A warm up too far

Today was the second day of my exercise in heat trial at work, and the first of the full length exposures. I was a little concerned when the guy in the chamber before me was brought out in a wheel chair after 55mins, and perhaps slightly more concerned when it looks like I might have the same condition as him the day before Basingstoke IRC. Therefore the trial today was 1hour 40mins of continous leg pressing (30 per min), wearing 4 layers of clothing, in 45 degrees C heat. Perhaps slightly too long as a warm up for an 8 x 500m?

Training:

Today begins the second cycle of my reintroduction to the Pete Plan, and therefore the first time I have repeated a session from cycle 1. Because I am taking part in the heat trial for 5 weeks I have decided it is too difficult to try and adjust the training to fit in with it, so I’m making the best of it and having to do my hard sessions pretty much straight after each heat trial.

1500m warm up = 1:56 / 23spm

8 x 500m / 3:30 rest:

1:32.7 / 36

1:32.7 / 36

1:32.7 / 35

1:32.7 / 35

1:32.8 / 37

1:32.7 / 37

1:32.6 / 37

1:32.6 / 37

Average = 12:21.4 / 1:32.6 / 36

The rate is a bit high because, quite frankly, I was pretty tired before I started. However, somehow it came out 0.1 faster on the average split than last time – half a second faster on the overall time for the 4k. I can’t complain at that with the lengthy warm up. I think pretty much every hard session in this cycle will be after the heat trials, and so when I do the harder exercise conditions the odd session may have to fall off the plan, I will see though.

Everything but the erg

Saturday was a welcome rest day from the erg this weekend. Instead I went for my first round of golf in about 3 years with a couple of fellow ergers to a course just this side of Guildford (Roker Park). Despite the rain we had an enjoyable 9 holes, and hopefully this will become a regular social outing in the coming months.

Sunday training:

As tomorrow is the second day of the exercise in heat trial at work it meant today had to be an easy session, so the bike seemed like the best option.

35mins = 12.4miles

21.2mph ave, 22.7mph max // 223watts ave, 241watts max

Blog updates:

As I have had a few requests for it, I have added a little more information to the “5k training” page. There is now enough information contained on that page to know how I intend the sessions to all fit together, and so enough to be able to follow the plan listed there.

I have also added a page titled “Pete’s Training” where I will keep track of my Pete Plan progress cycle by cycle. I will record the average pace for each of the interval sessions, and also the sessions I do for the hard distances pieces on a Friday.

The mind is willing

A busy morning meant that my gym session had to wait until after I had eaten lunch, which is never ideal. Today was one of those days where my mind was willing to test my body, and so I decided on 10k as my hard distance piece for this week, and set out looking for a pb to beat my long standing 34:22.2.

Training:

0-2k = 1:42.9 / 30spm

2-4k = 1:43.6 / 29spm

4-6k = 1:47.1 / 26spm

6-7k ~ 1:47 / 26spm

Stopped at 7k with the average split just hitting 1:45.0. The mind was willing, but physically it wasn’t there today. I was struggling after only 3k or so, and thought that by backing off a bit after 4k I might be able to recover a little and push on in the second half. It wasn’t to be, and discretion being the better part of valour, I decided it was better to save it for another day than to push on over the final 3k just to get a time within 30seconds or so of a pb.

When I set my 10k pb it actually took 2 or 3 attempts where I held my target pace through to between 7 and 8k before blowing badly and not even being able to finish. Then one day I got to that point and was still going, and once past the 30min point the end is in sight.

Stroke rates:

A question was asked on the concept2 training forum about the benefits of low verses high stroke ratings in training:

http://www.concept2.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=16520

This is always a contentious issue whenever it is discussed because there are many people sitting firmly on one side or the other of this issue. Both sides will strongly contend that their training method is superior, and quite rightly so. Belief in your chosen training method is very important, and so I believe it is vital to either know the reasoning behind the way you train, or have a high amount of confidence in the person who prescribed the training (and preferably both).

I have always been on the side of higher rate training, or at least in not buying into the virtues of a large amount of low rate training. Low rate training in itself can be a useful exercise, but done to excess I believe can be damaging, at least to your 2k ability. The number 1 priority in erg training, or in any fitness training, is structure. If you follow a structured training method you will improve. What that structure consists of is less important, but will still dictate the amount by which you can improve.

If you are training primarily to row a fast erg 2k then most coaches and athletes would agree that an optimal stroke rating for almost anyone will be in the range 30-34spm. There are exceptions of course, but that’s a good range to aim for. Therefore your training has to allow you to row at your optimum (fastest) pace you can hold over 2k within that stroke rate range. If your best time comes below that range then your training isn’t quite right, in my opinion.

I will add to this my thoughts on the structure of the Pete Plan, and why I think this is optimal for 2k performance for people only able to train for around 5 or less hours per week, in a later blog entry.

The effect of temperature

This week I have begun a 5 week trial I am taking part in at work assessing cooling garments for military aircrew. This involves doing exercise in a heat chamber for 1 to 2 hours with various temperature readings, heart rate, ECG, and other physiological measurements taken. This will obviously have an effect on my erg training in two ways – I am not allowed to do hard training the day before each session in the chamber, and on the day of a heat session I’m going to be fatigued for training.

Wednesday’s training:

Wednesday’s heat chamber visit consisted of 60mins of continous leg pressing. Not a very heavy weight (obvious if you can do it continuously for 60mins), but at 45 degrees C still fairly fatiguing.

1 hour after finishing it was off to the gym for Pete Plan week 3 distance intervals, with a slower target so I might be able to complete the session:

3k = 10:23.6 / 1:43.9 / 30

2.5k = 8:39.0 / 1:43.8 / 30

2k = 6:52.4 / 1:43.1 / 30

Average = 22:55.0 / 1:43.6 / 30

It felt equally tough all the way though, just general fatigue from the activites earlier.

Thursday’s training:

The day after an interval session means steady distance. I decided to take it really easy today, but in the end gradual negative splits made it a reasonable overall pace anyway.

10k = 37:12.4 / 1:51.6 / 24

2k split = 1:53.9, 1:52.6, 1:51.4, 1:50.7, 1:49.1

Then time just for one quick weights exercise:

Bench press – 60kg, 3 sets of 8

I was due to have my second heat chamber experience tomorrow, but that has been put back so hard distance work can go ahead as normal.

Blog updates:

There was a comment on one of my recent entries that the 5k training section is not currently a lot of use without any explanation of how to follow each plan. It’s really a balancing act when trying to run a coaching business as well as a blog as a useful resource. Too much information and noone will need coaching advice, not enough and the information isn’t worthwhile as a resource. So I will make that a priority to add some explanation to the 5k training page to at least give information on the idea behind each session, and how I intended them to fit in together.

Something better than nothing

I had to do a short and fairly comfortable session today due to some “exercise in heat” experiments I’m taking part in at work. The day before each trial I can’t do hard training, and tomorrow is the first of 10 trial days (2 each week for the next 5 weeks).

Training:

8k = 29:31.7 / 1:50.7 / 24

2k splits = 1:51.1, 1:50.9, 1:50.8, 1:50.1 (all 24spm)

Weights:

Clean and press – 50kg = 3 sets of 6

Bicep curls - 18kg dumbbells = 3 sets of 6

Still some good training. I will have to wait and see tomorrow how strenuous the exercise is (each session is 100mins of exercise in a chamber at 45 degrees C, low humidity, wearing lots of clothing) as to what training I can do in the evening after. With only 2 sessions a week I can move my hard sessions to deconflict completely if I need to.

This was the heaviest I’ve gone so far on the clean and press, felt powerful and fast today though, perhaps because of the shorter erg session before.

Targets that stretch too far…

The third week of the Pete Plan begins with my least favorite session, the 4 x 1k. For most people this session is the best prediction of current 2k form. The extended time spent at pace really means there is no hiding, you either have it or you don’t. When I’m not strictly on the plan I tend to conveniently skip this session, I think to my detriment. This session generally comes out to 1 second slower in pace than my 2k.

Training:

2k warm up = 1:54 / 24

4 x 1k / 5min rest:

3:11.9 / 1:35.9 / 33

3:11.8 / 1:35.9 / 33

3:12.5 / 1:36.2 / 32

3:14.0 / 1:37.0 / 32

Averages = 12:50.2 / 1:36.2 / 32

Rest interval metres = 1621m, cool down = 500m

The target was just slightly too fast today. I think physically it was there, but the longer reps at close to 2k pace really test you mentally to the limit too.

Weekend training:

On Saturday I did 30mins on the turbo trainer and pushed the pace a little more to average 25.0mph / 265watts, including a slower first 10mins to warm up into it. Sunday was my usual rest day.

Blog updates:

I have updated the “5k Training” page of the blog to include the “lite” version of the PP07 5k training plan. This version is only 3 sessions per week with less duration per session. Suitable for people new to the erg, or people with a lot of other sporting commitments just wanting a little specific erg work each week.

If you have any suggestions of other content you would like to see on the Pete Plan Blog, please just reply to the latest blog entry with your comments.

45mph… in the living room…

It’s Friday, so hard distance day on the Pete Plan. Work pressures today meant that I could only manage a short gym session at lunchtime, so a faster CTC time was an obvious choice for today.

Training – lunchtime:

3k warm up = 1:53 / 24

CTC 1609m = 5:05.4 / 1:34.9 / 34

400m splits = 1:33.3, 1:35.6, 1:36.6, 1:34.2

500m cool down

Weights:

Bench press = 60kg, 3 sets of 8

Cable row = 48.75kg, 3 sets of 10 (max weight available)

Training – evening:

A short ride on the turbo tonight. Yes, this is the first time I’ve mentioned training on a bike turbo trainer in the blog, because it’s the first time I’ve used it since starting the blog.

25mins / 22.7mph / 239watts average — 45.0mph / 523watts max

I’m sure everyone else has a bike in their living room? It’s a GT series 5 on a Tacx flow, very nice to ride.

A very enjoyable short ride after not using it for a couple of weeks. A few bursts at high speed, hence the high maximum. I’m pretty happy with the CTC time at lunchtime too for the effort. A fairly comfortable row through the middle, and under 6:20 pace with enough left to have done the final 400m if it was set.

10k and weights

A steady distance day on the Pete Plan today. At the moment I’m still doing 10k only for these so I have time to do a short weights session also within my lunch hour.

Training:

10k = 36:57.4 / 1:50.8 / 24

2k splits = 1:51.7, 1:51.1, 1:51.0, 1:50.7, 1:49.8 (all 24spm)

Weights:

Cleans = 45kg, 3 sets of 10

Squats = 45kg, 3 sets of 10

Bicep curls = 16kg dumbbells, 3 sets of 8

Tricep pulldowns = 13.75kg, 3 sets of 10

I’m starting to see and feel a benefit from the weights, even with the limited amount I’m doing. I think the cleans are a great explosive exercise hitting a lot of muscle groups. I went 5kg higher than Tuesday today to just do cleans, rather than clean and press. I will alternate between the two each session I think.

Intervals and the CTC

My training today consisted of the middle distance intervals of week 2 of the Pete Plan (4 x 2k with 5min rest), incorporating this month’s CTC into the final rep (more on the CTC later).

Training:

1k warm up = 1:55 / 24spm

4 x 2k with 5min rest between reps:

6:49.1 / 1:42.2 / 30

6:47.7 / 1:41.9 / 30

6:46.2 / 1:41.5 / 30

6:35.0 / 1:38.7 / 31

Ave = 26:51.9 / 1:41.1 / 30

For the final rep I stopped the clock with 30seconds to go and set a single 2k, with a 1609m split to get a mile time for the CTC. I then rowed the first mile faster, and cruised in the final 400m. This gave me a first CTC entry of:

1609m = 5:12.6 / 1:37.1 / 33 (with the final 391m being 1:45.3 / 30 to make up the final 2k)

A good session overall I think. The pace was obviously a little conservative on the first 3 reps to be able to go that much faster on the final 2k, but as I’m in the first cycle back on the plan this is the best way.

Cross Team Challenge (CTC):

The CTC is an inter-team challenge that has been running since December 2005. Times are entered by the individual on the CTC website:

http://www.c2ctc.com/

If you are not in a team you can enter under the club “Independent” to make complete boats with those other people unaffiliated to indoor rowing teams. A great monthly challenge to get involved with and add a different test piece into your monthly training.

Steady distance and PPC members

Training:

Steady distance day today, which currently is 10k every session.

10k = 36:58.1 / 1:50.9 / 24

2k splits: 1:51.6, 1:51.3, 1:51.2, 1:51.0, 1:49.2 (all 24spm)

Then time for a few compound weight exercises:

Bench press: 70kg, 3 sets of 5 reps

Clean and press: 40kg, 3 sets of 6 reps

Squats: 40kg, 3 sets of 10 reps

 The bench pressing I’m currently trying to alternate between 60kg and sets of 8 to 10, and 70kg with less reps per set, just to try to increase my strength a little. Clean and press I’m really limited by the press bit, but I still think it’s best overall keeping the weight fairly light for a while. Squats I can’t go heavy as we don’t have a squat rack in the gym, so I have to pick the bar up from the floor. Not that I want to go heavy on them after an erg session, with a hard session the following day.

Blog members area:

The members area of the blog is now fully up and running. Each person following Pete Plan Coaching has their own page to use as they wish, with most people currently using it for a personal bio. Hopefully this will become a valuable resource for people following the coaching, but it will always be strictly a closed group area of the blog. I have had a number of interesting articles on my computer at work that many people might find useful and interesting to do with various related areas to erg performance. Until now I had no easy way of sharing these with people. I just need to decide which to put on the main blog, and which to restrict to members. This will mainly depend on getting the authors permission for open access.

Training thoughts:

I think some people in the past have suffered following my training advice as I have always tended to leave it up to them when they need additional rest, be it an extra rest day or two, or a full easy week. I am considering experimenting with an adaption to the PP and putting in an easier week to each cycle, so that the normal 3 week cycle is completed, followed by an easier (note, I don’t say easy..) week before the next cycle is begun. There are one or two components from the PP07 plan I would like to incorporate into my training now, and using this easier week for those I think could benefit the overall PP structure. Watch this space for more details.