newbie, with questions

[Bokaj]

My model D just arrived today and I can't wait to get started. I'm 6'1" and 270lbs, I wanting to lose about 70. Planning on doing the interactive weight loss program from the uk site. The very first day has me rowing 2x10', while I'm dieing to get started I'm wondering if I need to spend a couple weeks building up to do 10'. I have rowed in the past, but it was quite a while back. How practical is it to hop on and crank out 10'? What kind of times am I looking at?

[Citroen]

The first few workouts on the UK interactive programme don't have any specified distance. It really is just sit on the machine for 10 minutes rowing, get HR back to twice your resting level, row the second 10 minutes.

No other specifics until you get an idea of what your UT1, UT2, AT, TR and AN levels might be. The plan gives you suggested stroke rates/HR percentages to help you guess those bands. Of course training will change your tolerance to lactic as you get fitter. Nothing is hard and fast.

Pete's nice and simple beginner's plan may be easier to understand. http://thepeteplan.wordpress.com/beginner-training/ There's no HR measurement needed, everything after his first 5K is based on average time from a previous workout.

[Bob S.]

My model D just arrived today and I can't wait to get started. I'm 6'1" and 270lbs, I wanting to lose about 70. Planning on doing the interactive weight loss program from the uk site. The very first day has me rowing 2x10', while I'm dieing to get started I'm wondering if I need to spend a couple weeks building up to do 10'. I have rowed in the past, but it was quite a while back. How practical is it to hop on and crank out 10'? What kind of times am I looking at?

Start out at a very slow pace like 3:00 seconds/500m and try to bring it down, say 5" after each minute. If you start to feel stressed, ease off by 5" and see if you can maintain that pace. If not ease off more, etc. That should give you some idea of a target pace to work for. If you are able to bring it down 5" each time and complete the 10' without stress, you could start the second 10' piece at something like 2:40 and do the same process.

As far as rate is concerned, it depends on what feels best for you, but it should not be at a high rate. Your IP schedule probably has a recommended rate for each level.

Bob S.

[Bokaj]

My bad, I was reading it as 10k not 10 minutes. Thanks for the clarification.

[shorelinelaw]

Hi! I was reading through this thread. I'm in my second week of rowing too. However, I finally read the Peter Plan and got VERY concerned.

I've been steadily adding 500 M to each of my rowing sessions until I find my true fitness level. I just finished my first 5,500 and have every intention of hitting 6,000 tomorrow. From there I intend to halt a bit before moving upward.

But I'm rowing STRAIGHT THROUGH not in intervals. Is this alright? To be frank, I feel really good at it and i notice that while my distance is climbing, my time per 500m is dropping slightly. I like the long row and had every intention of eventually adding some on.

Is this a bad idea starting out or am I OK.

[napoleon1815]

I do 6,000 straight through every morning. It's fine for me. Intervals are a good way to break up your routine if you get bored with the other one...intervals are also good for HIT (High Interval Traning)...like going full bore for 1,000 meters, then taking 3 minutes off, then doing another, etc. I am in it for weight loss so a continuous row is good.

[Bob S.]

Hi! I was reading through this thread. I'm in my second week of rowing too. However, I finally read the Peter Plan and got VERY concerned.

I've been steadily adding 500 M to each of my rowing sessions until I find my true fitness level. I just finished my first 5,500 and have every intention of hitting 6,000 tomorrow. From there I intend to halt a bit before moving upward.

But I'm rowing STRAIGHT THROUGH not in intervals. Is this alright? To be frank, I feel really good at it and i notice that while my distance is climbing, my time per 500m is dropping slightly. I like the long row and had every intention of eventually adding some on.

Is this a bad idea starting out or am I OK.

I don't know about the Pete Plan for beginners, but, in general, Pete Marsden's approach has been a preparation for competition, with distance rows to work on general fitness/endurance and intervals to improve speed. If your main concern at this point is improving your fitness, there is no need to be concerned about intervals.

Bob S.

[gregsmith01748]

Bob is right.

The Pete Plan is definitely focused on doing a 2K as fast as possible, and is pretty hard core. Even Pete's beginner plan is a pretty steep ramp, and focused on speed, not general fitness and weight control.

If you are happy rowing straight through and enjoying it, keep at it.

One thing to try, while you are rowing is to experiment with different paces. For example, you could try to do 2 minutes at a pace that is a few seconds faster, a.nd then slow back down. You can vary the pattern and how fast you push. This kind of workout is sometimes called a "Fartlek" session and is used in cross country skiing and running as a way to drive heart rates a bit higher. I do this kind of workout all the time. It breaks up the time and makes it a bit more interesting.

[Bokaj]

I had also looked at the Pete plan but I decided that it was way to hardcore for me. I did the first workout (2x10') this morning seemed to be a good workout. I think I could have gone longer but I'm feeling sore so I will stick to the plan for now, I might ramp it up later.

[gregsmith01748]

I think sticking to the plan is a good idea. It's really really easy to let enthusiasm get the better of you when you first start. After a couple of weeks, you start feeling like it's a grind. The program is designed to ramp it up.

One thing you can do is monitor your HR and make sure that you are working at the top end of the recommended training ranges. That makes the workouts more challenging for sure.