New Wolverine Plan Thread

[gregsmith01748]

Bill,
That's interesting. I've been consciously trying to make sure I get an L1 and L2 in every week because I was emphasizing the L3 and L4 too much. Based on the kick ass progress you showed on the CTC, maybe that was the wrong move.

1:54.7 for an hour, that's pretty hardcore.

[wjschmidt2]

Greg,

I have been working on my base for the past couple of months just like I use to do in my running days, lots of distance. I do push myself hard for a lot of my workouts and, of course, go easy when I am worn out for the previous day's workout.

When I start to sharpen for a top performance for the 2k then I will start adding a L1 and L2 to my weekly workout sessions. Till then just hard L4s and L3s with a good L1 or L2 thrown in every week. The rule of elevens is a great L1 for me; I really love the low ratings at max efforts along with the high ratings as well.

Mike VB has definitely had a positive impact on my training this season with his various posts here and on the UK forum; I have used several of his workouts as a L4 or L3 substitute. Other motivational rowers Duncan Paterson and Greg Trahar helped push me to my limits last season. They both know how to hammer out all distances. Of course, I try to follow the WP as close as I can, but I am just human and I enjoy hammering out max efforts when I am in the mood. I am not looking to break any WRs, just push myself to my limits and enjoy this erging activity while I am still able.

Continue to push yourself to your limits. Regular routines are hard when travel is involved, so do the best you can. Being on board a naval vessel for months at a time I can feel your pain.

Bill

[luckylindy]

I'm brand new to rowing, and I find it VERY hard to row at a relaxing pace. Are slow days as important in rowing as in running (I was an avid runner until recently)?

[hjs]

I'm brand new to rowing, and I find it VERY hard to row at a relaxing pace. Are slow days as important in rowing as in running (I was an avid runner until recently)?

yes! rowing, runing, cycling swimming they all need easy days and rest. Not the training makes you better but the recovery from that training.

[KevJGK]

I'm brand new to rowing, and I find it VERY hard to row at a relaxing pace. Are slow days as important in rowing as in running (I was an avid runner until recently)?

It also depends on your definition of relaxing and slow.

If it doesnt tax you at all then I think it's a waste of your time - you need to find the level where you are working hard but not so hard that you can't do it again tommorow.

[mikvan52]

I'm brand new to rowing, and I find it VERY hard to row at a relaxing pace. Are slow days as important in rowing as in running (I was an avid runner until recently)?

It also depends on your definition of relaxing and slow.

If it doesnt tax you at all then I think it's a waste of your time - you need to find the level where you are working hard but not so hard that you can't do it again tommorow.

The definition of relaxing and slow can be determined by %Max Heart Rate.
I'm not sure if we'd all agree, but for me: When I row at below 65% max HR, I find that longer easy sessions are "relaxing and slow".
Implementation of such workouts increased both my 2k speed and my willingness to do all the training necessary.

3 to 4 by 15' to 20' of 65% effort w/ 2-3 min rests is a great example of such a relaxing and slow workout. Rate can be varied to keep it from being tedious.
I put the monitor on HR and watch the curve.. This is somehow more soothing than watching the number. Psychologically it gives me verification of being steady...

[wjschmidt2]

More on slow and easy (relaxing).

Slow and easy rowing sessions have worked for me in the past. Thirty days of easy rowing 1:58 to 2:06 for many meters a day (30k to 60k per day) produced my fastest 2k time (6:38.7). I did push a few of the workouts (once or twice a week) at hard paces down to the low 1:50s for an hour, but on the whole it was slow rowing just trying to accumulate meters for the January VTC. Guarantee my HR was low (guess 140 to 150bpm) during these marathon sessions, however, these hour rows were at my max HR (guess 160 to 165bpm at the end), and 16k in an hour is definitely pushing it for older lwts.

These days, when I am wiped from a previous day’s workout I have gone at an easy 2:00 pace, which is always a personal goal for me to maintain for an hour, but if the legs were shot then a slower pace of 2:03, 4, 5, 6… has been done many of times. Also, since I do not track my HR (haven’t gone modern yet) I know my body is aerobic at paces over 1:56s (best marathon was done at a similar pace), so 1:58s or higher are slow and easy for me.

Drag factor from 120 to 125 at 24 to 26 spm at a 1:58 pace for me is aerobic. My hard hour rows are 28+ spm, df 125, and low 1:50s ave. Goal is always to break 16k during max efforts. Last night, the goal slightly different was to average 1:55s at 25 spm which made it a rather difficult workout but not an all-out assault.

Today will be a slow easy(relaxing) day.

Bill

[luckylindy]

Thanks guys, that's helpful. Maybe I'll just put a towel over the monitor for a while ... just having a monitor in front of me is an invitation to race. Kind of like going for a run in the park - if there's other runners, no matter how fast/slow, I always find myself running WAY faster than if I'm by myself.

[mikvan52]

More on slow and easy (relaxing).

Slow and easy rowing sessions have worked for me in the past. Thirty days of easy rowing 1:58 to 2:06 for many meters a day (30k to 60k per day) produced my fastest 2k time (6:38.7).

Interestting! to say the least...

Then, I was reading about a friend of mine who only rows 2ks flat out each and every day... Nothing else... ! ... !

"Different strokes" for sure..

This man, Steve Rounds, has two WR's and 12+ hammers at Crash-B...


"but... but... but..."!!!
Sometimes it seems there's no rhyme or reason...

[gregsmith01748]

I think the only way I can slow down and not race training is when I have a very prescriptive workout plan, like an L4 or something. I guess sometimes when I do a long row (60' or HM), I ease up a bit, but I feel a little disappointed in myself. It's stupid really, part of me wants to PB every time I sit down.

[wjschmidt2]

Greg,

Rest is important but I can tell you last season I was going for a PB every week for several straight months, and I was setting them too! From July 09 to March 2010 I just kept pushing myself harder and harder. I kept going for PBs from 500 meters to the marathon. I became use to rating high: 32 to 33 spm for distances above 10k to the marathon. Training was done at similar rates 28 or above. Rest was just cutting back from a HM to a hour row, pace was 1:50 to 1:57 depending on how much energy I had that day. I read on the forum not to race your training, well racing my training produced some great times for me. Only a handful of lwts have rowed faster than me, and I am just an above average runner: 2:40 for the marathon (age 24), best mile 4:36 (age 22). Last marathon was about 3 years ago in 3:17 (age 46). So, if there is a better way to train then I am all ears

This season I am trying slow down my rates in hopes of finding even better times. That is the main reason for using the WP. My 5K time this season is just a few seconds off my PB with just limited speed work, so I hope all this low rating will pay off in my 2k attempts this season. Holding 36+ spm for a 2k was not fun for me last season.

Mike is right about "different strokes" and I am hoping to learn a slower stroke.

Bill

[wjschmidt2]

Tonight's workout was a 50' L4 12506+4 18.3 spm 5' easy rowing 2:10 then 10' @1:55.8r25 wu 2k cd 3k
186, 182, 180, 186, 182

L4s are suppose to be a recovery workout but for me they are always challenging. Cranking out 20 spm at 1:56 is not easy.

Bill

[wjschmidt2]

L2 today 3x3000 meters df 125 1000r

1st 1:48.0r29
2nd 1:50.8r30
3rd 1:51.5r30

Pushed a little too hard on the 1st set, so I eased off on the 2nd and 3rd set. Drank lots of water inbetween sets.

Bill

[gregsmith01748]

Bill,

How long did you rest between 3K intervals? Did you paddle during the rests?

I admire you dong 3 3Ks in a row. I pulled a 1:49.5 for the 3K at the start of one of those 3K/2.5K/2K/1.5K things and the 11 minutes passed by veerrryyy sloowwwllllyyy.

[Nosmo]

Greg,
Just wanted to point out that technically the rule of 11 workout is not an L1. the workout you posted was somewhere between 5.5 and 6K (didn't calculate it), and your average pace was 1:47.4, with only one interval at or below your 2K pace. MC recommendation is to recover as much as possible between intervals without cooling down and to do intervals as intensely without large variations in pace. It looks more like an hybrid L3 interval / L1 workout.
The rule of 11s may be fine and be a reasonable substitute given your goals, but it really doesn't fit into one of the WP levels very well.