Pondering the Beginner Pete Plan

[Rowan McSheen]

...

Good start, but surely the pace will quicken as the plan progresses!

I thank you Sir for the vote of confidence but I'm expecting the pace to slow as the distances get longer and I avoid hr drift. Recent 10k workouts at this level have been at 2:18-19. I was just beginning to ease off during this workout to stay within UT2 boundaries. However, I plan to be more aggressive with the second and supplementary distance pieces.

I've been erging for 20-odd years and plateaued over a decade ago. As I slide grumpily towards my 65th birthday I'm all about managing decline

[Rowan McSheen]

Hello All,

...

So onto this year and I've picked it up again ! I'm older and heavier (106kg 45 years old)....I put myself through some general rowing to get an idea of my lack of fitness and today I started the BPP by setting it up in EXR


15/08/24 5,016m 22:51.9 2:16.7 Day 1 BPP
14/08/24 7,015m 35:28.2 2:31.6
13/08/24 7,016m 37:59.7 2:42.4
10/08/24 5,000m 23:32.8 2:21.2
09/08/24 3,300m 14:28.4 2:11.5
07/08/24 3,268m 15:00.0 2:17.6
05/08/24 1,258m 5:00.0 1:59.2

My plan this time is to take it easier to not burn myself out and to finish this plan. Main aims are to lose weight and get generally fitter. My model D was new when I got it and only has 200,211 meters on it......must be the most under used 8 year old, 1 owner rower out there

I look forward to keeping you all updated and following the progress of others

Looks like a good start. As a 106 kg ex rugby player you've got some heft to build on that going forward. I, annoyingly, have been stuck at 75kg for years no matter what I do. So heavyweight by a pound or two but lightweight in all other respects!

[Jimmies]

Thanks All,

I completed day 2 of BPP by plugging in the intervals into EXR but when this starts on the PM5 it just comes out as a 'just row' session rather than the set intervals and rest period as programmed into EXR....I also keep on going for a bit afterwards to get to 5k

My /500 (2:27.4 ) rate looks slow because of how it went into the PM5 from EXR

16/08/24 5,018m 24:39.7 2:27.4

[Rowan McSheen]

Pardon my ignorance but what is EXR? And why not programme the PM5?

[Jimmies]

EXR is a rowing app like rowpro....I'm just assessing it via their free trail

[alex9026]

I thank you Sir for the vote of confidence but I'm expecting the pace to slow as the distances get longer and I avoid hr drift. Recent 10k workouts at this level have been at 2:18-19. I was just beginning to ease off during this workout to stay within UT2 boundaries. However, I plan to be more aggressive with the second and supplementary distance pieces.

I've been erging for 20-odd years and plateaued over a decade ago. As I slide grumpily towards my 65th birthday I'm all about managing decline

Ah, progresses in regards to distance, understood... Fantastic getting back at it at 65, keep it up!

[Rowan McSheen]

Week 1 workout 2 - 6 x 500m/2 mins rest



I've been mostly doing low- and medium-exertion pieces of late, been a while since I ventured into this territory. So I aimed for 30 spm, keeping it under control and letting the pace find itself. With a bit extra in the final rep so the PM5 doesn't forget what 1:5x looks like. Happy enough with this, it's a good start.

[Rowan McSheen]

Week 1 workout 3 - 5,000m



Done at UT1 (120-130 bpm). I found my record of last year's BPP jaunt and both W1 distance pieces this year have been considerably quicker and at the same average heart rates. They must be putting something in my tea.

[iain]

Hello All,

...

So onto this year and I've picked it up again ! I'm older and heavier (106kg 45 years old)....I put myself through some general rowing to get an idea of my lack of fitness and today I started the BPP by setting it up in EXR


15/08/24 5,016m 22:51.9 2:16.7 Day 1 BPP
14/08/24 7,015m 35:28.2 2:31.6
13/08/24 7,016m 37:59.7 2:42.4
10/08/24 5,000m 23:32.8 2:21.2
09/08/24 3,300m 14:28.4 2:11.5
07/08/24 3,268m 15:00.0 2:17.6
05/08/24 1,258m 5:00.0 1:59.2

My plan this time is to take it easier to not burn myself out and to finish this plan. Main aims are to lose weight and get generally fitter. My model D was new when I got it and only has 200,211 meters on it......must be the most under used 8 year old, 1 owner rower out there

I look forward to keeping you all updated and following the progress of others

Looks like a good start. As a 106 kg ex rugby player you've got some heft to build on that going forward. I, annoyingly, have been stuck at 75kg for years no matter what I do. So heavyweight by a pound or two but lightweight in all other respects!

Not sure whether Day 1 was at an easy enough pace! BPP aimed at people who need to build towards doing anything longer than 5k at UT1 (initially to transition to the PP now referred to as "lunchtime plan"). So pacings assume significant newbie gains. Intervals start relatively unchalleging, but later gear up to a real challenge.

[Andrew Shuck]

Kixram,
I used to aimlessly plod about on the erg at local gym.
Massively over weight etc.
Started to enjoy the buzz after a while bought my own erg. Started on PP followed plan fairly strictly and got 6:19.2 for 2k this was after doing PP for a few rounds.
Stick with it I went from 26+ stones now hovering around 13.5 stones. I did 3 million meters last season.

Stick with it loads of friendly support on here.

[Jimmies]

Well Wk1 of BPP done and I'm feeling pretty good, I may or may not start wk2 today....depends on work and kids. Because i used EXR ( and did some extra meters ) the below doesn't look like the BPP design....but it is in there - I might just setup the PM5 for this week but I do like the visuals of EXR visuals and the S/R 'dial' and the little seat graphic.

17/08/24 8,018m 39:04.0 2:26.1 RowErg Hwt
16/08/24 5,018m 24:39.7 2:27.4 RowErg Hwt
15/08/24 5,016m 22:51.9 2:16.7 RowErg Hwt
14/08/24 7,015m 35:28.2 2:31.6 RowErg Hwt
13/08/24 7,016m 37:59.7 2:42.4 RowErg Hwt

[winniewinser]

Well Wk1 of BPP done and I'm feeling pretty good, I may or may not start wk2 today....depends on work and kids. Because i used EXR ( and did some extra meters ) the below doesn't look like the BPP design....but it is in there - I might just setup the PM5 for this week but I do like the visuals of EXR visuals and the S/R 'dial' and the little seat graphic.

17/08/24 8,018m 39:04.0 2:26.1 RowErg Hwt
16/08/24 5,018m 24:39.7 2:27.4 RowErg Hwt
15/08/24 5,016m 22:51.9 2:16.7 RowErg Hwt
14/08/24 7,015m 35:28.2 2:31.6 RowErg Hwt
13/08/24 7,016m 37:59.7 2:42.4 RowErg Hwt

Ergzone is great for setting up the sessions in advance if you wanted to try something else. Lots of visuals but more stats than anything.

[alex9026]

Kixram,
I used to aimlessly plod about on the erg at local gym.
Massively over weight etc.
Started to enjoy the buzz after a while bought my own erg. Started on PP followed plan fairly strictly and got 6:19.2 for 2k this was after doing PP for a few rounds.
Stick with it I went from 26+ stones now hovering around 13.5 stones. I did 3 million meters last season.

Stick with it loads of friendly support on here.

That's impressive. Your 5k stands out to me too (probably more so than the 2k!!). I'm three rounds in to PP at the moment, with the intention of going sub 6:20 so hoping I have as much success with it as you did.

Brilliant on the weight front, too.

[ahooton]

Kixram,
I used to aimlessly plod about on the erg at local gym.
Massively over weight etc.
Started to enjoy the buzz after a while bought my own erg. Started on PP followed plan fairly strictly and got 6:19.2 for 2k this was after doing PP for a few rounds.
Stick with it I went from 26+ stones now hovering around 13.5 stones. I did 3 million meters last season.

Stick with it loads of friendly support on here.

Amazing effort and inspirational.

Very well done!

[Jimmies]

BPP Wk2 so far

Day 1 - 5500

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
25:14.9 5,500m 2:17.7 134 761 19
2:18.6 500m 2:18.6 131 752 21
2:18.2 1,000m 2:18.2 133 756 20
2:19.2 1,500m 2:19.2 130 746 20
2:16.7 2,000m 2:16.7 137 771 19
2:18.0 2,500m 2:18.0 133 758 18
2:18.1 3,000m 2:18.1 133 757 18
2:18.5 3,500m 2:18.5 132 753 19
2:16.2 4,000m 2:16.2 139 776 19
2:17.5 4,500m 2:17.5 135 763 19
2:22.9 5,000m 2:22.9 120 712 19
2:10.9 5,500m 2:10.9 156 837 22

Day 2 - 4x750....pushed myself for the last 250m on final interval

Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
12:55.7 3,000m 2:09.2 162 857 21
3:24.3 750m 2:16.2 139 776 19
3:12.9 750m 2:08.6 165 866 20
3:18.3 750m 2:12.2 151 821 21
3:00.2 750m 2:00.1 202 994 25