Help with 6.40 2KM - Intervals?

[nichp1]

I'm quite an experienced rower but tend to do lots of 30min - 40min pieces for base fitness over the winter. Over the last months I've started to get into the competitive side of indoor rowing and really want get my 2k time down from 6.40 to 6.20. I'm going to go for 6.35 at the Welsh Indoor Champs on Dec 6th.

There's quite a lot of talk about interval training as the best way to improve 2km times but I don't know much about this type of training. What would people recommend? I was going to give 4 x 2mins at 1.37 split a go tonight with 2 mins rest between each blast. Does this sound like the right kind of thing?
Nick

[iain]

I am not experienced enough to adapt it, but please see this info from the PP website:

from PP the suggested likely relationships of pace are:

I know everyone is different, but I still want to know what are good times for each of the interval sessions!

Ok, but these are neither targets for the first time you try a session, or even for the longer term.

8 x 500m [r3:30] = 3seconds faster than 2k pb pace (2k – 3)

Speed pyramid = 2k pb pace (2k) [this is 250, 500, 750, 1k, 750, 500, 250 with rest of 1:30 for each 250 rowed]

4 x 1000m [r5'] = 1second slower than 2k pb pace (2k + 1)

5 x 1500m [r5'] = 5k pb pace (5k)

4 x 2000m [r5'] = Half a second slower than 5k pb pace (5k + 0.5)

3k, 2.5k, 2k [r5'] = 1 second slower than 5k pb pace (5k + 1).

Other intervals include 6 x 500 r2' which is approx. 2k pace.

Hope this helps

- Iain

[Nosmo]

Edit: The second reference was down when I first posted. So I've modified this post somewhat.

read this:
http://thepeteplan.wordpress.com/the-pete-plan/

then read this:
home.hia.no/~stephens/interval.htm

then read this:
www.concept2.com/forums/wolverine_plan.htm
http://www.c2forum.com/viewtopic.php?t= ... erine+plan
and www.eudemonia.co.uk/wp%20notes.pdf

There is also a lot of info here: http://www.concept2.co.uk/training/


The first is accessible and easiest to understand/follow.
The second has a lot of basic principles. The rest of the site is well worth reading.
I think the third is the most intelligent plan I've run across. There are some disagreements between above sources. When there are, I think Mike Caviston in general is the one to trust, but as long as you choose a plan and stick to it you will do well. You will have to customize somewhat to fit your needs and schedule, but any one is likely to be much better then making something up on your own.

[Citroen]

You may want to post the same question on http://concept2.co.uk/forum.

[nichp1]

Thanks for the info. The PP stuff looks more varied and has a greater range of times/distance/splits.
Tried out the 4x2min at 1.37 with 2 mins recovery. They really hurt. After the first two I decided to make the last 4mins 4x1min with 1 min rest. Splits came down and stayed down.

What, in your experience is a realistic imrpovement on a 2 kmPB time in 4-5weeks? (based on 6 sessions a week 2 on the erg, 2 weights, 2 on the water)
Nick

[Nosmo]

What, in your experience is a realistic imrpovement on a 2 kmPB time in 4-5weeks? (based on 6 sessions a week 2 on the erg, 2 weights, 2 on the water)
Nick

2 to 4 seconds. But your results may vary.

[atblsb]

My favorite intervals:
* Pyramid: 500-1000-1500-2000-1500-1000-500; Row at 7-8 seconds above race pace and rest about the same time it takes you to row the individaul piece
* 2 X (7 X 1:00): Row at 1-3 seconds below race pace and rest 1:10 seconds between pieces and 10 minutes between sets
* 3 X 10:00: Row at 9-10 seconds above race pace and rest the 8 minutes between intervals (I did this one tonight).

[iain]

My favorite intervals:
* Pyramid: 500-1000-1500-2000-1500-1000-500; Row at 7-8 seconds above race pace and rest about the same time it takes you to row the individaul piece
* 2 X (7 X 1:00): Row at 1-3 seconds below race pace and rest 1:10 seconds between pieces and 10 minutes between sets
* 3 X 10:00: Row at 9-10 seconds above race pace and rest the 8 minutes between intervals (I did this one tonight).

Interesting variants. The paces seem good training paces, but i feel that they may not be maximal for many, e.g. 30' is often only 2k + 10S so I would be confidant of beating 2k + 9S when split in 3 with a long rest. the 1 mins, no experience, but I did do a 16 x 250 r1:30 at around 2k - 4S so would expect to be quicker on your session.

Another common session is 6 x 500 r2' at around 2k pace. 5 x 750 is a good session, but rest and times vary. I think r3:30 is around race pace, but Pete has claimed 4 x 750 r3' is race pace (and I believe is easier).

- Iain

[iain]

Sorry for 3rd post, but it is easy to forget that time and distance intervals are not equivalent, I am not sure which has the more consistant reationship with PBs, but as races (for adults) are all distances (as far as I know) I assume distances will be. For instance within the coaching group I belong to, we have done 5 x 5' instead of our usual longer intervals. Target times vary from 1:39 to 2:02 hence distances from 1230 to 1515m / interval. Applying Paul's law, this means a spread of around 1.5S difference from distance based PBs. This may explain the difference in pace for 1 min intervals as you are 9S/500m faster than me, some 25m / min. So 1 min intervals are almost flat out for me, but I expect to hurt in the last 100 and an extra 3 strokes would be significant.

- Iain