Looking for my MHR.

[dm3o]

Hi. I started rowing 8 months ago, after many years of no serius excercise and I noticed a lot of improvement, specially in the test times.

Now I am looking for a training progam to continue improvimg my times and find out I need to estimate my MHR.

I read the Training Manual and went directly to the Step Test. I got 162 beats at the step 5 and 6, but I was expecting something better after comparing this to the 220-51=169.

This means my MHR is 162, or am I doing something wrong?

My best time on 2000 m is 7:59.7 (I didd it last week). With this I calculate my Max VO2 to be 2.9 L/min, but I do not know wath to do with this number.

[jamesg]

The impression, as you are a youngish 80kg male, is that you're not using your legs as much as you could. If you did that 2k at higher rating than 21-22 then this is certain. It's the legs that shift the boat, load the CV system and get us fit, if we use them.

This is what the rowing stroke looks like, and it's no different aground:
http://www.ara-rowing.org/rowing-stroke

To simulate a fast boat, which is what we want, the drag must be low, damper <3. This makes the pull quick, so it can be long with plenty of work and plenty of time for the recovery. Work is the product of length x handle force, and think of length as free, while force is expensive. The erg sees only real engineering Work put into the handle, so we have to put it there if we want to see the numbers.

The basic technical drill to learn to row and to see how much the legs can be used is to start on the backstop, arms only, then add swing, then add increasing knee lift until you reach the chain-guard with your hands. This cycle should take 5 minutes at least, and is also useful for warm-up. Let the rating drift naturally from 50-60 to 18-20, at which level you should see maximum power. Always relaxed, no hurry, straight back, head up and always with the arms-swing-legs sequence during the recovery; this is essential to getting immediately into the right posture for the next catch, which must be done with shins vertical and your weight well on your feet.

Once your stroke is in place, 100.000 a year should be enough.

PS; sei in Italia?

[TabbRows]

Demetrio,

Over on the Training Forum of these threads is a "sticky" that has a link to the UK site and Eddie Fletcher's spreadsheet on heart rate calculations.

You can estimate your max HR via age and resting HR. There are also other formulas to help gage your max HR that are better than 220-Age. I'd use these to check to see what your "targeted" HR should be. All these estimates should be within a heartbeat or two of each other. But you might just want to take the mid point of all of them. Then redo your step test with better technique at lower ratings and see if you're getting closer.

As far as VO2Max numbers go...VO2 Max simply measures the degree of capacity your body has to transport and utilize oxygen. Low numbers often related to poorer fitness levels. VO2Max can be improved with interval training, but probably only by 20-30%. Mostly how big your engine is is a function of genetics. And some rowers with lower VO2 Max can beat rowers with higher VO2Max because they row more efficiently. Also VO2Max will decline with age. so unless your VO2Max is low for your age group based on the matrixes, you don't really need to worry about the number. Just try to improve your efficiency and power. Then, over time, your VO2Max will rise a bit and your MHR will improve as well.

But most of all don't be a slave to the numbers. Row as well as you can, strive to improve in steps that are achievable for you and have someone look at your technique from time to time to make sure you're not forming bad habits.

[Bob S.]

This is what the rowing stroke looks like, and it's no different aground:
http://www.ara-rowing.org/rowing-stroke

Here is another which is specific to indoor rowing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqVmMd7FdAA

Bob S.

[dm3o]

If you did that 2k at higher rating than 21-22 then this is certain. It's the legs that shift the boat, load the CV system and get us fit, if we use them.

Actually I did it at 25-28 strokes per minute.

The basic technical drill to learn to row and to see how much the legs can be used is to start on the backstop, arms only, then add swing, then add increasing knee lift until you reach the chain-guard with your hands. This cycle should take 5 minutes at least, and is also useful for warm-up. Let the rating drift naturally from 50-60 to 18-20, at which level you should see maximum power.

I will tray this tomorrow and let you know the results.

PS; sei in Italia?[/quote]

No. Actually I am in Monterrey, Mex.

[dm3o]

TabbRow:

Thank you for the advice.

But most of all don't be a slave to the numbers. Row as well as you can, strive to improve in steps that are achievable for you and have someone look at your technique from time to time to make sure you're not forming bad habits.

This is what I have been doing the past 8 months; I am just looking for a better strategy to improve.

[dm3o]

you're not using your legs as much as you could.

Jamesg:

You were rigth: Iwas not using my legs properly. The very first day my legs were "weak" after a few strokes and I needed to row againg using more the arms. This has changed over the time.

This thing of making the stroke longer is great! After a few days traying to row the rigth way, I noticed the HP increased noticeably and that I am rowing at a lower peace (23-26 vs. 26-29) but I am not able to get to the 18-20 you recomened. It looks like the breath rithm does not match with the row rithm and I feel the need to start a new stroke just to get some more air.

On the other hand my numbers were bad but I hope after some time I will be getting better results. Tomorrow I will test my 500m time and let you know.

[Bob S.]

I noticed the HP increased noticeably and that I am rowing at a lower peace (23-26 vs. 26-29) but I am not able to get to the 18-20 you recomened. It looks like the breath rithm does not match with the row rithm and I feel the need to start a new stroke just to get some more air.

I just posted this on another thread and I think that it might be appropriate here:

The key to rowing at low rates is to take time on the recovery. This does not mean pausing. The handle should be moving continuously, but don't be in a rush to take the next stroke. Once your hands are out past your knees and you have bent forward at the hips, just glide up slowly on the slide, preparing to make the next catch. I routinely row at 12 spm in warm ups and cool downs and I usually count out the seconds — one at the catch and all the way through the hands away, then 2, 3, 4, and 5 as I roll forward on the seat.

Yes, breathing is a problem in rowing — trying to get a proper coordination of stroke rate and respiration rate at high intensity efforts. I find that I tend to take two breaths with each stroke at lower rates. At moderate intensity, I have not found breathing to be a problem at any stroke rate.

Bob S.

[dm3o]

Bob and Jamesg:

Thank you very much for your help. I did my 500 m test last wendesday and got a good surprise: I reduce my time by 1.2 sec. I think this is a result of a longer stroke and better usage of my legs. Still there is a lot to improve on the legs stuf.

Regarding the slow rowing, I got 21-23 strokes by counting as Bob recomended, but I think I need to practice a lot more because I feel the movement is not fluid.

To solve the breathing stuf I reduce the stroke's power.

Waming up at 12 strokes still lokks imposible for me. I will continue working on that.

Thanks for the help.

[jamesg]

Well done. Don't worry about the rating, a lot depends on your height. I'm 188cm and never go higher than 22-23, usually 20, because I pull long strokes (having done so for 50+ years and with no inclination to change now), and to go higher kills me.

For fluidity, relax and follow the hands-swing-slide sequence to the letter. It'll come natural after a while. If your strokes are long, there's no need to go particularly slow or to pause.

For warm up, there's no obligation to pull at low rates, but it is important I think to pull at low force. Indeed if you use the backstop routine for warm-up too, you'll find yourself pulling at 50-60, arms only, to start with.

[hjs]

Hi. I started rowing 8 months ago, after many years of no serius excercise and I noticed a lot of improvement, specially in the test times.

Now I am looking for a training progam to continue improvimg my times and find out I need to estimate my MHR.

I read the Training Manual and went directly to the Step Test. I got 162 beats at the step 5 and 6, but I was expecting something better after comparing this to the 220-51=169.

This means my MHR is 162, or am I doing something wrong?

My best time on 2000 m is 7:59.7 (I didd it last week). With this I calculate my Max VO2 to be 2.9 L/min, but I do not know wath to do with this number.

You max hartrate is your max hartrate. You can't calculate it. If you got 162 on a hard steptest, that is your max. Use this untill you see is go higher.

[dm3o]

You max hartrate is your max hartrate. You can't calculate it. If you got 162 on a hard steptest, that is your max. Use this untill you see is go higher.

This mornig I break my previous mark on 5k by 28.5 sec to 21:16.3. I know it is not a big deal, but clearly it is a result of better technique (Thanks againg Bob and Jamesg).

At the end of the test I check my Heart Rate and it was 160. Following the recomendations I got in this forum I increased the power (by using more the legs), made longer strokes and reduce the pace. Actually I rowed altmost at the same rate all the time. If my MHR is 162, how could I row at this rate for over 20 minutes? I mean, I did the Step Test only 4 weeks ago.

[jamesg]

When you did the step test, you were not using all your muscle. So your HR as measured then was not your real maximum. Then you improved your technique (as your results show), so that now you have seen how to use more muscle - mainly by increasing the use of your legs, where the main rowing muscles are. This puts more load on your CV system, which reacts by increasing your HR.

The main point about good technique is not that it's nice to look at, though it can be, or that it's more efficient, though it is, but that it makes us work harder - so we get fitter. It works in two main ways: by making sure the stroke is full length, and by getting us into a strong position for the catch so that we can pull hard and fast with no risk of injury.

The various MHR formulae should not be considered predictors, they are averages seen in a certain population examined. The 220-age formula seems to be the worst of all, for people who are reasonably fit. It would say the average for people of your age is 170. Mine is 170+ and I'm 68.

For me at least, 205 - ½ age is more accurate. For you this would give 180. If you train at a power level that lets you carry on for 30-60 minutes, with plenty of sweat, then you are getting fit. The range 140-160 should be ok, but at least initially you'll have to observe your Power output, HR and other reactions to see how they correlate; when you have this data, you can use HR as a monitor, adjusting your power level automatically as you get fitter and better at it.