Pete Plan Thread

[jbhop5857]

Good Day,

Cycle 2/ Week 1/ Day 4
10k SS at 2:07 - HR stayed under 140.

I am behind a session this week and I am trying to not let it bother me, but in the second cycle that is not a great sign. I have added some extra cross training and that took more of a tole than I thought it would. I think backing off the intensity of both a bit and growing into it over the next few weeks will work fine.

@ray - Yeah, I don't know. One thing I know is that last time I did the PP I kept setting new PB's almost every week at different distances after about the 3rd cycle. I am close to those times now. However, I think doing so really took a tole on my body and did not allow me to focus as strongly on the training piece. So, that being said, when the numbers show me I can make a decent improvement on a PB, I will do so, but I am not looking for them right at the moment. 8k in 30 is a milestone I am really looking forward to, I am extremely confident it will happen, but want to focus on the training for now.

Have an awesome day,

David

[bob.haffner]

@Ray, thanks!

Decided to start a day early

PP
Cycle 1 | Week 1 | 8 x 500m 3:30r
01:54.9
01:54.2
01:52.3
01:55.2
01:54.7
01:53.4
01:52.6
01:41.3

Coming off a back injury, but it felt pretty good during this. Let's hope it still feels good tomorrow .

Bob

[jbhop5857]

Bob,
Awesome start!! Glad to have another person on the plan. Really helps when we are all dealing with the same pain of progression.

David

[nwb]

Evening everyone! Newbie here, so hello from me

My own Model D arrived last week after using a very tired example, so I'm starting to get my technique together - the Pete Plan looks like a very nice option for improving my fitness and hopefully my times too...

[bob.haffner]

Thanks @David!

Congrats, @nwb . You'll love it

[mdpfirrman]

@ nwb - welcome! Congrats on your rower!

@ Bob - I can barely pull a 1:41 500 now, so for you to do that on your last set is pretty impressive after back surgery!

@ David - strong work! Good idea, though, not going for a PB everytime. I learned that, too, the hard way a long time ago. The "hard TT session" shouldn't always be going for a PB. Too hard to sustain that.

OK, started out this morning. Went to the gym (wife wanted to go to the gym), so used their C2. Finally, they've fixed it so the rower wasn't an issue though I had to wait on it a bit. 8 X 500m (W1/D1), was concerned about just getting it done. I've had two/three weeks back since vacation, so I'm not in terrible shape but I'm not in optimal either after getting sick for 2 weeks, then getting sick. Was thinking anything below 1:50 avg would be OK and just go out and complete it.

1:49.4 / 28
1:48.9 / 28
1:47.4 / 29
1:48.2 / 29
1:47.4 / 31
1:48.3 / 30
1:49.7 / 30
1:49.6 / 30

1:48.6 / 29 avg.

So, not terrible but not optimal either so right about where I thought I would be (maybe a tad stronger than I thought I would be). Really struggled through the last 2. Good news is, I really felt like I had good form throughout. I was really pleased that I had (for me) relatively quick hands starting the recovery. My last round in late Jan was around 1:46, so I'm off quite a bit from that (and my best is around 1:45.8 I think) but that's to be expected first round, especially with the time off recently. Felt good to get it done and not HD!

[bob.haffner]

@ Bob - I can barely pull a 1:41 500 now, so for you to do that on your last set is pretty impressive after back surgery!
\

Thanks, Mike. I didn't need surgery just tweaked it being dumb and not warming up properly for some deadlifting.

Welcome back to the Erg!

[RayOfSunshine]

A lot of good work guys.. especially coming back.

@nwb, welcome to the PP thread and congrats on your purchase. I brought mine with me to the mountains for the summer.

I am behind a session this week and I am trying to not let it bother me, but in the second cycle that is not a great sign. I have added some extra cross training and that took more of a tole than I thought it would. I think backing off the intensity of both a bit and growing into it over the next few weeks will work fine.

I am still recovering from moving to the mountains from the ocean a week ago.. right after my 10k TT. So, adding in hiking has me destroyed. I'm going to ease back on the erg sessions for the next 1-2 weeks to try to get acclimated to the altitude and cross training. I will do BPP 20.1 until I can do the 12k at something close to what it calls for.

[nwb]

Thanks for the welcome!

Firstly, a quick question - are times here Raw scores or Weight adjusted?

I have started Pete plan this morning and initial the aim was to get stroke rate under control. This morning was a minor triumph, keeping the rate down to 20spm, rather than the normal 26-28. I seem to have cured the early 500/1r addiction.

On a less positive note though, its looking like I'm a 12 stone weakling Power output is averaging 93 watts, and 2k times are (raw) in the later 9s, so big improvements needed in that department. I suspect legs need to be doing some more work?

Nick

[mdpfirrman]

Thanks for the welcome!

Firstly, a quick question - are times here Raw scores or Weight adjusted?

I have started Pete plan this morning and initial the aim was to get stroke rate under control. This morning was a minor triumph, keeping the rate down to 20spm, rather than the normal 26-28. I seem to have cured the early 500/1r addiction.

On a less positive note though, its looking like I'm a 12 stone weakling Power output is averaging 93 watts, and 2k times are (raw) in the later 9s, so big improvements needed in that department. I suspect legs need to be doing some more work?

Nick

Nick, they are the "raw scores" on here. Don't compare yourself to anyone. Trust me, there are all types on here from beginners to very experienced athletes. I'm a "weekend warrior" guy that was out of shape for decades and started working out in my 40s rehabbing a bad knee and eventually got in OK shape. David, for instance, is a beast. Bob's goal is a sub 6:30, which since he's coming back to erging, he seems to know he's capable of doing that (that's a really, really great time if he can come close).

Improvement is the key and just getting into better shape for all.

Going from 26/28 to 20 is quite a challenge. One thing I find very tough about that is never stopping artificially. For good form, you always want to be moving, regardless of how slow the recovery is. I find 20 SPM challenging because I often get in the bad habit of stopping my hands.

[nwb]

Thanks Mike,
Its early days and technique is improving, so hopefully times will follow - I have just managed to knock 10 sec off 2k, so the new machine & the confidence it brings are helping. Yes, cadence is a tricky one and I need to smooth things out; persistence will win over in the end.

[jbhop5857]

@nwb - glad to have you aboard. Something in 9 minutes is not too shabby for just starting out. Especially at the 2k, it is a distance that with practice on pacing alone will see the time drop significantly, but it is quite hard to not think you can push your butt hard the whole way. The Pete Plan is absolutely the way to go, either the beginner or the full plan. Pay attention to the recovery part of training, you can't overdo that. Ice packs, heating pads, protein, icy hot, days off if needed, the plan is a tough one and you really need to be UP for the sprint portions. I have overdone the steady state in the past and paid some price. This forum is awesome for people of every ability, you will learn a lot as I do on a daily basis.

[Dangerscouse]

Thanks for the welcome!

Firstly, a quick question - are times here Raw scores or Weight adjusted?

I have started Pete plan this morning and initial the aim was to get stroke rate under control. This morning was a minor triumph, keeping the rate down to 20spm, rather than the normal 26-28. I seem to have cured the early 500/1r addiction.

On a less positive note though, its looking like I'm a 12 stone weakling Power output is averaging 93 watts, and 2k times are (raw) in the later 9s, so big improvements needed in that department. I suspect legs need to be doing some more work?

Nick

Nick, try and stay patient and focus on only one part at a time. Getting the technique ingrained for r20 is important but you will also lose some power in the process.

I found it was helpful to emphasise pushing alternately with one leg then the other, then both for a a few minutes in a session. It helped your brain make the connection between the leg drive.

As Henry once said imagine you're jumping back from the rower as a way of focusing on leg drive. This is a great nugget of advice.

Your 2k time will keep improving so don't worry or expect to be at your best anytime soon. A big part of the 2k, apart from general fitness, is about believing you can do it and pushing through when you would otherwise quit. This only comes with experience.

[mdpfirrman]

@ Stu/David, really good advice. I like that Henry nugget. I must have missed that a while back. Great piece of advice.

SS today for me (W1/D2). I was pretty sore waking up today. I tried to get at least 100 heavy KB swings in yesterday and some other lifting too after the row so I was a bit sore.

6K @ 2:11.7 (I think, really worked slowly into it) and 26 minutes on the AirDyne Pro (the Assault style bike I have). I like mixing up the SS work anymore between the rower and the bike. Helps me recover a bit better. Still, 52 minutes of working time at around 157 Watts, which is pretty easy for me. Like David mentioned, the SS should be as "easy" as it needs to be. I didn't have any problem remembering that today. It's tougher when you're actually feeling good to pull back the reigns a bit. I honestly feel better after working out than before and that's really how it should feel after a lighter SS day.


If I were prepping for a race, I wouldn't do the lifting with the last round of the Pete Plan likely, but since I'm in the middle of my "off season" being exclusively a couple event a year indoor rower, I'm fine with lifting while doing the PP now. I just have to be smart about it.

[jbhop5857]

Mike,
How do you break up your lifting with the PP? What does your weekly schedule look like?

David