A long report updating the past week (all reports were on the C2 blog forum due to limited access to my Q Power blog)
I mentioned the perfect week not so long ago and after last weeks issues this week I needed to break things down and look at the big picture and take each session day by day.
Here’s what happened Monday to Friday:-
Session #1 – 20 x 500m @ rate 20 (1 rest)
Started a few hours later than planned due to work but pleased this one is in the bag. It’s a real mental mind games session due to the length and number of the reps. It hurts after only a few and 20 just seems a long way away.
Went through pretty consistent although after 7-8 reps I kept saying to myself that this is the last rep at this pace and I will drop it off next – I didn’t!
It’s not an all out session – it can’t be or you just wouldn’t survive, you have to be slightly cautious. However that doesn’t mean you can slack off and have to commit to every stroke off every set. So with that in mind i picked a pace that is tough but achievable.
Goals were:-
– Consistency
– Focus on powerful drive
– Mental strength
– 1 set at a time
– Stay strict on 20 spm
Conditions were tough, very humid and close. Was inside and tried to get a draft by the door. Didn’t work was soaking after 5k warm up.
Last weeks average was 1.40.8 for 15 sets.
Today I aimed for that each time and only had one set that went over (1.41.0). The rest went in there or there about and worked out around 33 strokes each set. A few fast ones every now and then where it cam in around 1.39.7.
Total for session 1.40.5
Rest up and do some work this afternoon before some distance to put in tonight.
Time to eat.
So after an afternoon pretending to do some work and eating I got a small window to take a nap – so I did.
Got up an hour late and went to dinner then pretended to work again – mainly surfing the net and cracking personal admin etc..
Went into session #2 around half 7.
Goals for the session:-
– try not to die of boredom
– enjoy (yea righto)
– think about the 23rd August and how short this session is!
Plan was for 90 minutes at HR capped 75% rate 18. I have to negotiate with the boss over these ones and split them down because I am weak and feeble – trying to protect my chocolate back as much as possible and any considerable time spent rowing without the chance to stand up and stretch is dangerous for me.
3×30 minute at r18 (2 min rest) 75%
Averaged 1.56.4 around 23195 meters.
Happy with today’s efforts – now time to rest ready for round 2 tomorrow – another double day with some weights in the afternoon to mix it up a bit after intervals in the morning.
Session #3 – Intervals of 2k at 90%
A well rested night and into day 2.
This morning’s programme was 4 x 2000m with 5 min rest at rate 24-26 but capped at 90%.
The 90% is a saving grace as to make it not an all out session but high enough to warrant a bit of discomfort and make the piece sensibly paced.
I opted for the higher rate of 26 as my legs were tired from yesterday’s efforts and it showed in set one.
The session was important for me today as I had a HD last week doing this at 85% for other reasons than physical. So I set off with a 5k warm up and thought about goals. The warm up was hot and was soaking as usual come the end. The bursts were slow and the HR was high – oh well its training.
Goals:-
– Sit on rate 26
– Sensibly pace and let the pace drop as the HR comes into effect
– See it out
– As always try and be efficient
– Focus, no mind wondering
The session went as expected to be honest. Pace slowed, wasn’t horrible but was hard graft. Legs felt like led from the word go as did back and arms – no power, a real slog.
Results with no expectations, missing the HR cap (to low) on the first but being sensible:-
1.41.4
1.42.7
1.44.4
1.44.2
All at rate 26
A few hours grace now before moving onto some light weight training.
Session #4 – Afternoon weights
Managed about 4 hours in between this mornings session getting some jobs done at work and eating.
Headed back down the gym around 3pm for some lifting.
Now I haven’t lifted continuously for ever and keep doing bits and pieces – that is about to change. I have set my targets on lowish reps working on strength as I feel I get all the endurance reps I need from the erg.
What tends to happen is the odd session here and there with little or no continuity resulting in untracked performance and no gains including massive DOMS from unconditioned muscles.
Plan was to stick to compound moves and lift light and not to total failure. Almost a ‘feel’ session.
4 sets on each, working up to 1 decent last set (like I said not to total failure but enough weight to work with).
Rep range around 6
Deep front squat – 90kg
Deadlift – 130kg
Flat bench press – 90kg
Wide pull up
Shoulder press (tri set)
Felt good and got some PNF stretching in after on hamstrings and hip flexors.
Eat and sleep now, 30r20 tomorrow on jelly legs!
Session #5 – The mind games of a 30r20
Having got rather accustom to the weekly Q-Power 30r20 session today was no different to any other. As per all sessions this week the new me was taking it session by session and had not thought about this until this morning. I knew when I would be doing it as I had planned out my day and got in an hours sleep early afternoon having finished work at lunch time.
Woke up from my nap around 3pm and headed down to the garage to set up for the piece. Warm up went ok, avoided any bursts and just settled into a 4k low rate steady row increasing the pace gently as we went along. I have got my suunto T6d back (got sent a new one) having rowed the last few weeks without it as it was faulty and was pleased to see the HR behaving.
To say I was totally relaxed was a lie – the tension was building as the warm up proceeded as the reality is you have to hurt yourself for the next 30 minutes.
Now anyone who has done a 30r20 best effort will know how damn uncomfortable it is. It is also a bloody long time to be uncomfortable for watching the minutes agonisingly tick away.
Often enough you get a feeling of whether or not it is going to be quick or not within the first sort of 6-7 minutes. It is then a case of surviving, hanging on for dear life letting the average drift further and further away, digging deep and staying consistent or pushing on and achieving a PB.
For me it was about remaining consistent. Now looking at my EPOC (191) at the end and training effect (4.2) it was pretty low for such a session. I won’t be accused of not trying hard enough as it was pretty horrible but although these pieces are best efforts there is best effort killing yourself and best effort grinding on nicely – I went for the latter.
Mind games
I have done this before where I have taped up the screen and estimated 25 minutes or so to great effect – today it nearly had an adverse effect.
I taped up the screen and choose 6 longish songs to play. The plan was to count 5 songs then whip of the tape to reveal sub 5 minutes left. I got the maths wrong and whipped it off with 9 minutes remaining which nearly resulted in a HD!
I tried everything counting 20 strokes, counting 10 and then 10 again even started breaking them down into 5’s and further still.
How the mind wanders and you ask yourself lots of questions when in pain – voluntary pain.
Anyway with no target in mind I am very happy with today’s row and today’s result especially mid week on tired legs and DOMS from weights yesterday – that afternoon nap is a saving grace though!
8423 meters average/500m 1.46.8
‘This is my church this is where I bleed’
Today was a simple session – a bit of distance low rate HR capped at 75%.
Didn’t fancy it this morning, didn’t fancy it this afternoon, didn’t fancy it this evening.
Thought of 1 or 2 reasons not to do it at all then thought of 3-4 reasons to do it.
Had a stealth nap at work around 5.30pm and go up 45 minutes later and headed to the gym.
No music, no i pod, no TV – just me an erg and a PM3 – the best way to do it.
A small warm up then off an exciting 18k (3x6k) adventure with 2 minute rests.
1st 1.53.8 @ 18
2nd 1.55.4 @ 19
3rd 1.54.5 @ 20
EPOC topped around 97 in the last set
That’s about as exciting as it gets. One more day tomorrow, two sessions to fit in but one session at a time remember.
Piece by piece, day by day, week by week, month by month …….
Session #7 & #8 – Ain’t nothing to it but to do it.
Like the title suggests ‘there ain’t nothing to it but to do it’.
Woke this morning and training was the last thing I wanted – peak week in Q-Power taking its effects and feeling tired.
Had 2 sessions to get in to finish the week – still one at a time though the week isn’t done yet.
4x1500m at rate 30-32 (5r)
A tired body on tired legs a decided it wouldn’t be quick but just get the training done.
Hit a 4k warm up with 2 bursts – still didn’t fancy it. Like I said one set at a time though.
Enjoyed keeping the rate up around 30-31 and feeling the light pressure on the handle. Managed to neg split all sets not an ‘all out want to die’ session but worked hard and grinded away being consistent.
Finished with a total average 1.38.5 @ 30 – happy enough (last time i was 1.37.4 so not bad considering the work i have put in this week). No need to all out sprint the last few hundred metres of each piece but turned on the pace a little bit.
A few hours rest running around teaching and taking circuits and then after lunch finished the week of nicely with some more weight training.
Usual sort of stuff – low reps (5-6) not form failure but building into it nicely.
KB snatch
Squat 110kg
Flat bench 90kg
Bent over row 90kg
Focused on great form and a good squeeze.
That’s all 8 sessions in 5 days (target achieved).
2 days rest moving into recovery week on Monday before hitting a 10km TT at row24 on Thursday afternoon http://www.q-power.co/World_Record_Attempt.html
