2k excellence?

George Dunning · Post by **George Dunning** » January 6th, 2008, 1:20 am

almostflipped wrote:
To me at least, it's much easier to build endurance than to increase power.
And that is where results may vary. I've always found the opposite to be true for me. The power came easily but the endurance took some work.

George: I am curious why you would recommend regular AN work at this stage of the year for bmcgraw rather than TR work? I always think of regular AN work as something to be used closer to peaking, which for bmcgraw should not happen until May, or in conjunction with shorter TR pieces.

I guess I am not thinking in terms of peaking at a particular point in time as I am not 'in touch' with your collegiate system. For me if I was wanting to get from 6:5* down to 6:40 then the UT1 and the AT sessions would get me there, and the AN or TR session would be pretty much a fun session where you get to see some low numbers and get the testosterone flowing and you get to row hard and fast. I dont actually think it would take a whole lot of time off .... strange as it may seem these for me this would be the 'fun' session.

Solid UT1 will build the endurance, solid AT will raise the threshold and build tolerance to discomfort, all you need for a 2k in this case .... man you gotta have some fun in there as well cause the rest aint

george

ps I am no expert but then I think a lot of experts build in to much science and not enough human emotion

almostflipped · Post by **almostflipped** » January 6th, 2008, 3:55 am

I concur that the UT1 and AT work will do most of the job at lowering that 2k. Unfortunately this is the part most people (particularly in HS) seem to want to skip in favor of the more exciting TR/AN work. I like the answer though, a slightly different way of looking at the 2k than mine but it just shows that there isn't an exact one size fits all method to training.

As for the fun part, absolutely right man. If it isn't enjoyable it really just isn't worth doing. Personally I really enjoy AT work and 6k races more than any other distance, but there is a certain excitement about banging out some 250m pieces and dropping the splits as low as you can.

Jamie Pfeffer · Post by **Jamie Pfeffer** » January 6th, 2008, 12:04 pm

I agree completely with you both. Pushing long AT sessions until they blur the boundary between that band and UT1 has helped me more than did any other session. But, as you said, this type of training isn't actually fun.

But 250-meter pieces are. As manifesting Stockholm Syndrome goes, well, George's post wins the prize. But doing short, blitz sessions are a welcome treat after days and days of longer pieces.

philrow · Post by **philrow** » January 8th, 2008, 12:22 am

Jamie Pfeffer wrote: Phil: In the fall, Xeno had us lift weights twice a week, three weeks a month in September and October. In November, we lifted twice a week for the first two weeks. Now that we're getting close to indoor racing season, he has us focusing more on the ergs. To me, "periodizing" (or "phasing") is a great part of Xeno's system. Segmenting the year makes the training pass quickly (at least for me).

Given the few ergs your school has, I admire your ingenuity. In the 80s (probably before you were born), there was a Clint Eastwood movie called "Heartbreak Ridge." He boasted that his Marines knew had to "improvise, adapt, overcome, and win." I view your lifting program as embodying that credo. "No ergs? No problem," you say. You'll just go do sets of 50 below-parallel squats with 135 pounds. Physiologically, you're probably taxing yourself similarly.

Well I spent a good 8 months living in the 80s and presumably enjoyed every bit of it! It wasn't until two weeks ago, incidentally, that I happened to see that Clint Eastwood movie when I happened to be watching TV, which is a rare occurrence.

Within the next few weeks, I will be transitioning from my focus on strength-training into aerobic conditioning. Circuits will be the staple of the transition -- "whale brigades," as my HS crew calls them. I actually did a lot of stairs with circuits mixed in every two flights up-two flights down in my dorm in the early months of fall, but I got a lot of strange looks, especially from the girls on the third floor. So what, I guess not everybody can appreciate my black-on-red polka dot spandex and white US Rowing tank-top. So, I'm still hoping to find a great few flights of low-traffic stairs that I can run.

There's also an indoor track that I plan on spending a lot of time on. Hopefully I can find a nice cycle, too. I plan on getting a lot of my endurance base from the running, stairs, and cycling. I know it's not as good per se as rowing, but I've found that in these past weeks of so little erging that my back pain is almost nonexistent, except when I sit for long periods. So, I'd like to keep my back pain down as much as possible until I can get on the water in early March. Supposedly, being on the water would be a lot easier on my back. On that subject, I'm going to both a chiropractor and a masseuse this week before I head off to school.

All in all, I'm hoping 6:45 is a real possibility by the Pittsburgh Erg Sprints some time in February. However, it will be a real challenge to eat, sleep, and train well back at school. Otherwise, I daresay I might be able to do even better than that.

Phil

Jamie Pfeffer · Post by **Jamie Pfeffer** » January 8th, 2008, 3:31 pm

philrow wrote: There's also an indoor track that I plan on spending a lot of time on. Hopefully I can find a nice cycle, too. I plan on getting a lot of my endurance base from the running, stairs, and cycling. I know it's not as good per se as rowing, but I've found that in these past weeks of so little erging that my back pain is almost nonexistent, except when I sit for long periods. So, I'd like to keep my back pain down as much as possible until I can get on the water in early March. Supposedly, being on the water would be a lot easier on my back. On that subject, I'm going to both a chiropractor and a masseuse this week before I head off to school.

Phil

Running intervals (on the track, on stairs, or on a hill) will boost your endurance quickly. And if you choose stairs or a hill, you will bolster your power as well.

When you return to school, try to stand as much as possible when you work. This is a great way to reduce back pain. My firm bought me a "standing desk." It's a multi-tiered work station, which allows me to type, read, and write while standing. Because I spend 10-11 hours at work most days, the standing desk (my "cart') has been invaluable. Except for rowing, I never sit. And rowing is not really conventional sitting. While you row, your muscles lessen the strain on your back.

philrow · Post by **philrow** » January 8th, 2008, 7:46 pm

Jamie, that's a great idea. If I could lay or stand all the time, then I would. Hmm.. I wonder if I could convince Case to buy me one of those "standing desks!" That would be wonderful, indeed!

Once I get back to school and figure out my routine, I think I'll start a thread on intervals and circuits. I have some interesting ideas and some good influences, I think, from my high school crew. All I need is a medicine ball, a barbell, and access to the stairs in the parking garage across the street... hehehe.

You know, I've considered whether or not I could fit an erg in my dorm room... and when it's warmer outside, I could erg on the roof of my dorm!

Aye, I think I've lost it...

Phil

Jamie Pfeffer · Post by **Jamie Pfeffer** » January 8th, 2008, 10:40 pm

I know it sounds strange. But it will help your back to stand while you work. And you don't need a special desk. If you have a laptop, you can place it on a box. Then you have a standing desk.

Elamonta · Post by **Elamonta** » January 8th, 2008, 11:12 pm

Phil, do you literally mean running the stairs in a parking garage or do you mean running the ramps? Our erg room is actually located under our basketball court here at school, so I usually supplement my erg with 10-15 stadiums usually after...

I get a bit light-headed running stairs in close quarters thus the reason for asking the question above. While those stairs would be more vertically angled I think I might get sick doing them lol. When I get back to school (in less than 3 days) I would be glad to post interval results/workouts alongside you on your new thread...can't wait to start up 2x workouts/daily again...

Some days I might be able to get in 3...morning water practice with team, sculling with coach (usually technique work not high intensity), and then a good erg workout in the afternoon

Jamie Pfeffer · Post by **Jamie Pfeffer** » January 8th, 2008, 11:17 pm

I'm counting on you two to push each other. But also to keep each other sane. Please no running up ramps in a parking garage; no exercsing three times a day while class is in session.

Elamonta · Post by **Elamonta** » January 9th, 2008, 12:16 am

Our parking garage is small...only 3 levels...actually in a courthouse which isnt used anymore...so its the perfect training place lol...i dont use it like i said though...i use the gymnasium stairs as there are more than them.

philrow · Post by **philrow** » January 9th, 2008, 12:36 am

I literally mean running the stairs. The garage has to be some four or five stories tall, so that would be great. I've never run stadium stairs -- they just seem too hazardous.

And Jamie, you know that school is just that thing that gives me the opportunity to row!

Actually, I'm trying to figure out how I can work two workouts into my schedule. I have a few hours break between classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during which I could probably get in a 30' run, shower, and lunch. And then, I could hit the erg, stairs, or circuits after classes in the early evening. The thing is, I tend to easily upset my resting heart rate even if I just train moderately for two days in a row. That would typically indicate over-training, but I don't really think that's the case as I feel absolutely fine. In any case, I'd probably personally refrain from three workouts per day.

Phil

Elamonta · Post by **Elamonta** » January 9th, 2008, 12:45 am

We have one side hardwood steps and the other are the retracting steps which give under you slightly...I run on the hardwood steps...on the way up every other step and every step on the way down...makes for a demanding workout...

johnlvs2run · Post by **johnlvs2run** » January 9th, 2008, 1:36 am

A few months ago I finally did something I'd been wanting to try. I moved the computer monitor to the floor under the table, and put the CPU on it's side on a box. Since then I've been sitting on the floor whenever I'm using the computer, and haven't even once thought of going back to the chair. This gives me the advantage of being able to stretch my legs in any direction, use all my body getting up and down, and gives me a larger work area too. I can surround myself with anything that I'm using.

Although I've not tested this exactly yet, my legs are more flexible than prior to getting down on the floor.

I had given some speeches the last 14 months about doing floor exercises, in particular as people get older, to be able to keep their mobility. Three of the things that are important are to (1) stand (or walk) as much as possible, (2) get -out- of the chair, i.e. sit as little as possible, and (3) get -down- on the floor. If people want to be able to keep getting -up- off the floor as they get older, then they first need to get -down- on the floor and then practice, getting -up-.

A chair does nothing but hold people up, and is tiring. Being on the floor gives me more exercise, and is restful. I can do more and be stronger. Besides that it is fun and I like it.

Jamie Pfeffer · Post by **Jamie Pfeffer** » January 9th, 2008, 10:04 am

John: That was a very nice post. I enjoyed that. My wife will go bonkers, though, if she comes home and sees everything on the floor.

Eric: A court house that no longer tries to dispense justice. Some of my colleagues would say that is the beginning of a welcome trend.

A stair workout is classic crew. When I was in law school our boat used to tag along sometimes when the Harvard lites or heavies ran the Memorial Stadium steps. Running in that stadium was so inspiring that, even though I felt like I wanted to die right there and then, I kept going . . . all the way to the trash can at the top where I lost my breakfast. And last night's dinner. And . . . .

Phil: Have you had a physical this year? You're right down the street from some of the best cardiologists in the world. Let's please discuss this when you get a chance to e-mail or call me.

Nosmo · Post by **Nosmo** » January 9th, 2008, 12:52 pm

In the garage a set of stairs usually all turn in one direction and it is easy to overuse one leg when running them. If your lucky enough to have two sets of stairs with opposite helix use them both equally. Otherwise don't push the pace because then you'll be really tempted to over use one leg going around the turns.