Workout ideas - Feel free to add yours!

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gregsmith01748
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Workout ideas - Feel free to add yours!

Post by gregsmith01748 »

As winter grinds relentlessly onward and the steady diet of 8Ks and intervals starts to lose it's charm, sometimes it's nice to mix it up with something new and painful!

Recently on Row2K's website, they have been soliciting workout ideas from world class rowers. They are posted on the Row2k staff blog here: http://www.row2k.com/blogs/7/row2k-staff-blog/

Here are a few of the delights..

Boris Kusturic:... It starts with 20' warm up on the erg followed by stretching. The rest time between each piece equals the time it took you to do the previous piece (so if the 2k takes you 8 minutes, you rest for 8 minutes.)

2000m at 6k pace
1500m at 6k - 2"
1000m at 2k pace
750m at 2k - 2"
500m Max
Gevvie Stone: ... 6x2k @ 6k+1"-3" (4' rest). It's my favorite because it's a hard anaerobic threshold (AT) workout providing great training while being mentally on the easier side (I think) as far as AT workouts go. It's one of the few AT workouts that I can get myself to do alone.
Andrew Hashway: My favorite rowing winter workout is 90' long on the erg. You enter it into the erg as such: Intervals varying, 40' w/ 4' rest, 8000m w/ 3' rest, 20' w/2' rest). The specifics are as follows:

o 40' of firm steady state changing rates every 10' for the first 20', then changing rate every 5' for the last 20'. Rates always go up, so I usually start at a 20 and get up to 30. The idea with this segment is to work the rate, but not kill myself with power, so as the rate gets higher I just try to tap without hauling on it.

o 4' rest.

o 8k broken up into 2k on, 1k "off" steady state (SS) segments. Each 2k is race prep (start, base, sprint) and the rates for each 2k increase. The 1k is SS at a 20-22. Each 8k has three 2k pieces plus three 1k SS pieces. I try to keep the same split for all three 2ks – about 6 seconds slower than my 2k PR split. The goal here is to focus on 2k strategy and to exhaust the system.

o 3' rest.

o 20' of firm steady state broken up into 4', 3', 2', 1' changing rate each time. 20-28 and 22-30. This is to help with the flush from the previous workout and it helps me focus on bringing the splits down as the rate increases.

o Last 2' rest is just a formality, set as a reminder to keep moving after the piece. After 2' I get up and walk, stretch, and cool down.
If I were to add my own favorite, it would be...(drum roll please)...

15x3' on / 1' paddle. This is an awesome TR workout. Pacing is around 6K to 6K+2. It is incredibly important to not go out too hard, because you can dig yourself into a very deep hole!
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Post by sander »

At our rowing club they do lots of n strokes on/m strokes off stuff.
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Post by sander »

Another one that I saw was 2x(10x500m/1r)/6r, I believe at 6k pace.
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Post by sander »

Finally 'bookends' was very popular over on the Concept2.co.uk (now indoorsportswrvices.co.uk) blogs about a year ago. Will have to look it up.
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Post by Paul Victory »

It's reading threads like this that make me realise how much pain we willingly inflict on ourselves in order to get fitter/improve our times. :roll: :shock:
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Post by Rodger »

gregsmith01748 wrote: Boris Kusturic:... It starts with 20' warm up on the erg followed by stretching. The rest time between each piece equals the time it took you to do the previous piece (so if the 2k takes you 8 minutes, you rest for 8 minutes.)

2000m at 6k pace
1500m at 6k - 2"
1000m at 2k pace
750m at 2k - 2"
500m Max


Gevvie Stone: ... 6x2k @ 6k+1"-3" (4' rest). It's my favorite because it's a hard anaerobic threshold (AT) workout providing great training while being mentally on the easier side (I think) as far as AT workouts go. It's one of the few AT workouts that I can get myself to do alone.
gregsmith01748 wrote:15x3' on / 1' paddle. This is an awesome TR workout. Pacing is around 6K to 6K+2. It is incredibly important to not go out too hard, because you can dig yourself into a very deep hole!
I have yet to find my favourite workouts, but these three look interesting. Must try these someday.
Paul Victory wrote:It's reading threads like this that make me realise how much pain we willingly inflict on ourselves in order to get fitter/improve our times. :roll: :shock:
The pain you feel on the erg has much more value than just improving your times. Starting from the link that Greg provided, I came across this article: http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria- ... ke-us-gain
In short and among other things: the pain makes you value subsequent activities more, it sharpens your senses and it creates bonding between people that endure the same kind of suffering.

It's true: lying on the couch is more enjoyable after a tough workout on the rower. :)
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Post by rhr »

gregsmith01748 wrote:As winter grinds relentlessly onward and the steady diet of 8Ks and intervals starts to lose it's charm, sometimes it's nice to mix it up with something new and painful!

Recently on Row2K's website, they have been soliciting workout ideas from world class rowers. They are posted on the Row2k staff blog here: http://www.row2k.com/blogs/7/row2k-staff-blog/

Here are a few of the delights..

Boris Kusturic:... It starts with 20' warm up on the erg followed by stretching. The rest time between each piece equals the time it took you to do the previous piece (so if the 2k takes you 8 minutes, you rest for 8 minutes.)

2000m at 6k pace
1500m at 6k - 2"
1000m at 2k pace
750m at 2k - 2"
500m Max
Gevvie Stone: ... 6x2k @ 6k+1"-3" (4' rest). It's my favorite because it's a hard anaerobic threshold (AT) workout providing great training while being mentally on the easier side (I think) as far as AT workouts go. It's one of the few AT workouts that I can get myself to do alone.
Andrew Hashway: My favorite rowing winter workout is 90' long on the erg. You enter it into the erg as such: Intervals varying, 40' w/ 4' rest, 8000m w/ 3' rest, 20' w/2' rest). The specifics are as follows:

o 40' of firm steady state changing rates every 10' for the first 20', then changing rate every 5' for the last 20'. Rates always go up, so I usually start at a 20 and get up to 30. The idea with this segment is to work the rate, but not kill myself with power, so as the rate gets higher I just try to tap without hauling on it.

o 4' rest.

o 8k broken up into 2k on, 1k "off" steady state (SS) segments. Each 2k is race prep (start, base, sprint) and the rates for each 2k increase. The 1k is SS at a 20-22. Each 8k has three 2k pieces plus three 1k SS pieces. I try to keep the same split for all three 2ks – about 6 seconds slower than my 2k PR split. The goal here is to focus on 2k strategy and to exhaust the system.

o 3' rest.

o 20' of firm steady state broken up into 4', 3', 2', 1' changing rate each time. 20-28 and 22-30. This is to help with the flush from the previous workout and it helps me focus on bringing the splits down as the rate increases.

o Last 2' rest is just a formality, set as a reminder to keep moving after the piece. After 2' I get up and walk, stretch, and cool down.
If I were to add my own favorite, it would be...(drum roll please)...

15x3' on / 1' paddle. This is an awesome TR workout. Pacing is around 6K to 6K+2. It is incredibly important to not go out too hard, because you can dig yourself into a very deep hole!
Yes - this is a good one. I have done the 15x3' but now I do 10x3' on R'1, aiming for around 5k pace. Doing this has taken me to max rowing HR. The 15x3' on R'1 is a "nice" way to spend an hour on the erg. Keeps you engaged and you get a decent enough rest to towel off and drink water. Another good one is 10x1k on R'1 at around 10k pace (to -2) with a faster last. More AT than TR if done at strictly 10k pace.
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Post by danfennell »

I gave the 15 x 3' 1r a try today. Since I had never done this one I erred on the side of caution and started out at the 6k + 2 pace which was 1:50.8. I did them all at 26spm and gradually negative split to bring the average down to 1:50.1. Compared to PP interval sessions this was a breeze. I'm sure doing them closer to the 6k split will change that. :lol:
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Post by mr brightside »

Maybe not everyone's cup of tea, but consecutive good-form squats are very good. Thinking about it it's like rowing stood up. I can do 266.
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Post by gregsmith01748 »

A new one from row2k:
row2k: What is your favorite winter workout?

Chloe Laverack: One of my favorite workouts is pretty infamous among our team, 5 x 5 minutes, with equal rest.

Pacing is ideally around your 2k split, maybe one or two splits above. After each five minutes, the coxswains rearrange the order of athletes, according to the results of the previous piece, setting them up in descending order of split. We fondly call this ‘musical ergs.’ The goal is about hard pacing from the first piece to the last because you want to maintain your spot and not fall back, but you also want to compete with those girls that are in front of you and move up as many ergs as you can.
OK, so think about this. You are doing a 5x5' at 2k race pace and actually racing against your team mates on each and every rep. Just the thought of trying to do 2 or 3 reps of 5 minutes at 2k pace makes me want to puke. For top women rowers, they would cover nearly 1500m in each rep at 2k pacing. But doing 5 of them! And having 20 of your closest friends trying to throw you out of your seat in a boat based on results of each rep. That would build some character. And it's her favorite workout. This girl is hard core!
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Post by dr3do »

Very cool! 8)

(BTW: 5 x 5 minutes, with equal rest I like very much.)
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Post by gregsmith01748 »

The next favorite workout has been posted on the row2k site.

http://www.row2k.com/blogs/post/7/310/B ... MqyRmh4rqL

It looks like a good aerobic session, about 90 minutes all together.

Here's a summary...
As we leave the Charles River in search for the most badass winter workouts, we head west to the The Windy City of Chicago. In the heart of a city known for harsh winters, Lincoln Park Boat Club (LPBC) endures (we won't say enjoys) its fair share of erg season. row2k caught up with Josh Karney, a LPBC lightweight rower who has found a erg workout to get him through the freezing months so he stays fit (and remains a lightweight!) until the river thaws.

row2k: What is your favorite winter workout?

Josh Karney: Racing as a lightweight in my mid-thirties, conditioning is very important. One of my favorites is 64’ (2’/4’/6’/8’/10’/9’/7’/5’/3’/1’) @ 6k + 6" with 1' paddle between the 'on' minutes, plus a 10' warm-up and 10' cool down. I usually stick around a 22 or 24 stroke rate. This is a workout that keeps your heart rate up for an extended period of time, without fully transitioning from aerobic to anaerobic work.

row2k: What about this workout makes it a favorite?

JK: I love this workout! It is a tough one both physically and mentally due to the time that you will be spending on the erg – about an hour and a half from start to finish with cooling down and stretching. I’ve always been more of an endurance athlete as opposed to a sprinter, so this workout is a perfect fit for my stamina and consistency.

While it's a very long workout, it goes by quickly with the alternating between ‘on’ and ‘off’ pieces. It is a workout that can easily get boring, but I always try to be as consistent as possible with each 'on' piece.
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Post by gregsmith01748 »

After a couple of off topic, cross training workouts, the good folks at Row2K have found another winner. Here's the details
row2k caught up with Brown alum Quinten Richardson, who, in his senior year last winter, placed 2nd among U-23 Men, and 5th overall in the Open Men category at C.R.A.S.H.-B. with an impressive time of 5:55.9. Clearly, his off-the-water workouts kept him fit throughout the winter.
row2k: What is your favorite winter workout?

Quinten Richardson: At Brown, we do a winter workout called “The Cooler.” It’s a workout that combines low-rate power with high-rate endurance. The workout is 4 x 10' (4' at 22, 3' at 24, 2' at 26, 1' at 28) and 1 x 7' (6' at 26, 1' open), with 7' rest between each piece. The Cooler was created in the depths of winter training back in 2006 and has been a staple of Brown’s winter training program ever since.
Here's the link: http://www.row2k.com/blogs/post/7/321/B ... O4TDfnF_Mp

Interesting combination of a hard base workout, with a real sting in the tail.
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Post by gregsmith01748 »

Hi,

I put together a web page with a compendium of workouts that I've done organized by type. Take a look and let me know if you have any good ideas for workouts to add.

https://quantifiedrowing.wordpress.com/workouts/
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Post by Paul Victory »

That's an impressive list of workouts Greg. I've been faffing around recently and really need to start doing some structured training. I like the idea of doing an extended waterfall, although I think pacing could be problematic. I think the waterfall is supposed to be around 5k+1 pace. So maybe 5k+2 or 5k+3?
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Post by gregsmith01748 »

I found that I was able to do the extended one at very close to the pacing for the normal one, and the average pace ends up being faster since you can crush the 1K and 500 at the end. I think about 2 seconds slower than 5K pace through the first 3 reps would be a good marker for the first trial.
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Post by Rodger »

Cool Greg, I bookmarked the page for future reference (for when I'm looking for inspiration).

I have started the Eddie Fletcher Marathon Plan this week. Not that I'm sure I will actually row a marathon at the end of it, but I wanted to do some longer stuff and build endurance. So far, I really like the structure of these sessions.
http://www.fletchersportscience.co.uk/u ... 392f41.pdf
(pages 32-35)
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Post by gregsmith01748 »

I looked at that plan and decided it was too hard core for me!

Good luck with it!
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Post by Rodger »

Well, I should add I'm doing the pussy version with only three sessions per week.
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Post by Paul Victory »

Rodger wrote:Cool Greg, I bookmarked the page for future reference (for when I'm looking for inspiration).

I have started the Eddie Fletcher Marathon Plan this week. Not that I'm sure I will actually row a marathon at the end of it, but I wanted to do some longer stuff and build endurance. So far, I really like the structure of these sessions.
http://www.fletchersportscience.co.uk/u ... 392f41.pdf
(pages 32-35)
I have to say I'm a bit surprised by the targets mentioned in the introduction. He claims that you should be able to do a marathon at 65% of your 2k power in watts. For someone capable of a 7 minute 2k, this gives a target FM time of 2:50:48.7. For someone capable of a 6:50 2k, the equivalent FM time is 2:46:42.8.

These times seem extremely challenging for someone who is fairly equally balanced between strength and endurance. Maybe they make sense for lwts, but I would be interested to hear what others think.
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Post by Rodger »

At one point in the document he states that for hwts this is probably closer to 60%, while it could be up to 70% of 2k power for lwts.

I know Stan has done the plan multiple times, not too sure about others. In the end, there is only one sure way to find out what the plan can do for your own marathon time... I read somewhere that you're looking for some new structure in your training. Why not make 1+1=2, Paul? :wink:
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Post by gregsmith01748 »

My ratio is 57%. Which I guess makes sense since I never specifically trained for a marathon, but did them as a long distance challenge while training for 2Ks.

I'd have to cut 7 minutes off my marathon time to get to 65% watts. That's going from a 1:59.2 pace to a 1:53.8 pace. :shock:
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Post by plummy »

People train for marathons?? :shock:

When I do one it's usually after I've woken up and thought - "hey, I've got a load of spare time today, why not row a marathon" #-o :lol: )
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Post by Paul Victory »

plummy wrote:People train for marathons?? :shock:

When I do one it's usually after I've woken up and thought - "hey, I've got a load of spare time today, why not row a marathon" #-o :lol: )
That's more or less the way I've approached it apart from the one I did at the end of last season when you announced that you needed to do one before the season ended and suggested doing one while the London marathon was on. So I think that particular marathon was planned about a week in advance. And I didn't do any flat out rows for five days before I did the FM, with just a steady 5k the day beforehand. The end result was a HM that was 58.6% of the watts for my 2k PB - a significant improvement on my previous PB, which was only 53.3%.

So I guess 60% would not be an unreasonable target if I were to follow a training plan specifically geared to doing a marathon. But I'm not sure I'm sufficiently motivated by the challenge to gear all my training around doing an FM. I want to be able to do the CTC each month and work on my time over other distances. Then again, the structure imposed by following such a plan may be exactly what I need. :? Decisions, decisions.... :lol:
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