Strengths Or Weakness

[[old] cjh]

To be honest I've avoided rows of 40mins or more because... well they're 40mins or more. This week I started rowing for 1hour, pausing if my heart rate was to high and starting again when I could continue breathing comfortably. I guess the rowing equevelent of jogging. I wonder if this is an acceptable way to improve my 2k?

[[old] FrancoisA]

Thanks George for starting this thread.<br /><br />Regarding Mr and Mrs Joe, they would both benefit from intervals of varying intensities with short rest in between. This is Fartlek training in disguise that we use in swimming. It builds both speed and endurance. It also makes time fly on the erg and in the pool.<br /><br />Here is a typical example . There is 30 sec. rest between each interval.<br /><br />2000m warm up.<br />3000m at about 2K + 12 (about 70% of max HR)<br />2 x 1500m where 1st 500m at 2k+10, 2nd at 2K+8 and last at 2k +6<br />3 x 1000m descending. (1st at 2k+12, 2nd at 2k+9 and last at 2k + 6)<br />6 x 500m descending 1 to 3 and 4 to 6 (1st at 2k + 12, 2nd at 2k + 6, 3rd at 2k, 4th like 1st, etc.)<br />2000m cool down<br /><br />Total: 16k<br /><br />The paces are just indication that would work for me, but one can vary the intensity by feel: easy, moderate, medium hard, hard. One can use ascending intervals or use intervals with decreasing rest. Those workouts can be easily programmed in the PM3. Use the short rests for staying hydrated! <br /><br />Happy training Mr and Mrs Joe <br /><br />Francois

[[old] mpukita]

<!--quoteo(post=58355:date=Mar 3 2006, 05:39 PM:name=cjh)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(cjh @ Mar 3 2006, 05:39 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>To be honest I've avoided rows of 40mins or more because... well they're 40mins or more. This week I started rowing for 1hour, pausing if my heart rate was to high and starting again when I could continue breathing comfortably. I guess the rowing equevelent of jogging. I wonder if this is an acceptable way to improve my 2k?<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />CJH:<br /><br />If all you are doing is AT work now, I would surmise that UT2 & UT2 work (as you've described, especially if it's 60'+ continuous rows) would help your 2K time by giving you a better aerobic base. However, it's confusing to me that you'd have to stop a 60' row because your HR is too high. I'd expect you to be doing them UT2 or UT1. If you have to stop, my bet is that you're not doing these <b>slow </b> enough. You can't get out of the AT training style you've adopted and become used to, maybe?<br /><br />Or, you're not using the HR percentage definition of UT2, UT1 & AT, but rather the pace and stroke definition.<br /><br />Just a thought. I have the opposite problem ... I often complete a workout and have not gotten the HR high enough ... too lazy I guess!<br /><br /> <br /><br />Regards ... Mark

[[old] John Rupp]

<!--quoteo(post=58361:date=Mar 3 2006, 03:12 PM:name=mpukita)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(mpukita @ Mar 3 2006, 03:12 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--quotec-->it's confusing to me that you'd have to stop a 60' row because your HR is too high. </td></tr></table><br /><br />It means his HR was higher than he wanted it to be, so he stopped.<br /><br />When he stopped, his HR came down lower.<br /><br />Then he started again, and then repeated this when it happened again.<br />

[[old] cjh]

Mark-I think I've become used to training more in the AT range. To insure that I stay in the aerobic HR range I will use my new heart rate monitor for tomorrows session. 60' at 113 to 140 bpm training range.<br />I suspect it will be between 16 and 18 spm. But thats just a guess. <br /><br />John- That's exactly what I did. <br /><br />FrancoisA-Looks like quite a session. I'll try it once I get sorted out. <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

[[old] jenny854]

Hi . I am new to this .<br />I would like to know how to work out what is a good ergo time for a 52 yr woman, over 1000m, 70 kg, 175 cm tall, erg set at 115. I have 5 days to achieve it

[[old] cbrock]

<!--quoteo(post=58372:date=Mar 4 2006, 09:12 AM:name=jenny)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(jenny @ Mar 4 2006, 09:12 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Hi . I am new to this .<br />I would like to know how to work out what is a good ergo time for a 52 yr woman, over 1000m, 70 kg, 175 cm tall, erg set at 115. I have 5 days to achieve it<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Jenny,<br />That is very hard to answer without knowing if you are a trained athlete and just new to rowing.<br /><br />The ranking system is a good guide and shows 4.30 as the 50th percentile in your age group.<br /><br />If you are totally untrained and just starting a fitness program it is impossible to answer.<br /><br />I would suggest just train within your capacity very gradually and build up to 5k per session.<br /><br />Don't get caught up doing flat out attemps at 1k or 2k or you will quickly lose interest.<br /><br />You need to keep it very simple at first. Don't worry about rating or time.<br /><br />After 4 weeks do a trial and see what your time is for 1k or 2k.<br /><br />If you are still very interested in improving there is good advice available from people like Francoise and George.<br /><br />Best wishes,<br />Chris<br />

[[old] TomR/the elder]

Ben Rea--<br /><br />To get fast at the 2k, you've first got to go long. The 2k makes enormous demands on your cardiovascular system, so you've got to develop it. That takes years, according to what I have read. Years.<br /><br />So put in time logging meters. Obviously you can't just paddle along. You've got to move briskly and maintain good technique, but I believe you want to get to the point where you are doing hour-plus sessions several times a week. If you've read the Wolverine Plan or looked at Xeno's training plan for the Long Beach sprints, you will have noticed they both include lots of long workouts. <br /><br />That's what I expect you need to be doing, because you're not Joe Avg, but a young man who wants to get better. <br /><br />We Flyers need you to be leading us to victory in the coming years.<br /><br />Tom

[[old] hjs]

<!--quoteo(post=58355:date=Mar 3 2006, 11:39 PM:name=cjh)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(cjh @ Mar 3 2006, 11:39 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>To be honest I've avoided rows of 40mins or more because... well they're 40mins or more. This week I started rowing for 1hour, pausing if my heart rate was to high and starting again when I could continue breathing comfortably. I guess the rowing equevelent of jogging. I wonder if this is an acceptable way to improve my 2k?<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />Not directly.<br /><br />Training is specifice. If you want to improve something you have to train that.<br />So to improve your 2 k you have to train around that duration and speed.<br />Does this mean that training longer pieces is not productive? No it will improve Your basis an on that you can build to improve your shorter stuff.<br />You can,t train hole year round on 2 k speed. It would be to straining. It is nessecary to work in cycles. You have build your way to a period of 2 K pr's.<br />Do it right and be patient and you will succede. <br /><br />

[[old] anneoaks]

Great topic to explore because I would imagine everyone wants to improve in some way. Face it, getting on the erg is rarely an endeavor for pure pleasure, so I'd expect either Mr. or Mrs. Average want to become a bit better than average! And that is the value of the erg….it can be used to accomplish any variety of goals---improving general health and fitness or to measure specific progress (distance or speed). I consider myself to be similar to Mrs. Average and I am married to someone who fits the profile of Mr. Average.<br /><br /><b>Setting some sort of goal is important; something specific, measurable </b> (and the erg is great for that…no variables of weather, team mates, etc) <b>attainable, realistic and time bound</b>. Also, having goals provides some interest, or boredom can set in. Over the past 16 months have had several goals at different points.…..A main one has always been technique---- getting the stroke and timing right. (In my past I have learned several sports without instruction and it hurt in the long run…so I really wanted to make sure I was doing it right)….this involved begging for help from rowers, reviewing videos, etc. Technique remains a goal as there is always something to learn. Other goals have been distance---getting to a million meters, etc; playing with stroke rate (spent a month on that), improving my rank in the nonathlon, etc. And, for each of these goals, I developed a plan. Anytime I went into the gym without a plan, the workout got sloppy.<br /><br />The major goal was competition – a satellite Crash B, similar to what Mrs. Joe wanted to compete in. I didn’t care about medaling- my goal was time. And, I had no idea if my goal was even possible. Through the Forum, I asked for advice on whether sub-8:00 was even possible (back in 2004) for a new rower, age 50. (the answer was “probably not”, since I had only 6 weeks to learn/prepare). But, the advice was also encouraging, because I was told it probably was achievable; long term…for 2006.<br /><br />Through the help of GeorgeNZ, he suggested workouts that got me there and allowed me the flexibility to keep doing other sports. It involved 30 minute pieces, 3x2Ks with 5 minute rests, 5K pieces and 4x1K with 5 minute rests. He can provide the rationale for that approach….all I know is that I did it as prescribed and it worked to get me to 7:55! The biggest help was knowing what speed to shoot for in each workout…..truly, when I am on the erg and I begin to hurt, pant, sweat profusely; the biggest incentive to finish the workout was that I knew what pace I had to accomplish. So, I couldn’t put the handle down and quit. (I did once or twice)<br /><br />So, if you aren’t asleep yet, I guess my recommendation is for Mrs. Average to set a goal, and then get some advice on whether it is realistic, commit to a plan (knowing what pace/ watts to shoot for), and then just do it. Accountability really helped. <br /><br />This was a ramble...but to the question of strengths and weaknesses.....my strength was setting a goal. My weakness was having no idea of how to develop a plan to make the goal. That is where the advice of George and the forum was a big help.

[[old] cjh]

Thank You GeorgeNZ for starting this topic. It struck a chord with me and perhaps other "Mr. Average Joe's". Yesterday I gave some information regarding my present work outs. My supposition was that my <u>weakness</u> was putting in the time for longer aerobic rows of 1 hour. Today I'm reporting the data from my row for all to see. I'm hoping that I can receive an analysis of my level of fitness and how to proceed to improve such. <br /><br />Average Joe 1hr row-<br />60mins.<br />12,068 meters<br />2:29.1 /500<br />17 s/m<br />105 watts<br />663 cals<br />143 avg.HR<br /><br />7 min rest<br />300 meter test<br />1:02.8<br />1:44.6 /500<br />29 s/m<br />305 watts<br /><br />Chris - aka Mr. Average Joe<br /><br /><br />

[[old] TomR/the elder]

Chris--<br /><br />The following may be more than you're interested in, but I offer for it your consideration.<br /><br />Somewhere (perhaps on the C2 UK site) I saw a testing protocol that recommends several tests, and provides recommendations for how fast you would ideally be relative to your 2k time. Presumably the results reveal your strengths and weakenesses.<br /><br />2k=100%/watts<br /> <br />60 sec=153% 2k watts<br />6k=85% 2k watts<br />60 min=76% watts<br /><br />I think you're supposed to do the tests over three days, but who's watching? You've already done the 1 hour and the 60 second (300 meters). Do a 2k and a 6k over the next couple of weeks, and see how you shape up. Even if you're not planning to row a 2k, the results give you a bit of a physiological profile.<br /><br />For me, these tests always show that my endurance is relatively poor and that I'm not at all strong. I didn't really needs tests to tell me the bad news, but it's part of the fun of planning some training.<br /><br />Tom

[[old] cjh]

Tom- Your suggestion of establishing an accurate profile seems like a good idea. I guess I've gotten over the embarrasment of my results relative to others that post here. When I was typing my numbers from today I felt like someone just told me my fly was down,zip up! I want to try this year to begin improving my 2k time starting now and not waiting until October or November as I've done in previous years. <br /><br /> Chris aka Mr. Average Joe<br />

[[old] george nz]

<!--quoteo(post=58445:date=Mar 5 2006, 08:22 AM:name=cjh)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(cjh @ Mar 5 2006, 08:22 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Tom- Your suggestion of establishing an accurate profile seems like a good idea. I guess I've gotten over the embarrasment of my results relative to others that post here. When I was typing my numbers from today I felt like someone just told me my fly was down,zip up! I want to try this year to begin improving my 2k time starting now and not waiting until October or November as I've done in previous years. <br /><br /> Chris aka Mr. Average Joe<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />Chris every journey starts with one step and the good part about doing that in public is that you're not taking the journey alone <br /><br />George

[[old] TomR/the elder]

Chris--<br /><br />Whether discussing one's times or the status of one's fly, I'm reminded of what the nurse said to the fellow who made a desperate effort to cover his tackle when she surprised him slipping on his hospital gown: "Such a big deal about such a little thing."<br /><br />Tom