Pete Plan Thread

[Dangerscouse]

@RowerGal - I feel like you could go sub 2:01 based off the sessions you've posted.

Pete Plan 1.3:

5x1500m/5r - 26:51.9 - 1:47.4 - 26.7

1500m - 5:25.7 - 1:48.5 - 26.0
1500m - 5:24.5 - 1:48.1 - 25.9
1500m - 5:23.7 - 1:47.9 - 26.3
1500m - 5:23.0 - 1:47.6 - 26.4
1500m - 5:15.1 - 1:45.0 - 29.1
r: 1453m

I planned to take this easy, shooting for sub 1:50, but ended up going harder. Ignoring the final interval this was still slower than the last time I did this session, where I went sub 1:48 on the first four, however my final interval this time was significantly faster and the averages ended up being very similar (1:47.3 last time). So much for taking the longer stuff easy

Great session Tom. 4 x 2k must be a really difficult one to judge as I assume it's very easy to get carried away too early

[RayOfSunshine]

@Karen
Welcome! This board is excellent for motivation and advice. I'm doing the BPP as well and am dropping weight. I look forward to watching you progress through the plan.

[JerekKruger]

Great session Tom. 4 x 2k must be a really difficult one to judge as I assume it's very easy to get carried away too early

Thanks Stu.

I'm not 100% sure why I find 4x2000m the hardest of those sessions (harder even than the 3000/2500/2000 session) but I always do. I think it's the combination of the length of each interval and the number of intervals. For the 4x1500m each interval is short enough that you feel like you can get to the end, for the 3000/2500/2000 you've got the advantage that there are only three intervals altogether, and that each one is shorter than the last (so even if one was particularly tough you aren't faced with having to do the exact same thing again). With 4x2000m it's not uncommon to already feel pretty spent after the first (and definitely the second) interval, which leaves a gap for your mind to start doubting whether you can really do two or three more.

In any case I'll shoot for 1:50ish (my previous best was 1:49.3) and see how it goes from there.

[livingkennedy]

Hi first post on here so a brief intro....I'm about to hit 50 this year and am a very over weight and unfit female, although have dogs so regularly go out for good beach/forest walks. I haven't done any forced exercise for about 25 years and the weight has gradually crept up over that time!

I got a rower a couple of weeks ago (not a Concept2, but hopefully that will be my next step if manage to stick with this) and found this forum and the Pete Plan. I'm following the beginner plan and am going to do the first week 2 or 3 times whilst I'm finding my stride.

I'd like to join this thread to get some feedback/encouragement but don't know where to start with all the numbers!

So far these have been my times, am I looking ok for a total beginner? I'm keeping the resistance fairly low at the moment but not on the lowest setting.

Week 1
4000 30:39 - (couldn't manage 5k)
6 x 500m / 2min rest 21:36
5000 35:01

Week 2 - so far this week
5000 35:28
6 x 500m / 2min rest 18:23

Thanks for any feedback

Welcome, Karen! I started on the BPP in late December, and along with a bit of reasonable dieting (nothing extreme) I'm down about 25 lbs already. Started off really struggling to do 5k in a sitting, but with regular sessions the improvement comes rapidly.

I second Tom that you'll want to consider a Concept 2 machine, and the main reason is that the numbers are comparable and you can rely on the machine for years. My routine is to come home from work and do my session before dinner, so my levels of enthusiasm and energy can vary pretty drastically depending on the day. While I am not posting anywhere near "competitive" times, having numbers I can compare to others and tracking my progress as I improve is what gets me back on the erg day after day.

___________________

Yesterday was BPP 8.5, 3 x 1k R3 and the direction was to try to maintain the same splits from the most recent 7 x 500 session (1:50.08 avg). For the first interval I came out like a cannon initially, hyped up and held around a 1:44 split for the first 500 before reigning it in. Paid for it on the second interval, felt that lactic acid in a big way and was gassing out by 400m into the rep. Caught myself slowing my SR down to about 24/25 SPM during this interval and it wasn't helping.

For the third and final interval I went in with the intention of holding 27 SPM regardless of pacing to get more acclimated to higher rate sessions, and it really paid off. I didn't end up faster than my first interval but reviewing the stroke information in ErgData I was pretty consistent with my rate throughout and while I felt like I was dying, I was able to complete the three intervals exactly on my average target pace.

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
11:05.3 3,000m 1:50.8 257 1182 27
3:37.6 1,000m 1:48.8 272 1234 27
3:48.2 1,000m 1:54.1 236 1110 26
3:39.6 1,000m 1:49.8 264 1209 27

From what I've read this session is considered a decent predictor for 2k PB times, so with 16 weeks remaining in the BPP I'm officially moving my goal post from a maiden 2k TT in the 8 minute range down to 7:10 or under.

[Dangerscouse]

@ Brandon, never forget it's only ever really a competition between yourself and the erg. Enjoyment is paramount.

Good to read that you're making such good progress too

[mdpfirrman]

@ Karen - welcome. I started the thread but it's in great hands with all the folks on here now. Everyone's given you great advice so far, just a couple more thoughts. The terminology is difficult, but here's a few things that might help.

SPM - Stroke Per Minute. It helps to jot this down too so we know where you are on that.

Pace per 500m (this is the standard pace measurement for rowing). You have a different rower (I'm assuming a WaterRower or something similar). We don't really compare times but it helps for you to use a common "benchmark" that's familiar for everyone. When you're done with a row, find out where (on your screen) you can find the rate per 500m. Currently, I think you're at around a 2:50 something, so look for a time that looks like that. It will help when you post your intervals on here.

Split Times - these are where your rower should break the row into segments and sometimes it often helps to understand where you were at different phases in the row.

W/U - Warm up
C/D - Cool Down
SS - Steady State, which has two different meanings depending on who you ask but the most common meaning on here is rowing at a steady pace that is around 18 to 22 seconds slower than what you would do for your fastest 2K. These are your "meat and potatoes" endurance training/aerobic system training rows.

There might even be some threads that have common terms/definitions that help. By the way, your fitness sounds like mine when I started. I dropped 60/70 lbs around 5 years ago and haven't looked back. I went from roughly 45% body fat to around 18% body fat today. More importantly than looks, I feel a lot better. Like a weight has been lifted off me!! A huge part of my motivation originally was I had a Chow/Golden shelter dog that was skidish and LOVED me taking him to parks on the weekends for long walks in the woods. I hurt my knee and couldn't walk for a year. He would look at me with the saddest eyes every Saturday. What started as just trying to get fit enough to walk my Joey (aka, Rhino as he was 90 lbs of shear muscle and I was the only one that could handle him in the family!) ended up being a fitness/weight loss journey for me. Ended up after biking and rowing to rehab setting on running until I figured out that was a bad idea and settled in on rowing. Great decision. I lost that dog last year at age 15 of old age. He and I had five/six years of long walks together every weekend until his last week. Dogs are great motivators.

Welcome!

[Erik A]

intersting Mike

we had a Chow/German shepherd cross from a shelter as well. she was a great dog. incredible temprament and a real joy to have. i saw her advert in the local paper as being at the SPCA pound and went and had a look. at the time i was running a forest nursery and lived onsite in a caravan so a dog was going to be the friend. my wife was living about 100km away with our first born. after some initial teething issues (she hated the car and was vomiting pissing and pooping non stop regardless of how long the ride was) she was awesome and used to come out with me into the forests every day both for work and hunting. we had her for 15 years and i got her when she was about a year old. nearly broke us all when she left. the kids were all devastated. took 2 years before we could even think about getting another dog and then we got a white shepherd which we still have and shes now 8.

[RayOfSunshine]

@Brandon your improvements are motivating!
@Karen I'm down 15 pounds on the BPP (my signature said 230 when I started!)

Today's workout
BPP 8.2 4x1500 r3
2:03.9 avg, 27 spm

4 days ago was 3x1500 r3 @
2:07.7 avg, 24 spm (strapless)

Today I went for broke on the last 1500 to see how long I could keep it under 2:00... I went about 500m then was gasping for air and was at max HR. I was able to recover at 2:08 for a bit then finish with my best 1500 of the day. That really surprised me.

[mitchel674]

Mike, that's a fantastic post!

@Karen, welcome to rowing. There are a lot of newbies here so join the club. Posting here is motivating. I'm just a few months ahead of you in the Beginner Pete Plan (BPP).

[KarenB50]

Thanks for the all welcomes, encouraging words and explanations of terms - the numbers posted make a bit more sense now

The rower I have is a cheap JLL R200 but at the moment it's getting me going and I'll upgrade to a Concept 2 once I know I'm sticking with this....early days but at the moment I'm not hating it and find the rhythm fairly easy to get into and enjoying the satisfaction of hitting a certain distance. I've studied several technique videos so trying to concentrate on getting that right, although towards the end of a 5k it all goes to pot

My goal is to just get back a better level of fitness and hopefully the added weight lose that will come with it.

My dogs are the opposite of Chows.....Chinese Cresteds which look unusual but are happy chasing bunnies in the sand dunes or flying round the forest, definitely great motivators!

[livingkennedy]

Just got started on BPP week 9.1, first time getting up to 9k and went in with a "putting meters in the bank" mindset. Started off pretty strong and just kept feeling good throughout. At the beginning I had been planning to take a 10 second water break at the 4,500 mark, but when that rolled around there was no way I was stopping. Felt great, my best SS row to date.

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
37:24.1 9,000m 2:04.6 181 921 21
7:32.8 1,800m 2:05.7 176 905 21
7:29.7 3,600m 2:04.9 180 917 20
7:29.5 5,400m 2:04.8 180 918 21
7:28.3 7,200m 2:04.5 181 923 21
7:23.9 9,000m 2:03.3 187 942 21

[rascott]

@Karen welcome...I would recommend the beginners pete plan as well. I'm 14 weeks in. As others have said technique is everything so do watch the C2 videos on youtube (and beware of the many youtubers who have lots of power but bad technique)

Back from a few days at my parents so I have some carbs to work off....

BPP 14.2 - 3 x 2000m / 4min rest

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
25:56.0 6,000m 2:09.6 161 852 23 128
8:38.6 2,000m 2:09.6 161 852 23 124
8:38.8 2,000m 2:09.7 160 851 23 129
8:38.6 2,000m 2:09.6 161 852 24 131

[-marius-]

PP 2.3 No 4x2000m today, still a sore throat so not up to doing this hard workout today.
Did one low rate 20 min session on the rower and one on the skierg.
Row:
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
20:00.0 5,359m 1:51.9 249 1157 19
10:00.0 2,655m 1:52.9 243 1134 18
20:00.0 2,704m 1:50.9 256 1181 20

Ski:
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
20:00.0 5,304m 1:53.1 242 1131 46
10:00.0 2,603m 1:55.2 229 1086 45
20:00.0 2,701m 1:51.0 255 1178 48

[Street]

I'm not 100% sure why I find 4x2000m the hardest of those sessions (harder even than the 3000/2500/2000 session) but I always do.

They're always my hardest sessions too. The 1500 is good because it seems short even though there is an extra rep, the waterfall isn't too bad as there are only 3 reps but the 2km intervals are right in the sweet spot for awfulness!

Hi first post on here so a brief intro....I'm about to hit 50 this year and am a very over weight and unfit female, although have dogs so regularly go out for good beach/forest walks. I haven't done any forced exercise for about 25 years and the weight has gradually crept up over that time!

It's a great plan and starts to get addictive, you'll get a lot of encouragement and motivation from here. I've recently convinced the missus to have a crack at the BPP too. She wants to get out with me and do more things but she lacks the fitness and then gets frustrated. She's up to week 6 so far, not the quickest, but considering at the start she couldn't do 5k without stopping and now she's banging out 7.5k at a quicker pace, she's doing well. It surprising how fast the improvements come!

[RayOfSunshine]

BPP 8.3
8k
I went with low SPM while hitting the target they put out there. It felt great, but the HR got up there.

The RowPro/PM didn't stop at 8k, so I ended up with 8,021m. It went to negative on RowPro and kept going above 8k on the PM. The splits didn't show up to the right on the C2 logbook. I wonder if it's because I changed them to be 500 splits. I have no idea, but I'll figure it out one day.

A different way of looking at it for me since I downloaded the result to a spreadsheet. It took 739 strokes. Below are the Watts, SPM, and HR for every 100th stroke.
# W SPM HR
01 217 0 85

101 153 23 139

201 148 20 151
301 153 20 159
401 151 21 162
501 143 21 163
601 169 21 173
701 168 24 175

739 181 29 178