Training advice please -- 45 year old

[MarkEg]

Used ergs on and off for years but have never really documented times or created any kind of training plan but would like to now. I'm 45, have always been reasonably fit. (5ft10, 190ibs) As it stands I'm doing 2k once a week (PB 7-35) A 5K once a week (PB 20-17) and a few longer recovery sessions in 7-5 to 10k range. Are these times reasonable? Is a hard 2K once a week too often? What else should I be combining it with for best results? I have a Model C. Any pointers very welcome.

[Carl Watts]

Okay it depends on what your trying to achieve, is it just weight loss, fitness, strength ?

No point just doing all short rows like the 2K and 5K, for "Training" you want to be out to 30 to 45 minute sessions on a regular basis to get weight loss and overall fitness improvements.

Hammering yourself hard out on the 2K will just start to interfere with regular training if you want to row 5 or 6 times a week. Also you don't need to keep "Testing" yourself on the 2K, just get a heartrate monitor and start logging your resting HR, maximum HR (during the 2K) and just watch your average HR drop over time for a given pace and rating during the training rows.

If you want to stay in shape you need to start burning the calories so that's distance at a sustainable heartrate you can row at from week to week all year long.

Start logging your weekly meters, the Concept 2 website is good to start putting up your meters and keeping track of things.

[dnf0929]

Pete Plan may be a good place to start. Interval sessions are based on 2k/5k which you have established. Just be sure not to push too hard on the steady distance stuff. I followed it for quite a while and was very pleased with my progress.

[MarkEg]

Very many thanks for both of these responses. Not too worried about weight loss. More fitness and strength. I have been doing 40 minute sessions in between at 2.05-2.10 type pace and find those to be reasonably comfortable. Is that the kind of thing I should be doing 5 or so times a week. And possibly going further at a similar rate? I'll have a look at Pete Plan also.

[hjs]

Very many thanks for both of these responses. Not too worried about weight loss. More fitness and strength. I have been doing 40 minute sessions in between at 2.05-2.10 type pace and find those to be reasonably comfortable. Is that the kind of thing I should be doing 5 or so times a week. And possibly going further at a similar rate? I'll have a look at Pete Plan also.

Search a bit for polerised training. That roughly means, most work, aerobic and long and the interval work, hard and short with much less volume.
The longer easy work should be done with a strong stroke, so keep the rate lower and the stokes strong. This makes it much less easy but more effective.

[MarkEg]

Thanks again -- my longer work is at roughly 21/22. Is that the kind of stroke rate required?

[hjs]

Thanks again -- my longer work is at roughly 21/22. Is that the kind of stroke rate required?

Yes thats fine. The rough idea is, that you try to use a strong full stroke, this way the rate is the factor that makes you go faster or slower.

[MarkEg]

Again -- many thanks

[left coaster]

Hi Mark,
The advice from Henry about using a Strong! stroke during your long steady rows turned out to be really helpful for me. It means I'm able to train strength as well as moderate cardio during the long rows, it also helped develop my form and to help me be more efficient. It was the factor that allowed me to improve my longer distance times.

[MarkEg]

OK so today's session was 6 x 500m with 2min recoveries. Splits as follows ( damper set at 4.5)

1.57
1.55
1.53
1.52
1.52
1.50


My average stroke rate was in the 25/26 region.

Can anyone comment and let me know if I'm on the right track? Strangely, I didn't fade -- in fact the reverse was true.

[hjs]

OK so today's session was 6 x 500m with 2min recoveries. Splits as follows ( damper set at 4.5)

1.57
1.55
1.53
1.52
1.52
1.50


My average stroke rate was in the 25/26 region.

Can anyone comment and let me know if I'm on the right track? Strangely, I didn't fade -- in fact the reverse was true.

Fine, a tip, use the logbook, or an other way to note your training including the way it felt etc.

Re session, next time start around 1.54, you will improve rapidly and will see a increese in spm, which is also what you want, it will in the end get above 30, let that happen naturaly.

Re setting 4.5, search for drag, not the setting but drag is important. That can alter depending on air pressure and dust in the fan.

[MarkEg]

Again -- all this input is great. Are the times themselves reasonable?

[bisqeet]

They are a good start. But if you keep to a plan, Henry's previous post about a rapid decrease in pace times will be true.

I can recommend buying rowpro to log the sessions.
Try and look for a plan and stick to it.
Pete Plan
Coleraine
Pete plan beginner

[hjs]

Again -- all this input is great. Are the times themselves reasonable?

Thats subjective. For that you better look at the rankings. Nice goal for most men is a sub 7 2k. At the moment you can,t but in 3/6 months? Without knowing your current relative fitness its difficult to give a answer.

The times are ok, not super, yet !

[MarkEg]

Thanks -- best 2K to date is 7-35 and I couldn't categorically say that was 'all-out' . Will be using all this advice to improve that and other aspects.