Concept2 Forum

Hello

I have been using the Concept2 UK interactive training program. After filling out the required information, I was given a complete plan. Today's workout was ....

Row two 12 minute pieces
Keep my heart-rate between 149 and 163
Keep my pace between 2:12 and 2:19

I rowed my first piece at an average pace of 2:11, and the second at 2:10
My max HR for the first piece was 153 (average around 150), and my max HR for the second piece was 155 (average around 153)

What should I do to calibrate my program? Should I up the pace range so that my heart rate is more squarely in the range?

Any help would be appreciated

John

Heart rate information is not relevant, unless you know your maximum and minimum heart rates and the range of your heart rate reserve, or have other sessions for comparison.

It is much better to go by the effort.

As you are just beginning with the program, if it felt like a good effort but wasn't a strain then that's probably a good pace for you. You'll go faster with lower heart rates as you get used to the exercise.

After doing some testing (myself) I nailed down my max heart rate (191). Resting is around 54, though when I was younger in ranged down to 45. I have no idea about my heart rate reserve.

I think the UK Program works off of your 2000K time trail. I did 7.50, which was tough work (and done at around the same pace as you do a half marathon, and you're 7 lbs lighter!!!)

I think I'll just adjust to pace goals down a little. My form is improving rapidly, and I think I could get down around 7.40 on the next go around.

Thanks for your help John

Hi John,

You're welcome and thanks for the compliment.

The heart rate reserve is the difference between your maximum and minimum heart rates, i.e. from 54 to 191, which is 137 beats. The percentage you are rowing of this is the percentage of your heart rate reserve.

For example, 155 is 73.7 percent of your heart rate reserve.

[ 155 - 54 ] / [ 191 - 54 ] = 73.7 percent

I always go by time though, and don't pay much attention to heart rate, just checking it on occasion for curiosity.

Thanks for the explanation of heart rate reserve John.

I was concerned about heart rate mainly to avoid over-training. I tend to just go all out, all the time, so I figure that watching HR might be a good way to keep this in check.

Things continue to trend a bit below the UK plan suggestions. Yesterday I did a 12' AT piece at the correct heart rate, but the pace was a bit below (2:03.5 instead of 2:07 - 2:12).

I am training for the CRASHBs. This will be my first rowing event! I'm sure that poor technique is holding me back, but I watch videos on YouTube and read.

Thanks again

John

I've been using the interactive plan as well. The numbers fit for me pretty well.

The idea of the plan is to do workouts which focus on various type of exercise - UT1 rows for general aerobic capacity, AT work for lactate tolerance, AN workouts for fast-twitch fibers, etc. These are determined by your heart rate. So now that you have your accurate max HR and resting HR, put those into the plan. When it tells you to do 2 x 12' at whatever band, pick a pace that gets your HR to the upper end of that band at the end of the 12 minutes.

It will suggest paces to get you there, based on your best 2k time trial. However, you may find that it doesn't fit (in your case, you have to row faster than your suggested pace to hit the HR target). This means that your 2k time (with little or no training) could probably be much better than what you typed in.

What I would do is figure out what paces you row to achieve the HR bands it gives for you. After you have those for the different bands, go back to the interactive plan and type in different 2k times until you find one that gives HR bands and paces that match for you. I bet that's the real 2k that you can do (or at least should shoot for in the indoor race).

Tom

Thanks Tom

I took your advice and lowered the 2K time until my pace / heart rate seemed to jive with the calculator.

The calculator now claims that I can row a 7:20 2K which seems almost impossible at this point (I haven't done a test for three weeks, and my time was 7:52)

Perhaps my form is improving?

... it was almost more fun when I thought I was "beating" the predications. Now those AT sets really mess with my head!!!!

Thanks again

John

If you're just starting with the rowing or exercising (or both), you may be surprised how quickly your 2k can drop at first. Going from 7:50 to 7:20 in a few months' time is very doable. Like everything else, improvements will then slow down as you approach your limits. I'm now happy to drop 2 seconds in a month, and anticipate soon that even that will stop!

Been trying to reach that interactive program on the UK forum for a couples of days now but the site is always down.
Any other similar programs available or any links to the UK forum interactive program that work for you?
T.I.A.