Ranger's training thread

[ranger]

Here in Door County, WI, a gorgeously cool north wind is howling in off the big lake, waves crashing, temperatures in the high 50s F. to low 60s.

I was actually a bit _cold_ on my bike ride this morning, just before dawn, even though I was wearing three layers, including an anorak.

Nice.

Much of the rest of the country has been sweating out a hot summer, temperatures pushing up over 100 degrees F.

ranger

[SwedeRow]

For a newcomer to the forum, what's this behemoth of a thread all about? one mans struggle towards/against ______?

[NavigationHazard]

reality....

[PaulH]

For a newcomer to the forum, what's this behemoth of a thread all about? one mans struggle towards/against ______?

Ranger started rowing in his early 50s, and rapidly became very good in his age/weight class, eventually setting some world records (in his age/weight class). Unsatisfied with his performance, however, he identified his technique as the big thing holding him back, and has been working ever since to correct the defects he saw. He has done this in an unconventional way that many (most?) people here doubt will work, and so far the accounts of how (whether?) it has paid off are based on reported heart rates, training zones and his own measurement known as SPI (stroke power index), rather than improved times.

So the thread exists for ranger to promise a logged performance over a recognized distance any day now, and everyone else to deride him for whichever foible they prefer. There is no end in sight to either of those activities.

Bonus explainer: There's a 95% chance ranger will take exception to something I've written. It will almost certainly be tangential to the main thrust of my post. That's how the thread goes.

[ranger]

He has done this in an unconventional way that many (most?) people here doubt will work, and so far the accounts of how (whether?) it has paid off are based on reported heart rates, training zones and his own measurement known as SPI (stroke power index), rather than improved times

There are some things to object to here.

I started to work on technique after I pulled a lwt 6:30 when I was 52 years old and set the 50s lwt WR at WIRC 2003, as a complete novice, rowing badly (10 SPI) at max drag (200+ df.). At this time, I just hauled anchor with my my back, diving at the catch, pulling with all of my levers simultaneously, and then finishing with my back, too. I didn't know how to row.

From March to September, 2003, I just rowed strapless at low drag (110 df.) and low rates (16-20 spm), working on my leg drive, trying to learn how to lead with my legs and then set my heels and drive with my hams and glutes. I set the 50s lwt WR at max drag (200+ df.), rowing entirely on my toes. I never set my heels--at all. The result was two more 50s lwt WR rows in the fall of 2003, 6:29 and 6:28, albeit still rowing badly (10 SPI) at high drag (170 df.?). At that time, I was just a bit shy of 53 years old.

I have made steady progress with technique ever since.

For instance, in 2006, when I was 55 years old, I pulled 6:29.7 @ 12 SPI, without even preparing for it, albeit still at high drag (170 df.?). In 2003, my technique was so bad that I only pulled 10 SPI. So, by 2006, I had learned enough about technique to increase my stroking power by 2 SPI, or 20%. Everyone gets about a dozen seconds over 2K from two months of race preparation, distance trials and anaerobic intervals. So, if I had prepared to race, I might have had a _very_ good 2K time at this half way point in my training.

In 2007, I did some high powered rows, at up to 16 SPI: 500r30 @ 1:30, 1Kr24 @ 1:38, 1Kr20 @ 1:43, 2Kr20 @ 1:46, etc., albeit still at high drag. This was overkill, but I learned quite a bit from the exercise. To get to _very_ high stroking powers, you have to be _very_ quick and complete with your legs.

Since 2007, I have learned to lower the drag (to 120 df.), use the whole slide, loosen my shoulders and abs at the catch, and finish with my arms braced against my back, with a more upright posture, pushing my weight forward to frontstops rather than heaving my weight backward toward backstops. This pretty much completes my work on technique. I now have much better catches and finishes, which has increased my stroking power another SPI. I now row well (13 SPI) at low drag (120 df.).

Lately (for the last year or so?), I have moved on to training at higher rates (24-30 spm) and am now ready for distance trials, rowing well (13 SPI) at low drag (120 df.). From 2003-2010, I just rowed at low rates (16-22 spm), working on technique. This rowing at higher rates, low drag (120 df.), and 13 SPI has been quite an experience, given what this combination of things does to drive time and ratio. Given my short little lightweight legs, at 13 SPI and 120 df., my drive time is now only .5 seconds. At 30 spm, I pull 1:37, my 2K pb pace, in a 3-to-1 ratio. These higher ratios have made my distance rowing much more efficient. Because of the large ratio of rest to work, when I am pulling 30 spm in a 3-to-1 ratio, as I now do, it feels slow, even though, at 13 SPI, it is six seconds per 500m faster that I used to be going at that rate back in 2003, when I pulled 10 SPI. If your ratio is large, especially at high rates and paces, recoveries become a focus of concern. This rowing at higher rates and high ratios has taught me how to be quicker and smoother, more relaxed and more controlled, with my recoveries.

After distance trials, I will only have to sharpen for a couple of months. Then I will be ready to race at my full potential, both physically and technically.

When my training is complete, my goal is a lwt 6:16 2K, rowing well (13 SPI) at low drag (120 df.), fully prepared.

I am now 60 years old.

The 60s lwt WR is 6:42.

The 55s lwt WR is 6:38.

The 50s lwt WR is 6:25.

The 40s lwt WR is 6:18.

The 60s lwt American record is 6:56/1:44, my target for 60min.

60min is done at 2K + 10.

I will do distance trials from the top down.

So my first target is a FM @ 1:48.

Then my other distance targets will be these:

HM @ 1:45
60min @ 1:44
10K @ 1:42
30min @ 1:41
6K @ 1:40
5K @ 1:39

ranger

[jliddil]

For a newcomer to the forum, what's this behemoth of a thread all about? one mans struggle towards/against ______?

Bonus explainer: There's a 95% chance ranger will take exception to something I've written. It will almost certainly be tangential to the main thrust of my post. That's how the thread goes.

Bonus points!!!!!!

[Citroen]

For a newcomer to the forum, what's this behemoth of a thread all about? one mans struggle towards/against ______?

It's the deranged ramblings on an old fart who can't row faster than 7:02.3 but has a narcisstic personality disorder that allows him to believe that he's capable of a LWT 6:16 at age 60. The next major championships is the CRASH-Bs in Feb 2012. He won't turn up (due to fallen trees, amputatiing a leg, arm or head with his brother's chainsaw or due to frozen feet - I've discounted missed/cancelled flights and other things like freak weather caused by "acts of god").

If he does turn up he won't start, if he does start he won't finish, if he does, miraculously, finish then he, definitely, won't break 6:41, he's going to struggle (with a sequence of handle downs) to break 7:00.

[jliddil]

Last edited by ranger on July 13th, 2011, 11:53 am, edited 7 times in total.


ranger

[ranger]

Last edited by ranger on July 13th, 2011, 11:53 am, edited 7 times in total.


ranger

No.

_16_ times.

We should get the story right, no?

Just so that it will be clear what I have accomplished when I hit my targets, including that lwt 6:16 2K.

ranger

[ranger]

No veteran has ever rowed well.

Historically, even the best 60s veterans have missed it by 4 SPI, seven seconds per 500m, a mile over 60min, 40 kg.F of peak force, etc.

ranger

[johnlvs2run]

We should get the story right, no?

Just so that it will be clear what I have accomplished when I hit my targets, including that lwt 6:16 2K.

ranger

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SF-5Tq1E70

[leadville]

Just some work on fitness while my ribs recover.

Nice two-hour bike rides before breakfast, yesterday and today.

This is a good fitness routine, although I am now starting to add in sit ups and skipping, too, an hour of each, just for variety and a bit more work.

Sit ups and skipping just before dawn, biking just after dawn.

Everything done before breakfast.

I think that four hours is an ideal amount of physical activity a day, or at least, that's what makes me feel best.

According to _Rowing Faster_, four hours a day is about what international rowers do.

National team rowers do three hours a day; college rowers, two hours; club rowers, an hour and a half; recreational rowers, an hour.

ranger

rangerboy, you dolt, "national team rowers" ARE international rowers. and most college rowers train well in excess of two hours per day.

[ben990]

For a newcomer to the forum, what's this behemoth of a thread all about? one mans struggle towards/against ______?

It is about one man's struggle towards/against 7:02.3 for a 2k.

[mikvan52]

Leadville:
Don't you love the way r-boy pulls round numbers out of a hat (for training volume). Everything is so simple and clear in rangerland....
Except the date of his first ever IND_V and his first completed event on the water.
'
I wonder how much faster Roy Brook will be than r-boy's 7:02 2k this season?

[ranger]

I wonder how much faster Roy Brook will be than r-boy's 7:02 2k this season?

I would hope--a _lot_ faster, given that was just a paddle, and even so, unprepared.

The goal for Roy is 6:42, not 7:02.

That will be tougher, given that he was only better than that in competition as a lightweight once, five years ago, when his fitness was maximal.

And, by and large, since that time, Roy has been biking.

Hmm.

Not the way to get the job done, I think.

The only way Roy will beat 6:46.5, the normal decline with age from 6:38 at 55 years old for a 60-year=old who just works on fitness is to get better at rowing.

But Roy doesn't seem to have any interest in that.

He's a biker.

He's never rowed OTW at all.

At 60, the project of getting better at rowing when you are older is a pretty big one, anyway.

So big that no 50s veteran has ever rowed well, much less 60s veteran.

60s veterans have missed rowing well by seven seconds per 500, 45 kgF. of peak force, 4 SPI, a mile over 60 min, etc.

ranger