Training Complexity and Beginner Pete Plan

[thr1961]

Like many of the new folks here, I have discovered rowing during these last few months of quarantine. I am 59 years old and started the Beginner Pete Plan (BPP) seven weeks ago. Since then, I have dropped almost ten pounds and logged over 150k meters. I am amazed at how I have gone from struggling to finish workouts to my 8k last night.

My question is about the somewhat complex and interconnected variables involved in the sport. As the plan is now telling me to lower my spm to 24 or below, I am realizing that it is not so simple. I figured out that drag factor is important a few weeks back, but I am also seeing a big delta between the monitor during my workouts and what is being logged.

The monitor is showing me in the 110 to 115 range, yet my log from last night for example said 217! I am 6'1" and currently weigh 221 pounds and have the damper at about 5.5 or so. Net result is that I am unclear on how to manage all these new variables -- damper setting to get drag factor down, reducing spm rate, and this doesn't even consider stroke length, drive etc.

My logs are open for viewing and I am hoping to get some advice on how to approach this. I plan to do the August challenge and am thinking about testing myself at 2k when I get to week 12 of the plan (the halfway point.) I am not doing any kind of impressive times right now, but I am enjoying watching the progress and feeling the benefits.

Thanks to all for any help or suggestions you can provide.

[mitchel674]

How are you uploading your data to your log? Ergdata?

Strange that there is a discrepancy between the DF on the machine and what is displayed on your log. Obviously, your machine is correct. The lever near 5 on most fairly clean machines will result in a DF of around 115.

[thr1961]

I am using the ergdata app and uploading it without any problems. I have not upgraded the pm5 software, but find it hard to imagine it would cause such a delta.

[thr1961]

So to be more specific:

1. Should I increase the damper setting to lower the DF?

2. What is the best way to approach lowering my SPM to align with the BPP recommend? I have tried a brief "pause" as I start recovery, but it does not feel ideal for building a rhythm.

3. How should I think about the other variables (eg stroke length) or leave those alone for now?

Thanks again.

[Dangerscouse]

So to be more specific:

1. Should I increase the damper setting to lower the DF?

2. What is the best way to approach lowering my SPM to align with the BPP recommend? I have tried a brief "pause" as I start recovery, but it does not feel ideal for building a rhythm.

3. How should I think about the other variables (eg stroke length) or leave those alone for now?

Thanks again.

If you want to lower the drag you lower the damper setting, but always use the monitor as your guide for what the drag is.

Lowering your stroke rate is all about slowing down the recovery stage, so there's no need to pause at the end. It will feel strange to start with but it does get easier quite quickly.

Stroke length is very subjective and possibly not very helpful for comparing as it's limited quite a bit on height and limb length, and all I find of any use is using it to judge what length is right for you when you're doing low or high rates

[G-dub]

As hard as it will be to do, I would suggest not getting hung up on all of this just yet. I might not even mess with erg data. You are just getting started and finding your groove. The items you mentioned really don’t matter much at this stage. You will learn how to rate lower by learning rowing form. Think good solid leg drive and easy recovery. I like to think I’m sneaking up to the catch. Hands away after the drive, body angles over knees, knees fold up into the catch, hands stay level through recovery. You will lower your stroke rate through the “pace” of your recovery. In other words, your recovery will take longer than your drive.

[hjs]

As hard as it will be to do, I would suggest not getting hung up on all of this just yet. I might not even mess with erg data. You are just getting started and finding your groove. The items you mentioned really don’t matter much at this stage. You will learn how to rate lower by learning rowing form. Think good solid leg drive and easy recovery. I like to think I’m sneaking up to the catch. Hands away after the drive, body angles over knees, knees fold up into the catch, hands stay level through recovery. You will lower your stroke rate through the “pace” of your recovery. In other words, your recovery will take longer than your drive.

Very true. I did my first races. We are talking about the pre internet era. And pulled sub 6.20 times. Erging 3 times a week. Simple using things I learned from track. Never heard of dragfactor, used a rating that came naturally etc. al that data in the end does not make you a better rower.

Re strokerate. Thats often a completely misunderstood factor. Lower strokes in itself are never a goal. By far nmr one is pace. Everything else comes after.

[thr1961]

All good points. This is of course the blessing and the curse of all this data -- both from the erg and readable online!

I was mainly bringing up the prompt in the BPP to lower my stroke rate and in trying to figure it out, saw that my recorded DF was radically higher than what I saw while rowing via the ergdata app.

I have been working to drive my pace down, but am in the 2:20 range on my longer rows (eg yesterday's 8k meters.)

Another newbie question: does it make sense to consider the "weight adjusted" values or just use raw?

[G-dub]

Dude - just row! Let it be what it is. Put your curious mind into what your body is doing, how you are breathing, if your shoulders are nice and relaxed, if you are hinging at your hips....

[Dangerscouse]

Another newbie question: does it make sense to consider the "weight adjusted" values or just use raw?

Weight adjusted is no help for ergers as it's only relevant for people who row on the water.

Imo, Ergzone is a far better app to use. It shows more relevant data, and not things like drive length, drive speed etc and it's loads better for intervals as it shows your last interval so you don't have to try and remember it. I never use anything else now.

If you do give it a go, if you click on the 'headers' you can scroll between different metrics eg watts, HR %, time remaining in the rest period, amongst quite a few others

[thr1961]

Dude - just row! Let it be what it is. Put your curious mind into what your body is doing, how you are breathing, if your shoulders are nice and relaxed, if you are hinging at your hips....

Wise words and a good reminder to park my data and analytics job at the door...thanks for the, umm, nudge which is much appreciated

[Allan Olesen]

2. What is the best way to approach lowering my SPM to align with the BPP recommend? I have tried a brief "pause" as I start recovery, but it does not feel ideal for building a rhythm.

What I feel works best for me is slowing down the middle part and the end of the recovery.

So when I end the drive phase, arms go away from the chest at normal speed, while my hips and legs follow at a much slower speed.

At the end of the recovery I try to keep a fluent motion where I go directly from recovery to drive. I don't I speed up the recovery at the end, but I certainly do not slow down or pause either.

[mict450]

Lowering your stroke rate is all about slowing down the recovery stage, so there's no need to pause at the end.

This, what Stu wrote, CAPITALIZED! Be lazy & reluctant in the recovery, like you were on the way to the oral surgeon for a root canal.