If I Only Had A Heart Readout

if-i-only-had-a-heart

Today’s session was an easy/recovery 6K.  There was a problem though, in that there was no heart rate display.  Tried two different straps and batteries.  So at this point I don’t know if both straps have failed or if the HR receiver on the Concept 2 rowing machine has a problem.

Without a heart reading, I couldn’t get enthusiastic about rowing.

There was also a strength-training/pushups session scheduled for today.  No HR is needed for that.  The results of the pushups program session will follow the rowing information.

AS-Mar-27th-6K-training-detail
Descriptive instructional details
AS-Mar-27th-6K-training-finish
Finish screen for the 6K. I paused several times to try different things with the heart strap.
AS-Mar-27th-6K-training-rpt
The heartless session report
AS-Mar-27th-6K-training-gphs
Graphs of pace only.

The pushups session showed a little progress even though the actual results didn’t reach goal amounts in all sets.

pu-wk-3-sess-1

Happy rowing to you.

No Straining Rowing Training

no-straining-rowing-training
This is one way to experience no-strain rowing … if you don’t have access to a rowing machine.

Today’s rowing session was slightly hampered by a virus.  The positive thing about the virus is that it resulted in more sleep than usual.  The not so positive thing about it is that I felt slightly feverish and low energy and had to waste a lot of tissue paper blowing my nose.

Today’s training session was six 2K intervals patterned as 6x2Kr500 within a total distance of 16,000 meters.  With 1,250 meters total warmup and warm down.

Due to low enthusiasm matching the low-energy, the training session was done in a no-strain whatsoever manner.

ARr-Mar-26th-16K-training-detail
The prescribed details for today’s rowing. Compliance was optional. The 2 graphs below the details are graphs of the warmup.
ARr-Mar-26th-16K-training-finish
Finish screen of 16K
ARr-Mar-26th-16K-training-rpt
Session report
ARr-Mar-26th-16K-training-gphs
The graphs tell the story best.

Happy rowing to you.

 

I Love RowPro’s Idea Of A Long Time

a-long-time-context

Today’s training session was described (as you can see in the screenshot below) as “row fast for long times”. The rowing fast consisted of three 500 meter intervals nestled at the front of a total 10,000 meter distance.

Okay RowPro… if you think the time it takes to row 500 meters is a long time that’s fine with me.  Other than the 3 x 500m, it was an easy session, which was also quite fine.

If you wonder why I didn’t apply the part where it says “focus on doing the fastest Pace you can sustain for 20-60 min” to the longer than 20 minute balance of the 10K … notice that there was a HR zone for the balance of the 10K.  When complying with keeping HR between 89-112, I’m rowing an easy pace which is a lot slower than what could be sustained for 20-60 minutes.

During the time after the 3x500m, I watched part of a movie and watching the movie took more mental effort than did the rowing within HR zone of 89-112.

AR-Mar-25th-10K-training-detail
Descriptive details for today’s training session.
AR-Mar-25th-10K-training-finish
Finish screenshot of the training session
AR-Mar-25th-10K-training-rpt
Session report
AR-Mar-25th-10K-training-gphs
The lovely graphs.

Happy rowing to you.

A Bit Of A Break From Harder Rowing

taking-a-break-from-rowing

The guy in the photo above is taking a bit of a break from harder rowing. You would have to ask him whether it was a refreshing break. Most people’s idea of a refreshing break includes ingesting liquids instead of vice-versa. But … different strokes for different folks.

The break today wasn’t exactly the same as what is pictured above.  It didn’t involve transferring anything from myself to a plastic-lined garbage can.  Instead, I just rowed easy, which is what today’s training session called for.

As you can see from the photo above, it is labeled as being from a website that focuses on rowing the 2K distance, row2k.com.  Actually, I found it on another rowing blog, which probably got it from row2k.com.  The other rowing blog is churbuck.com and the page of the blog where the above photo was found is HERE.

The churbuck blog is about much more than indoor rowing and is much more authoritative than anything you will find that originates in my blog.  So – if your appetite hasn’t been spoiled by the above image and you hunger and thirst for more authoritative, technical blog writing then check it out by spending some time there.  It is one of many (probably hundreds) of other websites about and relating to both indoor and on-the-water rowing.

Don’t get the wrong impression from the guy grasping the waste can – most people DON’T have that reaction after rowing a competitive 2K!  He may have been sick or he may have eaten something that a human should not have consumed…. Most people are merely winded, somewhat drained of energy and a bit overloaded with lactic acid after rowing a hard 2K.

Today’s rowing session was preceded by another strength-training pushups session, the results of which will be displayed after the rowing session images.

AQq-Mar-24th-6K-training-detail
Descriptive details of today’s training session, as displayed after the included warmup and just before the training session began.
AQq-Mar-24th-6K-training-finish
Training session finish screen
AQq-Mar-24th-6K-training-rpt
Session report
AQq-Mar-24th-6K-training-gphs
Though HR graph line is rather horizontal, the slant of the pace per split is trending upwards in the top graph so it looks like the phenomena of “chasing a second wind,” from start to finish.

Today’s strength training results are on the line for Friday of Week 2:

pushups-wk-2-session-3

Happy rowing to you.

Sharing The Sweatness

share-the-wetness

When a rowing crew wins, they like to share the sweatness by tossing their dry coxswain into the wetness.  But there’s really no way to completely share the experience unless someone tries rowing for their own personal experience.

Today’s rowing session involved moderate sweatness because it was rowed with moderate vigor.  The session consisted of 4 x 2000m at restricted stroke rating, done in a total distance of 12K.  The additional warmup and warm down was 1,250 meters.

AQ-Mar-23rd-12K-training-details
These are the descriptive details of today’s training session. RowPro always displays them at this point, just after the warmup is finished and before the main part of the training session begins.
AQ-Mar-23rd-12K-training-finish
The finish screen after the 4 x 2K was done within 12,000 meters.
AQ-Mar-23rd-12K-training-rpt
Session report
AQ-Mar-23rd-12K-training-gphs
Graphs of progress during session

Happy rowing to you.

 

Almost Full Body

almost-full-body

One of my cellphone apps gives healthy advice on a daily basis.  The above screenshot was taken of some advice it gave in favor of rowing. The illustration below is more specific, to show some of the muscles used when you row.

almost-full-body-illustrated

So, if you haven’t started rowing yet, what are you waiting for?

Today’s training session was 4 x 500m within 10K, with 1250 meters total warmup & warm down. There was also a strength training session, the results of which will be shown on the bottom line after the rowing session screenshots.

APp-Mar-22nd-10K-training-finish
Finish screenshot for today’s 10K portion
APp-Mar-22nd-10K-training-detail
Descriptive details for today’s session
APp-Mar-22nd-10K-training-rpt
Today’s session report
APp-Mar-22nd-10K-training-gph
The graphs.

Strength Training: Today’s pushup results are on the bottom line of the screenshot below. The results of the last set of pushups today, 2, was far from the 8+ called for so no progress was made there.

The total number done today was the same as the previous session, so no progress in that respect either.  But … the maximum number done consecutively in one set did actually increase by 1, so all-in-all I’m going to count today as PROGRESS in strength training.

pups-wk-2-day-2

Happy rowing to you.

Tempo Load Rowing, Supposedly

supposedly-tempo-load-rowing
When I searched for an interesting image today, the search terms used were “tempo load rowing” and this image came up at the top of the list. Whatever kind of rowing it was, it looks like this photo was taken when they were poised to start.

Today’s training session was coded as “Tempo Load” but let’s just call it 4×1000 meters done in moderation, with a few constraints.  Total session distance was 12K, with a total of about 1K warmup and warm down.

AP-Mar-21st-12K-training-finish
Finish screen of the main 12K portion.
AP-Mar-21st-12K-training-detail
Descriptive and encouraging training details.
AP-Mar-21st-12K-training-rpt
Session report
AP-Mar-21st-12K-training-gph
The graphical picture.

Happy rowing to you.

Short Splashy Sprints

short-splashy-sprints

Today’s training session consisted of 4 very short sprints of 200 meters each, within a total session distance of 6K.  Added on to that was a 2K warmup and 2K warm down.

The sprints weren’t actually splashy of course, because it is indoor rowing, with the only water in the immediate environment being the humidity in the air and a few drops of sweat that drip onto the machine.

For the sprints, the HR range specified in the training detail was disregarded because I think the algorithm used in the software for providing the HR ranges is in most cases inaccurate and shows a range that is too low.  So I just focused on staying within the specified SPM range and rowing hard during those 4x200m.

There was also a strength training session today, which was done before rowing.  But that will be shown here after the rowing stuff.

AO-Mar-20th-6K-training-finish
finish screen view after the 6K portion
AO-Mar-20th-6K-training-detail
Training details
AO-Mar-20th-6K-training-rpt
Session report
AO-Mar-20th-6K-training-gph
Session graphs

The strength training was another short and simple dose of push-ups while following in the push-ups book mentioned earlier.  Here are the results so far:

pups-wk2-session-1

Happy rowing to you.

Pulling Twelve Miles Of Chain

pulling-chain

Today’s rowing session was five 2K intervals within 18,000 meters, plus another 1,250 meters of warmup and warm down.  Altogether it was 19,250 meters, which is almost 12 miles.

Sometimes its more fun than at other times.  Today it seemed a bit of a drag and I was happiest when it was over.  Had to take a break for a call of nature during the rest period between the 4th and 5th 2K interval.

ANn-Mar-19th-18K-training-finish
Finish screen after the 18K portion was done.
ANn-Mar-19th-18K-training-detail
Training details, with on-screen graphs of 500 meter warmup visible below.
ANn-Mar-19th-18K-training-rpt
Session report
ANn-Mar-19th-18K-training-gph
The top graph clearly shows where I took a break for a call of nature.

Happy rowing to you.

Steady As You Row

smooth-steady-climb

Today’s training session was two 250 meter intervals within a 10,000 meter total distance.  The two short intervals were fun.  The rest of the 10K was a steady pace (except for the times when I switched to one-armed rowing while operating the remote control for music selection on youtube).  There was a total of 2,750 meters of warmup/warm down.

AN-Mar-18th-10K-training-finish
finish screen for 10K portion
AN-Mar-18th-10K-training-details
Training details
AN-Mar-18th-10K-training-rpt
Session report
AN-Mar-18th-10K-training-gph
Graph for the 10K portion.

Happy rowing to you.