Tag: training plan

Strength Training Thoughts

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I posted the following on the Rowing Illustrated forum.

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I got back a really great reply from a user SDSweep which I would like to share.

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So, my winter training plan will include:

  • 2 strength sessions a week.
  • These sessions will be tacked onto the end of a shortened endurance session (probably 40 minutes of endurance and 30 minutes of strength work)
  • The plan will be very simple including 4 exercises per session
    • A compound lift emphasizing the rowing muscle groups
      • squats
      • deadlifts,
      • power cleans
    • Something for upper body rowing muscles
      • Pull ups
      • Chin ups
      • Lat pull downs
    • Something for counter muscle groups
      • Push ups
      • Bench press
      • Standing press
      • Seated Press
    • Core
      • Ab roll outs
      • planks
      • leg lifts
  • In terms of reps and sets.  I will probably use some advice from some other folks to mix this up in blocks.  A couple weeks of lower reps, more sets.  Then a couple weeks of higher reps and less sets.  Generally, I will be going for 20 to 30 total reps.
  • Weight.  I will progressively increase weight, but follow the guideline that I will stop at least one rep before failure.

What’s next? Good question!

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Well, I haven’t quite figure  things out yet.

I have a bunch of potentially conflicting objectives that I need to sort out.

Here’s a quick list of the events that I am thinking about competing in.

  • January 28th: Northeast Erg Sprints – 2000 meters indoors (trial event for the Crash-Bs)
  • February 12th: Crash-Bs – 2000m sprint, indoors
  • Mid-May: Essex River Race: 5.5 mile open water race
  • Mid June: Festival Sprints – 1000m OTW sprint
  • Early July: Cromwell Cup – 1000m OTW Sprint
  • Mid July: Blackburn Challenge – 20+ Mile open water race
  • Mid-September: CRI Fall Classic – 5k head race
  • Early October: Textile River Regatta – 6K head race
  • Mid-October: Quinsigamond Snake Race – 4K head race
  • Late October: Head of the Charles – 5k head race
  • Early November: Merrimack Chase – 5k head race

Now there is absolutely no way that I will have the time to do all of these races.  So, I need to prioritize what is most important to me.  I think the two key events that I want to do are the Blackburn Challenge and the HOCR, everything else is optional.

Training for the Blackburn will require a much different training plan than training for the early summer sprint races, so I suspect that I will either blow them off, or just do the Cromwell without training specifically for it.  Basically just include some starting practice into my workouts in June.

A plan for the Blackburn will have two components.  The first is endurance, since it is longer than 20 miles in a boat that is 15% slower than a flat water single, which is about 15% slower than an erg.  So, we are talking about 3 to 4 hours of rowing depending on the conditions.   To do that, I think I will give the marathon training plan from the ISS site a try.  Dave C. seemed to do really well with it as prep for his OTW marathon this year.  The other component is getting used to rowing in rougher water.  That means as much open water work down on the cape as I can do on weekends over the summer.  The Marathon training plans want a full 26 weeks, which would mean that I would need to start in mid-January.  Since the indoor racing season will finish up in mid-February, I will probably lop the first month off and just pick it up in the second month.

So, that basically sorts out the period from mid-February to Mid-July.  What about now?  I think that there are two options.

  • Option 1:  Do a 3 month block periodized plan similar to last year to try to take a run at my 2K PB.
  • Option 2:  Do a 3 month block of strength training and base aerobic work and not take a run at my PB.

Each of these options are attractive in different ways.  Option 1 would be highly motivating and I will enjoy pushing hard and having a really challenging goal to get after.  Option 2 is attractive for three reasons.  One, it might be nice to ease up on the competitive pressure a bit.  Two, I am interested to know whether getting a lot stronger would help me get faster in the boat next spring.  Three, I would like to lose weight and I think it might be easier to do that if I am not pushing every workout to the brink.

So, I need to think this through and make some decisions.  Until then, I just keep doing 3 long and easy and 3 hard sessions a week to keep things going.

Head Racing Training review

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Date Day Workout Type mode Planned Workout Actual Workout
10/10/16 Mon rest  rest  rest Treadmill
40′ LIT
Strength Training
10/11/16 Tue Long Intervals otw 4 x 2500 / 5′ rest r24
48′ HIT
30′ LIT		  2 x 30′ treadmill/crosstrainer
60′ LIT
10/12/16 Wed Steady State otw 4 x 3000 / 1′ rest r20 (HR limit at 80% HRR)
75′ LIT		 4 x 10′ Threshold on treadmill
40′ HIT
40′ LIT
10/13/16 Thu Short Rest Intervals otw 4 x (3 x 3′ on / 1′ paddle) / 2′ rest
36′ HIT
30′ LIT		  Travel day back to US
“rest”
10/14/16 Fri Steady State otw Square Blades / Slow Roll Up / r20 2 minutes each, repeated
75′ LIT		 Head Race Piece in 2x
30′ HIT
32′ LIT
10/15/16 Sat Hard Distance otw 5.5K r30
30′ HIT
30′ LIT		  16km Open Water
95′ LIT
10/16/16 Sun long and easy erg 4 x 30′ / 1.5′ rest (lactate)
120′ LIT		  3×20′ L4
60′ LIT
10/17/16 Mon Rest  rest  rest  4x(5×2’/30″)/5′
40′ HIT
50′ LIT
10/18/16 Tue taper otw 4 x 500
8′ HIT
40′ LIT		  4×500 in 1x
8′ HIT
40′ LIT
10/19/16 Wed taper otw 3 x 500
6′ HIT
40′ LIT		  3×500 in 2x
6′ HIT
62′ LIT
10/20/16 Thu taper otw 2 x 500
4′ HIT
40′ LIT		 2×500 in 1x
4′ HIT
46′ LIT
10/21/16 Fri taper otw row the course
60′ LIT		  practice run
15′ HIT
60′ LIT
10/22/16 Sat HOCR otw race
25′ HIT
60′ LIT		  race
25′ HIT
80′ LIT
Pre Race Totals        157′ HIT
600′ LIT		  168′ HIT
665′ LIT
10/23/16 Sun HOCR otw rest  rest
10/24/16 Mon Rest  rest Rest  Rate Ladders in 1x
65′ LIT
10/25/16 Tue Long Intervals otw 5 x 1500 / 5′ rest r26
35′ HIT
40′ LIT		  5 x 1500 in 1x
33′ HIT
47′ LIT
10/26/16 Wed Steady State otw 4 x 2900 / 1′ rest r20 (HR limit 150)
75′ LIT		  steady state 1x
90′ LIT
10/27/16 Thu Short Rest Intervals otw 4 x (5 x 2′ on / 30″ paddle) / 2′ rest
40′ HIT
35′ LIT		  4x(5×2’/30″)/5′
40′ HIT
36′ LIT
10/28/16 Fri Steady State otw 4 x 2900 / 1′ rest r20 (HR limit 150)  rest
10/29/16 Sat Hard Distance otw 5.5K r30
30′ HIT
45′ LIT		 75km bike ride
180′ LIT
10/30/16 Sun long and easy erg 4 x 30′ / 1.5′ rest (lactate)
120′ LIT		  rest
Total        105′ HIT
390′ LIT		 73′ HIT
418′ LIT 

So this picks up at the very end of my trip to Asia.  I managed to keep my training minutes just about on track over the trip, and I picked up the schedule as soon as I got back.  I ended up with a bit more training load than planned.  The higher total of HIT minutes was caused by pushing too hard during the practice run.  (That was a bad idea!)  Otherwise, I can’t complain about the way it went.

Last week was another good training week.  I got in lots of LIT training time thanks to the mammoth bike ride, but I was under a bit on the HIT because I missed the head race piece.

As it turns out that is inconsequential.  I will not be able to do the Merrimack Chase this year due to work conflicts this week and next.  That leaves an unsatifying feel to the end of this season, which on the whole was an unsatisfying season.  Between having a big new job and a crushed boat, it was a lot less successful than last year’s OTW season.

But, frankly, that leaves me hungry to do better next year.  I’m cooking up a training plan for that soon!

Week 13 Review

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Date Day Workout Type mode Planned Workout Actual
10/3/16 Mon rest  rest  rest
10/4/16 Tue Long Intervals otw 5 x 2000 / 5′ rest r28

45′ HIT
45′ LIT

 40′ treadmill

40′ LIT
10/5/16 Wed Steady State otw 4 x 3000 / 1′ rest r20 (HR limit at 80% HRR)

75′ LIT

  3 x 30′ cross train

90′ LIT
10/6/16 Thu Short Rest Intervals otw 12 x 500 / 1’30” rest (sr 22,24,26,28,30,32,32,30,28,26,24,22)

30′ HIT
50′ LIT

  30′ Threshold run

30′ HIT
20′ LIT
10/7/16 Fri Technique UT2/UT1 otw Bungee Row first half, Steady state r20 second half

75′ LIT

  3 x 30′ cross train

90′ LIT
10/8/16 Sat warmup only  erg warm up only

20′ LIT

  3 x 30′ cross train

90′ LIT
10/9/16 Sun Snake Race  race  25′ HIT
45′ LIT		  14 x 500m / 1′ rest
treadmill

38′ HIT
20′ LIT
Totals  100′ HIT
310′ LIT		 68′ HIT
350′ LIT
  • HIT
    • Planned: 100′, Actual: 68′ (68%)
  • LIT
    • Planned: 310′, Actual 350′ (112%)
  • Polarization
    • Planned: 24%, Actual: 16%

So, good work on the endurance training.  I definitely fell a bit short on the HIT.  I do wonder how effective HIT cross training is, but I really should have tried to do one additional HIT session over the week.

Now I have 13 days to the HOCR.  Looking forward, here’s the plan…

Monday: 40′ LIT plus weights
Tuesday: 3 x 30′ LIT cross train
Wednesday: 30′ Threshold Run
Thursday: 4 x 20′ erg or 75′ OTW
Friday:  OTW interval session
Saturday: 90′ LIT (either bike or Open water row)
Sunday: 4 x 20′ erg
Monday: OTW Head race piece
Tuesday: 75′ OTW LIT
Wednesday: OTW 4 x 500m
Thursday: OTW 3 x 500m
Friday: Practice run on HOCR course
Saturday: Race Day!

Week #10 Training Review

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Date Day Workout Type mode Planned Workout Actual
9/12/16 Mon Rest  Rest
0′ HIT
0′ LIT		 5.5K hard
25′ HIT
40′ LIT
9/13/16 Tue Long Intervals otw 4 x 2500 / 5′ rest r24
45′ HIT
30′ LIT		 4×2900 / 1′ rest
r20
0′ HIT
75′ LIT
9/14/16 Wed Steady State otw 4 x 2900 / 1′ rest r20 (HR limit 150)
0′ HIT
75′ LIT		  15×3′ / 1′ rest
45′ HIT
30′ LIT
9/15/16 Thu Short Rest Intervals otw 4 x (3 x 3′ on / 1′ paddle) / 2′ rest

36′ HIT
40′ LIT

  4 x 20′ @ 185
0′ HIT
80′ LIT
9/16/16 Fri warmup only erg warm up only
20′ LIT		  warmup + 2 500s plus cool down
5′ HIT
45′ LIT
9/17/16 Sat CRI Fall Classic race Race
40′ LIT
25′ HIT		 Race
40′ LIT
25′ HIT
9/18/16 Sun long and easy erg 4 x 30′ / 1.5′ rest (lactate)
0′ HIT
120′ LIT		  4 x 20′ @ 185
0′ HIT
80′ LIT
Total 106′ HIT
325′ LIT		 100′ HIT
390′ LIT

Well, this is something new!  I actually had higher LIT minutes than plan.

  • HIT / LIT split:
    • Planned: 25% HIT, 75% LIT
    • Actual: 20% HIT, 80% LIT
  • LIT: 325′ plan, 390′ Actual (120%)
  • HIT: 106′ plan, 100′ Actual (94%)

Other than the fact that the race could have gone better, a pretty good training week.

Week #9 – Training Review

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Date Day Workout Type mode Planned Workout Actual
9/5/16 Mon Rest 4×20′ erg
80′ LIT
9/6/16 Tue Long Intervals otw 5 x 2000 / 5′ rest r28
40′ HIT
30′ LIT		  sept CTC
17′ HIT
25′ LIT
9/7/16 Wed Steady State otw 4 x 2900 / 1′ rest r20 (HR limit 150)
75′ LIT		  as planned
75′ LIT
9/8/16 Thu Short Rest Intervals otw 5 x 20@32/10 off / 5 x 20@34/15 off / 5 x 20@36/20 off, 8′ between sets
15′ HIT
45′ LIT		 4×20′ on erg
80′ LIT
9/9/16 Fri Technique UT2/UT1 otw Bungee Row first half, Steady state r20 second half
75′ LIT		 Threshold OTW
5km hard plus power pieces
30′ HIT
30′ LIT
9/10/16 Sat Hard Distance otw 5.5K r30
30’HIT
30′ LIT		 Rest Day
on the Cape, cleaning a deck
9/11/16 Sun long and easy erg 4 x 30′ / 1.5′ rest (lactate)
120′ LIT		  90′ step test
90’LIT
Summary  85′ HIT
375′ LIT		  47′ HIT
360′ LIT

Again, I am low on high intensity minutes, caused by 2 HIT sessions in the week instead of three.

I am surprising on track for LIT minutes, which is a bit surprising.  I didn’t do the mammoth Sunday row I had planned, but I did 4 endurance sessions instead of 3.

The plan had me at 18% HIT / 82% LIT.  This week was 12% HIT and 88% LIT.  A lot of the things that I’ve read seem to point toward a lower percentage of HIT in a polarized plan.   Given what’s been happening with my training this fall, I guess we will eventually find out if it works for me.

Week 8 Training Review

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Date Day Type mode Planned Workout Actual
8/29/16 Mon Rest  rest OTW Rate Ladders
80′ LIT
Meso Cycle #2 – Long Intervals
8/30/16 Tue Long Intervals otw 3000 / 2500 / 2000 5′ rest
45′ HIT
30′ LIT		  4 x 2500 / 4′ rest
45′ HIT
30′ LIT
8/31/16 Wed Steady State otw 4 x 2900 / 1′ rest r20 (HR limit 150)
75′ LIT		 4 x 2800 / 1′ rest r20
71′ LIT
9/1/16 Thu Short Rest Intervals otw 4 x (5 x 2′ on / 30″ paddle) / 2′ rest

40′ HIT
35′ LIT

  Short Intervals as described
40′ HIT
35′ LIT
9/2/16 Fri Technique UT2/UT1 otw Square Blades / Slow Roll Up / r20 2 minutes each, repeated
75′ LIT		  Bike ride
80′ LIT
20′ HIT
9/3/16 Sat Hard Distance otw 5.5K r30
20′ HIT
50′ LIT		  rest
9/4/16 Sun long and easy erg 4 x 30′ / 1.5′ rest (lactate)
120′ LIT		 rest
Week 8 Summary   115′ HIT
385′ LIT 		  105′ HIT
296′ LIT
  • 91% of HIT minutes, but I missed the key “hard distance” session
  • 76% of LIT minutes, based on taking an extra rest day this weekend.  I am not able to allocate as much time to training as I had planned.

 

This takes on greater urgency now.  I just received an email letting me know that my bid for a slot in the Men’s Master (50+) 2x for the Head of the Charles was accepted.  So, there’s a good reason to train!

 

 

Training Review – August

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It’s been a wild ride since the end of July.  Here’s a summary of the past 4 weeks, compared to the plan.

Executive Summary:

  • 87% of target for LIT minutes over the four weeks.
    • Excluding week 6, I was right on target.
  • Only 36% of planned HIT minutes.  So, way below plan.
    • I was at 60% of plan for the first 2 weeks, which basically meant that I was hitting 2 out of three planned sessions.
    • In the last two weeks, I was under 10% of plan.  The cause was just not doing high intensity sessions much.  During the first week in the house at the cape, I had other priorities beyond training.  I was trying to get the house set up, and have a vacation with my family.
  • Take aways:
    • Planning regular 2 hour sessions on the water is not practical.  I can;t devote that time, plus the time to launch and recover to training.  I might be able to do it once a week or so.
    • I need to be more flexible about open water rowing.  The conditions did not permit much in the way of HIT, and some days were not rowable at all for someone with as little open water experience as I have.  I need to freely substitute bike training when I’m on the cape.
  • Conclusion:  I think I did enough to maintain the level of fitness I had at the beginning of August.  I have probably lost some lactate tolerance and top end speed.  But all in all, I had a blast this month.
Date Day Work-out Type mode Planned Workout Actual Workout
Meso Cycle #1 – Endurance (From beginning of July)
8/1/16 Mon Rest  rest  OTW: 80′ Steady State (LIT)
8/2/16 Tue Hard Distance otw 4 x 2900 / 1′ rest r24 (HR limit 170)
50′ HIT, 20′ LIT		  OTW: 4×2700 Threshold
50′ HIT, 20′ LIT
8/3/16 Wed Steady State otw 4 x 2900 / 1′ rest r20 (HR limit 150)
75′ LIT		  OTW: Technique
75′ LIT
8/4/16 Thu Hard Distance otw 4 x 2900 / 1′ rest r24 (HR limit 170)
50′ HIT, 20′ LIT		  OTW: technique
50′ LIT
8/5/16 Fri Technique UT2/UT1 otw Square Blades / Slow Roll Up / r20 2 minutes each, repeated
75′ LIT		 OTW: Steady State r20
100′ LIT
8/6/16 Sat Hard Distance otw 2 x 5.5K r26
50′ HIT, 30′ LIT		 OTW: 2 x 5.5K
45′ HIT, 30′ LIT
8/7/16 Sun long and easy erg 4 x 30′ / 1.5′ rest (lactate)
120′ LIT		  rest day
Week 4 summary       150′ HIT
340′ LIT		  95′ HIT
355′ LIT
8/8/16 Mon Technique UT2/UT1  otw Bungee Row first half, Steady state r20 second half
75′ LIT		 OTW: steady state r20
75′ LIT
8/9/16 Tue Hard Distance otw 4 x 2900 / 1′ rest r24 (HR limit 170)
50′ HIT, 30′ LIT		 OTW: 4 x 2700
45′ HIT, 40′ LIT
8/10/16 Wed Steady State otw 4 x 2900 / 1′ rest r20 (HR limit 150)
75′ LIT		 OTW: steady state r20
71′ LIT
8/11/16 Thu Hard Distance otw 4 x 2900 / 1′ rest r24 (HR limit 170)
50′ HIT, 30′ LIT		  OTW: Aborted session
12′ HIT, 25′ LIT
8/12/16 Fri rest  rest  rest (bought a house!)
8/13/16 Sat long and easy owr 120′ open water (HR Cap at 150)
120′ LIT		 rest (moved into a house)
8/14/16 Sun Hard Distance owr 60′ open water (HR cap 177)

40′ HIT, 20′ LIT

 erg: 10K push
20′ HIT, 20′ LIT
Week 5 summary        140′ HIT
350′ LIT		  77′ HIT
226′ LIT
8/15/16 Mon long and easy owr 120′ open water (HR Cap at 150)
120′ LIT		 rest
8/16/16 Tue Hard Distance owr 60′ open water (HR cap 177)
40′ HIT, 20′ LIT		 rest
8/17/16 Wed long and easy owr 120′ open water (HR Cap at 150)
120′ LIT		 rest
8/18/16 Thu Hard Distance owr 60′ open water (HR cap 177)
40′ HIT, 20′ LIT		 OWR: 90′ steady state
90′ LIT
8/19/16 Fri long and easy owr 120′ open water (HR Cap at 150)
120′ LIT		 OWR: 90′ Steady State
90′ LIT
8/20/16 Sat Hard Distance owr 60′ open water (HR cap 177)
40′ HIT, 20′ LIT		 rest
8/21/16 Sun rest  rest rest
Week 6 summary        120′ HIT
420′ LIT		  0′ HIT
180′ LIT
8/22/16 Mon Hard Distance owr 60′ open water (HR cap 177)
40′ HIT, 20′ LIT		 Bike: 40km
100′ LIT
8/23/16 Tue long and easy owr 120′ open water (HR Cap at 150)
120′ LIT		 OTW: 2 x 1K plus 15K SS
8′ HIT, 80′ LIT
8/24/16 Wed Hard Distance owr 60′ open water (HR cap 177)
40′ HIT, 20′ LIT		 erg: August CTC
14′ HIT, 25′ LIT
8/25/16 Thu long and easy owr 120′ open water (HR Cap at 150)
120′ LIT		 OTW: r20 SS
75′ LIT
8/26/16 Fri Hard Distance owr 60′ open water (HR cap 177)
40′ HIT, 20′ LIT		 rest
8/27/16 Sat long and easy owr 120′ open water (HR Cap at 150)
120′ LIT		 OWR: 14K SS
90′ LIT
8/28/16 Sun Hard Distance owr 60′ open water (HR cap 177)
40′ HIT, 20′ LIT		 erg: 60′ easy rate push
60′ LIT
Week 7 summary        120′ HIT
420′ LIT		  22′ HIT
430′ LIT

Head Race Training: Week #3 review

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Date Day Workout Type mode Planned Workout Actual
7/25/16 Mon Cross Training (UT) xt 4 x 20′ fitness center Rest Day
7/26/16 Tue Cross Training (TR) xt 10K run 45′ Thresh run on treadmill HIT
7/27/16 Wed Cross Training (UT) xt 4 x 20′ fitness center 3 x 30′ fitness center LIT
7/28/16 Thu Cross Training (TR) xt 10K run 10K run 30′ HIT, 30′ LIT
7/29/16 Fri Cross Training (UT) xt 4 x 20′ fitness center rest
7/30/16 Sat Technique UT2/UT1 otw 80′ LIT  4 x 20′ on erg LIT
7/31/16 Sun long and easy erg 4 x 30′ / 1.5′ rest (lactate) 4 x 20′ on erg LIT
Summary LIT: 440′ HIT: 120′ LIT: 280′ HIT: 75′

So, significantly under on both LIT and HIT minutes.  That’s two weeks in a row.  We’ll see if I can get back on track this week.

Head Race Training – Week 2 review

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Date Day Workout Type mode Planned Workout Actual
7/18/16 Mon Rest  rest  rest  rest
7/19/16 Tue Hard Distance otw 4 x 2900 / 1′ rest r24 (HR limit 170), 50′ HIT, 30′ LIT  4×2800/4’rest, r26, no HR limit, 50′ HIT, 30′ LIT
7/20/16 Wed Steady State otw 4 x 2900 / 1′ rest r20 (HR limit 150), 70′ LIT  4×2800/1’r, r20, HR limit 155, 70′ LIT
7/21/16 Thu Hard Distance otw 4 x 2900 / 1′ rest r24 (HR limit 170), 50′ HIT, 30′ LIT  No training
7/22/16 Fri Technique UT2/UT1 otw Bungee Row first half, Steady state r20 second half, 70′ LIT  No Training
7/23/16 Sat Hard Distance otw 4 x 2900 / 1′ rest r24 (HR limit 170), 50′ HIT, 30′ LIT CTC: 30′ HIT, 30′ LIT
7/24/16 Sun Rest  rest rest yard work: 180′, about 60′ of LIT
summary  150′ HIT, 230′ LIT  80′ HIT, 190′ LIT

I think that three days with no training is bound to have a negative effect.  My weight is up.  Hopefully, I can do some good cross training this week and keep some discipline in my food and drink intake.