Help with Interval Workout

[Dreadnought]

I did a fairly intense interval workout yesterday. 6x500m intervals. I progreesively increased the intensity of each interval up to a point:

distance....... time...... damper

500m...... 145.9...... 3
" ...... 141.8...... 4
" ...... 140.0...... 5
" ...... 139.1...... 6
" ...... 138.0...... 7
" ..... 143.8...... 8

After the fourth and especially after the fifth interval I almost quit altogether, because of the intensity.

I have some questions. Should I try to do high intensity intervals (sub 1:40), even though I may burn myself out too soon? Should I do slower intervals (low 1:40's) with the aim to complete a larger number of quality intervals.

[RowtheRockies]

Dreadnought,

IMHO, 500M intervals should be done at 2K Race Pace, maybe a tad faster but not much. Use 1' on 1' off intervals to train sprint speed. You would think that doing each interval as hard as you can would be the way to go but that ain't so!

Rich

[Kinley]

Why are you futzing with the drag?

[Dreadnought]

Why are you futzing with the drag?

I really don't know what is the optimal setting for me. Do you have any suggestions?

[Kinley]

Here's what c2 has to say: http://www.concept2.com/us/training/goa ... ensity.asp

Here's what Kinley has to say: Don't expect the machine to do the work for you. Generate intensity by pulling harder, not by upping the damper. You need to catch with alacrity and accelerate immediately.

All things being equal, your drive is going to slow as you tire in the later intervals. If you increase the drag as you go progress through the workout (i.e. all things being unequal) you will amplify the deleterious effects of fatigue. Instead, fight to retain quickness. Did you note SPM?

I myself row with a DF of about 100 --- light enough that if I don't catch sharply, the stroke feels soft.

[RogerR]

I'm not an expert but I would use a higher drag factor (6 in my case) for 3' pieces of high intensity. Pull very hard with good technique at stroke rate 20 and rest 3' (paddling) before starting the next hard pull. This will develop power and can be done 1-2 per week. I use the slides for such power workouts because such high intensity pieces can be tough for the lower back. Check out Xeno Mueller's blog for good training advice and even better get yourself his training DVD's. They are worth the money big time.

[Bill Moore]

I'd look at this workout as a whole, with the goal to complete 8 sets at a certain pace. If you have some left on the last one, go for it.

Let's say you complete the set with an average of 1:43.0 with every interval within .5 seconds. The next time, try for 1:42.0. Note: these are about my times and are about 4 seconds off my 2k PB.

When I've done this, the first four are hard but not impossible. I usually want to quit on the 6th one, since it seems to be getting harder, but the 7th and 8th ones have the finish line in sight and the momentum helps to finish.

What do you do in between each interval? I do another 500 at a 2:30 pace instead of stopping. I also use a drag factor of 120 for this.

I judge success in this session by my average pace and completion of all 8 intervals with a tight grouping.

[Bob S.]

I'm not an expert but I would use a higher drag factor (6 in my case) for 3' pieces of high intensity.

?????
I generally use a damper setting of 6 — which gives me a drag factor of anywhere from 115-122 depending on the temperature and the current atmospheric pressure. That drag factor range is not all that high, but a damper setting of 6 at sea level would probably give a drag factor that would be regarded as high. I believe that I used a damper setting of about 4 to get a drag factor in the low 120s in a time trial at Xeno's.

Bob S., a whiner who would bite the hell out of any leg that kicked me.

[George Dunning]

I did a fairly intense interval workout yesterday. 6x500m intervals. I progressively increased the intensity of each interval up to a point:

distance....... time...... damper

500m...... 145.9...... 3
" ...... 141.8...... 4
" ...... 140.0...... 5
" ...... 139.1...... 6
" ...... 138.0...... 7
" ..... 143.8...... 8

After the fourth and especially after the fifth interval I almost quit altogether, because of the intensity.

I have some questions. Should I try to do high intensity intervals (sub 1:40), even though I may burn myself out too soon? Should I do slower intervals (low 1:40's) with the aim to complete a larger number of quality intervals.

The first and most important question is "what are you trying to achieve through the session / what was the reason for doing it ", then you can determine the validity and the expeditiousness of the session.

Relevant questions would be:-
What was your rest duration between intervals?
What was your rate for each interval? (did it increase)
Did you target a set increase for each interval? (how did you compare)
How do these times relate to you 2k?

A couple of comments:-
Don't mess around with the drag unless that is the specific object of the session - to determine an ongoing drag factor.
Lever settings mean nothing, what was the actual drag?
Higher drag is not better than lower drag by default?


Lots to consider based on your question?

regds george

[turnere]

We recommend a damper setting of 3-5 for the best aerobic workout.

The above is a quote from C2's website. But suppose you are doing a fair amount of anaerobic work via interval training. Does that make a difference?

Also, if 3 to 5 in the "best" range to be in, it begs the question, why do the settings from 6 to 10 even exist?

Thanks.

[bscastro]

We recommend a damper setting of 3-5 for the best aerobic workout.

The above is a quote from C2's website. But suppose you are doing a fair amount of anaerobic work via interval training. Does that make a difference?

Also, if 3 to 5 in the "best" range to be in, it begs the question, why do the settings from 6 to 10 even exist?

Thanks.

Regarding your last question...I think the recommendation of 3-5 might assume a clean, well-maintained machine. If the machine is dirty, higher damper settings can have lower DF's than clean machines. Also, it is just a guideline. I think bigger, stronger people can feel comfortable at higher drag factors while more slight people may need to use lighter DF's.

[igoeja]

I work out in local gyms, so the machines I use vary, and looking at the drag factor is illuminating.

One machine has a normal drag factor at typical damper settings, so 120 equates to 6, while another needs a good cleaning, and the damper setting of 10 corresponds to a 90 drag factor. Obviously, it pays to look to get a sense of how hard the rowing will feel.

As for which is better for which type of rowing, I've read via the forum that lower drag factors are better for long pieces where you allow the wheel to 'run', e.g., longer recovery, while a higher drag factor is better for short, anaerobic work.

[want2row]

Here's one way you can use the drag setting for a work out.. it comes from one of Xeno's sets...so go to his site for more details. It's a great strength builder... Set drag to highest rating . Set the timer for 20 seconds row and 40 seconds rest. Set the screen to watts. Starting on the first interval, try to row with watts equal to your weight and add 10 percent increase to watts goal at each succeeding interval. The beginning is easy, but after about 10 or 15 intervals, it's challenging. I figure I'm done when after two or three intervals, I can't increase by the 10 percent anymore. The setup gives lots of rest. Sometimes I do a pyramid.