Lift, Eat, Row, Sleep - Black Night's Log

[black night]

Hello all! Figured I ought to quit lurking and start contributing to this forum.

I train primarily for rowing competition on the water in the single scull.

The energy breakdown for the sport is approximately 80% aerobic and 20% anaerobic over the competition distance (2000 m). That said, the peak forces required are high for a cyclic endurance sport, and rowing has produced some rather strong specimens. It's not uncommon to see 250+% body-weight deadlifts from high-level rowers concomitantly doing 200 km of endurance work. Understand, however, that there are also a lot of silly strength training practices in the sport (1500-rep circuits w/30% 1RM) and an entrenched tradition of Bompa-style periodization. I like to think that my own training, thanks in no small part to the information available on this site, avoids some of the pitfalls inherent in the more orthodox S & C approach while including the aerobic and skill practice required to perform at a high level. Further optimization of my strength work (~15-25%) is a major goal of this log, and I'm hoping to get some pointers and discussion out of this gig.

I'll include my diet, too, as I think that I tend to struggle with recovery from the volume of work that I do. Insights in this area would be of particularly high value.

Me

23, male, 6'4", 205 lb (though I struggle to keep this up), 6'9" wingspan, MHR: 203, RHR: 53, ~10% BF, no injuries.

5RM Squat: 330#
5RM Deadlift: 450#
5RM Press: 180#

My legs are weaker than my back and midsection. I have poor squat mechanics (hip and shoulder) and leg press instead.

2000 m Concept2: 6:04
500 m Concept2: 1:20
Peak Power Concept2: 1150 W

Eat paleo plus full-fat, fermented dairy, potatoes, and occasional peri-workout gatorade

Typical diet is 45% fat, 30% carbs, 25% protein; usually getting ~3600 kcal/d

Training Plan

Right now my training week looks like this:

M, W, R: 2 x 80 min Rowing, Extensive Endurance (HR ~140)
T: 1 x 80 min Strength; 1 x 100 min Crosstraining (HR ~125)
F: 1 x 80 min Rowing, Intensive Endurance (HR ~160)
Sa: 1 x 80 min Rowing, Extensive Endurance; 1 x 50 min Mobility
Su: 1 x 80 min Strength; 1 x 80 min Rowing, Skill emphasis (HR ~120)

Total: 13 sessions; 80% aerobic; 15% strength; 5% mobility

A strength session right now is as follows:

1 x 10 Box Jumps (30"), Mobilitywod
4 x 6 Leg Press, 4 x 10 GHR (Done in alternating fashion)
3 x 5 Press, 3 x 15 Toes-to-Bar (Alternating as well)
1 x 5 Deadlift (90% working max)

I have access to a great gym at my university.

I hope this will be a productive experience, and thanks for reading.

[black night]

12/11/12; Strength & Recovery

AM: 10 x Jumps from sitting on a 10" box to a 36" box, 4 x 6 Leg Press @ 690#, 4 x 10 GHR @ BW+30#, 3 x 5 Press @ 160#, 3 x 15 Toes-to-Bar, 1 x 5 Deadlift @ 410#
Breakfast: 6 egg omelet cooked in coconut oil with 10 oz. chicken thighs and 0.5 lb potatoes, green tea
Lunch: 10 oz. chicken thighs with 0.5 lb potatoes and grass-fed butter, green tea
PM: 100' cycling on rollers; HR 122, MHR 136
Dinner: 1 lb. 85/15 beef, 2 lb potatoes, an onion, 6 rashers bacon, 2 peppers, water

[black night]

12/12/12; Aerobic Threshold

AM1 80' Rowing, Concept2; HR 136, MHR 151 (72% race speed, stroke rate 16)
Breakfast: 12 oz. chicken thighs, 0.5 lb potatoes, coconut oil, 1 avocado, green tea
AM280' Rowing, Concept2; HR 135, MHR 153 (72% race speed, stroke rate 16)
Lunch: 1 lb 85/15 beef, 2 lb potatoes, 4 rashers bacon, 1 onion, coffee
Dinner (shortly): 1 lb 85/15 beef, 1 lb potatoes, 4 rashers bacon, 1 onion, peppers, water

Felt good today, HR was stable and had no soreness (lumbar has been testy thanks to escalating rowing volume). Bonus lifting session tomorrow. Going to squat for the first time in 6 mos. Did K. Starrett's couch stretch a lot.

[black night]

12/13/12; Strength, Aerobic Threshold

Breakfast: 10 oz. chicken breast, 0.5 lb potatoes, coconut oil, 1 avocado, 1 oz macadamias, coffee
AM 10 x Seated Box Jumps from a 10" box to a 36" box, 4 x 6 Back Squat @ 250#, 3 x 5 Press @ 162.5#, 3 x 15 Toes-to-Bar, 1 x 5 Deadlift @ 415#
Lunch: 1 lb beef roast, chiles, 20 oz. rice, green tea
PM 80' Rowing, Concept2; HR 133, MHR 150 (70% race speed, stroke rate 16)
Dinner: 1 lb beef roast, chiles, 16 oz. rice, water

Squatting felt quite good, if the load was a bit low. Hip drive felt better on rowing later as a result. Felt really tired at bedtime.

[black night]

12/14/12; Aerobic Threshold

AM 80' Rowing, Concept2; HR 147, MHR 161 (82% race speed, stroke rate 18)
Breakfast: 10 oz. chicken breast, 0.5 lb potatoes, cococut oil, 1 avocado, 2 oz. macadamias, green tea
Lunch: Chipotle, Chicken burrito bowl
Dinner: 1 lb beef roast, 20 oz. rice, chiles, pint of beer, water

Oh my adductors! To bed early again. Solid week of training.

[black night]

12/15/12; Aerobic Threshold, Mobility

AM 80' Rowing, Concept2; HR 134, MHR 150 (72% race speed, stroke rate 16)
Breakfast: 2 doughnuts, 16 oz. rice, 1 lb beef roast, chiles, coffee
Lunch: pot of coffee, 16 oz. chicken thighs, 1 avocado, 1 head of cabbage, kimchi, 1 oz. macadamias
PM 5 x mobilitywod, some box jumps to 48" box (a little too high, busted my shin)
Dinner: 10 oz. chicken thighs, 1 lb potatoes, 1 avocado, 4 rashers bacon, 2 fingers bourbon

Updated for the last few days. Time for sleep. Knackered.

[Anna Bollocks]

I like this log. I'm interested in seeing how your training plan carries over to your sport.

One question. What are your thoughts on the power clean for enhancing rowing performance? A couple of rowers I've met in the past said they really liked the clean and even the hi-pull because it has a lot in common with the explosive rowing movement.

Thanks, and best wishes.

[M-Squared]

I'm also finding this interesting.

Is the organization of endurance sessions strictly around heart rate, rather than pace, typical for rowers?

[black night]

Thanks for the kind words, both of you.

AB: I don't power clean because power isn't really a limiting factor for me anymore. I can produce ~1200 W of peak power, which is "strong enough." My strength training now is primarily for injury prevention, balance, and optimizing body composition/health. The PC is a lot like the rowing stroke and CAN be useful for getting more powerful if it's a limiting factor.

M-Squared: The intensity of the endurance sessions is based on blood lactate and work per stroke. Extensive endurance is done at 1.5-2 mmol/L and intensive endurance is done at ~2.5 mmol/L. I test every 10 days and adjust my pacing accordingly. Stroke rate is fixed at 16/18 to keep peak forces and work per stroke in the appropriate window (i.e. scaled to the requirements of my goal race performance- can provide more detail if you'd like). Heart rate correlates roughly with lactate concentration and provides instant feedback about my technical efficiency and recovery status session-to-session.

Cheers.

[black night]

Small update to my stats and some clarification regarding my goals.

Me

23, male, 6'4", 205 lb (though I struggle to keep this up), 6'9" wingspan, MHR: 203, RHR: 53, ~10% BF, no injuries.

5RM Squat: 330#
5RM Deadlift: 450#
5RM Press: 180#

My legs are weaker than my back and midsection.

2000 m Concept2: 6:04
500 m Concept2: 1:20
Peak Power Concept2: 1150 W

2013 Goals:

2000 m Concept2: <5:58
500 m Concept2: 1:19
Peak Power Concept2: 1200 W
Concept2 Power at 2 mM/L blood lactate: 220 W, stroke rate 18
All at 92 kg (202 lb)

A strength session right now is as follows:

1 x 10 Box Jumps (30"), Mobilitywod
4 x 6 Low-Bar Back Squat
3 x 5 Press, 3 x 15 Toes-to-Bar (Alternating)
1 x 5 Deadlift (90% working max)

Cheers.