Age related decline

[Eric308]

"Some dude from Fl is pretending to be up there, which I'll believe when it snows in Miami."
https://www.local10.com/resizer/SvSZ0I2 ... QF6CVQ.jpg

[Cyclingman1]

This dude is posting times right next to TJO the 70+ HWT WR holder in almost all categories, while being 5-8, 166 lb. His improvement [all unverified] from Apr, 2019 thru Dec, 2019 has been at least 15 sec of pace for all distances - not really possible. For example: 10K: 4/16/19, 43:33.8 @ 2:10.6; 12/31/19, 37:51.5 @ 1:53.5. 17s/500m faster? I presume at some point this charade will come crashing down.

[Eric308]

This dude is posting times right next to TJO the 70+ HWT WR holder in almost all categories, while being 5-8, 166 lb. His improvement [all unverified] from Apr, 2019 thru Dec, 2019 has been at least 15 sec of pace for all distances - not really possible. For example: 10K: 4/16/19, 43:33.8 @ 2:10.6; 12/31/19, 37:51.5 @ 1:53.5. 17s/500m faster? I presume at some point this charade will come crashing down.

I'm also not buying his 2:01.6 pace for a half, and season/lifetime totals of 2.2 mil and 2.9 mil respectively. 2.2 million for the season means rowing a 10K EVERY DAY for the 240 (appx.) days we are into the season.

[mdpfirrman1]

Thanks Stu/Jim. Good to be back. I'm just going to stay pretty low key and concentrate on volume. I originally blamed the back injury on a CTC low rate row last January, but there were a lot of signs I ignored before then. My 2018 meters were less than 1 million. My 2017 and 2016 were like 2.2M meters. I've just passed my 2018 season this past week with nearly 4 months to go.

I'd like my next season to be over 2M meters again. That's when you really start seeing some progress.

Jim -- I hope I'm even rowing at your age. To be putting up the numbers you are after your back issues last year is astounding!

[Cyclingman1]

Did an "official" 2K event this Sat morning: Mark Williams Regatta Gainesville, GA. Because I'm getting my conditioning back I was a little anxious - too anxious. And my rowing has not been going well for the last month - time consuming and mentally exhausting family medical situations.

In any event:

2K: 7:12.2 @1:48, DF 154, SPM 31, W 278, W/stroke 9.0. Not pleased at all. Just have to get back to work.

Rowed next to Armando Cabrera, who has some kind of rowing background and I believe is the father of a fairly frequent forum contributor.
Not sure if this post is an example of age related decline. For me, it is an example of the vagaries of training and performing that come with aging.

[nick rockliff]

Did an "official" 2K event this Sat morning: Mark Williams Regatta Gainesville, GA. Because I'm getting my conditioning back I was a little anxious - too anxious. And my rowing has not been going well for the last month - time consuming and mentally exhausting family medical situations.

In any event:

2K: 7:12.2 @1:48, DF 154, SPM 31, W 278, W/stroke 9.0. Not pleased at all. Just have to get back to work.

Nice result, well done.

[Dangerscouse]

Did an "official" 2K event this Sat morning: Mark Williams Regatta Gainesville, GA. Because I'm getting my conditioning back I was a little anxious - too anxious. And my rowing has not been going well for the last month - time consuming and mentally exhausting family medical situations.

In any event:

2K: 7:12.2 @1:48, DF 154, SPM 31, W 278, W/stroke 9.0. Not pleased at all. Just have to get back to work.

Rowed next to Armando Cabrera, who has some kind of rowing background and I believe is the father of a fairly frequent forum contributor.
Not sure if this post is an example of age related decline. For me, it is an example of the vagaries of training and performing that come with aging.

7:12 at 72 years old and you're not pleased?!?!?! Wow, you're smashing times that really won't be possible for 99.9% of us in our seventies

[Cyclingman1]

7:12 at 72 years old and you're not pleased?!?!?!

74 in 5 weeks A few yrs ago in my youth, I was good at predicting what I would do on race day. Now, it's gotten more iffy. I was training for 7:05, but lost my way. I know it is partly due to my injuries, but I just cannot seem to train as consistently and thereby be confident in final results.

[8sWwr2]

After using the gyms Concept2 Model Ds for a week or so, I'm 61 and a new rower, just getting my own C2 D Wednesday 1/22. I'll do what I can when I can.

[adccl8z]

Thought I'd report in after starting this thread. My erging frequency has not changed too much. My scores are still somewhat below what I could reach 2-3 yrs ago (eg 5k now, 19:30-20:00, then 19:00-19:20)

I did video myself and didn't like my technique (arms breaking too early on the drive, knees rising too early on recovery). However I may have been doing the same when my times were better.
I find it's my muscular endurance over my aerobic endurance which caves in first.

Other than the fan setting, is it possible for the erg to build up resistance over time at all? I thought the opposite might be true if the fan accumulated dust for example. Perhaps negligible.

Am just in denial about getting older and weaker, without having to increase my workout regime frequency to compensate! Need to give up the day job and/or deport the children!!

[max_ratcliffe]

Thought I'd report in after starting this thread. My erging frequency has not changed too much. My scores are still somewhat below what I could reach 2-3 yrs ago (eg 5k now, 19:30-20:00, then 19:00-19:20)

I did video myself and didn't like my technique (arms breaking too early on the drive, knees rising too early on recovery). However I may have been doing the same when my times were better.
I find it's my muscular endurance over my aerobic endurance which caves in first.

Other than the fan setting, is it possible for the erg to build up resistance over time at all? I thought the opposite might be true if the fan accumulated dust for example. Perhaps negligible.

Am just in denial about getting older and weaker, without having to increase my workout regime frequency to compensate! Need to give up the day job and/or deport the children!!

If the chain is rusty, or the rollers beneath the seat aren't spinning properly, then there will be added resistance that isn't factored in to the erg's calculations. My guess is that the rollers could be quite significant if they are really knackered, but you'd probably know about it as the seat would struggle to return to the catch position.

[Cyclingman1]

I find it's my muscular endurance over my aerobic endurance which caves in first.

would someone like to flesh that out some? Maybe give an example.

[ampire]

I find it's my muscular endurance over my aerobic endurance which caves in first.

would someone like to flesh that out some? Maybe give an example.

He might mean he lacks stamina near anaerobic threshold and above, he runs out of glycogen sooner, and/or if above aerobic threshold he cannot tolerate the elevated lactate levels as well as he used to. He might also mean his ability to maintain form breaks down sooner due to muscular fatigue.

[Gabe_G]

I believe that if someone takes care of themselves, and trains intelligently, the decline of aging is so slow that it becomes imperceptible day to day. Of course, you will be able to look back 5, 10, 15, etc... years and point out the differences, no doubt. I think one of the most tragic things today is the belief that after you turn 40, there is a huge steep decline, like a drop off. That belief causes people in their 40s, 50s and 60s to stop taking care of themselves and watch a self fulfilling prophecy come to fruition.

Training my father with free weights after he had his heart attack 8 years ago, has really shown me that frailty is largely a product of inactivity and poor eating. Much of that can be mitigated. While there may be some people who are too far gone to recover some of their youth, many people can reverse much of this frailty by starting to train. The body is such an amazing thing when you provide it a proper stimulus.

We will decline, we will die. This is the way of life. But that decline need not be sharp, not at least until we are truly nearing the end!

[Cyclingman1]

Last "competition" 2K of year at Ga Tech Erg Sprints, but held at Venture Crossfit in Atlanta.

Not a good row at all. 2K: 7:16.6 @1:49.1. Didn't think I was tired but no zip. In the gym when I say I want to do a brisk 2K slower than race pace, I often do 7:15-7:18. Maybe I'm in sudden decline: 7:06 in Dec, 7:12 in Jan, and 7:16 in Feb. God knows what Mar holds.

For those who have gone to Ga Tech in the past, this change in venue was a bummer. Place was cold, crowded, no sitting areas at all, hodge podgy, and junky looking. The facebook photo of the place shows a pristine gym - nothing like the reality. Had all sorts of walled off areas that made navigation difficult. Oh and the parking was sucky after the first hundred or so cars. I would estimate around 400-500 participants all day. Probably will not return next yr if they insist on holding it there.

Not sure what kind of rowing I'll be doing in the coming weeks and months. Family medical issues have been nailing us lately. Wife has had two reverse shoulder replacements in last 4 months with extensive rehab. And now it appears she will need a three-level lumbar spinal fusion. Both of us have gone at exercise way too hard over several decades. It has caught up with us. A person could choose to not do box-jumps, snatches, tractor tire flips, and track intervals until you drop. In any event, her recovery is top priority.

I think one of the most tragic things today is the belief that after you turn 40, there is a huge steep decline, like a drop off.

Actually, most of us here, don't think that. At 50 there is some decline. At sixty, things start getting a little more dicey, but many fight a good losing battle.