Concept2 Forum

Link which follows demos a pacing or pace-maintaining technique for the repeated 1' erg portion of the "Fight Gone Bad" WOD. It is natural to rate up as fatigue takes its toll but here we see essentially four, intentional, rolling race starts in a minute of rowing. Can't be efficient (pace oscillation) long term but obviously viewed as effective in maintaining (re-establishing) pace in the context of Xfitter lactic system work. Is this technique simply a desperate crutch for the untrained? Anyone know of instance of competitive indoor rowers having resort to this to suck the well dry in competition? I have tried it. As is the case with 10-20 hard strokes every 500m, it is an eye-opener which brings the weary back up to full consciousness if not to optimum performance.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VfszjlmuGv8

That's intriguing! I don't really see it as rolling starts in the piece, more like a tool to keep your rate up. Deliberately short sliding a couple of strokes to keep the cadence high and also to "reset" technique for the next set of full strokes.

I don't think it would really improve the time of a stand alone 1 minute trial, but it might help in the middle of a WOD where a 1' piece is one chunk you need to do.

The trainer makes reference to OTW starts in her intro remarks. Getting back to speed vs. getting up to speed perhaps? The last time I tried it was yesterday nearing the end of the final iteration of 3x20' and trying for top end of my UT2 pace (2:28) but with HR in mid UT1 from the effort of the first two reps done at UT1 pace. Each time I saw 2:26 I short-stroked a 2:22-23 and returned to full length about 4-6 strokes unto seeing 2:26 again and then repeated. Gave me something interesting to do (mental boost) and the pace for the final 5k was low UT1 (above 60% 2K watts). Overall av. for all three intervals was 2:23 or 67% of 2k power. Hoping for something to spur improvement on my hour time.

I understood it to mean that she is revving up the fan to make the full strokes easier. And then to refocus and to feel good about the defending counts.

Used this to good effect recent PB row. Shhhh, don't tell

I believe G-Dub is correct.
Fight Gone Bad sucks. Being a "work priority WOD" (think every minute on the minute, as many reps as possible in X time, etc.) the Sumo high pulls, push press, box jumps, and wall balls are all terribly taxing from a CV standpoint, but worse is the lactic acid buildup and muscular fatigue. With no rest between stations OR rounds, by the 2nd go-around it is a world of pain. Anterior hip flexors are on fire from the intense pushing at every station and the upper back muscles are wiped from the PP and pulls. By the time you get to the C2 even on the 1st round you're suffering alot. So anything to help make the row easy and to keep the muscles from fatiguing is going to help a lot with your performance in the next round and the round after that. Ultimately the thinking is likely, I can still row if I beat myself up on the other stations, but there's no way if I beat myself up on the row that I'll put up the reps I need to score high on the box jumps, push press, etc.

Pretty neat they have a C2 master instructor show up at their Crossfit box. When I was at a box we never had anyone cool come and visit. Haha