What got you here, won't get you there
Have you noticed that the second time you do a workout it seems easier? Maybe you were increasing from 2 x 15 minutes UT2 (Cat 6) up to 3 x 15 minutes. It seems like a huge step up the first time you do it.
If you do the same workout again within 5-7 days it seems easier. The first session serves as a reference point, an anchor.
This is what is known as the Repeated Bout Effect. Your body's response to a stimulus decreases with each repeated bout.
The more you repeat a behaviour, the less it impacts you because you become accustomed to it.
James Clear, Atomic Habits
When you do the new workout for the first time your body experiences a new stimulus that stresses your muscles and may give you muscle soreness. However, the way people respond to this new stimulus is not constant. Researchers have found that “a repeated bout results in reduced symptoms”. Generally speaking, the more consistently you work out, the less soreness you will experience.
But after a while your body adapts and the new workout becomes "normal". To make more progress, you have to change the workout again and seek new adaptations. Each month the Faster Masters Rowing training programs change the workouts. We leverage the repeated bout effect to help you progress your rowing.
What got you here, won't get you there.
