New To Rowing (Again) - Pushing Heart Rate Too Hard?

[Twitch]

I'm about to reach 1.2m meters rowed on my rower, most of this was done back in 2014 when I was rowing a lot before a chest infection knocked me off the rower and I never picked it back up until 10 days ago.

For the last 10 days I've been doing 30 minute straight rows, compared to my previous rowing of 6 years ago I'm very weak. Prior to starting rowing here again I did very little physical activity other than some walking. I'm 42 years old, 185lbs and 6'4" tall.

Over the 30 minute row I'm averaging around 2:15/500m at a 19spm rate. I was never great but I used to be able to do around 2:05/500m for hour long rows and some day I hope to get back to that.

My question is am I pushing my heart rate too hard? In the 30 minute session I'm generally seeing a heart rate progression as follows:

05:00 = 155bpm
10:00 = 165bpm
15:00 = 165bpm
20:00 = 168bpm
25:00 = 170bpm
30:00 = 175bpm

(These numbers were taken off the rower, I assume they're averages, over the 5 minute intervals but I'm not certain.)

Do I need to back this off some? I've been doing some reading on max heart rate (mine seems around 177 for my age) and zones etc, and it's getting me a bit worried. And honestly even as I type this post and reflect on it, while I'm enjoying the physical activity it's a grueling work out for someone as out of shape as I am, where I'm constantly fighting the urge to stop and take breaks.

[Dangerscouse]

If 177 is your max, you're definitely going far too hard far too early.

My max HR is 180 and I target a HR cap for steady state sessions of no more than 140, and I'm going at circa 130 recently.

You have to be patient and don't let your ego dictate your decisions. You will be slower to start with, that is normal but you will also speed up relatively quickly, with the same HR, if you pace it slowly enough to start with.

[jimmyshand]

Sounds like you just need to take it more slowly and built up some fitness. We're similar in age and my max HR is 190 (according to my heart rate monitor) but most of my training is at 160 or below, although probably not as much as it should be.

It's always good fun going fast and I don't see anything wrong with mixing in a bit of fast stuff and getting close to max HR but to built fitness the long steady state rows would be the mainstay of your training.

Others with more knowledge of rowing will arrive on the thread soon and share more useful info I'm sure but I think it's definitely a case of easing back in at low rate, low-ish heart rate and working out what your UT2, UT1, AT etc heart rate numbers would be. You can do that using this tool

https://www.freespiritsrowing.com/forum ... calculator

[Twitch]

Thanks for the advice so far.

You have to be patient and don't let your ego dictate your decisions. You will be slower to start with, that is normal but you will also speed up relatively quickly, with the same HR, if you pace it slowly enough to start with.

I think that's exactly it, I remember how I used to row and can look back on the logcard and see those times and it's too easy to just want to jump right back to that point and I forget I was years younger and that was after months of practice.

Others with more knowledge of rowing will arrive on the thread soon and share more useful info I'm sure but I think it's definitely a case of easing back in at low rate, low-ish heart rate and working out what your UT2, UT1, AT etc heart rate numbers would be. You can do that using this tool

Thanks for the link to the calculator. I was basing my max heart rate on a calculation I found online, it's not a measured one, maybe that's a good first step.

So for starting out just to start building some rowing strength and general fitness does it make sense to just row and target a HR of around 140-150 and just maintain that for the entire duration of the row and forget about how fast/slow I may be going at that point? I don't want to try and rush the process, I'm just pretty ignorant when it comes to this stuff.

Really appreciate the advice!

[Carl Watts]

Thats a pretty nasty high HR for that pace.

I would say your level of fitness is really really low so your just going to have to start out slower. Forget 2:15 pace your going to have to go to 2:30 or even 2:40 pace to get your HR down. I would cap it at a pace that gives you a max hr of about 145 or 150 for a number of weeks.

The good news is with some regular training you will see some radical improvements in your HR dropping over a very short time.

Even if I take a couple of weeks off rowing my average HR is up 10bpm.

[pagomichaelh]

Apologies for the slight thread veer, but how do you determine what your ACTUAL maximum heart rate is (as opposed to calculated maximum)?

Work to overload and measure?

Humans have too much individual variation for one size to fit all.

[Twitch]

Thats a pretty nasty high HR for that pace.

Yah That's what working a desk job and not really doing any exercise for a half decade or so gets me I guess. Hopefully I can get that changed soon.

I would cap it at a pace that gives you a max hr of about 145 or 150 for a number of weeks.

This is going to be my plan I think, although I think I'll have trouble settling into a pace that is so slow but I'm sure I can sort it out. Is there value in mixing in a few days of the week higher heart rate rowing?

Thanks again for all the feedback everyone, I'm glad I posted this or I would have just kept going as I had been.

[jamesg]

Rowing usually starts with low rating work (18-20) to put the stroke in place, but fairly long, up to an hour total action and plenty of rest intervals. This helps even experienced oarsmen to recover coordination, strength and style, as well as endurance.

Rating 18 should keep you in the UT2 zone for now, which in any case is enough for general fitness. The high rate stuff comes much later, and then only if you plan to race, after at least a year. You're certainly not in need of pushing your AT HR level anywhere. This is done when close to racing, in short intervals.

Strength will be needed in ligaments and tendons to avoid injury, not just muscle, and they don't grow fast. Forty is a dangerous age.

[hjs]

First you need to KNOW your max Hf, it could be way above these numbers, you can,t calculate it.
And yes, you go to fast, back down for now to 150 max, and go faster every third or fourth session. You will soon ger fitter, faster.
To see what your real max rate is, push the last 5 min of a faster row, I bet it will be a good bit above 180.

Have patience, think in months, not sessions.

[Gammmmo]

First you need to KNOW your max Hf, it could be way above these numbers, you can,t calculate it.

This. Also factor in the fact that your HR will be higher for a given effort depending on ambient temperature and/or due to internal heat buildup (the longer the max effort session the more this is a factor).

[Dangerscouse]

Also factor in the fact that your HR will be higher for a given effort depending on ambient temperature and/or due to internal heat buildup (the longer the max effort session the more this is a factor).

Yeah, good point. HR will also vary due to stress, lack of sleep / recovery dehydration, so it can't be relied upon 100% to be accurate but it is a good indicator of how hard you're working.

Changing your targets to HR rather than pace is subtle but effective

[hjs]

Also factor in the fact that your HR will be higher for a given effort depending on ambient temperature and/or due to internal heat buildup (the longer the max effort session the more this is a factor).

Yeah, good point. HR will also vary due to stress, lack of sleep / recovery dehydration, so it can't be relied upon 100% to be accurate but it is a good indicator of how hard you're working.

Changing your targets to HR rather than pace is subtle but effective

It is accurate, when its warmer/more moist our body needs to work harder to cool off, hence the higher hf at a same pace.

[winniewinser]

Apologies for the slight thread veer, but how do you determine what your ACTUAL maximum heart rate is (as opposed to calculated maximum)?

Work to overload and measure?

Humans have too much individual variation for one size to fit all.

Get a HR belt (not a watch)....then see what you peak at during a full on session like a max 2km TT. Use that as your max until it proves to be higher on subsequent sessions.

[Dangerscouse]

It is accurate, when its warmer/more moist our body needs to work harder to cool off, hence the higher hf at a same pace.

But my point is that it's not an indication of fitness, or lack of it, only about how hot you may be in this example and how your heart is trying to regulate it.

If there's a higher HR on a single occasion then it can be misinterpreted as meaning that they are working too hard or aren't making progress so it shouldn't be viewed as an absolute indicator, only as a useful piece of information amongst others

[hjs]

It is accurate, when its warmer/more moist our body needs to work harder to cool off, hence the higher hf at a same pace.

But my point is that it's not an indication of fitness, or lack of it, only about how hot you may be in this example and how your heart is trying to regulate it.

If there's a higher HR on a single occasion then it can be misinterpreted as meaning that they are working too hard or aren't making progress so it shouldn't be viewed as an absolute indicator, only as a useful piece of information amongst others

Ok I see, but no matter what, if our hf is different, compared to normal there is a reason. We could be tired, it could be warm, we could be sick etc..
Agree ofcourse, we should look at the bigger picture, hf is, even if you don,t train with it a strong indicator.
A lowering rest pulse, rate of hf recovery (how fast it comes down) and other all tell a lot.