Leg power vs Speed

[toowindy]

I'm a 57 year old lightweight sculler. With a eye on some summer races I've started to mix in some short high rate pieces early in the week before I'm too tired. So far I'm really discouraged. My aerobic pool is deep - no problem chugging along for 13-17K. Do I have to turn to weight lifting? Is there evidence that it might increases leg strength in older men? Or do I make the most of it and accept slowing down as inevitable?

[lt.wolf]

Father Time always wins.

Just keep doing the mileage , lifting will help keep the speed as long as possible.

[KitD]

Also it's early in the season. Fast work always feels heavy in April. Give it a few weeks and it should get better.

[midweight]

A book called "Fast After 50" is the best I've found for explaining the science behind aging and athletic performance and what to do about it training-wise.

The author, in his early 70's I think, a competitor himself and long-time triathalon/biking coach, has really done his homework. As someone with a research background, I especially appreciate that he writes in the sweet spot between magazine eye-grabbing (or now, click-bait) and the dense language of the scientific journals - not too thin, not too thick. There's a bit of translating to do to apply his advice to rowing but if you're already asking these questions you'll have no trouble.

Specific to your question, he says too many masters athlete default to all steady state, all the time, when they should be fighting off the decrease in of cardiac output and loss of muscle mass with (properly dosed) bouts of V02 max and anaerobic training. So it sounds like you're on the right track, remember that gains don't come as fast as they used to!

BTW, no relationship to the author, just recommending a very useful book!

https://www.velopress.com/books/fast-after-50/

[caustic]

There's a lot of evidence to support the hypothesis that short, high intensity training can provide a lot of benefit when it comes to improving cardio-vascular efficiency AND improved muscle mass for mid level athletes - i.e. Tabatta ,etc. I think it would be beneficial to explore doing some alternate training in addition to your steady state, for a few workouts a week. The sessions are shorter, but they are more intense. As with all things, the older we get, start light, work your way up in intensity and resistance, and listen to your body. Understand the difference between a tweak that you can ice out and an injury that you should let heal.

[toowindy]

All good insight. I go through this same cycle of self doubt and low performance every spring of every year. I'll try practice pieces as hard and fast as I can muster for maybe 100 yards max. In some cases I can't get much past my head race pace at 4 or 5 strokes faster. Or I'll blow the start and crab after two strokes. I paddle home on those days discouraged. But it does seem that by July things start to improve. Is this a common cycle experienced by others? Or are you lightweight 50+ guys crushing sub 4 minute 1ks in May?

[boston_1x]

I've had some back and forth with Joe Friel (Fast Over 50)... Joe's stuff is generally in line with Mike Joyner's research & views (he of the Mayo Institute and Twitter) ... Mike researches the physiology of world records, including masters. We had Mike speak at Cambridge last year, & his "masters performance longevity formula" was similarly strength, functional range of motion, vVO2max speed work, diet & sleep.

Were you in my shoes at this point in the season... 1) you'd be doing 1-2K drills in the boat every day and two 60-90min land circuits/week with lots of proprioceptive cuing around improving the speed and control at the very ends of the stroke (F=MA). 2) you'd be making sure your rigging is right... you should be 110-114dg of arc... (get some oar lock guides from Biorow). 3) you'd lighten up your outboard 1-2cm, so you can get through the water effectively (lengthen out later in season)... 4) & you'd throw 10 x (3+5+10) at 36-38 w/ 1min rests on the end of the workout every other day, with emphasis on rowing well. Concentrate on maintaining length at rate. Bump the number of reps weekly from 10 to 14 to 18 to 22, then switch into your longer speed/interval work.

DM me if you want more stuff, re drills

[toowindy]

"you should be 110-114dg of arc". I'm at almost 90 degrees. No possibility of improving this. My oars are 264/82 and my pins are as far apart as possible.
"lighten up your outboard 1-2cm". I have the oars set as short as possible. No more range to play with.

To increase the arc will require a new set of oars - like 159-164. Then I can reduce inboard further and keep gearing appropriate. It's a real bummer being short guys. No easy solutions.

[boston_1x]

What's your spread, and how far through the pin are you

[caustic]

I am really REALLY skeptical about that 100-114 degrees of arc. I have known very flexible scullers in the 6'2" to 6'5" height range who would work very hard to get to 90 degrees, and at least one of them was, many years ago, a very good sculler. I've never seen anyone, even from watching olympic racing videos, with a confirmed 114 degree arc. I call bullshit on that one.

[caustic]

OK, I've been half corrected, thanks to some data beagle sent me . SCULLERS *can* reach those arc length numbers, but I am holding firm on sweepers. And I've not even gotten into wether or not that level of extreme arc length is even beneficial.

[petermech]

"you should be 110-114dg of arc". I'm at almost 90 degrees. No possibility of improving this. My oars are 264/82 and my pins are as far apart as possible.

Pins far apart shortens the arc the scull travels. To increase arc bring the pins closer together.

[singlesculler]

No possibility of improving this. My oars are 264/82 and my pins are as far apart as possible.

So you basically have zero overlap when oars are perfectly straight across, which means when the blades are burried, you have space between your hands, no cross over at all. You are not going to get much of any arc like that. I've been able to rig my 10 year old son (under 5 foot) with decent arc. He's rigged somewhere around 154 spread and 84 inboard.

[toowindy]

I have the pins set far apart to give the handles a chance to separate at the release. My footboard bias is towards the rear so my hands clear the side of the boat handily at the catch. Yes the overlap is minimal at the crossover but I don't care. Sure I could move each pin inward 1 or 2 or maybe 3 cm but my handles would be cramped at the release. So the logical rigger says, well then move your foorboard towards the bow. Sigh. I can't win guys. Short legs are a killer in rowing. I've been tweaking for years with no real improvement. In my view the next set of oars will be 158-263. Keep the gear ratio the same, shorten the inboard 2 cm and that will be the final solution.....

[boston_1x]

Invest a few $$$ with a coach. Do what she/he suggests.