Improve My Rowing Times

[iain]

Pete's guidance in his pacing recommendations are:

1. Row this session at your 2k PB....

Still having a bit of a hard time figuring out the pacing for this training plan but I'll get there.

Pete prefaces his suggestion on ultimate pace - http://thepeteplan.wordpress.com/the-pete-plan/ with:

"I know everyone is different, but I still want to know what are good times for each of the interval sessions!

Ok, but these are neither targets for the first time you try a session, or even for the longer term."

the PP has a signifixcant drop out rate as people try and use these timings as initial pace. while I understand experienced ergers using these paces for the last couple of months of training before the focus competition for the year, it makes no sense for a longer PP.

The difficulty is just finding the initial pace, after that its about always using your last attempt (+1S/500m for every week break).

Looking at this session, it doesn't seem like it would be that difficult, especially with all the rest. But boy looks can definitely be deceiving!

I think this is the toughest session to do at optimum pace. People find a reserve to go faster over the last 2 or 3 intervals even when they are at absolute limit on the 1k. This means starting the next at a pace you couldn't have manged 3 weeks earlier (as the 1k will be quicker). This has the longest rests compared with the work periods except for the 500's (opinion on how hard these are vary, as someone yet to get close to 2k-3 I reserve judgement). This means you can push yourself proportionally harder as you have time to [mostly] recover. Paraphrasing what someone wisely said (forgive me forgetting the author), there are no harder or easier sessions session, it just depends upon the pace.

- Iain

[JDay]

Ballgame

I will be interested to monitor your progress, I wanted to do the Pete Plan but do to time constraints have gone with another plan, which probably isn't as good but so far I am seeing improvement.

I am 43 210 lbs 5'10". Been rowing a few weeks I have been told I have decent technique, ok strength but could be improved a lot, and poor to average aerobic capabilities for my age.

Best previous 2000m time 8:07. Started a plan of doing Tabata rows 5 evenings a week ,10 days ago. After the first week I had improved my Tabata meters rowed per session by 4.5% so targeted a 4.5% increase in my average pace for the 2000m row on day 7 I tested it an got a the 4.5% improvement in my 2000m time at 7:45. As of last night which was my 9th day my total Tabata improvement was at 5.5%, hope to be at 7% improvement by day 14 for my next 2000m test .

Overall hoping to achieve a 14% improvement in my tabata score over 8 weeks which if it carries over to my 2000m time will bring be me to a 2000m time of 7:00 by february.

I don't pace myself at all on the tabata rounds I go all out every round so far my best round is at a 1:25 pace. Overall average for all 8 rounds last night was at 1:41 pace. (I had one horrendous round)

Also do weight training in am 4x week. Mostly Pull-Ups,squats, and deadlifts.

I know very little about rowing so my plan may not be the smartest but it is only 160 seconds of hard work in the evenings. So far I have improved a little bit each night and I am motivated to beat my score each night. I am sure the progress will come slower after the first 2 weeks. I think a lot of the improvement so far has to do with the mental component, the tabata is teaching me that I can push through a lot more than I thought I could just 10 days ago.

Also usually do a 5 min warm-up and 5 min cool down if I am not on the floor.