BWare's Intermediate Training Log

[Bruce Ware]

9/30 Session 34-4 Back

Pull-/Chin-ups (assisted) -- 125 x 8 x 3; 4 mins rest between

WG Lat Pull-downs (1-1/2's) -- 125 x 12 x 3

1-Arm DB Rows -- 60 x 12 x 3 each side

Rear Delt Raises -- 60 x 12 x 3

DB Shrugs -- 120 x 20 x 3

Duration -- 43 mins

[Bruce Ware]

10/1 Session 34-5 Light Lower (Squats)

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
135 x 5
225 x 5

DB Goblet Squats -- 60 x 12 x 3

Leg Extensions (1-1/2's) -- 120 x 12 x 3

Ab Wheel Roll-outs -- 3 x 15

Duration -- 35 mins

This weekend coming is major prep for our 5000-meter race, and I've only today discovered that I'll be on the crew for the 8; we have a bit of trouble getting people to commit, given that we are all living/working adults with obligations and sudden changes. But apparently, I'll be sitting in seat 7, starboard side, which I've only gotten working about half of our practices this season, so I'll have to really focus on getting the movement patterns down. But I have at least had some time on that side, so it shouldn't be too bad. We have tomorrow, Sunday, and then next Saturday's practice sessions to work out the kinks and get everyone tuned for their positions. And of course a different coach tomorrow, another different coach is expected on Sunday, and no one knows who'll get the nod for the pre-race practice or the race itself. I'll post the weekend's outcomes on Sunday afternoon.

[Bruce Ware]

10/4 the Weekend Update

Sat 10/2 AM Rowing practice -- with this being the last weekend before our 5000 meter Challenge race, I expected to get a lot of intense coaching and prep -- getting the right rowers into the right seats, solidifying our line-up, thinking about our strategy, getting the coxswain tuned up and ready to make those race-critical decisions (like when to hit the over-drive, when to sprint, when to execute the hard turn, etc.). I expected to get the coach from last weekend back to finish his refinements on our technique and to keep practicing the hard parts of the race. NOPE!

We had another coach scheduled to take today's practice who, for some unknown reason, was delegated to coach one of the racing team boats; we, on the other hand, got a coach we've had once before, who clearly showed up only after being told at the last minute that he was coaching -- so, no lesson plan, no ideas about what to work on, very little idea of where we were in our training and prep. Further, we had no coxswain. So, with 8 rowers showing up, we managed to recruit one of the novice rowers (they had an extra), and put one of your rowers (she already knew she was not going to be racing next weekend) as the coxswain. She's coxed before, but only a scull, so this was her first time steering a sweep boat. She did fine, but of course we could not work on our tactics for taking the high-speed turn.

And to top off the morning, the coach had a mechanical issue with the motor of his launch, so after stalling it out and only getting it re-started 10 minutes later, he could only drive around us in circles (the engine wouldn't go to idle) while shouting instructions over his bullhorn. In the end, our practice session last about 40 minutes, and it was of literally no value at all in terms of getting ready for the race. Another page in this season's diary of "How to Screw the Intermediates".

All-in-all, I gave myself about 25 minutes of "rowing" credit on my fitness tracker. At least I wasn't like the one team-mate who drove almost 2 hours from his home to get to the practice. Oh, and BTW, it appears that I'll be sitting in seat #4 for the race (port-side) rather than #7 (starboard) where I had been originally told I was going to sit.
--

Sunday 10/3 AM Rowing practice -- After yesterday's debacle, it was anyone's guess how this day would go. We had a different coach; she's been with the club for a while, and knows her stuff, as well as being a member of the club board, so she also knows how disgruntled the intermediates are with how we've been treated this season. No coxswain, again. And today, 7 rowers in attendance -- one of the guys designated for next week's crew had spent the night in a hospital getting his knee MRI'd -- apparently, he hurt himself during the week, practiced yesterday even though injured, and the strain was enough to make his knee swell up and painful. We're hoping he can fix it with some basic rest and Ibuprofen during the week and be ready to row next Sunday. Otherwise, we will need to find a replacement.

OK, so we picked up a novice to fill the eighth seat, and the racing team kindly lent us one of their coxswains, who turned out to be a real gem. I was back in seat #4, so at least that part remained consistent.

We practiced some extended rows at slow-ish rates and moderate power, to work on timing and coordination while pushing up the cardio endurance. We were supposed to do 3 15-minute pieces after the technique drills, with 5 minutes at a slow rate and 10 minutes at a higher rate. We got two pieces done, and then the coach challenged us to row at a reasonable rate with high-ish power, and if it took us less than 15 minutes to get back to the barn, we could finish early. We cranked it out pretty well and turned in a very respectable 12m:30s for that stretch.

Still no practice for the challenge speed-turn, but at least we know we can row sufficiently well enough together to get a clean run at good speed. And this coxswain was excellent! She kept up on task with a lot more in-flight instruction and fine-tuning than our other coxswains have typically given, including advisories that she was applying the rudder (which makes the boat lean a bit to one side), which allowed the rowers on the affected side to modify their hand-heights slightly to keep the boat better set.

We're still not clear on who is going to coach next Saturday at the last practice or who will be coaching for the race itself, and our line-up may still be in flux, if the one bad-knee dude can't get his swelling/pain reduced. I think I'm as well-prepped as it's going to get.
--

Measurement Sunday

OK, so these were taken after rowing and getting some food, so there's bound to be some unexpected variation. And, BTW, I've set a new baseline for 9/5, when I started the Baker Powerbuilding routine, so all numbers will be in comparison to that baseline (except for year-to-date metrics).

Tot Wt (spot) 193.8 (+0.6 from last week; +2.0 from baseline); (week avg) 193.1 (-0.7); (long avg) 192.8 (+0.2)

LBM -- (spot) 176.1 (+0.2 from last week; +1.8 from baseline); (long avg) 175.4 (+0.1); (ytd) (-3.5)
FAT -- (spot) 17.7 (+0.4 from last week; +0.2 from baseline); (long avg) 17.4 (+0.1); (ytd) (-1.1)

Yields an est BF of 9.0% (spot = 9.14%)

Eating for the week was a bit off -- 143/209/97 for 2280 kcals in. I need to focus on getting more food intake. I use the metric "week avg" for my total weight to see if there's a correlation between that metric and the food input. Hard to say for sure at this point: I've had weeks where my "week avg" tot wt was down while my eating numbers were up, and vice versa. I plan to have enough data in a few more weeks -- there were a few weeks in July and August where my tracking went to heck.

And, finally on Monday, 10/4 I will be starting the next week of the powerbuilding routine, the week of 5's.

[Bruce Ware]

10/4 Session 35-1 Press

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
95 x 3

working sets:

115 x 5 x 3; 5 mins rest between

Seated DB Shoulder Press (last set incl 4 drops) -- 90 x 12, 12, 10, 8; 80 x 9; 70 x 9; 60 x 11; 50 x 10

DB Side Delt Raises -- 40 x 12, 10, 9, 10

CG Bench Press (triceps; last set incl 4 drops) -- 110 x 10, 8, 8, 8; 100 x 8; 80 x 12; 60 x 12; 50 x 12

DB Tricep Kix -- 30 x 15 x 4, each arm

Duration -- 72 mins

[Bruce Ware]

late entry -- 10/5 Session 35-2 Light Legs (Deadlift)

warm-ups:

135 x 5
225 x 5

DB Romanian DL -- 120 x 12 x 4

Standing Leg Curls (1-1/2's) -- 60 x 12 x 4, each leg

Duration -- 35 mins
--

10/6 Session 35-3 Bench Press

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
95 x 3
135 x 3

working sets:

165 x 5 x 3; 5 mins rest between

Incline DB Chest Press (last set incl 4 drops) -- 90 x 12 x 4; 80 x 10; 70 x 9; 60 x 9; 50 x 9

DB Floor Flyes -- 70 x 8 x 4

DB Supinated Curls (1-1/2's) -- 50 x 8 x 4

DB Hammer Curls -- 50 x 15 x 4

Duration -- 70 mins

[Bruce Ware]

10/7 Session 35-4 Back

Pull-/Chin-ups (assisted) -- 140 x 5 x 3; 4 mins rest between

WG Lat Pull-downs (1-1/2's) -- 125 x 12 x 4

1-Arm DB Rows -- 60 x 12 x 4 each arm

Rear Delt Raises -- 60 x 12 x 4

DB Shrugs -- 120 x 20 x 4

Duration -- 63 mins

[Bruce Ware]

The Weekend Update

First off, I elected *not* to do my light lower workout, which I usually do on Fridays, because of the race coming up this weekend. I instead intend to modify my training week next week such that, on Press and Bench Press days (Mon & Wed), I will add in a set of 20-rep squats at a relatively light-ish weight before moving on to the pressing movements.

OK, so Saturday 10/9 AM Rowing practice -- Our new and apparently final coach is on the task. We only had 6 show up for practice, and rather than recruit someone from one of the other teams, he elected to go with 6 in the seats we were going to be rowing in on Sunday, leaving 5 & 6 open. I'm assigned to #4, so that was okay, and he put my wife in #3, although she is expecting to row in #5 tomorrow. We worked on technique, refining some sloppy habits that have crept in, and then on race-day specifics -- how to pass another boat, how to give way and allow another boat to pass without fouling them, how to de-conflict when two boats get too close, and how to execute our running start and sprint. Most of the practice was focused on getting the coxswain up to speed tactically - when to use these technique and where in the course to make these adjustments. But as a result of rowing with only 6, when stern pair got a break, the bow-4 rowed, and then bow-pair got a break, stern-pair and #3 & #4 kept rowing. So, in a practice session lasting about 90 minutes, I got a solid 75 to 80 minutes of almost continuous rowing. The rower sitting in bow even called out at one point, "Hey, don't 3 and 4 get a break?" But we just kept going. It was the first time in a practice that when I finished up, my leg muscles were actually twitching.

Sunday 10/10 -- Race Day. Our time for being in the starting area was 4PM, so we had most of the day to kill. Got to the boathouse at about 2, went over the hardware and checked everything to make sure it was ready to go. Rehearsed with the coxswain what his commands were going to be and what we should do when he gave them. He'd had an opportunity earlier to go around the course in a motor launch and see where all the marker buoys are, so he had the mental map of what we were going to do. Launched about 3:45 and paddled out to the marshalling area, waiting for our number to be lined up next in start order. We hit the starting line at about 70% of where we ought to have been in terms of pace and pressure, but settled in quickly. First mark came up fast and we took it wide, as we'd been taught. I think we ought to have been up in rate and pressure just before that, but my impression is that we got there faster than the cox thought. We executed to speed turn absolutely super-best, much better than our practices and came out on the back-up-course track in good order. Again, I think cox was surprised at how quickly we got through the turn, because he didn't get #2 and #4 (me) back to full pressure until we were well out of the turn, and we lost a few seconds there. But he did get us back in, and then we were on the final straight-away when the rower in #6 had his legs give out. To be fair, he'd not practiced the previous day, as he had a badly blown-out knee, and wanted to save it for race day. He gave everything he had, but in that last 1000 meters, went quickly from 2-legs driving to 1-leg driving to arms-&-back only, and that cost us some important seconds; it also affected the boat rhythm as the rest of us were tiring and the pace/pressure dropped off. We did, however, pass a U-12 boat -- a bunch of high-school freshmen running their first race as a team. For us, at an average age of 51 to pass anyone (especially a bunch of kids at an average age of 13) was a "win." In any event, we held off the boat that started behind us and was beginning to close -- they finished 11 seconds behind us. If that last segment had gone on another 500 meters or so, they would have caught us. We just had nothing left and only 7 people really rowing. Plus, again, I thought we kinda bailed on the idea of getting that last 500-meter sprint, since things fell into disarray after the big turn. So, I was hoping to hear that we'd gotten a time somewhere under 21 minutes -- a number I was thinking based on what our practice split-times had been -- and was very happy to see that we turned in a time of 19:07.

Since the race was in the afternoon, I was able to get a full set of body numbers for --

Measurement Sunday

Total weight -- (spot) 192.2 (-1.6); (week avg) 193.9 (+0.8); (long avg) 192.7 (-0.1)

LBM -- (spot) 174.0 (-2.1); (long avg) 175.2 (-0.2)
Fat -- (spot) 18.2 (+0.5); (long avg) 17.5 (+0.1)

Yields a BF est of 9.1% (spot was 9.47%).

Eating 133/267/98 for 2480 kcals. Clearly, I had some good eating days and some not-so-good eating days this week.

Body-part measures are doing very nice, so the aux work (body-building exercises in the power-building routine) are working well.

Looking over the year's records so far, and getting close to drawing some conclusions, but I'm gonna hold off until after rowing season ends. Last day is 11/7, our last race. I'm pretty sure that I will finish Training Year 2021 using the power-building routine I'm on, with normal leg day workouts resuming after rowing ends. But I sure know I have to eat more.

[Bruce Ware]

10/11 Session 36-1 Press

warm-ups:

Squat 45 x 5 x 2
Squat 135 x 20 x 1

45 x 5 x 2
95 x 3

working sets:

122 x 2 x 3; 5 mins rest between

Seated DB Press (last set incl 4 drops) -- 90 x 12, 12, 12, 12, 9; 80 x 8; 70 x 9; 60 x 9; 50 x 9

DB Side Delt Raises -- 40 x 12, 12, 12, 8, 8

Saving tricep work for tomorrow.

Duration -- 57 mins

[Bruce Ware]

10/12 Session 36-2 Deadlift (light day)

135 x 5
225 x 5 x 3

Standing Leg Curls (1-1/2's) -- 60 x 12 x 5, each leg

Duration -- 34 mins

[Bruce Ware]

10/13 Session 36-3, Bench Press

Squat warm-up -- 45 x 5 x 2
Squat -- 135 x 20 x 1

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
95 x 3
135 x 3

working sets:

175 x 2 x 3; 4.5 mins rest between

Incline DB Chest Press (last set incl 4 drops) -- 90 x 12, 12, 12, 12, 10; 80 x 8; 70 x 8; 60 x 9; 50 x 9

DB Supinated Curls -- 50 x 12 x 3

DB Hammer Curls -- 50 x 15 x 2

Duration -- 60 mins