Handle Down or ...

[Gammmmo]

So, you're attempting a PB/SB and all your prep has been done (well rested/hydrated/fuelled and maybe even taken som caffeine) and you're mentally in the right place. You start off, things are going well, then that feeling of the numbers you're hoping for are sliding, and then you realise....it's just not happening today. What do you do? Handle down? Cut the session short but still try to make it as good as possible? Carry on and let it get ugly?

[Cyclingman1]

That's an easy one for me. Let's say one is trying for a 6K PB and at 3K, one knows it cannot happen. I say keep up the intensity as well as possible and do a good 4K and wait for a better day. Slogging along is misery, is miserable.

This does point to the unpredictability of endurance sports. I'm sure plenty of people get to an erg venue well rested for 2K and then lay an egg. That's why setting a WR in training in Jan does not predict setting a WR in Feb at Crash-B.

[Gammmmo]

Yes, when I first started erging again back in April I was setting SBs regularly...and getting some stick for it.
But now, I'm hitting my limits with the training I have recently done and any PB/SB means I have to have good prep and be on a really good day. I'm not a fan of trying to push through of late...there's such a massive difference between a "good" day and an average or sub-par day. I mean, why slog on only to (still) come up short? Do "second winds" happen?

[hjs]

So, you're attempting a PB/SB and all your prep has been done (well rested/hydrated/fuelled and maybe even taken som caffeine) and you're mentally in the right place. You start off, things are going well, then that feeling of the numbers you're hoping for are sliding, and then you realise....it's just not happening today. What do you do? Handle down? Cut the session short but still try to make it as good as possible? Carry on and let it get ugly?

To me when everything before was planned well, the result simply also will be good. Only when at forhand some sighs are not good, result is uncertain. In that case I often finish the piece, but still call it a handle down. Sprints are different, those I would have to stop.

[Pie Man]

Yes, when I first started erging again back in April I was setting SBs regularly...and getting some stick for it.
But now, I'm hitting my limits with the training I have recently done and any PB/SB means I have to have good prep and be on a really good day. I'm not a fan of trying to push through of late...there's such a massive difference between a "good" day and an average or sub-par day. I mean, why slog on only to (still) come up short? Do "second winds" happen?

For me second winds can happen, I attempted a 6344m last month, 12 mins in I nearly HD'd at a fairly modest pace (1:58? from memory) but I didn't and ended up with a strong finish in the last 2k and a 1:55.4 average. However I am still relatively untrained, so my PB's are all fairly soft, so I have enough wiggle room in my PB's that I can afford to pace poorly and still improve

[ArmandoChavezUNC]

As a coach, there is nothing worse one of my rowers can do than quit during a workout or test. If I can't trust you to finish a piece on land, how can I trust you to finish a piece on the water?

As a team-rower, there is nothing worse than seeing one of my teammates quit during a workout or test. If I can't trust you to finish a piece on land, how can I trust you to finish a piece on the water?

As an individual-rower, there is nothing worse than quitting during a workout or a test. How can I trust myself to be mentally strong enough on water if I can't finish a piece on land?

Rowing is as much about your physical fitness as much as it is about your mental fortitude. There is no mentally weaker thing you can do than quit during a test or workout, especially if it's a test that you have been preparing for over a long period of time. It's just as important to finish a piece that isn't going your way and says as much about you as an athlete as finishing a piece where you're going to PR. If you aren't mentally strong enough on land, you won't be mentally strong on the water and will break easily.

[Gammmmo]

t's just as important to finish a piece that isn't going your way and says as much about you as an athlete as finishing a piece where you're going to PR. If you aren't mentally strong enough on land, you won't be mentally strong on the water and will break easily.

I think there is a subtle difference between erging on your own and not wanting to get into a habit handling down where you could be in a boat (with a crew). For me, for example I am currently looking for a 60min PB. Yesterday I went for it and knew after ~5KM I just didn't have it ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY (it was a purely physical thing - not mental) so BEING MINDFUL OF PLAYING THE LONG GAME I decided to finish up the effort as a 10K. Now, I generally consider for my ability anything under 38mins to be a reasonable performance, so that's exactly what I finished with and knowing on another day I'd be OK to go on for the full 60mins. I walked away still feeling I'd done an OK session. Contrast that with slogging on with the original 60min effort getting slower and slower - is that preferable? I'm not so sure it always is.

[ArmandoChavezUNC]

Fair enough. That's one of the reasons I am a huge proponent of infrequent testing - you don't want to test unless you're fully prepared, physically and mentally. I approach erg tests the way I approach championship-level regattas on the water; I don't haphazardly decide to go for a PR one day and see how it goes. I try to be very structured and deliberate with my training and testing.

In the end it's a personal thing so long as you train and compete on your own, which is actually the nice thing of being your own coach and not having teammates - you owe no one but yourself an explanation for what you do and the results that you get.

[Cyclingman1]

Fair enough. That's one of the reasons I am a huge proponent of infrequent testing - you don't want to test unless you're fully prepared, physically and mentally. I approach erg tests the way I approach championship-level regattas on the water; I don't haphazardly decide to go for a PR one day and see how it goes.

Glad to see you back off a bit from your previous. High school or college kids in a boat is far different from an older erger operating in basement. If the kids are too tired it's probably partly the fault of the coach. If I'm not mistaken your dad was an Olympic rower and is now an erger. As an older erger now, would he ever change a workout midstream? What advice would you give him in the face of fatigue?

Also, sometimes it is difficult to know if one is really ready for a TT. One takes the steps and something goes wrong.

[jackarabit]

I agree with Armando's first set of observations regarding HDs. Qualifications open the door to further qualifications and HDs the door to further HDs.

[lwtguy]

Armando is right; in a team setting with the exception of an injury there is no excuse for quitting. You have your teammates for mental support and even if it's not going to be a PB day for you you should always do your best; whatever your best is that day. We've all had our days when we feeling like rowing gods and nothing can stop us from doing incredibly well on a particular piece/workout.

What sets this sport apart from the others are the "hard days." These are the ones when you know things aren't going your way but you push through anyway. In a race, you will never find a day when every single competitor is feeling 100%.

That being said, training individually is a whole different animal. Short of back pain, I will never quit a workout but there have been days when I know nothing good will happen. In these scenarios I will do one of two things: I will salvage the workout and change its scope (for example go from doing a 10k to doing 1'on/1'r) or I will stop and redo the entire thing at another point in the day. I always try to make the most out of a bad day.

[Gammmmo]

or I will stop and redo the entire thing at another point in the day. I always try to make the most out of a bad day.

good point....I've erged in the morning and late afternoon and actually gone better with the latter irrespective of any perceived residual fatigue from the earlier sesh

[Edward4492]

All good points. One can simply not quit a race or a well-planned-for test; if you're in a boat it's a non-issue. And the psychological damage of HD'ing an actual public event or even a well-prepared planned test can be difficult to recover from. There are work outs I attempt with the initial thought that if it's too hot too handle or I'm having a horrible day; I'll quit (sounds like what Paul and Jim are talking about) But that really hasn't been an issue in a long time. I think most HD's come from attempting something the athlete simply isn't ready to do. Henry seems to be the most pragmatic, he determines what he knows can be done and simply goes about doing it. And his times are very good. Some athletes, particularly the young ones, think they can will there way to a faster time. And then there's the all-time King of the Handle Down; he-who-shall-not-be mentioned. A lot of this is rooted in delusional thinking. It's why doing the work and being honest with yourself (or listening to your coach) should put you on a pace you can handle. Last season my best 2k was 7:07, my slowest 7:13 (at six events). Not a really bad split from best to worst. The others were 7:08, :09, :11, :11. The idea is to find a way to manage the bad day and cut your losses, and when you're on an good day push it.

[SBRICHARDSON1973]

I have got into the habit of telling myself that if I make target then that is it for the day. Fail at a 5K equals 10 hard minutes on the Airdyne when recovered. When doing my 1st hour on the Versa climber I had the reward of no more training that week (not that my legs were ready even if I wanted to do anything)

[Cyclingman1]

I see three main cases: OTW, public events, and solo training. In a multi-person boat, HD is pretty much impossible, yet if someone is fatigued, there will have to be a slow down. In public events, most are pretty motivated to finish even on a bad day. I know on my first 2K, the pain was great and the pace was crawling. Too bad. Private training has a lot more options. You've got to know yourself and your body. If one is having a bad day, does it really make sense to add to the fatigue? I've had several attempts at PRs that had to be stopped and within days or weeks able to make the mark. Not getting it done the first time was not devastating. Where is the rule: Thou must finish a row.