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

[lindsayh]

Welcome back to the fabulous world of the erg
The only way to determine MHR is to do a test and use the highest you can see after a hard 30' session or intervals of 4'/1'R stepped down to failure (say 6/7). There are no formulae that have a sensible role to play in calculations of MHR.
Chest strap or upper arm is needed - watch is not useful for rowing.
Your MHR is a genetic fact of life that doesn't change with fitness levels. Your RHR drops with as fitness improves.
Most training should be slow enough to keep your heart rate below 80% of your heart rate reserve (there are lots of threads here to explain all that)
There is nothing IMO wrong with approaching your real MHR on hard AN pieces especially as your fitness improves. Have a look at the Free spirits charts linked above.

JEPonline Journal of Exercise Physiology online
Volume 5 Number 2 May 2002
Commentary
THE SURPRISING HISTORY OF THE “HRmax=220-age” EQUATION
ROBERT A. ROBERGS AND ROBERTO LANDWEHR
Exercise Physiology Laboratories, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
ABSTRACT
THE SURPRISING HISTORY OF THE “HRmax=220-age” EQUATION. Robert A. Robergs, Roberto
Landwehr. JEPonline. 2002;5(2):1-10. The estimation of maximal heart rate (HRmax) has been a feature of
exercise physiology and related applied sciences since the late 1930’s. The estimation of HRmax has been
largely based on the formula; HRmax=220-age. This equation is often presented in textbooks without
explanation or citation to original research. In addition, the formula and related concepts are included in most
certification exams within sports medicine, exercise physiology, and fitness. Despite the acceptance of this
formula, research spanning more than two decades reveals the large error inherent in the estimation of HRmax
(Sxy=7-11 b/min). Ironically, inquiry into the history of this formula reveals that it was not developed from
original research, but resulted from observation based on data from approximately 11 references consisting of
published research or unpublished scientific compilations. Consequently, the formula HRmax=220-age has no
scientific merit for use in exercise physiology and related fields. A brief review of alternate HRmax prediction
formula reveals that the majority of age-based univariate prediction equations also have large prediction errors
(>10 b/min). Clearly, more research of HRmax needs to be done using a multivariate model, and equations may
need to be developed that are population (fitness, health status, age, exercise mode) specific.

[Dangerscouse]

It is also worth noting that it doesn't matter what your max HR is, as it's very subjective and not an indication that you're fitter if it is higher or lower than others.

You will see some experienced and very fast rowers have MHR of just over 200 and others with circa 165. As long as you know what your HR ranges are that is all that matters.

[Twitch]

Thanks to everyone who has replied, it's clear I have a lot to learn on all of this yet. A couple people noted to make sure I wasn't using a watch for my HR monitoring and just want to confirm that I'm using a Polar chest strap with the sensor connected to my PM3 for all my heart rate data.

I did a row this morning, I wanted to focus on maintaining 18spm with a 145 HR. This row was a huge change from the ones over the last 10 days or so. I didn't feel like I was in a constant battle with the urge to quit and I wasn't dripping in sweat the entire time, this is the first time since picking it back up that it just felt like an enjoyable row.



I ended up rowing 2:26 average over a 40 minute row, having to slow down a bit as I rowed through it to maintain the target heart rate. I'm very pleased with how this row felt. I think I am going to make this my new 'standard' daily row but either today or tomorrow I'm going to try and get a sense of what my max HR might be with just some shorter intense rows.

Thanks again to everyone that has taken the time to reply, I still have a lot of information to go back and digest.

[Dangerscouse]

Thanks to everyone who has replied, it's clear I have a lot to learn on all of this yet. A couple people noted to make sure I wasn't using a watch for my HR monitoring and just want to confirm that I'm using a Polar chest strap with the sensor connected to my PM3 for all my heart rate data.

I did a row this morning, I wanted to focus on maintaining 18spm with a 145 HR. This row was a huge change from the ones over the last 10 days or so. I didn't feel like I was in a constant battle with the urge to quit and I wasn't dripping in sweat the entire time, this is the first time since picking it back up that it just felt like an enjoyable row.



I ended up rowing 2:26 average over a 40 minute row, having to slow down a bit as I rowed through it to maintain the target heart rate. I'm very pleased with how this row felt. I think I am going to make this my new 'standard' daily row but either today or tomorrow I'm going to try and get a sense of what my max HR might be with just some shorter intense rows.

Thanks again to everyone that has taken the time to reply, I still have a lot of information to go back and digest.

This is a great screenshot as you didn't let your ego dictate the pace and you slowed down when you needed to. Use this as a reference point to check your progress every 2 or 3 weeks.

Going slower to get faster is a rowing axiom that really does work, as you need to build your aerobic base as a solid foundation on which to build your speed.

When you enjoy the process it will be a lot harder to be derailed when you hit a bump in the journey, as we all do from time to time, so this is where you need to be placing most of your training ie in the Goldilocks zone

[nick rockliff]

Thanks to everyone who has replied, it's clear I have a lot to learn on all of this yet. A couple people noted to make sure I wasn't using a watch for my HR monitoring and just want to confirm that I'm using a Polar chest strap with the sensor connected to my PM3 for all my heart rate data.

I did a row this morning, I wanted to focus on maintaining 18spm with a 145 HR. This row was a huge change from the ones over the last 10 days or so. I didn't feel like I was in a constant battle with the urge to quit and I wasn't dripping in sweat the entire time, this is the first time since picking it back up that it just felt like an enjoyable row.



I ended up rowing 2:26 average over a 40 minute row, having to slow down a bit as I rowed through it to maintain the target heart rate. I'm very pleased with how this row felt. I think I am going to make this my new 'standard' daily row but either today or tomorrow I'm going to try and get a sense of what my max HR might be with just some shorter intense rows.

Thanks again to everyone that has taken the time to reply, I still have a lot of information to go back and digest.

This is a great screenshot as you didn't let your ego dictate the pace and you slowed down when you needed to. Use this as a reference point to check your progress every 2 or 3 weeks.

Going slower to get faster is a rowing axiom that really does work, as you need to build your aerobic base as a solid foundation on which to build your speed.

When you enjoy the process it will be a lot harder to be derailed when you hit a bump in the journey, as we all do from time to time, so this is where you need to be placing most of your training ie in the Goldilocks zone

This has also given you the pace to set off at next time you do this session, use the avg pace of the session 2.26 and see if you can maintain that for the duration of the session keeping within your HR cap.

[jimmyshand]

Thanks to everyone who has replied, it's clear I have a lot to learn on all of this yet. A couple people noted to make sure I wasn't using a watch for my HR monitoring and just want to confirm that I'm using a Polar chest strap with the sensor connected to my PM3 for all my heart rate data.

I did a row this morning, I wanted to focus on maintaining 18spm with a 145 HR. This row was a huge change from the ones over the last 10 days or so. I didn't feel like I was in a constant battle with the urge to quit and I wasn't dripping in sweat the entire time, this is the first time since picking it back up that it just felt like an enjoyable row.

I ended up rowing 2:26 average over a 40 minute row, having to slow down a bit as I rowed through it to maintain the target heart rate. I'm very pleased with how this row felt. I think I am going to make this my new 'standard' daily row but either today or tomorrow I'm going to try and get a sense of what my max HR might be with just some shorter intense rows.

Thanks again to everyone that has taken the time to reply, I still have a lot of information to go back and digest.

That's a great row - I know that I'm often a complete idiot when it comes to pacing. Definitely takes a lot of discipline to stick to HR zones. The cool thing with this is that you do it a few times and then gradually you start noticing a row that used to be say 2:25 at 145 HR then becomes at 2:20 then a 2:15 and so on. One of my go-to rows for this is a 10k trying to keep below my UT2 HR which I think is 147.

[Citroen]

You need to learn how to program the PM3 for a fixed distance or fixed time rather than using "Just Row".
That gives you better workout data that's more comparable between sessions (and avoids the anomalous rounded down to 15SPM stroke rate).

https://www.concept2.com/service/monito ... how-to-use

[Twitch]

Just wanted to bump this and thank everyone for the advice they gave me again! It's been making a real difference for me, it's led to a much more comfortable rowing experience and good improvements.



It's still slow but I'm getting there!

[Dangerscouse]

It's still slow but I'm getting there!

It doesn't matter if it's slow if you're enjoying it and your improving. There are no shortcuts or substitutes to hard work so keep putting in the effort. Well done

[mitchel674]

These are great steady state rows. You are using your HR monitor nicely to cap these sessions. Bonus that you find them more enjoyable. Kudos! It's a great way to rack up the meters and get good aerobic benefit.