Anything wrong with this workout plan?

[hhoppert]

So a bit of background:

I'm now 33, 207lbs. I have a long history of physical activity (martial arts, boxing, weight lifting etc). My resting heart rate is normally below 60bpm.

I've been using the ERG 2-3 times a week for a solid hour (1 minute break at 30 minutes for a drink of water). I'm pulling about 2:25/500m for that entire hour.

Is this a good plan to lose weight? I like the rhythm of just pulling for an hour, but if I'm being grossly inefficient, I'll change.

Strength/Cardio fitness isn't a big deal for me, just getting rid of these pounds I've layered on over a few years of not taking care of myself.

Thanks for all the help!

[TabbRows]

hh...at 2:25/500 pace, you're only generating about 115 watts of power. You're rowing a bit over a 12K in an hour. For someone your size, and low resting HR, that doesn't seem like a lot. In terms of calories it's probably in the neighborhood of 650 calories over the hour. You could be having technique issues so you might want to have someone check your form. Also, you didn't say what stroke rate you were rowing at, but if it's faster than a 22/23, you're definitiely not doing the work you might be capable of with better form. In short you need to exert a bit more power.

Learn to do this via this forum, the C2 Site, UK C2 site, et.al.. I think you shold find a plan that suits your time committment and abilities and follow that. One intrguing idea you can check out is Pete Marsten's Beginning training plan off his blog. http://thepeteplan.wordpress.com/beginner-training/
With a disciplined approach and a focus on technique, as you get stronger, you'll get faster, and the pounds will melt off over time. Good luck.

[hhoppert]

Doh!! Of course I end up forgetting something...

I'm on a model b with the damper all the way closed (so roughly 140 drag on a model D).

When I get into the "groove" around 30 minutes in, I end up at 21 SPM and 2:21/500m. That seems to be my sweet spot.

I've only been rowing for a few weeks, and am constantly trying (and succeeding) in getting my form better.

After an hour, I'm sweaty, but not exhausted, and I've been trying to increase my 500 speed while keeping the stroke rate under 22.

I've been using this forum and slowly working towards getting better. I expect my form and times will continue to improve significantly...

In your opinion and I better served with the shorter workouts of the Pete plan?

[jamesg]

What plan you use does not matter. They all include large amounts of long slow work, where the keyword is work. So what does matter, is the amount of work in each stroke. You should see a ratio W/rating of at least 10, so 200W @ 20. Then with a little exercise, you'll see 300W at 30 and 400W at 40..

To get there, you'll need to work on technique, which mostly means posture (straight back, weight on the feet at the catch, hands away before knees up) and full length strokes with a very fast catch. Handle force alone is useless without length, because in rowing what counts is work, and this is the product of force x length.

[tdekoekkoek]

140 drag factor is too high. Sure, some people are successful with higher drag factors, but in general this is like having a very long oar and it makes you exert your back and shoulders too early in the drive to overcome inertia.

Having a high drag factor is not necessary to have low splits. To give you an example, my last workout I was doing 15min pieces rating 21-22. My average was 150.6 and drag factor was 115.

The key is with a lower drag, you can really work on accelerating with the legs only.

Hope this helps,

Trevor

[iain]

140 drag factor is too high.

I understand thqat most people modify Model Bs to reduce the drag. This varies from getting what I think was called a "speed ring" from C2 (I don't know whether they are still sold) to insulation tape to reduce the air intake into the fan.

While you should be able to achieve power outputs 10 x your rating. This might take a little while. THere is nothing magic about this, just try and increase the force applied in each stroke. I'm not aware of anyone who does a 400W average erg at 40SPM.

Re yourr question, many people find that weight loss plateaus with purely long steady rows. These should remain the core of your rowing, but doing some faster intervals may "shock" your system into higher energy usage and these may increase apetite less than the equivalent calories burned in a steady row. That said, they are harder on your system and so should not be done regularly on consecutive days. Finally, i would recommend starting slowly as they take a little getting used to and can be fun. Pete's method of gooing at a sustainable pace for all but the last then doing this flat out is a good compromise.

All the best

Iain

[Bob S.]

I'm not aware of anyone who does a 400W average erg at 40SPM.
Iain

Stephanson was doing 40 spm when he became the only lightweight to ever break 6' in the 2k. A 6' 2k would require an average pace of 1:30 which is 480 watts. His time was 5:58.5, so he was putting out a few watts higher than that. A phenomenal performance.

Bob S.

[hhoppert]

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement.

These model B's belong to my gym, so no modifying (and the speed rings aren't sold anymore). 140 drag is what I get...

If I stick with it, I may purchase a rower myself, but since the gym is less than a mile from my home and the rowers are always free, the cost/benefit is pretty bad right now.

I'll try and add some bursts after my workouts (any maybe a few 4x500 sprints or something along that line).

Thanks again,
Hadden

[iain]

I'm not aware of anyone who does a 400W average erg at 40SPM.
Iain

Stephanson was doing 40 spm when he became the only lightweight to ever break 6' in the 2k. A 6' 2k would require an average pace of 1:30 which is 480 watts. His time was 5:58.5, so he was putting out a few watts higher than that. A phenomenal performance.

Bob S.

I was aware of Stephenson as the only one at these ratings for a 2k, but realised he was significantly above 400W. My point was that if you are aiming to break 340W and did this at 34SPM, you would probably be better advised learning to develop more than 10SPI. If you managed 36SPM then you cold probably go above 360W. As for those achieving >400W I think there are manymore at <36SPM than >38SPM.

- Iain