New member , New model D...New me??

[Jimmies]

I had a slowing down experiment to today and managed to drop my spm from 32 to 26 for 2k...my time dropped from 9.43 to 8.40. I think I will use this time as a baseline line to measure against going forward as there is no way my fitness has increased in the last few days

Just building up to 5k before I tackle the Pete plan

[Anth_F]

Thats quite a dramatic quick drop in rate. Keep working on that until you get it down into the low 20's.... this will help massively for your 5k

Also feel free to throw up a video of your technique... you can get great feedback and advice here from people!! Where you might be going wrong.

[Jimmies]

It was hard to go that slow as it does feel under my natural rhythm.... But it also helped me think about what I was doing.

I only really had two thoughts on the last row.... Hands forward then leg push. This was easy and enabled me to concentrate on the drive. Probably still not great form but it is a start

[left coaster]

Welcome to the forum!

A buddy of mine who rowed in college calls it "strong legs, fast hands" i.e. power comes from the legs, arms finish and then push forward immediately before your knees flex on the return.

I am/was in a similar situation but instead of kids my excuse was a series of orthopedic injuries during my 30's and a small business I own that got very busy (a good thing). The erg has been an excellent addition to my routine that allows me to regularly do max effort and interval activities in a controlled and structured manner. I've been at it for almost a year -- haven't lost a pound but everyone seems to think I have I guess I've changed shape and size as a few months ago I had to toss a couple grand in clothing as it was all hanging off me weird and looked stupid. Still don't have replacement dress pants -- may never get any lol!

[Anth_F]

It was hard to go that slow as it does feel under my natural rhythm.... But it also helped me think about what I was doing.

I only really had two thoughts on the last row.... Hands forward then leg push. This was easy and enabled me to concentrate on the drive. Probably still not great form but it is a start

It's only natural is going to feel weird and awkward going slower as you have kind of ingrained a high rate rhythm into your rowing repertoire. It will just take time and practice.

Best of luck.

[Pie Man]

I've been at it for almost a year -- haven't lost a pound but everyone seems to think I have I guess I've changed shape and size as a few months ago I had to toss a couple grand in clothing as it was all hanging off me weird and looked stupid. Still don't have replacement dress pants -- may never get any lol!

A similar weight movement has happened to me, I haven't changed weight in over a year, but everyone who hasn't seen me for a few months is convinced I have lost some and hardly believes me when I say I haven't. My wife made me recycle all my trousers as they were on the large size, unfortunately the replacements now need a belt hopefully I won't have to get any more.

Good luck Jimmies with your rowing, sounds like you are off to a good start and the advice and encouragement you can get here is great.

[Jimmies]

So below is my progression since I got the rower


04/09/16 5,000m 21:55.1 2:11.5 spm 22 df 111 .....was feeling quite tired (in the legs) this morning even just 200m in
03/09/16 played golf on a very hilly course carrying bag....about 8k of walking so no rowing this day!
02/09/16 3,000m 11:56.8 1:59.4 spm 26 df 117 ... this was a 6x500 with 2min rest
01/09/16 6,607m 30:00.0 2:16.2 spm 25 df 127
31/08/16 3,023m 15:05.0 2:29.6 spm 25 df 113
31/08/16 2,000m 8:35.1 2:08.7 spm 26 df 113
29/08/16 2,000m 8:40.0 2:10.0 spm 27 df 110
29/08/16 2,583m 12:00.0 2:19.3 spm 26 df 109
28/08/16 100m 0:18.4 1:32.0 spm 49 df 118
28/08/16 1,000m 4:17.5 2:08.7 spm 28 df 117
26/08/16 2,020m 9:55.2 2:27.3 spm 33 df 113

I've loosely got a week one of the Pete Plan for Beginners in there so next week I may just follow week 2 and see how I go

Thoughts on the above and any recommendations would be greatly appreciated

[hjs]

Rowing is two things, being aerobicly fit and having a strong stroke. One you build with volume, slowly build the meters you make. Two use a low stroke rate in training, this gives you enough rest between strokes to keep the stroke strong enough.

Don,t race your training, you are in it for the long run, don,t be tempted to go for pbs every time. You can use short term goals, say for 6 weeks. Pick a goal and work on that, after those 6 weeks go for a few pbs.
Next cycle....

[Jimmies]

Hello Again HJS

So given the above, which is my first days rowing ever ( and I have no fitness yet ) - would you say I should or shouldn't go for the BPP ? What would be your (or anybody else's ) suggestions for the next 6/12 weeks?

Cheers

[Citroen]

The Beginner's Pete Plan was designed by Pete Marston for precisely what you're doing. Stick with it.

[hjs]

Hello Again HJS

So given the above, which is my first days rowing ever ( and I have no fitness yet ) - would you say I should or shouldn't go for the BPP ? What would be your (or anybody else's ) suggestions for the next 6/12 weeks?

Cheers

You proberly can, there are a few others doing it, but give it your personal twist, decide what you want and need. Also learn to "feel" your body. Don,t just follow the rules, but combine them with your personal feel and needs.

I myself never used a kind of plan, but thats just me. Most people like doing training with others.

What I miss in those plans is a goal, we don,t train to train, we train to reach something. So a plan, in my view, should be aimed at goal, or often goals.

[Anth_F]

For me, i did think about doing PP! But now i don't feel i need it for my personal goals i want to achieve. I am just doing my own thing to reach those goals! But try and at least give yourself 1-2 days rest/recovery per week where you don't think about the rower at all. (This was hard for me at first because i loved rowing every day, but once you allow those days of rest breaks you quickly appreciate how beneficial they really are to your training and recovery to go again)

Of course everyone has different goals so PP could be something very beneficial to you. I don't think there would be any harm in giving it a go if you feel it was for you.

[Jimmies]

Good morning - I completed my first 10k today and all was fine....didn't go out to set a great time.....just wanted to gets some k's in. Anyway one question I have is around the stroke count on the logbook.

During the row I would say that the metres were going up between 8 to 10 metres per stroke with some 100m sections clicking by in 9 strokes, yet on the logbook it had me completing 4243 strokes for 10019m rowed ??? even if each stroke was only having me going forward 5m that would put me at 21.2k rowed for 4243 strokes.....am I missing something?

cheers

[Pie Man]

What stoke rate were you rowing at? What does the log book report your stoke rate to be? Could it be your total stoke for the week? 4000+ stoke would indicate a stoke rate way over 60 which is impossible so there will be another explanation.

[Jimmies]

This is the screenshot from my logbook