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Hello again Reader
Training consistently is something every masters rower can aim for. Your rowing year will be so much better with regular workouts. Will you row consistently this year?
Reflect on that.
What will it take to be more consistent? Maybe ask a group of rowing friends to commit to a regular practice together. Or agree to do a training camp as a group, learn new skills together, and make that the crew lineup.
A training program designed for masters is part of your consistent training commitment. Three times a week, know exactly what workout you are going to do.
We got a question this week about doing a taper before a 5k test. Should you taper and how much and for how many days?
Tests are a part of regular training and crew selection – it’s obviously important to perform well so you make the team. But tapers are a “bigger” rest and normally come just before a big peak event as the article below explains.
Sculling drills explanations
A few folks requested I reshare the link to buy our drills videos (from the Coach Mastermind service). You will find them in the Coach Resources module.
Yes when you buy, you are allowed to share the videos within your club group.
This week, make a commitment to yourself and your rowing future.
Rebecca
Merch Store Open through 19 Sept
Alongside the lovely 776BC folks, we’ve released a limited edition range of rowing clothing for masters.
Men – unisuit, long sleeve, shorts/trou, singlet
Women – unisuit, long sleeve, shorts/trou, singlet
Take a look today because this time next week the store will be closed.
Two links to separate stores based on your location.
Splits are a useful tool for all rowers – yet they can mess with your training if you don’t know your training zones. Understand how these link together. Click the image to watch.
Boathouse Chat for the Weekend
I have made changes to my exercise routine I was going to the gym around 6am doing between 45-60 minutes on the bike but pushing hard. Then I would do an upper body weight session 6 exercises 10 reps x 3 and 3 sets using 5kg dumbbells. Get home around 8am and walk the dogs for a couple of hours. So from around 11am I was knackered and had a Power Nap but in reality I was done for the day.
So I made the following changes. Cut the early session by 25% then went back to the gym in the afternoon and repeated the morning session. So I have increased the exercise by 50% but I sleep better at night and during the day I am less fatigued. I have one day off a week which physically I need but mentally I miss the sessions.
Having a lighter training week is good athlete self-management when you recognise that you need more rest by tracking the stressors in your life. You can use a daily diary [free download] to help you track your pattern of recovery. This tool is very useful in the context of adapting your training to suit your recovery needs.
When following the full Faster Masters Rowing program, Monday is your only day off in the week, incorporating a degree of unloading will help your progress. Unloading is when you choose lighter workouts.
A typical mesocycle periodized training program follows a loading progression of light – medium – hard – light week.
If you consistently train five or six days a week that is the threshold for possibly needing more rest during a month. Whereas if you do three or four sessions a week there is plenty of recovery time between workouts and you may not need this. Tracking your recovery using a daily diary or HRV [heart rate variability] monitoring will show if you need this.
Get more recovery
Here are some ways you can get more recovery while still following the program. For example if after 3 weeks of full training you feel you need a couple of lighter sessions, choose one of the options below.
Do fewer repeats on the three key workout days (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) e.g. the 5k program has 3x 10’ pieces – do two instead of three
Reduce the category 6 low intensity volume – instead of 60 minutes do 45 or 40 minutes
Take the day off for a full rest on one of the three key workout days (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)
Remember, the program should be challenging – strike a balance between your rest needs and a robust workout.
Taper vs rest
A taper is when training volume is vastly reduced before a race – this helps your body get deep rest, allows for traveling and will leave you bouncing with energy come race day.
The HOCR taper will be published in the October program. The design of Faster Masters programs is such that we do not recommend tapering before a test like a 5k – that’s just part of your training. We’ve been doing race distance workouts at weekends throughout the 5k/HOCR training program.
Resting in order to feel ready to do a test helps you feel prepared for the test. Take a full rest day beforehand – either 3 days before or 1 day before. If you pick 3 days before – choose a light workout on the following day and a medium workout on the day before the test.
In Faster Masters programs the “training load” is designed to stress your body and doing 5k test rows are programmed into the workouts as part of this process. You want your best performance to be on race day, not necessarily on the test day.
To be effective, tapers have to be preceded by strong periods of regular workouts. Most athletes only taper for 2 or 3 events per year. There are only a few weeks left before HOCR and doing a taper now will lower your training stress at a time when the program is designed to be bringing it gradually up. This compromises your ultimate HOCR peak if you’ve not followed the program.
Masters rowing photos
Womens four by Emma Grant
Click the image to see more masters rowing photos.
Whenever you are ready….
Here are ways Faster Masters Rowing can help you:
Align your training to your physical capacity with a program
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