River way too high for rowing, so more Ergs.
Saturday's session, we only have the Ergs from 08:00 to 09:00 as the ladies masters group will be using them from 09:00, normally we would have them from 08:00-10:00.
As such a shorter Erg workout was given - 10 minute warm up and then 2 x 18 minute rate pyramids, 2:00r.
First rate pyramid being 20-28-20spm rate changes every 2 minutes, the second pyramid being 22-30-22spm, both working from UT2, through UT1 to AT and back down.
One of the guys threw up part way through the first pyramid - not a great start and probably pushing to hard for UT2/UT1, but he carried on with the session.
Rate pyramids complete we did some stretching before heading into a weights session in pairs (my weights in brackets):
- 3 sets of 12 reps weighted squats (20Kg bar)
- 3 sets of 12 leg raises (50Kg )
- 3 sets of 12 weighted lunges, 6 each leg (20Kg bar)
- 3 sets of 'cleans' (didn't actually get round to this one)
There were 3 pairs and a single, so one group on each 'station'.
The weighted squats were ok, but placed a decent load on my lower back which I am sure I will be paying for later.
The leg raises were easy, the starting weight was 20Kg, but after I had done 50 reps with near zero effort I put on some extra weight to actually make it worthwhile (I can uaually lift the entire stack on a leg raise machine).
I struggled with the weighted lunges, largely due to using the wrong muscles and bad technique, trying to raise by using my rear leg rather than my front leg, after 'fixing' my technique, they went slightly better.
We ran out of time for the last exercise so moved onto our core session 1:00 V-Sit, Plank, Dead Bug, Side Plank Left and Right with 30 (12Kg) Russian twists between each exercise.
Sunday lunchtime there was a function at the clubhouse, so people were being asked to do Ergs from home.
By now my body was really feeling the effects of yesterday's weights and I had a number of muscles that were complaining every time I moved from standing to sitting, or vice versa, and my lower back was definitely not happy.
I had a lie in walked the dog and then asked what the Erg was - if not notified soon, I would be doing a UT2 half marathon, it came cback as 3 x 2,000m, 1:30r - oh joy.
2,000m warm up with a couple of power 10's at around my intended pace, a short rest and off we go.
I set off with an intended pace of 1:50 and aiming for 28-29spm, I did not want to kill myself on the first one but aim for a pace that I might be able to maintain for all three.
This strategy worked fine for the first two but I couldn't hold it for the third one and the pace dropped a bit in the middle of this one, but I pulled it back again for the finish and still managed an average of 7:21.6 over the 3 pieces.
Despite all the aches and pains from the weights session, none of the aches affected my rowing on the Erg, which means one of two things, either I was activating the wrong muscles with the exercises, or the exercises simply don't target the same muscles as I use when rowing, or if they do, then they are only secondary to my rowing muscles.
The fatigue on the last round affected the leg muscles I was expecting it to, but did not affect the leg muscles that were complaining from the weights session.
This is one of the reasons that I don't do the circuits sessions on Monday nights, I have little faith in the exercises actually targeting useful muscle sets.
I can understand wanting to strengthen the opposing muscle sets to those used for rowing so as not to become unbalanced, but training up other muscles that seemingly have no use for rowing is to me of lesser benefit.
For example cycling and running have little muscular crossover with rowing, yes they are both great for improving cardio, but neither will work your rowing muscles, I would rather use my SkiErg and work the opposing muscle sets for a more balanced body.
My lower back is still aching several days later, despite two 'rest' days (15K UT2 on Tuesday morning).
