New to indoor rowing question

[aussie nick]

Perhaps the OP needs to read more about stroke rate for each of the different sessions in the Pete Plan. This is a common question, as Pete does not really address this in the published versions.

As a rule, the increasing long rows each week are your steady state pieces. These are generally done at lower stroke rate (20-22spm) and pace.

The interval sessions are done at higher stroke rate and pace. Most would row the 500m interval session at stroke rates of 26spm or higher.

I've had great success and sustained improvement following Pete's Plan but the one factor that I ignore is his stroke rate on steady distance pieces. He recommends a minimum of 22 and a maximum of 25, whereas my comfort level is with a sr of 17-18 on my UT2 rows. Even my 'hard distance' pieces are generally at lower than 22. Maybe this will change as my fitness continues to improve, but for now I find I can row far more efficiently for the distance pieces with a lower rating than Pete prescribes

[Dangerscouse]

I've had great success and sustained improvement following Pete's Plan but the one factor that I ignore is his stroke rate on steady distance pieces. He recommends a minimum of 22 and a maximum of 25, whereas my comfort level is with a sr of 17-18 on my UT2 rows. Even my 'hard distance' pieces are generally at lower than 22. Maybe this will change as my fitness continues to improve, but for now I find I can row far more efficiently for the distance pieces with a lower rating than Pete prescribes

Imo, we are all different and the stroke rate, whilst having a standard goal to try and attain, it is, when you really think about it, just a means to an end of achieving your best result.

Too much emphasis is placed on doing what you're 'supposed' to do, rather than doing what you can do, especially for newbies, and it can be an avoidable source of frustration.

[aussie nick]

I've had great success and sustained improvement following Pete's Plan but the one factor that I ignore is his stroke rate on steady distance pieces. He recommends a minimum of 22 and a maximum of 25, whereas my comfort level is with a sr of 17-18 on my UT2 rows. Even my 'hard distance' pieces are generally at lower than 22. Maybe this will change as my fitness continues to improve, but for now I find I can row far more efficiently for the distance pieces with a lower rating than Pete prescribes

Imo, we are all different and the stroke rate, whilst having a standard goal to try and attain, it is, when you really think about it, just a means to an end of achieving your best result.

Too much emphasis is placed on doing what you're 'supposed' to do, rather than doing what you can do, especially for newbies, and it can be an avoidable source of frustration.

yes, I agree with this. the 'this is how you have to do it' people are loud and persistent though. I have a mate who wants to be right about everything and seems to care more about that than actual improvement. he's constantly trying to tell me that my drag or my stroke rate or even the intensity I train at is wrong or is 'a leak' but when I point to my improvement vs his plus more importantly, my enjoyment of what I'm doing he doubles down and gets more aggressive. I'm far happier with my rowing now that I'm trying new things and trusting my feel

[max_ratcliffe]

If somebody wants to row otw (single sculling excepted) then they need to be able to do it at the same rate as their crew mates. I can't think of any other serious sport (3-legged racing not really qualifying as "serious") where rates are constrained in this way.

For erging, there is no such restriction. Nobody's going to set a wr in the 2k at 50spm (losses are too high from shuttling our bodies back and forth) or at 20spm (work per stroke is too high and fatiguing. Would amount to >100 maximal deadlifts) but for sensible rates somewhere in the middle, it's pace and pace alone that counts.

[btlifter]

Perhaps the OP needs to read more about stroke rate for each of the different sessions in the Pete Plan. This is a common question, as Pete does not really address this in the published versions.

As a rule, the increasing long rows each week are your steady state pieces. These are generally done at lower stroke rate (20-22spm) and pace.

The interval sessions are done at higher stroke rate and pace. Most would row the 500m interval session at stroke rates of 26spm or higher.

I've had great success and sustained improvement following Pete's Plan but the one factor that I ignore is his stroke rate on steady distance pieces. He recommends a minimum of 22 and a maximum of 25, whereas my comfort level is with a sr of 17-18 on my UT2 rows. Even my 'hard distance' pieces are generally at lower than 22. Maybe this will change as my fitness continues to improve, but for now I find I can row far more efficiently for the distance pieces with a lower rating than Pete prescribes

I tend not to follow most traditional guidelines for erging. I've been happy with my progress.

Not that I suggest what I'm doing is "better" by any means. But, at this point my observations all suggest it's better for me.

[aussie nick]

Perhaps the OP needs to read more about stroke rate for each of the different sessions in the Pete Plan. This is a common question, as Pete does not really address this in the published versions.

As a rule, the increasing long rows each week are your steady state pieces. These are generally done at lower stroke rate (20-22spm) and pace.

The interval sessions are done at higher stroke rate and pace. Most would row the 500m interval session at stroke rates of 26spm or higher.

I've had great success and sustained improvement following Pete's Plan but the one factor that I ignore is his stroke rate on steady distance pieces. He recommends a minimum of 22 and a maximum of 25, whereas my comfort level is with a sr of 17-18 on my UT2 rows. Even my 'hard distance' pieces are generally at lower than 22. Maybe this will change as my fitness continues to improve, but for now I find I can row far more efficiently for the distance pieces with a lower rating than Pete prescribes

I tend not to follow most traditional guidelines for erging. I've been happy with my progress.

Not that I suggest what I'm doing is "better" by any means. But, at this point my observations all suggest it's better for me.

it would be difficult for anyone to argue with your results

[Dangerscouse]

yes, I agree with this. the 'this is how you have to do it' people are loud and persistent though. I have a mate who wants to be right about everything and seems to care more about that than actual improvement. he's constantly trying to tell me that my drag or my stroke rate or even the intensity I train at is wrong or is 'a leak' but when I point to my improvement vs his plus more importantly, my enjoyment of what I'm doing he doubles down and gets more aggressive. I'm far happier with my rowing now that I'm trying new things and trusting my feel

Good, stick to your path as you're clearly progressing, and some people just don't want to be proven wrong and will point to a number of learned and esteemed athletes/ scientists / authors who will back them up.

The answer is usually far more nuanced, as it has demonstrably worked for them, but it doesn't mean it'll be the best for you, and there's always the issue of not knowing what gains you're actually missing due to not wanting to try something different. I suffered from that very issue for a long time.

I tend not to follow most traditional guidelines for erging. I've been happy with my progress.

Not that I suggest what I'm doing is "better" by any means. But, at this point my observations all suggest it's better for me.

You're a perfect example of an outlier as your results are superb too. If only everything in life was as simple as "do this, and you'll get this". When there are an estimated 6,500 languages spoken in the world this highlights just one example of the complexity of human beings.

[Ombrax]

In general all we can do on the forum is point erg newbies in the direction of what works for most people. It's the logical place the start and will almost always result in decent progress while minimizing the chances of injury.

As the rower progresses, they'll learn more about what feels right and what doesn't, and what results in improvements and what doesn't. At the point they're sufficiently experienced to make their own decisions and live with the outcomes.

Best of luck to the OP.

[electricstart]

Thanks for all the great advice. I plan to stay on Pete's plan at my pace .I will continue to post my results if and when I see improvements if that's ok .

[Tony Cook]

Thanks for all the great advice. I plan to stay on Pete's plan at my pace .I will continue to post my results if and when I see improvements if that's ok .

Pete’s Plan
Post improvements for sure, but also those sessions that don’t go so well as well as it is at those times you learn as much or more than when you improve. Also useful for feedback from others who’ve been there before.

[electricstart]

Thanks for all the great advice. I plan to stay on Pete's plan at my pace .I will continue to post my results if and when I see improvements if that's ok .

Pete’s Plan
Post improvements for sure, but also those sessions that don’t go so well as well as it is at those times you learn as much or more than when you improve. Also useful for feedback from others who’ve been there before.

OK

I will try to post some that are not repetitious

Thank You for all your help

[Dangerscouse]

I will try to post some that are not repetitious

That's not what Tony means. Always post the bad and the good sessions, and don't cherry pick your best efforts as there is also very useful information to be gathered from a 'failed' session. Repetitious sessions aren't a problem, and a lot of my sessions are very similar, but that's all part of the process

It's an all too common desire to only post progress, but it's only going to subconsciously prime your mind to not accept the bad days, and possibly derail your progress.

[electricstart]

Ok I will ,try to post them all . I really do not feel any are failed but just another work out . At 66 you have goods and Bad
One of Pete's extra sets 20 minute
Splits
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
20:00.0 4,016m 2:29.4 105 661 21 117
4:00.0 789m 2:32.0 99 642 22 103
8:00.0 798m 2:30.3 103 654 21 114
12:00.0 798m 2:30.3 103 654 20 118
16:00.0 805m 2:29.0 106 663 21 122
20:00.0 825m 2:25.4 114 691 24 132

Lifted today start week 2 tomorrow

Thank You

[electricstart]

Pete's second week
Splits
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
27:01.0 5,500m 2:27.3 109 676 23 118
5:32.0 1,100m 2:30.9 102 650 24 62
5:24.0 2,200m 2:27.2 110 677 22 125
5:23.8 3,300m 2:27.1 110 677 22 131
5:21.4 4,400m 2:26.0 112 686 24 135
5:19.8 5,500m 2:25.3 114 692 23 140

[electricstart]

Intervals Pete's Plan 2 minute R
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
13:45.2 3,000m 2:17.5 135 763 22 127
3:22.5 750m 2:15.0 142 789 24 92
3:24.1 750m 2:16.0 139 778 22 137
3:27.1 750m 2:18.0 133 757 21 141
3:31.5 750m 2:21.0 125 729 23 140
r63m

I must be in bad shape this was not easy ,Could not keep same pace as 500 m interval last week