30R20

[Dangerscouse]

Apologies if I’m being a muppet, but I couldn’t find the stroke counter on the ErgData app. If you get a chance please could you send a screenshot? Thank you

I don't use Ergdata, but Ergzone is really easy to find it. I think the default is stroke count, but if it isn't, you just press on the top line (possibly just the last two headers) and they will scroll through different settings.

If you'd prefer to use Ergdata, I'm sure someone else will help soon

Personally I find r18 to be notably taxing compared to r20 over a longer distance, and it doesn't seem to help me transfer the power per stroke either, so it becomes a bit pointless for me to do regularly. If it feels too hard for you too, I'd keep the stroke rate at r20.

IMHO, a big part of a 30r20 is belief and having the courage to maintain the effort when you have the inevitable wobble, probably about 18-20 mins in to it. Just when you're knee deep into it, but not close enough to finishing.

[Cyclingman1]

Please explain the focus on 30R20, versus xxRyy? I'm in my 15th yr of erging and have yet to do 30R20 or anything similar. At 75+ I have 7:02.6 for 2K on std machine and 7:03 on slides, both verified. So, should I be sub-7 min with 30R20 rows? Oh yeah, today 30R31.

[Sakly]

Apologies if I’m being a muppet, but I couldn’t find the stroke counter on the ErgData app. If you get a chance please could you send a screenshot? Thank you

You can configure any field shown in ergdata to show a specific metric. Tap on the field and a selection menu opens, where you can select the stroke counter. Unfortunately, I don't know the exact name of the metric, but you will find out

[KevinJGK]

For those who follow the Wolverine Plan, it occurred to me a 30R20 session can be a Level 4 workout, albeit a pretty boring one with no rate changes. Anyway, I thought I would give one a go although my current L4 sessions are only 16.8 SPM, and I know they get tougher as the rate increases.

My current reference pace is 2:00 so the target was 2:20 which I managed for 10 minutes but then slipped to an average of 2.22 and 6328M at the end.

I am only just getting back into erging having managed a sub 7 at BIRC in 2009 and currently targeting sub 8 at BRIC this year aged 67.

Wish me luck

[Mike Caviston]

For those who follow the Wolverine Plan, it occurred to me a 30R20 session can be a Level 4 workout, albeit a pretty boring one with no rate changes.

If there are no rate changes, it's not a Level 4 workout. And a 20spm average is way too intense unless you've been using a specific Reference Pace for six months or so and built up to it gradually.

[rickbayko]

A 30r20 is the easiest, as you have to pull every 3s and can synch with the remaining time on the PM5.
Of course, this needs some brain activities during the workout, it's probably not for everyone. Stroke counter from Ergdata or Ergzone is the solution for everyone

Agree! At 20 spm I aim to start a drive at :00, :57, :54, :51, :48 etc. Very easy to make an adjustment as soon as you see that you're one second too early or too late and get back on track with a slightly slower or faster drive. It also helps to keep the mind engaged and focused on the goal. Believe it or not, time seems to pass by a bit more quickly because of that focus. The same is true of L4 Wolverine workouts regarding the passage of time, as reported by many others back when the Wolverine was a more hotly discussed training plan.

[Sakly]

A 30r20 is the easiest, as you have to pull every 3s and can synch with the remaining time on the PM5.
Of course, this needs some brain activities during the workout, it's probably not for everyone. Stroke counter from Ergdata or Ergzone is the solution for everyone

Agree! At 20 spm I aim to start a drive at :00, :57, :54, :51, :48 etc. Very easy to make an adjustment as soon as you see that you're one second too early or too late and get back on track with a slightly slower or faster drive. It also helps to keep the mind engaged and focused on the goal.

Exactly what I do and think the same about it
Never done wolverine plan, so no idea about L4 workouts. But every time when I focus on exact rate for my low rate work, time passes by "fast".

[KevinJGK]

For those who follow the Wolverine Plan, it occurred to me a 30R20 session can be a Level 4 workout, albeit a pretty boring one with no rate changes.

If there are no rate changes, it's not a Level 4 workout. And a 20spm average is way too intense unless you've been using a specific Reference Pace for six months or so and built up to it gradually.

Hi Mike. Thanks for the clarification. I am a pretty keen student of your plan and I guess what I meant to say was something like 'a 30R20 could be considered a Level 4 workout purely for the purpose of choosing a split'. As you say, a jump from 16.8spm to 20spm is much too intense and I failed by 100M even though my current 40' 16.8spm sessions are tough but doable. I've set up a 54 day rotation of WP workouts with 27 x L4, 18 x L3, 6 x L2 & 3 x L1 aiming for 1 per day. It seems to be working great with a gradual build up so thanks very much for all the info you have put out.

[Dangerscouse]

I am only just getting back into erging having managed a sub 7 at BIRC in 2009 and currently targeting sub 8 at BRIC this year aged 67.

Wish me luck

Best of luck Kevin, that will be a great result

[Mike Caviston]

I've set up a 54 day rotation of WP workouts with 27 x L4, 18 x L3, 6 x L2 & 3 x L1 aiming for 1 per day. It seems to be working great with a gradual build up so thanks very much for all the info you have put out.

Good luck! I hope you stick with it and get the results you're looking for.

[Elizabeth]

Many thanks again for the replies. I thought a training plan was worth a go as I’m in good aerobic shape but lack power (too many years running without doing any weights). Hopefully the plan will help a bit. I agree with you about the longer rows and I’ve avoided them (at the suggested rate/pace anyway) as they look out of my range and too knackering. I did an hour of 20R @2:00 yesterday but will take on your advice and swap in a couple of faster sessions and perhaps a dreaded 8x500!

Apologies if I’m being a muppet, but I couldn’t find the stroke counter on the ErgData app. If you get a chance please could you send a screenshot? Thank you

We have very similar stats. For whatever it is worth... My "easy" rows are in the 2:06-2:08 range, sometimes slower (2:10-2:12) as the weather gets warmer -- which it is in the Northern hemisphere now, not sure where you are. 30r20 is so aerobic that it would benefit from including the longer sessions, just at an appropriate intensity to keep you fresh to tackle the hard ones

The paces on the hard sessions don't make much sense to me either. I would a hard 10x3 to be faster because of the breaks. I realize r22 theoretically should be faster than r20, but the 1:48-1:50 for 3x10 r22 seems likely undoable.

My 30r20 PB occurred off the back of one hard r20 session a week - plus one hard one that was higher rate, plus lifting and steady state. If that gives you some confidence in keeping in higher rates.

[Cricketbat]

Thanks for the advice, yes, I agree. I’ve done the first 4 weeks with a few modifications and will adapt subsequent weeks 5-8 in light of the suggestions here.

I think the biggest challenge at the moment is the warm weather. I row in the garden (London) and it was still baking hot at 5pm this afternoon, even in the shade. One of the most noticeable things I’ve encountered as I’m getting older is that I find faster or harder sessions much more difficult in the morning (first thing). I’m probably 1-2 seconds/500 quicker as I warm up (like a reptile!) Usually that’s ok as I adapt my training schedule to account for it. But in the summer I’d rather be doing all sessions first thing when it’s cooler. Anyway, it’s not the end of the world. I’ll keep you posted on how I get on but I might break with the schedule and have an early crack at it if there’s some cooler weather soon. Neil