Rowing Faster - Balanced Training

[gregsmith01748]

I'm on a business trip and found myself without internet and had some time to kill, so I was rereading a terrific book.

Rowing Faster, by Volker Nolte http://www.amazon.com/Rowing-Faster-Edi ... 0736090401

Chapter 6 in the book is by Ed McNeely who has been associated with the Canadian Rowing team and is titled "Rowing Physiology". This single chapter is worth the price of the book in my opinion.

He provides references for the split of aerobic vs anaerobic in 1K, 2K and 5K races.

- 1k about 50/50
- 2k about 80/20 (could be up to 30%)
- 5k about 90/10

He includes the definitions and explains aerobic threshold, anaerobic threshold, and VO2Max. Then things get very interesting.

He describes a diagnostic test to measure anaerobic fitness. I think I will need to give this a try sometime when there isn't enough suffering in my life. It is a modification of the wingate test which is usually done on a stationary bike. Here's the procedure.
- You need a way to record the erg stroke by stroke. I think you can do this with ergdata. I know you can with rowpro. Worst case, you can set up a video camera to watch the PM.
- 10 minute warmup
- set up the PM for 1 minute work, and 1 minute rest.
- row the first minute as you did your warmup, nice and easy
- during the rest, grab a sip of water and continue to paddle lightly until there are 3-5 seconds left in the rest.
- Then crank it up. The objective is to pull as many watts as possible in every single stroke. You can use any rate as long as you are rowing full slide. Do not pace yourself. This is an all out test.

What will happen is you will get about 15 seconds in and you will begin to fade. Then you will fade some more. Then eventually, it's all over and you can puke in the bucket you stationed next to the erg. From the stroke by stroke data you can get:
1. Peak power: Your highest wattage any any single stroke
2. Avg power for 60 seconds
3. Anaerobic Alactic Critical duration: This is how long it takes to drop off 10% from peak power.
4. Anaerobic lactic critical duration: This is how long it takes to drop off to 35% below peak power.
5. Drop off: percentage difference from peak power to lowest power

The test is most useful when used as an indicator of progress. So, a training program would use this test every 4 weeks or so to see if anaerobic performance was getting better. But just as a diagnostic, here's what the book says.

- Peak power: There's a table of benchmarks for men and women. For a heavyweight 52 year old rower like me, peak power should be 850-1050W
- Avg power: 680-820
- AACD: should be longer than 20 sec
- ALCD: Should be longer than 40 sec
- Drop off: Should be less than 35%

If you miss on these parameters, it might be a good idea to include more peak power and short interval work in your routines if you are focusing on 1K and 2K races.

But wait, there's more! Then he goes on to his suggestions for the best balance of fitness variables for rowing. The variables he is talking about are:
- VO2Max
- Aerobic Threshold
- Anaerobic Threshold
- Peak Power

He suggests the following tests to determine the wattage associated with these thresholds.
- VO2Max: The dreaded 2km test
- Anaerobic threshold: 6km test
- aerobic threshold: 75 minute test
- peak power: 30 second sprint

Based on his measurements of the perfect specimens available to him, he asserts that the ideal ratios of these different paramaters are:

VO2Max to peak power: 40 to 45%
Anaerobic Threshold to VO2Max: 80 to 85%
Aerobic Threshold to VO2Max: 65 to 70%

So, he suggests that at the beginning of a training block, you do these tests over a week or so, with adequate rest between them, and then use your rests to figure out if you should prioritize aerobic, anaerobic or power training. Which I think is pretty cool.

He goes on to talk about training volume, a subject that we've touched on in a number of threads. He is definitely in the "miles make champions" camp.

Anyway, I think that I will probably do the suite of tests at the end of the head racing season to help me figure out a training plan for indoor racing. I highly recommend the book, especially to OTW rowers. Only about a third of the book would be useful to indoor rowers, but it is a well researched and concise description of strategies to train for the unique demands of racing 2k.

[Edward4492]

Thanks Greg. I'm gettin' out the credit card. I just wanted to comment that you always seem to have the most well thought out, researched, and analytical posts. I appreciate your time and effort. Good stuff.

But man, that just looks like more really hard stuff I gotta do.

(Note: never pulled the trigger on the lactate tester, probably going to go the vampire route)

[G-dub]

Is throwing up in a bucket mandatory?

[gregsmith01748]

Thanks Greg. I'm gettin' out the credit card. I just wanted to comment that you always seem to have the most well thought out, researched, and analytical posts. I appreciate your time and effort. Good stuff.

But man, that just looks like more really hard stuff I gotta do.

(Note: never pulled the trigger on the lactate tester, probably going to go the vampire route)

I like using my meter, but sharing one between a half dozen people would probably work really well.

[Millie]

Great book but note this chapter is only in the first edition of the book, not the more recent second edition!!

[gregsmith01748]

Funny, I have the 2nd edition ebook and that's what I was referencing.

[ArmandoChavezUNC]

I have the 2nd edition paper-back book and don't recall this part, but it's been a while since I read it cover-to-cover so it very well could be in there.

Very interesting though. Rowing Faster is definitely my go-to book as far as rowing physiology.

[christopherregisryan]

But wait, there's more! Then he goes on to his suggestions for the best balance of fitness variables for rowing. The variables he is talking about are:
- VO2Max
- Aerobic Threshold
- Anaerobic Threshold
- Peak Power

He suggests the following tests to determine the wattage associated with these thresholds.
- VO2Max: The dreaded 2km test
- Anaerobic threshold: 6km test
- aerobic threshold: 75 minute test
- peak power: 30 second sprint

Based on his measurements of the perfect specimens available to him, he asserts that the ideal ratios of these different paramaters are:


So, he suggests that at the beginning of a training block, you do these tests over a week or so, with adequate rest between them, and then use your rests to figure out if you should prioritize aerobic, anaerobic or power training. Which I think is pretty cool.

He goes on to talk about training volume, a subject that we've touched on in a number of threads. He is definitely in the "miles make champions" camp.

This is awesome, Greg. I bought "Rowing Faster" for my daughter a few years ago. I am going to dig it up to see if I should stick with the heavy dosage of UT2 Steady State as my "go to" workout. My percentages are below to the right of "ideal athlete".

VO2Max to peak power: 40 to 45% - 42.6% - OK
Anaerobic Threshold to VO2Max: 80 to 85% - 72.5% - 7.5% out of the range
Aerobic Threshold to VO2Max: 65 to 70% - 55.9% - 9.1% out of the range

Many thanks. - Chris

[Millie]

Okay got both editions in front of me - yes I agree Chapter 6 of 2nd edition has some useful info, but imo chapters 5-9 of the 1st edition are much more useful in terms of going through the training zones, sample sessions, designing a training program. The most useful part of it imo is on page 101 which shows distribution of yearly training by intensity and shows 2k vs. 1k differences which is useful for those masters OTW rowers. For 2k the distribution is:

Aerobic threshold (UT2): 50-55%
Anaerobic threshold (UT1 and AT): 15-20%
Vo2max: 5-10%
Peak power (includes gym strength work): 10-15%

For 1k the distributions are 20% less for UT2 and 10% extra for Vo2max and peak power.

There is also a table that shows how this distribution is spread over the year ie mostly aerobic threshold in the early part of the season and gradually build in more higher intensity training. I found these two tables invaluable in designing a yearly training plan for OTW rowers. That chapter was written by Ed McNeely who also wrote chapter 6 of the 2nd edition book. I don't know why these tables weren't included in the 2nd edition as they are so useful - hope it wasn't that he didn't think they were appropriate any more!

But yes apologies Greg, edition 2 is also well worth reading, but if you can get your hands on edition 1 I think you will get a lot out of it as well!

[Steve W]

This is now on my 'to read' list. Thanks for the info!

[Hillclimber]

Interesting stuff Greg. Thanks for the book tip!
Damien

[Galeere]

Great stuff, plenty ideas and tests to work with. Was able to buy the first edition. Thanks for the tip Greg!

[jackarabit]

I got a used copy of 1 ed.

[jackarabit]

The McNeely (Wingate test) protocol is definitely not availabe in Ed. 1 but what a great training compilation available from Amazon sellers less than $8 and the best condition the book will ever be in from here on! Jack