Pondering the Beginner Pete Plan

[warnie]

I followed the BPP 2 years ago and struggled the last 8 weeks of the plan. Did not do all the essential training and stopped rowing. Goal at that time was a sub 8 min 2K, which I did manage (7:55,1)
Today I decided to try the BPP again.
5k 23:34,9 2:21,4 22spm
I am curious if I can complete all the 24 weeks this time!

Good to have some company! I've done a few 5k's and a 6k in the last 2 weeks so getting there. I'm going to start off slow and go around the 2:25 mark, maybe even slower just seton the board and set the foundation. Then see where it leads. Not doing it for anything other than fitness and to get my times down when I feel like pushing it!!

[Rowan McSheen]

I've had an erg for nigh on 15 years now and every once in a while I take a short break for a refresh and a reset and then start over again with the BPP. I'm not a competitive rower but I do like to have a programme and I'm looking for variety and, after a reset, progression.

I don't take it prescriptively but tend to just work my way through all the sessions in sequence, usually every other day, so one week of BPP might take me two weeks or longer. I've not yet managed to persist all the way to the end, maybe I should make it a new season's resolution.

In his notes Pete seems to advise doing the steady sessions at what I would call UT1, so I often intersperse this plan with UT2 workouts of about an hour or so.

Next up is the second 5000m of week 1, after turning in the 500m reps a little faster than I expected ... small victories and all that

[mitchel674]

I followed the BPP 2 years ago and struggled the last 8 weeks of the plan. Did not do all the essential training and stopped rowing. Goal at that time was a sub 8 min 2K, which I did manage (7:55,1)
Today I decided to try the BPP again.
5k 23:34,9 2:21,4 22spm
I am curious if I can complete all the 24 weeks this time!

Good to have some company! I've done a few 5k's and a 6k in the last 2 weeks so getting there. I'm going to start off slow and go around the 2:25 mark, maybe even slower just seton the board and set the foundation. Then see where it leads. Not doing it for anything other than fitness and to get my times down when I feel like pushing it!!

I'm right there with you. Just started my third time through the BPP with a goal to do all 5 rows each week. Just finished week 5 but I'm now away from my erg for a week. I will return next week with the 7500m row.

Please post your progress. The accountability in a thread like this a few years ago really kept me going my first time.

[Dangerscouse]

Please post your progress. The accountability in a thread like this a few years ago really kept me going my first time.

This^^

Accountability is really important. That will help you build and strengthen the dopamine feedback loop, subsequently cementing your habits and routine

[Captain Darling]

I've run the BPP twice all the way through. It's a very good program not just for making progress but very importantly it also instills the basics of how to make progress on the erg. Those small increases in distance on longer pieces and small improvements in average split on the intervals may not seem much sometimes but boy do they add up over the 24 weeks.

[warnie]

I'm right there with you. Just started my third time through the BPP with a goal to do all 5 rows each week. Just finished week 5 but I'm now away from my erg for a week. I will return next week with the 7500m row.

Please post your progress. The accountability in a thread like this a few years ago really kept me going my first time.

Good to have some company for sure. I had to stop rowing literally before Covid hit but I've been back 3 weeks now I think and feeling stronger. I'm too short to be a fast competitive rower so I do it for myself and my personal gains. I am competitive but I know who and what I can challenge!!!

My PB's are way out now and I did think about resetting them but I'll leave them for now.

I have just completed workout 3 of week 1 so that's 2 *5000 and the 6*500 - not had a day off this week so tomorrow will be a rest day and then I'll try and complete the two bonus workouts for week 1.

I'm testing the new Ergdata app and unfortunately it crashed on me twice today so ended up doing 3197 (added a manual entry to logbook and strava!) and then switched to Ergzone for a 3k. Didn't think I should just do 2k as I'd had a few minutes break switching apps so bonus metres!! Feeling good though!

[Rowan McSheen]

I am competitive but I know who and what I can challenge!!!

Same here, especially as age and decrepitude advance, I find I must be realistic while managing decline ...

Second 5000m of week 1 done. Instrux say to hold same pace as session 1/1. I interpreted that as to hold the same effort (Pete says nowt about heart rate in his plans) and turned in 0.2 sec/500m slower at same average hr. Within the margin of error, I think.

[Rowan McSheen]

Onwards and upwards to session 4 of week 1. I refuse to be disheartened by Pete's advice that "whether your 5000m sessions have been taking you more or less than 20mins, aim to row this session at a slower pace"

[warnie]

Onwards and upwards to session 4 of week 1. I refuse to be disheartened by Pete's advice that "whether your 5000m sessions have been taking you more or less than 20mins, aim to row this session at a slower pace"

I had hoped to do an extra session for week 1 but alas other things have scuppered that unfortunately. Hoping to do extra in week 2! Yeah my 5k times this week were around 24:30 so nowhere near the 20 mark!!!

[Wouter]

Onwards and upwards to session 4 of week 1. I refuse to be disheartened by Pete's advice that "whether your 5000m sessions have been taking you more or less than 20mins, aim to row this session at a slower pace"

I also raised my eyebrows when I read that.
Did all 5 sessions this week. 5k time around 23:45

[Rowan McSheen]

To be fair, the BPP has been around for at least a decade. My guess is that it was written at a time when there was a higher proportion of more serious athletes than recreational fitness types using the erg. I wouldn't take it personally

Second go at BPP 1/4 this morning, after the previous one was curtailed because it was aggravating a calf strain picked up from running. Seemed okay this time. A good reminder to try and keep the feet as flat as possible when beginning the drive. Done capping hr to 130 (ceiling of UT1 for me), I was expecting about 2:14-2:15 and came in at 2:16. That'll do.

[mitchel674]

Restarted BPP at week 6 after taking a week off waterskiing.

7500m @2:20, r22
3x2000m, r4 averaged 2:12 with a rate of 27. I really don't like intervals and continue to struggle to rate up, but that's why I love this plan. It forces me to do what I don't like!

[Rowan McSheen]

That's similar to my pace, Mitch. Albeit at a higher stroke rate. You're 5 years younger than me, a few inches taller and (ahem) several pounds lighter!

I'm with you regarding intervals.

BPP 1/5 this morning, 2 x 10 mins, instrux say first at 5k pace from earlier, second a little faster. Done at 2:16 and 2:14 with no grief from strained calf. Unable to run, I'll be spending more time on the erg in the next few weeks so it's onwards and upwards to week 2.

[mitchel674]

That's similar to my pace, Mitch. Albeit at a higher stroke rate. You're 5 years younger than me, a few inches taller and (ahem) several pounds lighter!

I'm with you regarding intervals.

BPP 1/5 this morning, 2 x 10 mins, instrux say first at 5k pace from earlier, second a little faster. Done at 2:16 and 2:14 with no grief from strained calf. Unable to run, I'll be spending more time on the erg in the next few weeks so it's onwards and upwards to week 2.

Great that you're able to row and not aggravate your calf. Keep a close watch on that.

[adam1882]

Hello there. Thought I’d get involved too. It’ll be my second time through BPP after three years off the rower (pre-Covid).

My routines changed massively during and post-Covid and now we have a little one, my fitness isn’t what it was either! Definitely time to get back on track. I’m 37, 5 11 and after far too much eating, 93kg.

Session 1 completed today. Once upon a time I’d have rowed a comfortable 2:00 / 500m pace but I decided to back off massively and went with a 2:30 pace boat. In the end, it felt most comfortable rowing at 2:16 / 500m at 18 s/m.

Tomorrow I’ll up the strokes per minute to 20 and use the 2:16 as my baseline.

This is a great community on this board. I used to really enjoy reading and lurking! Feels great to be back on the erg!