on how they correlate with 2K.

Mike - Your historical performance and workout record is an advantage you have over most, if not all, of us.
Would you say that alternate L1 & L2 sessions are most useful once you have a solid view of where you sit in terms of the basic sessions (e.g. 4x1K, 4x2K, etc) ?
What I found the most helpful in L1/L2 sessions was your suggestion to use the previous effort's average pace to determine the pace target for a specific workout & specifically for the first interval. Depending on the week, sometimes it would be too slow, sometimes too fast, but never so far off that the adjustment after the first interval of the session was enormous.
At least for me, it is a confidence thing. I do try variants, but mainly after a few cycles to establish baselines.

Cheers. Patrick.

In my experience If I know what I can do for 4x1K (or really any L1 workout), then I have a pretty good guess what I can do for any other L1 workout. Sure one may be off a bit but, as you say you can adjust as you go along. If I'm off, then I still get a good workout in and I learn something. It is not a big deal if I speed up or slow down by a second or even two on the last or next to last interval.

If I know what I do for 4x1K and also 8x500m, then any other L1 will fall between these paces.

One extreme is to do all the same workouts--e.g. every L1 is a 4x1K and every L2 is a 4x2K. The other extreme is a different workout each time. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, as does all the variations in between. My advice is to do what seems best for you. Keep it interesting.
Two winters ago I did 4x1K and 4x2K every other week and experimented the other week. This year for the L1's I did mostly 1K, 900m, 800m, 700m, 600m and 5x800m. For some reason I found easier mentally then any other L1s. For L2's I did 4x2K and 1500mx5. The 3K,2,5K, and 2K I really struggled with and basically gave up on it. DIdn't experiment much with the L2s but did with the L1's. Not sure why different workouts are appealing at different times, but if I do them then I don't worry too much.
SInce I don't race on the erg I'm not so concerned with correlating my L1 workouts with a 2K erg time. If I did I think I would be more rigorous with doing the 4x1K and trying to correlate it with a 2K time.

Other possibilities I've tried : 2x 1000m and 4x 500m; 1000m 500m 1000m 500m 1000m; 650m x 6
Haven't done much experimenting with the L2. Just have done the standards plus 3x2600m

[Mike Caviston]

Level 1s should be done at 2K pace or faster, which ideally means every piece of every workout. Unless you are very fit when the training season begins, it probably won’t be feasible to do 4x1K @ 2K pace for several weeks. You can bridge the gap by doing workouts that include one, two, or three 1Ks until you are ready for all four. I keep experimenting with doing pieces longer to shorter, shorter to longer, or alternating.

I’m not quite as strict with the Level 2 paces, though I don’t like to see anything slower than roughly 2K + 8. I haven’t done as much experimenting with L2 formats either, though there are plenty of options available.

[wjschmidt2]

Tues 6 Jul L4 50' 12118+2 df 115; Stayed on pace until I reached about 45' due to the gym being hot and humid and struggle to make it to 50'.

The lower drag factor felt good. Seemed like I really had a longer stroke with a lot of power used in my legs to maintain the pace. I would think after a few weeks of this training my legs will be quite stronger.

Plan is another L4 tomorrow in a cooler gym and then either a L1 or L2 the following day.

Bill

[rufierowing]

Great thread!

I’ve been doing a modified version of wolverine plan for about 1 year. Although I dread L1 and L2’s, I love finishing them and the progress keeps me motivated. L4’s have become my favorite. I’ve experimented a bit with L3’s but just dread enough to where I don’t include them in my weekly training. I look forward to the break when doing L1’s and 2’s but L3’s there isn’t a break which is probably the problem.

Does anyone else struggle with L3’s?

Dan

[pmacaula]

Does anyone else struggle with L3’s?

Dan - L3s were always my bugbear when erging solo.

After getting on RowPro & finding some people with similar speed and workout schedules, I found that doing 16K or sixty min or a HM a whole lot easier, especially when targeting the same finishing time/distance.

Cheers. Patrick.

[TomR]

. . . L3’s . . . just dread enough to where I don’t include them in my weekly training.

Just back off the pace to the point here you're looking forward to a steady row and do it. Increase the pace slowly during subsequent sessions and see if you can move past the plateau where previously you got stuck.

Avoiding the session makes no sense. And there's nothing wrong with adjusting the pace. The big coach in the sky isn't going to give you demerits.

[ThatMoos3Guy]

The trick I've always used with steady state is to negatively split them. Make sure that when you start out you're going at a pace you could comfortably finish the session in. After a while, if you feel like it, drop the pace a little. Not enough so that you're no longer comfortable, but just enough to make it a little challenging. It's a lot more fun to finish a piece feeling good, instead of struggling to hold on.

But yeah, even with that I hate L3 pieces. I almost view L4 as intervals, and am able to focus on every rate shift and make sure that I hit the right number of strokes every minute. With Level 3s there's just nothing to distract you.

I'm not sure if you erg to music, but that does help a little bit.

Edit: A question for Mike, how do you integrate any sort of weight training with the Wolverine Plan?

[wjschmidt2]

Getting a better feel for a beginning ref pace. A 6:43 at this point in the season seems just right; any faster and my heart rate & body would probably quit on me, and I am not ready to go six feet under yet. Tomorrow it looks like a basic L2 4 x 2k w/1500rest df 125. Hope to hit a 1:48 to 1:49 ave.

Sat 3 Jul L4 60' 14446+35 df 123 ref pace 6:50
Sun 4 Jul L4 60' 14582-5 df 119 ref pace 6:50
Mon 5 Jul L3 60' 15601 df 120 1:55.4 ave
Tues 6 Jul L4 50' 12118+2 df 115 ref pace 6:45; Hot Humid gym!
Wed 7 Jul L4 60' 14525+19 df 117 ref pace 6:43

Bill

[wjschmidt2]

Thurs Wed 8 Jul L2 3k wu, 4x2k 1.47.8r28, 1:47.4r27, 1:47.0r28, 1:44.3r31 df 125; 1500m paddle rest btwn intervals 2k cd

Workout went great! I did a similar workout in March, however, this time my spm were lower, and my times slightly faster. I believe all the low rating (20-24spm) I have been doing for the past months have really paid off.

Bill

[wjschmidt2]

Fri 9 Jul Day off due to son's college orientation.
Sat 10 Jul L4 70' 17140+4 df 117 ref pace 6:43
168, 172, 176, 176, 180, 176, 184

Leg's felt fresh after a day off. I had no problems maintaining the pace, today. However, I felt pretty beat up after the L2 workout on Thursday, so the day off was probably a good thing.

Bill

[wjschmidt2]

Sun 11 Jul L3 15k df 122 1:53.8 ave sr 24 to 25. Worked on pushing the pace at the lower rate.

Bill