Advice please - Tabata style

The forum for general banter about the team.

Moderator: The forum police - (nee naw)

Post Reply
User avatar
webberg
Super Dedicated and Truly Free Spirit
Posts: 2597
Joined: Tue Jul 04, 2006 7:48 am
I row on...: Model D with PM3
Location: near Andover, Hants

Advice please - Tabata style

Post by webberg »

For a number of reasons too dull to write about, I'm looking to move away from long steady pieces for a while in an attempt to improve my personal stats at shorter distances.

I'm therefore thinking that in order to build towards say a 30 minute piece, I should be doing Tabata style training.

In my head this is something like warm up - 30 secs hard, 15 secs active recovery, rinse and repeat for 8 cycles (6 minutes) and then say 2 minutes of active recovery. Then two more complete cycles. So around 24 minutes + warm up/down.

Has anybody tried this or something similar and if so what are the problems/benefits?

The above timing sequence is very much from gym based body weight exercises. It strikes me that because the erg takes two or three strokes to power up and perhaps 5 to 8 seconds to wind down, then the "hard/recovery" elements need to be longer? Perhaps the recovery side also need to be longer as it is active?

If so, then 45 seconds hard and 30 seconds recovery? That's 10 minutes per cycle (if I do 8 repeats) and 3 cycles is 30 minutes which is convenient.

As you can tell, I'm grasping here and looking for more experience and thoughts from the more knowledgeable members please.
Uphill to the finish

ID 140904
Kevinhorne44
Free Spirit
Posts: 339
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2020 8:34 pm
I row on...: Model C with PM5

Re: Advice please - Tabata style

Post by Kevinhorne44 »

Some of my favourites would be.

30 seconds on 30 seconds off x 30.
1 minute on 1 minute off x 10.
500m x 8 with 1 minute recovery. Start with 2 or 3 recovery though.
750m x 6 with 2 minute recovery.
1k x 6 with 2 minute recovery.


Best of luck 👍
User avatar
Iain
Super Dedicated and Truly Free Spirit
Posts: 2611
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 1:49 pm
I row on...: Model D with PM3
Location: Berkshire & London

Re: Advice please - Tabata style

Post by Iain »

IIRC, true Tabatha is all out wit little recovery (eg 20S on, 10S off). It is truly horrible on erg as at least this feeble lightweight needs his alactic system to accelerate to sprint speed. 10S recovery is insufficient and so every stroke after the first interval or 2 is a struggle. I never understood the benefit of trying to hit max effort and slowly declining and worried that compromised strokes would cause injury. Might have a psychological preparation for 500m or a min where you have to row them like that, but can't see benefit for 30min.

I would recommend some of the short intervals in Pete's 5k plan if you want partial recovery work to prepare of middle TTs. He suggests 6k in intervals with 1 min rest such as 12 x 500, 8 x 750 and ultimately the unpleasant 6 x 1k (a proxy for 5k pace). Pace is starting at 6k SB and try and do faster last each time and then use average for initial intervals next time. For 30 min you might like to do a few more intervals. I once tried 15x500 then 12 x 600, 10 x 700, 9x750, 8x800, 7 x 900as prelude to 6 x 1k to try and keep pace similar. You might like to keep at 8k or so.

Look forward to seeing what you decide.

- Iain
55 year old Lwt (in ability and in weight) trying to develop a technique that doesn't cause hysterics and continue to row regularly.
Image
User avatar
JonT
Friend of the Free Spirits web site 2020
Friend of the Free Spirits web site 2020
Posts: 1947
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:31 pm
I row on...: Model D with PM5
Location: Bath, Somerset, UK

Re: Advice please - Tabata style

Post by JonT »

There is a Zoom Ergos Tabata session tomorrow at 12:00 GMT. It is the style the Iain mentions below (20s on 10s off). I have to say I agree with Iain though, I struggle to see how these would work on the erg and would be really worried about form going out of the window with injury lurking. I've the the Zoom Ergos link below.

Zoom Ergos Session
57 years old, 5"10', clinging on to 75kg and frustratingly but understandably inconsistent
Image
User avatar
Claudius
Friend of the Free Spirits web site 2019
Friend of the Free Spirits web site 2019
Posts: 530
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2016 12:36 pm
I row on...: Model D with PM5
Location: Oberpfalz, Bavaria, Germany

Re: Advice please - Tabata style

Post by Claudius »

Hi, all those 40/20 or 30/30 or what ever are indeed high intensity training like tabata...to improve Vo2max, in cycling very popular...here more known as Ronnestad intervals vs classic intervals (for indoorrowers most known as PetePlan intervals :-))

in my opinion: do what you like, what makes for you the most fun...mix it...if you have done PetePlan 3 cycles...maybe Ronnestad intervals are a change...best luck !
Image
“Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?”
(J.R.R.T.)
Wolfmiester
Friend of the Free Spirits web site 2020
Friend of the Free Spirits web site 2020
Posts: 4048
Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 2:16 pm
I row on...: Model D with PM5
Location: Henley in Arden, UK

Re: Advice please - Tabata style

Post by Wolfmiester »

JonT wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 1:43 pm There is a Zoom Ergos Tabata session tomorrow at 12:00 GMT. It is the style the Iain mentions below (20s on 10s off). I have to say I agree with Iain though, I struggle to see how these would work on the erg and would be really worried about form going out of the window with injury lurking. I've the the Zoom Ergos link below.

Zoom Ergos Session
I find the weekly tabata zoomergs surprisingly good. Its key to maintain stroke rate so as not to provoke injury, however I have found them to be beneficial and can feel them the day after.
Wolfie

Image
Age 59 Height 6'4" Weight 93k
User avatar
webberg
Super Dedicated and Truly Free Spirit
Posts: 2597
Joined: Tue Jul 04, 2006 7:48 am
I row on...: Model D with PM3
Location: near Andover, Hants

Re: Advice please - Tabata style

Post by webberg »

Thank you - lots of food for thought.

My objective is to first keep motivated and to do that I need a target that is more than metres on the board. Having done FM/HM this season I've decided that my 30 minute distance is in need of improvement.

My thought therefore is that 2 or 3 sessions a week at Tabata/HIIT intensity and some more steady stuff and then a series of 30 minute tests every 5 days or so would be sensible. We'll see.

I'll have to try some of the above suggestions and report back.
Uphill to the finish

ID 140904
Post Reply