Getting started, xfit background

[Deanwvu]

Hello all,

I've been a member of a local crossfit affiliate for over a year now, and rowing is a part of our WOD's about 2-3 times a month. I enjoy the rower, but we usually do sprints only--usually 500m, 1000m, or the occasional 2k row (never more than 2k). I do pretty well on the rower, but holy crap it wears me out (in a good way).

I've got a line on a used C2 model D, but even if that falls through I will be ordering a new one--hoping to be rowing sometime this week.

My question for you guys is this: Since my experience in rowing is limited, and usually only sprints, how do I transition to a more sustained row (15, 30, 45 minute rows or more)? What range of pace should I row?

For example, if my best 500m were a 1:31, what "should" my 1000m pace/time be? What "should" my 2k time be, and what kind of pace should I be pulling for longer rows? (15 minute, 30 minute, 45 minute, etc)

My main reason for rowing at home is for fat loss, continued cardio fitness, and a substitute for running, as I am not a fan of outdoor running in near and sub-freezing temperatures.

I realize I will figure all this out over time, but I thought it would be wise to use some recommendations here as a baseline.


Thank you all,

Dean

[jvincent]

Do a search for Paul's Law and you will find calculators that show what times to expect based on a given reference or baseline. I find it to be pretty accurate.

[Bob S.]

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[Cyclist2]

Be careful with that chart! True, it is a predictor of times, but believe me if you try to do a 1:51 pace for 30 minutes, for example, as a general fitness workout, you'll die and be really uh, unenthusiastic, about future rowing. Those numbers are for a max effort (race pace), not a fitness type workout. Start slow, get your form down, even throw a bag over the monitor and just go at what feels sustainable and comfortable. You'll figure it out real quick and be a lot happier. Fast times will come!

[Bob S.]

Be careful with that chart! True, it is a predictor of times, but believe me if you try to do a 1:51 pace for 30 minutes, for example, as a general fitness workout, you'll die and be really uh, unenthusiastic, about future rowing. Those numbers are for a max effort (race pace), not a fitness type workout. Start slow, get your form down, even throw a bag over the monitor and just go at what feels sustainable and comfortable. You'll figure it out real quick and be a lot happier. Fast times will come!

It was never intended as a predictor of times. It was used to determine the balance of strength and endurance. Some have plenty of strength and can do very well on the short pieces, but lack the endurance to do well on the long pieces. Then there are a lot of us, including me the could easily do the 30 minute pace that would be predicted by our 500m times. but only because our 500m times are slow. We can go on and on for the long pieces, but have crappy times on the short ones. These correlations, based on Paul's Law, i.e. adding 5 seconds of pace for each doubling of distance, work fairly well for those who have a good balance of strength and endurance. It does seem to work best for the mid range, say 2k-10k.

Your advice in this case is probably right on, since Deanwvu has been doing only short pieces, but the chart does provide an answer to his/her post in that it gives him/her targets to shot for as his/her rowing endurance builds up.

Bob S.

[Deanwvu]

Thanks all! I cannot wait to get started.

There is a local crew club nearby that get's started in March or April. I may give them a visit at the start of their season.

I will err on the slow side of these targets, perhaps adding a few seconds to the pace. This gives me a great target for my first few longer rows.

[slwiser]

To start out I wound not base my extended workouts on my "best" short time either. What is your average time for that distance? say 1:35 and use that to start out with in the Paul Law chart. Then go the the threads on the Pete plan and work those workouts. This will give you some variety and help develop your longer distances. With the Pete plan you will begin increasing your pace depending on the pace that you can sustain and with you it probably will not be very long before you increase it to near your potential but it will be done safely.

[Deanwvu]

Score!!

Was going to buy a new C2 Model D this week (happily), when I came across a craigslist ad (local to me) for a used one in excellent condition for quite a bit less!

Going to row my first light, extended row tonight. Thank you all for the great advice.

Dean

[jamesg]

If you stick somewhere between 2 and 3W/kg (lean weight), with HR below AT, you should be all right for the long rows. Keep the rate low (so that the work per stroke is high) and drag low (so that the stroke is fast).

[Nosmo]

If you are a a serious cross fit guy, you are way over trained anaerobically and not nearly enough aerobically. The people who do best in xfit competitions don't do the xfit program every day, they mix in a lot of low intensity endurance work.

Rather then relying on a chart, base your pace on what you can do and recover from. No more then two intense workout per week and make the remaining days continuous endurance work. As much as you can get in. One endurance workout can be moderately hard but the others should be at an easy conversational pace. Your endurance work needs to be easy enough so that your intervals are not compromised. Base intensity on recovery rate. Since you are training different systems the intervals shouldn't compromise you endurance workout. Build you endurance workouts slowly enough so that you can do your intervals all out. Your interval pace for the same workout, should get a tenth of a second or so faster almost every week. If your time on the intervals don't improve steadily you need to back off and recover more. ALso good warm ups are critical for consistent results and good cool downs are critical for recovery. Remember you get stronger on the recovery not during the workout.

See this link: http://www.sportsci.org/2009/ss.pdf

P.S. Also Paul's law uses the 5 second constant. I would argue that something closer to 4 seconds is more like it for ideal 2K to 5K rowing training. SInce you are coming from xfit, your constant may be more like 6 seconds.

[Deanwvu]

Had my first 30 minute row last night.

I went way slower than the recommendations I read here, for a few reasons.

One: The act of rowing, for that length of time, is hard on the back (for beginners, I assume). The very act of being in the row position for that long is foreign, and therefore difficult.

Two: I move the rower. It's annoying. Even when I am as gentle as possible, my mass moved the rower back on my floor a centimeter or so every stroke. I had to stop mid-workout several times to pick up and move the rower back to the original position. Perhaps I should get a particular kind of mat? I'd honestly rather get two small mats (for the rower's feet) than one 9 foot mat...

[Bob S.]

Two: I move the rower. It's annoying. Even when I am as gentle as possible, my mass moved the rower back on my floor a centimeter or so every stroke. I had to stop mid-workout several times to pick up and move the rower back to the original position. Perhaps I should get a particular kind of mat? I'd honestly rather get two small mats (for the rower's feet) than one 9 foot mat...

Have you tried rowing strapless? Sometimes that helps to iron out certain technique kinks. The foot straps aren't really needed except for higher stroke rates - say 25 spm and higher. At low rates, the straps are unnecessary. If you have trouble rowing at low rates without flying off to the back, it is a sign that you are pulling too soon with your arms. In other words, it would mean starting the arm pull before the leg drive is completed.

Bob S.

[gregsmith01748]

[edit: I see Bob beat me to the punch!]

The fact that the rower is moving is clue that your form is not quite what it should be. Try rowing with your feet NOT strapped in. You will find it awkward, but it will quickly teach you to use your arms to finish the stroke, instead of pulling backward on the foot straps to stop your momentum.

Congratulations on your new purchase!

[Citroen]

Two: I move the rower. It's annoying. Even when I am as gentle as possible, my mass moved the rower back on my floor a centimeter or so every stroke. I had to stop mid-workout several times to pick up and move the rower back to the original position. Perhaps I should get a particular kind of mat? I'd honestly rather get two small mats (for the rower's feet) than one 9 foot mat...

Until you've learned to row strapless and without shifting your mass around (tugging the rower with it) you could use the old gaffer/duct/duck tape trick. Wrap two turns round the foot (sticky side in), give a half twist and two more turns sticky side out. That's good for a 1:08/500m pace - it won't move.