New Wolverine Plan Thread

[TomR]

Neil,

As I recall, you've got excellent endurance, and if bmcgraw also does, you could be right about his ability to extend his L3 distance at 1.59.

I've worked up to a weekly 90 minute long row, but it is nowhere near Mike's recommended L3 pace, although it gets fractionally quicker each week.

[nharrigan]

Tom,

I think there is more benefit from longer L3s than from slightly faster ones (at the same distance each week). I've done it both ways and I found it harder to recover from faster 12k every week than from a longer, but slightly slower session.

Mike once mentioned in his comments that his best L3 was at 1:48.8 pace when his 2k was 6:18. That works out to 1.1513*2k pace. Which is only a small increase from the 1.156 recommended pace at the beginning of the season. Which would have been (1:49.2).

If your 2k ref pace is 1:45 then 1.150*105s= 120.7s pace (2:00.7). So 1:59 pace is already a good second better than 1.15*2k pace.

To wrap up this novel, here are some examples of my training milestones for the various Wolverine Levels last
year and this year:
2001-2:
2K: 6:18.2
60' (Level 4): 16,070m (1:52.0)/1196 strokes (AVG 19.9)/13.44 m/stroke
5 x 10' (Level 4): 13,832m (1:48.4)/1084 strokes (AVG 21.7)/12.76 m/stroke
10 x 1500m (Level 3): 1:43.4
32K Continuous (Level 3): 1:48.8
4 x 2K (Level 2): 1:38.2
4 x 1K (Level 1): 1:33.9

Regards,

Neil

[bmcgraw]

Thanks for the clarification on both issues.

Being that I can complete the 12k at 1:59 , would you recommend keeping that pace (though it is below the 2:04) and adding distance?

I'd stick with 1:59 and add 500m each week. Just remember that the L3 workouts aren't supposed too tough, and only you can gauge your perceived effort on this piece. Also, the pace needs to fit well with the other workouts to have the interval sessions be the top of the pyramid of your training with the L3 & L4 workouts being the base.

Based solely on your calculated 1:45 reference pace, I believe you should be able to use the following paces: 1:41 - 8x500, 1:43 - L1 Pyramid, 1:45 - 4x1k, 1:53 - Any L2 workout, and 1:59 - long L3, and 1:56 15x3'. The L4 reference paces are all detailed in the tables Mike posted with the original plan.

I keep my L3 pace constant and increase the distance each week for the long row. I increase my L1 & L2 goal paces for each workout, while minimizing the variation during and between each interval. Don't try to increase the pace for L3 or L4 during a training season, which I consider to be 4-6 months. You can re-establish a reference pace for each training cycle.

How long have you been working with the plan? Since you just figured out that your calculated L3 pace wasn't reasonable, it sounds like you're just getting started. Patience is key during the first 6 weeks while you get familiar with the reality of actually doing the plan. Your paces will make sense, you'll have confidence with each workout, and you'll have a strong foundation to begin to really benefit from the layout of the plan. You'll also have more questions, so be sure to check back with the plan and the forum for any further clarification.

Over the past year or so, doing erg workouts outside of my club practices, I don't think I have done any workouts that weren't part of the Wolverine Plan, though it was probably 90% 40' L4 workouts. I started doing it more formally about 3 weeks ago when our OTW season ended and we are mostly on our own until mid January.

I'm not really sure about the pacing. I feel like I exert myself fairly hard on the pieces and definitely do not enjoy the long L3's, but I don't think there is much more than a ~10% chance I'd ever handle down during one of them.

Your predictions were all pretty close based off of my most previous workouts.

[Snail Space]

Neil - L4s are my favourite type of WP workout. Call it a character flaw. Glad to know I am not the only one

Hmmm, I'll have to add my name to the list of those with deranged personalities: I love L4 sessions too. I find that the mental concentration that it requires to maintain the pace and stroke rates accurately results in the session flying by without me even being aware that I've spent 40'/60' rowing. When I started a couple of years ago, it was only the discovery of the Wolverine Plan, with its component L4 sessions, that allowed me to sit on the ergo for more than 20 minutes. Suddenly I found that I could manage 40 minutes. Wow, that was a revelation.

Cheers
Dave

The sad list (apologies to those that I have missed):
Neil [nharrigan]
Patrick [pmacaula]
Dave [Snail Space]

[Yankeerunner]

Hmmm, I'll have to add my name to the list of those with deranged personalities: I love L4 sessions too. I find that the mental concentration that it requires to maintain the pace and stroke rates accurately results in the session flying by without me even being aware that I've spent 40'/60' rowing.

From the time that Mike Cavistion introduced the WP and L4 that has been a recurring sentiment. I don't think that any other type of workout has ever made me feel a similar sense of time passing so quickly. It must be the added focus needed to keep pace and rate and rate changes in order, or maybe the 2' time span (usually) between rate changes.

Guess I'm on the sad list too.

The sad list (apologies to those that I have missed):
Neil [nharrigan]
Patrick [pmacaula]
Dave [Snail Space]
Rick [yankeerunner]

For anyone who hasn't tried the L4s yet, I highly recommend it. Those using the other plan that is the WP minus the L4s don't know what they're missing.

[nharrigan]

The sad list (apologies to those that I have missed):
Neil [nharrigan]
Patrick [pmacaula]
Dave [Snail Space]
Rick [yankeerunner]
.

It is quite a sad list. I'm glad I have some company on it:lol:
What I like most about the L4s is that it gives me time to think about each stroke. I can focus on each part. Work on a nice recovery, quick catch, strong finish, etc. It's great after a crazy day at work. Its almost like meditation.

Another L4 tonight. 6x184.

Regards,

Neil

[pmacaula]

How enjoyable/tolerable each type of workout is and the impact on training is really interesting.

One thing that has effectively kept me up on my training program (beyond general health & a desire to do well in an erg regatta in February), is the fact that the majority of workout time is doing L4s. It is easy to get going at least from a Level perspective.

Here is my most to least liked:

L4 - lots to think about; time flies by; challenging but not excruciating.
L1 - painful/challenging, but short & the 'race-like' feeling is a motivator.
L2 - A nasty, long & painful version of L1.
L3 - The long, continuous pieces feel endless compared to L4s. Motivation flags due to boredom. L3 intervals are fine.

How about others ?

Cheers. Patrick.

[Bob S.]

There was an interesting message regarding the WP on the U.K. forum today. It was called "Reflections on training." The author uses the name: PTJ68.

Bob S.

[Nosmo]

I was left off the sad list.

Also, I like L2's. Don't really have a preference for L1s,L2s, or L3s. In college the crew team thought I was a bit nuts, and over 25 years latter my club mates also think I'm a bit nuts.

[nharrigan]

Getting back the WP discussion.
I just did my first L1 with 1k, 2x750, 2x500 Rests turned out to be 5:00, 4:30, 4:30, 3:30.

I highly recommend this kind of decreasing distance session.

I was a little worried about the pacing in the beginning, but it turned out to not be a problem. 1k was at my typical 4x1k. The 750s should have been 1.5s/500 faster, but I was a little slow on these. The 500s should have been 3s/500 faster than the 1k. These were faster than target pace. Overall just about on target.

I also switched to setting up each interval as a separate workout rather than using the PM4 intervals with fixed rests. That seemed to make a big difference psychologically. I was more relaxed when I started each interval.

Regards,

Neil

[Bill Moore]

OK, I confess I also like the L4 workouts. And although I haven't worked my way up to them this year, even a 2x40' or a 70' is a great workout that's not too painful.

A note on my earlier observations that I was overstroking the 176 segments. I actually counted the strokes and hit 174 & 176 last night, but when calculated with the RowPro feedback it came back as 180 & 181. Interesting discrepancy. I'm calculating it by dividing the Avg DPS for each segment by the Meters to get the total number of strokes. I guess I could even look at the file to get the exact number of strokes, since I have to admit there's a margin of error with keeping track of mental notes during an L4.

One change I would do from the 5 week buildup for this year is to add L4 workouts, instead of just doing 6 - 12k rows in a week. That would have given me a feel for the rate/pace combos, even though I was still trying to make a best guess at my reference pace without doing a 2k trial.

[Bill Moore]

I added lifting to my workouts and am a bit sore today. I hate the first week of getting back into lifting, but it's a fantastic feeling once the body gets used to it.

I did my first L1 Pyramid this year, and I forgot how much fun it was. Of course, my brain was questioning whether I was going to hit the pace for the 1k while I was doing the first 750.

My goal pace was 1:54.0, and the results were:

• 250 1:53.2
  500 1:53.3
  1k 1:53.1
  750 1:52.9
  500 1:51.4
  250 1:49.2
  Avg 1:52.8

This was a nice confidence builder after the first 8x500 last week. Next up is the lovely 4x1k with a 1:56 goal pace. Once I have these done once, I can begin to improve the paces and build a great foundation.

I'm amazed again at how the WP comes together after actually using it for a few weeks. All the opinions about the plan from people not actually doing it fade away into the rest of the static of the forum. After all it's about personal performance improvement, and I just love the way this challenges me and keeps me going.

[nharrigan]

Bill- Nice going on the pyramid! You paced it pretty well.
I reckon you could do the next L1 (4x1k) a bit faster than 1:56.

[Bill Moore]

Bill- Nice going on the pyramid! You paced it pretty well.
I reckon you could do the next L1 (4x1k) a bit faster than 1:56.

I recon the same thing, but I'm going to give myself the buffer for the first time with that lovely stroll in the park. I find the mental games we play before these infamous workouts are a challenge in themselves. The only thing that counters the mental psych-out is confidence from prior performance.

Tonight is a 4x2k, which is another lovely time. Since I use RowPro, I get to see the nice river with the trees going by...that is if my eyes aren't glued to the pace for each stroke, while keeping my heart in my chest. I looked back at all of my prior RowPro workout results, and my maximum heart rate came from the 4x2k. Fun stuff.

[nharrigan]

Bill- 4x2k is always fun. I think after doing a 3k, 2.5k, 2k that it not's so bad.

60' L4 this evening. (184 186 188)x2

It went ok. I did notice it tough to drop from a 22spm to 17. It took a good 5 strokes or so to settle. Anyone else have trouble getting to the right pace on the big rate changes?