Sub 6:30 by October. Training advice

[hjs]

If you start interval work, which ofcourse is needed around race season, you do the anaerobic system, but that will decrease aerobic fitness at the same time. To fully develope aerobic fitness its all training the slow muscle fibers, once you start producing lactic acid, the fast fibers start working. Not what you want.

My brain just exploded.
I somehow understand the need for intervals to increase speed. But..I was unaware that intervals decrease aerobic fitness. So, I thank you for taking the time to reply.

Cheers, read around via google about it. Works also the other way around. Thats also the reason you can,t stay in topform all year round, building and reaching a peak will undermine the base.

For beginners, intermediates its different, every system is, relative speaking, so untrained that everything can be improved at once.

[Dangerscouse]

That volume is needed for the last 5%, pure aerobic training is purely focussed on being able te recrute as much as possible O2, it also converts the hybride muscle fibers to slow twitch. So it does not increese speed, but it make us as aerobic as possible.
Look at cycling, swimming, cross country ski. All very high volume.
And yes, its slow, but their slow is still fast for us mortals. I have guys do 1 hour strict Ut2 at 1.45 rate 20, so thats with no lactic acid build up. But those guys pull 15min. 5k s and 4x 2k sub6, on 5 min rest.

200km, would be 13/14 hours a week, so thats not even that much. And think about it, if you would go strictly ut2, had enough time and could build it up, you could do a lot more.
If you look at crossfit like types, some get to around 6 min, but the step to olympic rowing simply needs you to be extremely fit.

If you start interval work, which ofcourse is needed around race season, you do the anaerobic system, but that will decrease aerobic fitness at the same time. To fully develope aerobic fitness its all training the slow muscle fibers, once you start producing lactic acid, the fast fibers start working. Not what you want.

Very interesting. It's unbelievable that a 1:45 60r20 can be a UT2 session!!!

[hjs]

Very interesting. It's unbelievable that a 1:45 60r20 can be a UT2 session!!!

Indeed, both super gifted and very well trained.

[Allan Olesen]

My brain just exploded.

I know the feeling.

It is so strange that something, which have been known by some world class coaches in different sports for 50 years, have gone so undiscovered by the public - and by science too. It is quite recent that science has caught op, pioneered by dr. Stephen Seiler.

When I started reading into it a year ago, my brain exploded too. Until then I had thought that training was just a matter of doing it harder every time, and then I would reach results.

If you want to read more about it, googling "polarized training" could be a good start.

[JimS]

Tuesday. Circuit.

Today

4k at 1.52

3 to 4 minutes rest

3.5k at 1.52

Pace seems about right. Was getting a little tired towards the end, but nothing like the end of a 5k max.

Tried to focus on a 24 to 25 stroke rate instead of my default 28 to 29. Hard to stick with it. As soon as I stopped concentrating id creep back to 27-28.

Slower pace also helped me work on my form. Lower back feeling less tired.

[Dangerscouse]

Tuesday. Circuit.

Today

4k at 1.52

3 to 4 minutes rest

3.5k at 1.52

Pace seems about right. Was getting a little tired towards the end, but nothing like the end of a 5k max.

Tried to focus on a 24 to 25 stroke rate instead of my default 28 to 29. Hard to stick with it. As soon as I stopped concentrating id creep back to 27-28.

Slower pace also helped me work on my form. Lower back feeling less tired.

Lower stroke rates do get easier with repitition, and when your breathing sequence is aligned. I personally find r22 a good target as it's more transferable to higher rate sessions.

I used to rate up when I didn't think about it too.

[Tenshuu]

Tuesday. Circuit.

Today

4k at 1.52

3 to 4 minutes rest

3.5k at 1.52

Pace seems about right. Was getting a little tired towards the end, but nothing like the end of a 5k max.

Tried to focus on a 24 to 25 stroke rate instead of my default 28 to 29. Hard to stick with it. As soon as I stopped concentrating id creep back to 27-28.

Slower pace also helped me work on my form. Lower back feeling less tired.

Lower stroke rates do get easier with repitition, and when your breathing sequence is aligned. I personally find r22 a good target as it's more transferable to higher rate sessions.

I used to rate up when I didn't think about it too.

To add to this, during my 10k UT2 last night, I could hold 151bpm at 22SPM in the 2:23-2:25/500m split range, but if I stopped focusing on SPM and zoned out, my stroke rate would bump to 25-26, heart rate would go up to ~156bpm at the same 2:25 pace, but as soon as I controlled my pace back down to 22spm, my heart rate would re-stabilize. I tested this multiple times throughout the piece, wondering if maybe my stroke was probably in better form/efficiency at 22 SPM?

[Dangerscouse]

To add to this, during my 10k UT2 last night, I could hold 151bpm at 22SPM in the 2:23-2:25/500m split range, but if I stopped focusing on SPM and zoned out, my stroke rate would bump to 25-26, heart rate would go up to ~156bpm at the same 2:25 pace, but as soon as I controlled my pace back down to 22spm, my heart rate would re-stabilize. I tested this multiple times throughout the piece, wondering if maybe my stroke was probably in better form/efficiency at 22 SPM?

I suspect you are stronger than you are fitter, as higher rates are more aerobic, or you might have a more efficient breathing sequence at lower strokes.

[JimS]

Tuesday. Circuit.

Today

4k at 1.52

3 to 4 minutes rest

3.5k at 1.52

Pace seems about right. Was getting a little tired towards the end, but nothing like the end of a 5k max.

Tried to focus on a 24 to 25 stroke rate instead of my default 28 to 29. Hard to stick with it. As soon as I stopped concentrating id creep back to 27-28.

Slower pace also helped me work on my form. Lower back feeling less tired.

Lower stroke rates do get easier with repitition, and when your breathing sequence is aligned. I personally find r22 a good target as it's more transferable to higher rate sessions.

I used to rate up when I didn't think about it too.

To add to this, during my 10k UT2 last night, I could hold 151bpm at 22SPM in the 2:23-2:25/500m split range, but if I stopped focusing on SPM and zoned out, my stroke rate would bump to 25-26, heart rate would go up to ~156bpm at the same 2:25 pace, but as soon as I controlled my pace back down to 22spm, my heart rate would re-stabilize. I tested this multiple times throughout the piece, wondering if maybe my stroke was probably in better form/efficiency at 22 SPM?

What's UT2?

[Dangerscouse]

UT2 is Utilisation Training 2, which generally translates into 60-70% of max HR. This is regarded as your fat burning zone and where you want to be to make the most gains for your base aerobic fitness.

I think there is a post about training zones on the FAQ.

[JimS]

UT2 is Utilisation Training 2, which generally translates into 60-70% of max HR. This is regarded as your fat burning zone and where you want to be to make the most gains for your base aerobic fitness.

I think there is a post about training zones on the FAQ.

Cool thanks. I will research. As soon as I asked I realised this was probably a "Google is your friend" type response.

This long slow stuff is pretty alien to me. Rugby is all strength and power and intervals.

[gooseflight]

This long slow stuff is pretty alien to me. Rugby is all strength and power and intervals.

You need to be a bit careful with this. Your training volume is low so you are aren't going to get the physiological adaptations that come from doing a lot of UT2 work (hjs has already defined "a lot"). And you don't need recovery sessions.

If you intend to stick with your three sessions a week (< 20k) there's little point in dropping down to UT2. You may as well keep them at higher UT1/AT level.

[lindsayh]

there is heaps of stuff here on the Forum without resorting to Google of course
This will help too
https://www.freespiritsrowing.com/forum ... calculator

[hjs]

UT2 is Utilisation Training 2, which generally translates into 60-70% of max HR. This is regarded as your fat burning zone and where you want to be to make the most gains for your base aerobic fitness.

I think there is a post about training zones on the FAQ.

Cool thanks. I will research. As soon as I asked I realised this was probably a "Google is your friend" type response.

This long slow stuff is pretty alien to me. Rugby is all strength and power and intervals.

But 2k is 6/7 minutes, without breathers

Also funny, that you tend to those high spm s, for a big guy like you that seems not very efficient. Think your stroke is a bit short. Maybe have a look at it.

[JimS]

This long slow stuff is pretty alien to me. Rugby is all strength and power and intervals.

You need to be a bit careful with this. Your training volume is low so you are aren't going to get the physiological adaptations that come from doing a lot of UT2 work (hjs has already defined "a lot"). And you don't need recovery sessions.

If you intend to stick with your three sessions a week (< 20k) there's little point in dropping down to UT2. You may as well keep them at higher UT1/AT level.

Good advice.

What do you think of the current plan?

Mon. 5k max effort time.
Wed 3. X 1500
Friday 8 to 10k

Just trying to take a small step back from 3 max effort sessions per week. Was pretty draining.