Ranger's training thread

[ranger]

At 28 spm, I now do 1:39.

So, if I can row the 2K right through, I should do the first 1700m at 1:39.

Then, I'll just see what I can do, giving it the gun from there to the end.

If I have something left, and can put on a big kick, 6:32 might be possible.

If I don't have anything left, I'll just try to hold on to the 1:39s and finish in 6:36.

Osterling's 6:35.8 is the best 60s heavyweight 2K so far this year.

Spousta won the 60s hwt hammer last year with a 6:33.6.

ranger

[leadville]

At 28 spm, I now do 1:39.

So, if I can row the 2K right through, I should do the first 1700m at 1:39.

Then, I'll just see what I can do, giving it the gun from there to the end.

If I have something left, and can put on a big kick, 6:32 might be possible.

If I don't have anything left, I'll just try to hold on to the 1:39s and finish in 6:36.

Osterling's 6:35.8 is the best 60s heavyweight 2K so far this year.

Spousta won the 60s hwt hammer last year with a 6:33.6.

ranger

gotta love rangerspeak.

I count

- three 'ifs'

- one 'should'

- one 'might'

- one 'just see' and one 'just try'

rangerboy, master of equivocation!

how deep will the crater be when rangerboy augers in?

[Carl Watts]

......because the words "I can do" or more specifically "I can actually do a 2K on the Erg in 7:02" is hardly earth shattering stuff and not open to a whole lot of "Yes I can" and "No you cannot" debate so where is the fun in that ?

[ranger]

The future of my training from now on, I think, rests almost entirely with maximizing my efficiency and endurance with base pace ("Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy") rowing at 26 spm.

If I just keep doing it, I think I might be able to stretch this rowing out to something close to FM length (30K?), if not all the way to a FM.

With my unusually high anaerobic threshold (both absolutely, 172 bpm, and as a percentage of maxHR, 87% HRR) and unusually high skeletal-muscular fitness and endurance, for my age, at least, I can take unusual advantage of the combination of low drag (119 df.) and high ratio (3.5-to-1) of this rowing, given the stroking power I have now developed (13 SPI) and my short little lightweight legs.

The chain is light, and on each stroke cycle, the work is brief, while the rest is long.

I just need to keep doing this rowing, day in and day out, week in and week out, month in and month out, year in and year out, into the future, until I maximize my endurance and efficiency with it.

Not much else needs to be done to get the most out of my training.

Despite the _very_ low rate (26 spm) and _very_ high ratio (3.5-to-1), I do this rowing at pretty much WR 2K pace (1:41).

Therefore, if I can stretch these rows out further and further, I will hit a whole series of pbs by crescendoing margins: 5K by two seconds per 500m, 6K by three seconds per 500m, 30min by four seconds per 500m, 10K by five seconds per 500m, 60min by seven seconds per 500m, HM by eight seconds per 500m, etc.

Top-end UT1 rowing of this sort is my favorite session, by far.

I can do it every day.

ranger

[ranger]

gotta love rangerspeak.

I count

- three 'ifs'

- one 'should'

- one 'might'

- one 'just see' and one 'just try'

rangerboy, master of equivocation!

how deep will the crater be when rangerboy augers in?

Sure, where I am in my racing is _very_ uncertain at the moment. But where I am in my training isn't. I prefer this relationship between these two aspects of my rowing and certainty vs. uncertainty, rather than the opposite.

ranger

[lancs]

Therefore, if I can stretch these rows out further and further, I will hit a whole series of pbs by crescendoing margins: 5K by two seconds per 500m, 6K by three seconds per 500m, 30min by four seconds per 500m, 10K by five seconds per 500m, 60min by seven seconds per 500m, HM by eight seconds per 500m, etc.

They probably wouldn't count as pbs though Prof on account of you having to take a break every few hundred metres to keep comfortable. I'd ditch the RWBs for a while if I were you, it's not allowing you to realise your full potential as a 6:16 rower.....

[ranger]

I'd ditch the RWBs for a while if I were you, it's not allowing you to realise your full potential as a 6:16 rower

I stopped doing RWBs a year or so ago.

RWBs is done at high stroking power (15 SPI, etc.) and low rates (16-22 spm) over short intervals.

I also did RWBs at max drag.

I do nothing of the sort now.

I now row well (13 SPI) at low drag (119 df.) and normal rates (e.g., 26-36 spm).

RWBs helped me learn to lead with quick legs at full slide, not to mention a host of other technical matters.

For me, at least, a good name for RWBs would be "Learn to Row."

Most ergers never take the time to learn to row well.

They just train to race.

No veteran (50+), lightweight or heavyweight, has ever rowed well.

All 60s veterans have missed it by a country mile.

ranger

[ranger]

The logic of the rowing stroke is such that work on technique yields crescendoing benefits.

Money makes money.

Those who row well get better and better.

Those who don't get worse and worse.

As you lighten the drag, you increase your stroking power by being able to lengthen the slide and use quicker legs.

As you increase your stroking power, especially at low drag, you shorten your drive time. On each stroke cycle, you don't work as long.

As you shorten your drive time, you increase your ratio and therefore your rest time. On each stroke cycle, you rest longer.

Better technique also puts you in a position to use all of your levers with a balanced and sequenced effort, rather than in a wastefully imbalanced and simultaneous effort. On each stroke cycle, each lever contributes maximally while working minimally.

No one who rows ineffectively and inefficiently ever rows to their full potential.

They miss it by a country mile.

ranger

[hjs]

gotta love rangerspeak.

I count

- three 'ifs'

- one 'should'

- one 'might'

- one 'just see' and one 'just try'

rangerboy, master of equivocation!

how deep will the crater be when rangerboy augers in?

Sure, where I am in my racing is _very_ uncertain at the moment. But where I am in my training isn't. I prefer this relationship between these two aspects of my rowing and certainty vs. uncertainty, rather than the opposite.

ranger

eh no it's not, it is very clear to the whole world except you

How can there be a difference in training and racing?

[macroth]

I'd ditch the RWBs for a while if I were you, it's not allowing you to realise your full potential as a 6:16 rower

I stopped doing RWBs a year or so ago.

RWBs is done at high stroking power (15 SPI, etc.) and low rates (16-22 spm) over short intervals.

I also did RWBs at max drag.

I do nothing of the sort now.

I now row well (13 SPI) at low drag (119 df.) and normal rates (e.g., 26-36 spm).

But you still take lots of breaks, even in those "Steamroller" 22spm sessions you were doing up to a few days ago, and certainly at 26-36 spm. You're still doing short intervals. So what would you call this rowing that you are doing where you take breaks after short intervals? RWWB - rowing "well" with breaks?

[redzone]

Everyone ready for the Indianapolis 500 tomorrow?

(500m at target pace and then the wheels come flying off that is)

[ranger]

Some of the race venues (e.g., Motown Madness) are now calling the 60s age group the "ageless" men.

Ouch.

ranger

[ranger]

Just as a curiosity, I dropped the drag to 77 df. this morning and was pleased to find that I still got plenty of pressure on the chain, just strokiing naturally.

No feeling of discomfort or ineffectiveness at all.

My technnique is now _very_ good:

Quick legs.

Sure, at the same rate, the stroking power, and therefore pace, dropped quite a bit, 1:44 @ 28 spm (11 SPI), rather than 1:39 @ 28 spm (13 SPI), but nothing else felt awry at all.

The effort was considerably less at the same rate, given the light chain.

ranger

[JimR]

I stopped doing RWBs a year or so ago.

A RWB by any other name would smell as bad ...

JimR

[JimR]

Just as a curiosity, I dropped the drag to 77 df. this morning and was pleased to find that I still got plenty of pressure on the chain, just strokiing naturally.

No feeling of discomfort or ineffectiveness at all.

My technnique is now _very_ good:

Quick legs.

ranger

I'm curious ... with your incredible strengh (although weak for a HWT) what happens when you put the drag all the way up?

JimR