Years ago I used to do my "UT2" trainings at 1'55 for 40 to 50min @18spm, felt completely destroyed after that, didn't monitor my HR but no doubt I've been overdoing it to see the split go down (and was encouraged to do it that way). I then had a long rowing break and sedentary life because of med school, learned a lot about physiology and the science of evidence based fitness during this time and recently got back to exercising via Crossfit. I've been doing pretty well on the cardio workouts, and decided to give another chance to the erg and add some zone 2 to my training routine. For the last couple weeks, I've been incorporating 2 proper 1 hour UT2 sessions per week, at a target of 140bpm (70% of my highest HR as mesured on previous hard workouts) and went for it. During my last workouts I paced at about 2:35min/500m at 18spm for an hour, roughly 90watts, barely felt the effort, RPE 2-3. It's very disturbing rowing to such a slow pace, and having to hold back my pulls to stay in the zone, although I consider myself to be quite fit and can achieve pretty sustained intense effort during WODs. Are my HR calculations wrong ? Should I expect to see my pace droping and wy watts getting higher as I keep training that way, or is speed not that important as long as I spend hours a week in the zone 2 ? Very interesting to experience this workout the way it's supposed to be, I'm really eager to see the progress through the months in all the aspect of my fitness.
140 Avg HR is often right, even that could be a bit high. Use this UT2 Calculator ltsk23rswsx.typeform.com/to/Jea4acts?mcp_token=eyJwaWQiOjExMjkzMTEsInNpZCI6MjA2Njk0NTI1OCwiYXgiOiJjMWJlNGY3ZDVhYjVhNWM1MzY0MDhkMWIwMDFmODUyYSIsInRzIjoxNzI2MjA2NjE1LCJleHAiOjE3Mjg2MjU4MTV9.BayzewzAk2qhKCdhBj2O8TS4tlRIARnaxdSIdqQycoM
I've been doing zone training on the row for months- following this 80/20 (well i try...) using HR keeping my LSD in zone 2 HR and concentrating on max output (both effort and HR) a few times a week for shorter sessions.
Really interesting video, thanks very much for sharing! I’m bouncing between different sessions at the minute without much of a goal, but finding following this polarised principle is helping motivation wise.
Excellent content & explanation Jack. Question for you - My rowing coach in college had a hypothesis that for steady state training, you want to be as close as possible to 2.0mM blood lactate so that you train your body to clear lactic acid more efficiently at higher wattages and push that lactic acid accumulation curve further and further to the right. In effect, most of our training would be 75-85% of max HR, RPE 5-6. Given what you describe here, would you say this hypothesis is a myth, and that we should have been doing steady state at a lower intensity (like 65-75% max HR, RPE 3-5)?
100 ways to skin a cat. But yes my experience is you dont need to sit in that mid zone. You can sit much lower get the same benefit without the risks. Motivation and quality of HIT is higher as well.
Is recovery the only reason for keeping your zone2/UT2 so slow? Ie - you go slow in order to maximise the amount of metres rowed as this is the only important metric. Or, is there a physiological benefit to doing the same x kilometres at 140HR vs at 160HR (200HR max) if recovery is not a variable?
Does it impact overall recovery much to add a non-rowing specific weights session? Eg. If I do a ut2 in the morning, would an afternoon shoulders or arms workout impact recovery much
In general not as much, but still beneficial. Generally I think to make it closer, make make the bike a minimum of 1.25x total time you would of done on the erg. If it is something that allows you to get consistent mileage in, and it helps you enjoy training more - then thats a good enough reason in my books.
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Years ago I used to do my "UT2" trainings at 1'55 for 40 to 50min @18spm, felt completely destroyed after that, didn't monitor my HR but no doubt I've been overdoing it to see the split go down (and was encouraged to do it that way). I then had a long rowing break and sedentary life because of med school, learned a lot about physiology and the science of evidence based fitness during this time and recently got back to exercising via Crossfit. I've been doing pretty well on the cardio workouts, and decided to give another chance to the erg and add some zone 2 to my training routine.
For the last couple weeks, I've been incorporating 2 proper 1 hour UT2 sessions per week, at a target of 140bpm (70% of my highest HR as mesured on previous hard workouts) and went for it. During my last workouts I paced at about 2:35min/500m at 18spm for an hour, roughly 90watts, barely felt the effort, RPE 2-3. It's very disturbing rowing to such a slow pace, and having to hold back my pulls to stay in the zone, although I consider myself to be quite fit and can achieve pretty sustained intense effort during WODs. Are my HR calculations wrong ? Should I expect to see my pace droping and wy watts getting higher as I keep training that way, or is speed not that important as long as I spend hours a week in the zone 2 ?
Very interesting to experience this workout the way it's supposed to be, I'm really eager to see the progress through the months in all the aspect of my fitness.
140 Avg HR is often right, even that could be a bit high. Use this UT2 Calculator
ltsk23rswsx.typeform.com/to/Jea4acts?mcp_token=eyJwaWQiOjExMjkzMTEsInNpZCI6MjA2Njk0NTI1OCwiYXgiOiJjMWJlNGY3ZDVhYjVhNWM1MzY0MDhkMWIwMDFmODUyYSIsInRzIjoxNzI2MjA2NjE1LCJleHAiOjE3Mjg2MjU4MTV9.BayzewzAk2qhKCdhBj2O8TS4tlRIARnaxdSIdqQycoM
This guy knows his stuff!
I've been doing zone training on the row for months- following this 80/20 (well i try...) using HR keeping my LSD in zone 2 HR and concentrating on max output (both effort and HR) a few times a week for shorter sessions.
Would be interested in a video on how weight training fits in with this concept, thanks
good suggestion - I also recommend checking out Row Faster Series - Strength Training and also Row Faster Series - Weekly Schedule
Really interesting video, thanks very much for sharing! I’m bouncing between different sessions at the minute without much of a goal, but finding following this polarised principle is helping motivation wise.
Excellent content & explanation Jack. Question for you - My rowing coach in college had a hypothesis that for steady state training, you want to be as close as possible to 2.0mM blood lactate so that you train your body to clear lactic acid more efficiently at higher wattages and push that lactic acid accumulation curve further and further to the right. In effect, most of our training would be 75-85% of max HR, RPE 5-6. Given what you describe here, would you say this hypothesis is a myth, and that we should have been doing steady state at a lower intensity (like 65-75% max HR, RPE 3-5)?
100 ways to skin a cat. But yes my experience is you dont need to sit in that mid zone. You can sit much lower get the same benefit without the risks. Motivation and quality of HIT is higher as well.
@@JackBurnsEdgeRowing makes total sense. Thank you!
Is recovery the only reason for keeping your zone2/UT2 so slow? Ie - you go slow in order to maximise the amount of metres rowed as this is the only important metric. Or, is there a physiological benefit to doing the same x kilometres at 140HR vs at 160HR (200HR max) if recovery is not a variable?
Same benefit doing UT2 at (200mhr) 140Hr vs 160Hr, 160Hr is far more risky and can in some cases cause overtraining.
Great explanation... I'm a recovering over trainer😂
sorry to hear about that! Take it easy, dont be afraid to take an extended period off. Dont be afraid to go easy, then dont be afraig to go hard!
@@JackBurnsEdgeRowing thank you, Good luck with everything and congratulations on your wedding
and great video btw!
you gave 47-52% of your 2k watts for low intensity. What do you recommend for the high intensity percentage?
watch Row Faster Series - finding your splits
Does it impact overall recovery much to add a non-rowing specific weights session?
Eg. If I do a ut2 in the morning, would an afternoon shoulders or arms workout impact recovery much
I think youd be absolutely fine adding extra "beach weights" sort of training
@@JackBurnsEdgeRowing beach weights 😂
Is there a specific reason to avoid the mid zones?
Yes, it has the same benefit as low intensity with more fatigue
Do you get similar benefits doing the UT2 work as cross training eg on a bike or is it best to do it on an erg 🤔
In general not as much, but still beneficial. Generally I think to make it closer, make make the bike a minimum of 1.25x total time you would of done on the erg. If it is something that allows you to get consistent mileage in, and it helps you enjoy training more - then thats a good enough reason in my books.
@@JackBurnsEdgeRowing finding myself doing 90 min ut2 bikes more through the summer to give my hands a rest 😅