Struggle With My Spm

[old] GeorgeD · Post by **[old] GeorgeD** » June 2nd, 2004, 6:08 pm

Hi, I have a problem when I need or want to get my spm up. For the past week I have been dong steady work at about 23spm and I have no trouble comfortably getting my pace down to the low 1:5*'s and at say 24spm into the sub 1:5*'s, but today wanted to do a 30min piece and struggled with a pace of 1:48 at a rate of 27/28. Now in theory I am actually applying less force at this spm rate to achieve this pace but it just does not feel good (hard to describe). I continually find myself wanting to drop the rate and just pull harder but I know that if I am going to race at say 32/34 then I need to do that in trainng. Maybe this is an example of me not using my legs enough and wanting to 'muscle' the stroke? My thought is that I need to do more of my training at a higher rate, even it is trading rate for pace to condition myself mentally and physically. Thoughts?

[old] Rogus · Post by **[old] Rogus** » June 2nd, 2004, 6:39 pm

It's like anything else, George, you have to train your body to do the faster stroke rate. Rather than jump right in and trying to do a whole session at a SR that is uncomfortable, during one of your longer session do fartleks at the faster SR. These could be whatever feels workable, from short pieces of 1 min at the faster SR with 4 min at your "normal" 24 or 5 min on/5 min off or whatever you want to do including variable pieces. You could do the faster rate until you want to slow down for awhile and then pick it back up. The goal being each week, it gets easier and easier to maintain the higher rate and you do it for longer and longer fartlek pieces until it's your whole piece if that's your interim goal. Depending on the date of your need to have a faster SR, I don't think you need to be too concerned with a faster SR until you get closer to your target race.

[old] Nick Rockliff · Post by **[old] Nick Rockliff** » June 2nd, 2004, 6:51 pm

George, Agree with Gus on this one, it's hard to go onto high rate sessions after a period of low rate. I have been doing distance training for last 6 weeks 20spm to 30spm, tonight I was playing with 500mtr distance but cound not rate higher than 33 spm pulling 1.20 so gave up and went back to what my body was used to doing. When I do a unrestricted 30 min session I usually start rating at 27/28 and finish on 30/31.

[old] Cran · Post by **[old] Cran** » June 2nd, 2004, 7:46 pm

2 things that might help: get the hands away faster dont go forwards past vertical shins

[old] John Rupp · Post by **[old] John Rupp** » June 2nd, 2004, 7:54 pm

George, Since you're 6'6, you are taking a much longer stroke than someone who's 5'9 or 6' tall. Thus for a given speed, your stroke rate will be lower, considering to have the same drive length per time. For example, I don't know your other times but let's say you row 36 minutes for 10k, a 1:48 pace, and your stroke length is 10 meters per stroke. 10 meters per stroke is: 1000 strokes / 36 minutes = 27.7 strokes per minute. 9 meters per stroke would be: 1111 strokes / 36 minutes = 30.9 strokes per minute Thus if you're only going around 1:48 pace, there is no reason for you to try and go higher than 31 strokes per minute. Probably somewhere between 28 and 31 spm would be about right for you, at 1:48 pace. for a 6:26 2k: 10 meters per stroke = 31.6 spm 9 meters per stroke = 35.1 spm So, in the range of 32 to 35 spm for a 6:20 for the 2k.

[old] GeorgeD · Post by **[old] GeorgeD** » June 2nd, 2004, 8:08 pm

Thanks for the responses. I also think that it is an indication of my aerobic fitness (lack of), as rating higher requires I would think a higher level of fitness even if the 'pace' is the same. Given my 2k and below times I also wonder if I am actually 'dogging' it in training as apart from recovery rows I should really probably be doing anything up to 60min at sub 1:50 at least that is what I am capable of or should be. Doing more work at a higher pace (but still sub max) is the key I feel. I recall I think your comments Nick over the period that you have blown away some of your distance times and that is that the challenge is to hold the pace mentally and thus over come the constant messages to 'slow down this is not comfortable' ... because actually you are physically quite capable. Message to self ... harden up

[old] John Rupp · Post by **[old] John Rupp** » June 2nd, 2004, 8:33 pm

George, I'm sure you're not "dogging" it. On the other hand you're not going to gain much aerobic fitness by thrashing yourself once or twice. Building up your endurance takes TIME. And let's face it, you've got a lot of speed but you don't hold it very well. You're in shape for speed, but out of shape for endurance. But on the positive side, you've got a lot of speed, and you're developing your endurance, step by step. There is only so much you can do at one time. You can't rush the development of endurance. However, fortunately for you, rowing a 2k counts much more for speed, strength, and especially weight, and endurance doesn't really count for much. However -- the better you develop your endurance, the better you'll be able to maintain the speed that you have for short distances, and to apply that speed to the 2k. And yes, of course, the better you develop your endurance, the easier it will be to maintain your stroke rate over distance.

[old] GeorgeD · Post by **[old] GeorgeD** » June 2nd, 2004, 9:01 pm

Tks John... I know instinctively all you say is true and really if I am honest I already knew the answers to my question .... just the impatience of youth I WANT IT NOW !!!!!!!!

[old] Ole Granny · Post by **[old] Ole Granny** » June 3rd, 2004, 4:52 am

George, I seem to remember that your spm was considerably higher in your recent 500 and 300m races? So why not start as if for a 500 and then reduce the pressure but keep the rythm going? Must confess I haven't tried this myself...so it may not be effective. But I bet there will be a danger of loosing form in your effort to rush back up the slide faster than feels "normal" for you at this stage.

[old] GeorgeD · Post by **[old] GeorgeD** » June 3rd, 2004, 5:03 am

I think it is a gr8 indicator for me of two things; a lack of leg involvement generally and endurance. I can sustain 32spm for a 2k at a reasonable pace obviously but not much longer, and I have no doubt that being able to sustain say 30spm at a reasonable pace for a 5k woudl directly improve my 2k. I think fartlek training is a good option and just persistance and higher spm and pace than I have been doing for extended periods. As Ranger has said to me aim for that 17k in an hour and I am on my way, well to do that at a reasonaly rate will take the sort of fitness to get me sub 6:20 which obviously has to be a goal in the next 12 months. John is also very right as well .... patience and perserverance are the only rivers in town

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