Cross Training: Rowing

[woollypigs]

When (if) you store your water-rower upright, do you empty the water tank?
How often do you put tablets in to purify the water, and do you vary the resistance, by adding
reducing the amount of water in the tank?

No the water stays in there just fine when standing up. They sell a blue colour you can add to the water. I have been thinking about some gold fish ...

I had it for nearly a year and haven't added anymore tablets bar the first one I put in. From what I read if it gets direct sunlight you might need to do so more often.

Yes to vary the resistance you need to add or remove water. I filled it to about the calibration marker (17 litres) for the first 2 months. Then I filled it to the max 19 litres and haven't touched it since, caused I felt it was a bit to light. But what waterrower is good for, as I understand it, is the strength/resistance is more fluid, as in you get what you put in.

This is from their manual :

RESISTANCE SETTINGS
The WaterRower is unique in using the effect of drag to provide an exercise which is entirely self paced.
Because drag is linked to speed, a crew rowing down a river chooses its intensity of exercise simply by altering
the pace at which they row: the faster the boat travels the greater the drag and the harder the crew must work.
This is a similar effect to swimming.
By replicating these dynamics the WaterRower does not require adjustment to increase resistance: if a more
intensive workout is required, simply row faster and harder, and the WaterRower will respond accordingly.

WATER LEVEL
The amount of water in the tank simulates the weight of the boat and crew as it glides down the river. Changing
the water level does not change the resistance, it simply changes the mass which the user is trying to move.
Increasing the water level simulates a heavier boat and crew mass, similarly reducing the water level
simulates a lighter boat and crew mass.
The water level is adjusted according to one’s personal preference or user type; the intensity of course is
altered simply by moving the chosen mass faster or slower. A level gauge is positioned on the tank just below
the computer. Typical settings are:

Children 12-14 liters
Women 14-16 liters
Athletes 16-18 liters

NOTE- Fill the tank with ordinary municipal water. Municipal water contains additives which will deter algae
growth. Distilled or purified water has had these additives removed, promoting algae growth, and should
therefore be avoided. (Refer to the section on Periodic Maintenance for advice on water treatment). Should
the environment in which the WaterRower is stored be subject to freezing, we recommend adding alchohol to
the water.

[woollypigs]

New toy time, I couldn't wait anymore and got the SmartRow gizmo for the waterrower.

Now I can see my splits and spm over the whole row. I noticed that my splits are more even when I row my own things. When rowing to Uncle john* I'm all over the place like a yo-yo

There's few options for races: against everyone who have done X distance today, against anyone who is in your time/weight/age group (of all time), against your friends at a time you set up (others can join too), against your own best time. Also you can set up a split (carrot) to row against/with.

This will totally kill me, I gotta set up a limit to only "race" once a week. I have already set a new PB with one these races.




*Uncle John's 24spm video on youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGVCp0Nce64

[woollypigs]

Well that was fun, followed Uncle John and his "row off beer" today https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lQQy02U1S8 and there is also one for CAKE too.

Easy 10000 tomorrow and then it's the boat race on Sunday. I wonder how much different it would be after a year, where I had only rowed 10 times beforehand.

Last year I managed on the women's race to row 4813m and in the male race I rowed 3411m, the same time they rowed 4890m. Oh and because there were some faff at the start of the women race, I ended up with a five minutes head start.

[woollypigs]

This year boat race results are in:

This year they rowed 6800'ish metres. I rowed both at a hard'ish tempo that I'm comfortable with.

The woman's race I did : 18m30s and 4387m, 26spm
The men's race I did : 16:44 and 4025m, 27spm

I wouldn't have been able to do this a year ago. It was fun to row along with them, even though I tend to do nice and steady 10km's rows, not into that racing malarkey.

I tried at one point to follow the ladies stroke rate and the result was : youwhatnow!!! I saw they had about 35-36 at one point, I'm sure that's when they were "taking it easy" and not any sprinting.

[mike]

35 was their target race pace, it's a bit easier hitting those rates when you're in a boat...    (they can wind it up to 45 if they want to, but not for much more than a couple of minutes)

Hell of a day yesterday.  I spent most of the last week in London helping cambridge get ready and then was in a launch following the reserve women's race (we won that too - so cambridge won all 3 women's races, the lightweights won by something like 15 lengths a couple of weeks ago). I've been very lucky to be part of it.

[Oscar's dad]

Hell of a day yesterday.  I spent most of the last week in London helping cambridge get ready and then was in a launch following the reserve women's race (we won that too - so cambridge won all 3 women's races, the lightweights won by something like 15 lengths a couple of weeks ago). I've been very lucky to be part of it.

How cool it that!?!  Like you say, what a thing to be part of 

[Marco Stefano]

Hell of a day yesterday.  I spent most of the last week in London helping cambridge get ready and then was in a launch following the reserve women's race (we won that too - so cambridge won all 3 women's races, the lightweights won by something like 15 lengths a couple of weeks ago). I've been very lucky to be part of it.

Congratulations, Mike, & well done CUBC women.    It's been rather quiet on the water in Ely in the last couple of weeks...

[mike]

Hell of a day yesterday.  I spent most of the last week in London helping cambridge get ready and then was in a launch following the reserve women's race (we won that too - so cambridge won all 3 women's races, the lightweights won by something like 15 lengths a couple of weeks ago). I've been very lucky to be part of it.

Congratulations, Mike, & well done CUBC women.    It's been rather quiet on the water in Ely in the last couple of weeks...

thank you! make the most of the flat water, the chaos restarts next weekend! Lots of triallists for us to weed through...

[Marco Stefano]

thank you! make the most of the flat water, the chaos restarts next weekend! Lots of triallists for us to weed through...

<dons orange anti-Cambridge hat and top>

[mrcharly-YHT]

I have dipped a toe into the dark side and tried my hand at rowing.

Not a racing shell, but a racing skiff; a St Ayles skiff. Four plus Cox.

Absolutely lovely boat, based on Shetland fishing boats.  We bimbled out of Stornoway harbour, mostly, on a lovely sunny day. Surprised me with how quick it was; we were surfing waves back.

I think I'll do a bit more of this. There is a club in Stornoway, plus an informal group who have their own boats. Racing is semi-serious (meaning that crews actually do some training). The St Ayles skiff world champs have been held in Ullapool, with people coming from the USA, Australia and NZ.

[mike]

oh my.   The cambridge women's boat had one of the world's best rowers in it this year (a Kiwi). Her pairs partner has been in Ely for a while so the two of them can get ready for the world championships in Europe next month, and this morning I followed them in a launch and it was just beautiful to watch.   

The consistency and accuracy is just staggering, they waste no energy, miss nothing at the catch and every stroke is the same - regardless of rate, weather, steering.. it's just the same, every stroke, for 90 minutes.  And so quiet! No wash at the finish, no splashing about on the recovery, beautiful to see.

and they're nice people too, dammit.  Inspirational stuff!!

[Marco Stefano]

Yesterday's low HR single sculling outing; pushed off just when CUBC rowers were coming out across the river, kept ahead of them until our main straight. The whole outing was then an exercise in managing passing; 'come by, pair', 'come by, Cambridge' (repeat ad libitum). I went off-piste down the Lark (which feeds into our main river - amazingly clear water, weird to see the bottom running past 8-10 feet below), but still got caught up in the middle of the pack when I came back. Good outing though.

Surprising how lumpy the water can be made by a good pair rowing past (and putting about 5 times the power into the water as I was...  ).

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Concept II Holiday Challenge is on again.   I might try for the pin (200000m by 24 December) as it will give me the incentive to get the core strength up for PBP next year.   Started with 10k today, but will have to put  in a few hours and a 25k later on to make up for the days when I am not rowing. 

[L CC]

I got the pin last year and am aiming for it again 

8400 this morning before work

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Had the opportunity to go for a long cycle ride on Sunday.  That and other usual December stuff means i am way off track.  Hopefully will be able to get to 100km

[L CC]

BN: Our C2 has died - the clutch has gone and the fix is a replacement flywheel assembly
GN: A straightforward fix
BN: I will not get the 200k - no time left
GN: It will be super smooth when it's fixed.

[Genosse Brymbo]

I guess those doing the C2 Holiday Challenge are rowing at some sort of endurance pace, rather like when riding an audax.  When I used a C2 regularly in a gym a few years ago I recall 2:10/500m pace as feeling like something I could do all day (although the longest time I rowed was about 30mins) and anything under 2:00/500m was considerably more difficult and not sustainable beyond 2000m.

I'm interested in what what an endurance pace is for those YACFers doing the challenge.  Or maybe my assumption of it being rowed at an endurance pace is incorrect?

[De Sisti]

I guess those doing the C2 Holiday Challenge are rowing at some sort of endurance pace, rather like when riding an audax.  When I used a C2 regularly in a gym a few years ago I recall 2:10/500m pace as feeling like something I could do all day (although the longest time I rowed was about 30mins) and anything under 2:00/500m was considerably more difficult and not sustainable beyond 2000m.

I'm interested in what what an endurance pace is for those YACFers doing the challenge.  Or maybe my assumption of it being rowed at an endurance pace is incorrect?

Depends on what session I undertake. 12 x 500m will be different to, say, 4 x 2000m or 3 x 13 mins.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

I guess those doing the C2 Holiday Challenge are rowing at some sort of endurance pace, rather like when riding an audax.  When I used a C2 regularly in a gym a few years ago I recall 2:10/500m pace as feeling like something I could do all day (although the longest time I rowed was about 30mins) and anything under 2:00/500m was considerably more difficult and not sustainable beyond 2000m.

I'm interested in what what an endurance pace is for those YACFers doing the challenge.  Or maybe my assumption of it being rowed at an endurance pace is incorrect?

When I row on the C2, it is mostly endurance pace, typically 5000m+.  I find that I can sustain a pace up to about an hour, but after that fatigue seems to have a progressive effect.  C2 website allows you to rank 5000m, 10000m, half-marathon, and marathon rows, and I found that I was in the same percentile (roughly) for each of these - perhaps 10000m was my best distance - but that might be because only the really serious distance rowers get to 42,195m, so this benchmark would be a different community.

[Jakob]

Got back on a (C2) rower for the first time in years, as I need *something* to keep me fit here in the winter.
Not trying too hard, partly because I know I'm very unfit, but at least get some benchmarks:
2000m : 9:18
A few minutes break and then
500m : 1:48
(I had almost forgotten how much these sucked)

Forgot my fitbit again, so have no idea of heartrate, but I had more left.

Once the gym re-opens after Xmas, the plan is at least 2k per day.  It's not a lot, but I want to do *something* everyday and this should be an achievable target. Gym is like a 3 minute drive away. (And yes, in -30C , I drive even that short distance).

[Jakob]

Ah and I missed that the gym is closed until Jan 3rd. So much for that plan.

[L CC]

I'm interested in what what an endurance pace is for those YACFers doing the challenge.  Or maybe my assumption of it being rowed at an endurance pace is incorrect?

I row at 2:30 splits because I am short fat and old. I can row for 2 or 3 hours at that though, with an interesting enough film to watch.

[woollypigs]

If you don't have the space there's now this - https://launch.myrowbro.com/ a portable rower

[De Sisti]

If you don't have the space there's now this - https://launch.myrowbro.com/ a portable rower

No information on price.

[De Sisti]

I'm interested in what what an endurance pace is for those YACFers doing the challenge.  Or maybe my assumption of it being rowed at an endurance pace is incorrect?

It would also be interesting to know what resistance level we row at?