Pondering the Beginner Pete Plan

[iain]

Ok, for the next 5k I'll target 2.25 /2.30 pace, so at the speed a 18 stroke rate should feel more natural.

For the intervals session, if I understand correctly, you both are suggesting I should increase both stroke rate and speed as I go through the session? I'm not sure that at the moment I can get to high SPMs and keep good technique. What I think I can do is starting at 18 and getting up to 24, maybe 26

I'm a slow rower. 20-24spm is my sweet spot. But you can't stay there for short intervals or most shorter distance time trials. You will need to learn to gradually rate up while maintaining good technique. I'm now solid up to 30spm after a few years. Above that I tend to have form issues and risk injury. Don't rush this. Focus on your technique at lower ratings. Increase your rating as you feel comfortable.

The longer rows shouldn't feel too challenging at the moment (the BPP builds you up to the 10k used in the PP) Pete used to say that you should always feel that you could do the session again if you needed to for the long slower rows. O the intervals that is where the work is done and you should finish those feeling that you have pushed hard, so if you are comfortable maintaining 18SPM for a longer distance you should start above that. For the 10' trace above you were around 20SPM, so I would say that unless you hit form issues, you should start at 22SPM. Personally I would look to groove that, but not allow your pace to drop, you may find that you have to up the rating to maintain the pace. Then if you feel Ok at the end of the 4th interval, try and push a bit harder in the 5th, you should finish that out of breath. For the last we can always find some more so push from the start and really go flat out in the last 200. It is these sessions that teach us what we are capable of and what we can endure. If you can speak in the first 30S after that last interval you didn't do yourself justice. If your legs stop working then shorten the slide to use more upper body at a higher SPM.

Have fun!

- Iain

[Dom82]

Session 1.2 (6x500) completed. I aimed at increasing SR (starting at 19 in the first interval and getting to 24 on the last one), while maintaining a 2.15 pace and giving it all (if any) in the last interval.


Actually I found myself going faster than planned, not because I felt particularly strong but because of the higher SR than what I'm used to. Having rowed so far at 16-18, I find it difficult to increase SR without going (relatively for me) fast. So I settled around 2.10 and went full power in the last interval (in particular its first half: in the second I couldn't maintain the rhytm).

[RayOfSunshine]

Actually I found myself going faster than planned, not because I felt particularly strong but because of the higher SR than what I'm used to. Having rowed so far at 16-18, I find it difficult to increase SR without going (relatively for me) fast.

This is exactly what I was trying to describe. If the s/r goes up, the pace will follow. The problem for some (on the other end of the spectrum) is they have too weak of a stroke and a racing up & down the rail. Like you, I had to work to increase my s/r.

Also, there is nothing wrong with going fast on the intervals as long as you're not as long as you're not sacrificing technique (potentially causing injury). Be sure to read the instructions down bottom before each session.. For example, this was for the one you just did:

6 x 500m / 2min rest – Interval sessions allow you to work at a higher intensity by splitting the workout into smaller segments. Don’t get carried away in the early intervals thinking it is easy though, you have many weeks ahead to increase the intensity. As you become more experienced at interval training over the coming weeks you will learn how to pace the different types of session.

Keep it up!

[Dom82]

Yes, I've read the session instructions. BTW, I created a spreadsheet to have all instructions easily available and track results. In case anyone is interested, here's the link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... fg/pubhtml

Session 1.3 completed
I know I should have targeted the same pace as session 1.1 but I wanted to increase SR from 16 to 18 which, from what I understand, is the min threshold for aerobic workouts. So, for the reasons I outlined before, I decided to target 5 seconds less than session 1.1. (2.28 instead of 2.33)

So I was able to perfectly match pace and SR but I clearly went too fast. I wasn't tired but certainly more fatigued than I should be for aerobic training. Also avg heart rate was certainly too high compared to what is probably my MHR (190, which was the peak from the intervals session).
So I made the classic newbie mistake, thinking going 5 secs faster would'nt be a big deal. Lession learned: I'll do the optional 20mins session for this week aiming at the same pace as session 1.1 and trying to maintain 18 SR without compromising technique (easier said than done )

[RayOfSunshine]

Yes, I've read the session instructions. BTW, I created a spreadsheet to have all instructions easily available and track results.


I'll do the optional 20mins session for this week aiming at the same pace as session 1.1 and trying to maintain 18 SR without compromising technique (easier said than done )

Nice spreadsheet! I did one the 1st time I went through years ago, but I didn't put the instructions in there.

Good to see you're doing the optional sessions.

For me it was BPP 24.4 (SkiErg)
Target 1st interval pace was <2:05.2, then all an out 2nd. Felt weak going in as I've been sick for a week, but I pushed on. Physically I was pretty spent by the end of the 1st interval. About 3 minutes into the 2nd interval, the gas tank was empty. I'll wait until I'm feeling better to do my final workout, 4x1k 3r (BPP 24.5).

[iain]

Session 1.3 completed
I know I should have targeted the same pace as session 1.1 but I wanted to increase SR from 16 to 18 which, from what I understand, is the min threshold for aerobic workouts. So, for the reasons I outlined before, I decided to target 5 seconds less than session 1.1. (2.28 instead of 2.33)

So I was able to perfectly match pace and SR but I clearly went too fast. I wasn't tired but certainly more fatigued than I should be for aerobic training. Also avg heart rate was certainly too high compared to what is probably my MHR (190, which was the peak from the intervals session).
So I made the classic newbie mistake, thinking going 5 secs faster would'nt be a big deal. Lession learned: I'll do the optional 20mins session for this week aiming at the same pace as session 1.1 and trying to maintain 18 SR without compromising technique (easier said than done )

UP to you, but that was a vey similar amount of work per stroke and should be the increase you see as you up the rating. I would say you are better staying at 16SPM for most of the workout with the stronger stroke, although you might like to up the SR in say the last 1k to slowly increase the average rating. I sometimes do lighter sessions to get used to a faster rating, but the core needs to be with your normal stroke. The impact of the faster sessions will hopefully allow you to slowly increase your rating with the stronger stroke, but there is no hurry, R16 will still have a good training effect.

- Iain

[Dom82]

.
Good to see you're doing the optional sessions.

As we say here in Italy, man proposes and God disposes. Since last night I've got a nasty gastrointestinal virus so I've slightly changed my workout planning
Let's see how things play out...

[mitchel674]

Yes, I've read the session instructions. BTW, I created a spreadsheet to have all instructions easily available and track results. In case anyone is interested, here's the link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... fg/pubhtml

Session 1.3 completed
I know I should have targeted the same pace as session 1.1 but I wanted to increase SR from 16 to 18 which, from what I understand, is the min threshold for aerobic workouts. So, for the reasons I outlined before, I decided to target 5 seconds less than session 1.1. (2.28 instead of 2.33)

So I was able to perfectly match pace and SR but I clearly went too fast. I wasn't tired but certainly more fatigued than I should be for aerobic training. Also avg heart rate was certainly too high compared to what is probably my MHR (190, which was the peak from the intervals session).
So I made the classic newbie mistake, thinking going 5 secs faster would'nt be a big deal. Lession learned: I'll do the optional 20mins session for this week aiming at the same pace as session 1.1 and trying to maintain 18 SR without compromising technique (easier said than done )

This is a great steady state session for week #1. Keep at it and find the stroke rate that works best for you.

[Dom82]

Session 2.1 5500m
As per Pete's instructions, I aimed for the same pace (2.33) and stroke rate (16) as session 1.1 (5000m).

[mitchel674]

Session 2.1 5500m
As per Pete's instructions, I aimed for the same pace (2.33) and stroke rate (16) as session 1.1 (5000m).

I'm still a bit surprised by your heart rate at that pace given your level of fitness. I wonder if you would consider posting a video of your rowing technique for some of the more knowledgeable folks to critique. I suspect you are losing power and efficiency due to a technical flaw in your stroke.

[Dom82]

I'm still a bit surprised by your heart rate at that pace given your level of fitness. I wonder if you would consider posting a video of your rowing technique for some of the more knowledgeable folks to critique. I suspect you are losing power and efficiency due to a technical flaw in your stroke.

Hi. If understand correctly, you are saying that my heart rate goes too high given the low pace. And that is clearly true but my feeling is that it mostly depends on my level of fitness that, as you can see from all my past 4 sessions, is very low.
Poor technique (especially at very low and very high paces) may be a factor too, so I'll definitely post a video when I can.
Thanks

[dabatey]

I'm still a bit surprised by your heart rate at that pace given your level of fitness. I wonder if you would consider posting a video of your rowing technique for some of the more knowledgeable folks to critique. I suspect you are losing power and efficiency due to a technical flaw in your stroke.

Hi. If understand correctly, you are saying that my heart rate goes too high given the low pace. And that is clearly true but my feeling is that it mostly depends on my level of fitness that, as you can see from all my past 4 sessions, is very low.
Poor technique (especially at very low and very high paces) may be a factor too, so I'll definitely post a video when I can.
Thanks

I wouldn't fret it too much as anything will get you fitter when starting from a low base.

However, the basics of a polarized plan like PP is that the easy stuff (ie longer slower pieces) should be easy and the hard stuff (ie the intervals) hard. The idea being that if you do the easier stuff at too high an effort it will affect your ability to get the best results out of the hard stuff. Also the aerobic system should be targeted in the longer pieces so the effort needs to be lower for that. So it is worth following what others have said already and slow down your longer pieces, especially as the distances will be building up.

[Dom82]

I wouldn't fret it too much as anything will get you fitter when starting from a low base.

However, the basics of a polarized plan like PP is that the easy stuff (ie longer slower pieces) should be easy and the hard stuff (ie the intervals) hard. The idea being that if you do the easier stuff at too high an effort it will affect your ability to get the best results out of the hard stuff. Also the aerobic system should be targeted in the longer pieces so the effort needs to be lower for that. So it is worth following what others have said already and slow down your longer pieces, especially as the distances will be building up.

My min heart rate should be around 70, while my max one (the peak in the last interval session) should be 190. If those figures are correct, my last session was fully in UT1 and that would be consistent with how I felt during the workout (not too fatigued and definitely able to get back on and do other 5k at the same pace again). Should I slow down my longer sessions even more than that?

[Sakly]

If those figures are correct, my last session was fully in UT1 and that would be consistent with how I felt during the workout. Should I slow down my longer sessions even more than that?

Based on this feeling, no.

[Dom82]

If those figures are correct, my last session was fully in UT1 and that would be consistent with how I felt during the workout. Should I slow down my longer sessions even more than that?

Based on this feeling, no.

Ok. In my case heart rate bands and feelings during the workout seem to match. Session 1.3 (the 5k one where I tried to pace 5s faster than 1.1) felt completely different than 1.1 and 2.1 (definitely more fatigued and probably not able to row for other 5k at same pace); coherently, HR was in UT1 only during the first third of the session, then going in AT for the second third and in TR in the last one.