Pete Plan Group - Startup Aug 20th thru 22nd

[jackarabit]

Rohan writes:

The simplicity and certainty of the plan are really working for me, getting a good sense of achievement from the hard days and balance/consistency from the SS days. All of which obviously means I'll be here a blubbering mess on Saturday after the 4x1,000!

I also thrive on the two calendar-rhythm feedback loops in Pete--by the week and by the 3 wk cycle. Or prefer to think I do. Couple times I broke out in pulsing bubos, grew hair on the back of my hands, and howled at the full moon. Mostly I remember to wear clothes in public and don't drool so you'd notice.

[jackarabit]

Nick, i looked at my PP logs and found that on 4 April 2015, i was starting on my second try at sticking to PP for more than one cycle. Did the 8x500 on 3:30 rest (not 2:00 as in BPP) at 2:10.2. I bet I thought I was something special. Yeh, ain't true but that's the way you have to think. Be your own hero.

[Kxthor911]

Nick, i looked at my PP logs and found that on 4 April 2015, i was starting on my second try at sticking to PP for more than one cycle. Did the 8x500 on 3:30 rest (not 2:00 as in BPP) at 2:10.2. I bet I thought I was something special. Yeh, ain't true but that's the way you have to think. Be your own hero.

Jack, you are hella encouraging already. I appreciate you taking the time to look that up. I'm really looking forward to seeing myself grow with this. The feedback is going to be awesome.

[G-dub]

It is in the exhilaration of feeling like you are drowning but also knowing that you have slayed your beast for that day. And also knowing that there is more to be gotten. And feeling good about yourself for exploring what you are capable of even though you know you get in your own way. And the "you"' is rhetorical of course.

[Joe L]

It looks like everyone is progressing nicely to week 3 of the 1st cycle. I did the hard distance session this evening. I had considered either a 5K or a 6K based on what other folks were doing and some feedback after my disaster last Thursday, but I ended up doing a 10K instead. Given that I really haven't done any sessions at even a moderate distance at over 18 spm in a long time, I thought I'd shoot for a 10K at 22/23 spm. My plan is to either up the spm (and pace) or distance in the weeks to come.

It worked out pretty well this week. I hovered around 22/23 spm at 1:49/1:50 for the first 9K ( I could feel it, but reasonably comfortable) and then increased the pace for the final 1K. I ended up at 36.16.9 (1:48.8 at 23 spm).

Next up, a SS row on Friday and then more pain on Sunday with a 4X1000!

This feels a little like the NCAA basketball tournament. We just need to survive and advance.

[Goldenbarry]

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[jackarabit]

Omitted to mention that I did my final wk 2 SS yesterday strapless. I warm up with loose straps and occasionally do 20' without but seldom so long as an hour. How many of the group never row strapless? Why not? How many do it frequently? Benefits you have observed in your stroke? Forces early leg push and delays arms/back initiation? Discourages urge to pause at finish and less energy and time invested in returning the upper body to vertical? Other benedits? Any downsides?

[Pie Man]

I row strapless for some of the SS sessions, and for all cool down and some warm up sessions. Not sure how I benefit, I feel if I don't concentrate my stroke goes 'soft' but when it goes right it is a good feeling to have your feet planted when you feel that physics dictates they should lift...

[mdpfirrman]

@ Jack - I row all of my SS strapless now. I started this year doing it. Took a huge adjustment period (like two weeks) but since I've done that, I can't even imagine doing it any other way. I attribute two things primarily to my faster times this year - better aerobic endurance from more meters and rowing strapless. My form (though still probably not perfect I'm sure) is much better than it used to be for the reasons you mentioned - quicker hands, better sequencing and less wasted momentum after the finish. It really forces you, too, to better understand why your core is so important. I think it's really strengthened my core too at the same time.

Just an observation on core strength - I used to hate sitting on the ground - very uncomfortable. Took the wife to a Bonnie Raitt concert the other night--we don't do the concert lawn thing that often but this was lawn seating. They rent these cushions with backs for back support but they were all out. I sat all night no problem or pain without a back cushion and even acted as my wife's back rest for a long time (she suffers from lower back pain) so she could rest more easily. My core has gotten rock solid from all this rowing (and my back strength too) - strapless helps with that tremendously.

@ Rohan - Glad you're enjoying this! I know you were uncertain to start. It's fun in a brutal kind of way!

@ Joe - That's one hell of a 10K! Your endurance is very solid too.

@ Goldenbarry - nice work on the long row!

@ Nick (kxthor) - Jack is very helpful on here. When I was new, he helped me tremendously. I love the Concept2 forums. Just as a background on me - I lost 60 to 70 lbs after destroying my knee several years ago. For a year I couldn't walk. It took me several years to lose the weight and get to this level of fitness. We are all different levels, but what I like is that no one on here has ever said - "hey, your pathetic" (except maybe Henry on occasion but he's not doing the PP currently - he's great too but in a very blunt way). No one ever gets called out that needs just time to improve. The only real thing I've seen people called out on here is BS (unrealistic times that we all know are fiction). Then it gets pretty ruthless!

[mudgeg]

Excuse my ignorance please chaps, but as a novice here, what are these SS rows you refer to? I have only come across SS as starting strength in weight programmes where you progressively add weight.

As for rowing strapless, I was pointed to this a while back and it made a seismic difference to my technique. Forced me to slow my SPM and really concentrate. I now row some but not all sessions strapless although it hasn't had much of an impact on my times which is why I'm on the BPP I guess!

[JohnAd]

what are these SS rows you refer to?

SS = Steady State (or steady distance as described on the Pete Plan website), for people on the PP these are sort of rest days compared to the hard distance or interval work.

[Goldenbarry]

I've been rowing strapless for my warm ups and all longer pieces for a couple months. I started doing it to delay initiating my back during the drive. As an added benefit my lower back was always the first body part to fatigue while rowing, now I can delay that feeling by a significant amount of time.

[JohnAd]

Wk 2 Day 5 30' Hard - Target 1:57.2 - average 1:56.7 (7715m) r24
01:57.6 r25
01:56.9 r25
01:56.8 r24
01:56.5 r24
01:55.3 r24

Quite pleased to have that over with as legs were still heavy after Wednesday. I skipped SS yesterday and probably won't get time to do any tomorrow so that's week 2 over for me with a SB for the 30'. Will be aiming to get back to 5 days rowing next week.

[jackarabit]

John, total right up there for 30'. I bet that took some starch to produce!

Thanks to everyone who took the time to state their experience of rowing strapless and benefitting therefrom. For those who may have sat thru dozens of pitches for strapless including this one thinking that you tried it once and 1) it felt terrible, 2) your feet lifted off the rests and your abdominals had to work even harder to less effect without an anchoring fulcrum 3) the stroke produced less power than strapped, let me say that I am in awe of a technique that alters elements of a previous equipment-dependent technique for the better by removing the equipment that will remain available for use when performance is paramount. Bitter pill with honeyed center.

[mudgeg]

PP Beginners Day 4

Optional 20 min row

4510m @2:13.0/500m and 23spm

After a difficult Day 3 following tough intervals on Day 2 this was good. Like @Joseph found the pacing a little difficult but was strong towards the end. Disappointed not to make 2:10.0 split but this is week 1 after all! Todays split time if I had done another 410m would have given me a PB for 5000m.

Hope you all have a great weekend.