INDOOR ROWING NEWSLETTER #128 ======================== 12-August-2005 ========================= _________________________________________________ C O N T E N T S 1. Running Training On The Indoor Rower 2. Health Club Games: Beat Branson And Win A Flight To New York 3. Clash Of The Breweries 4. Cartoon By Rog 5. Tel's Tales 6. Edgbaston High School For Girls: Row To South Africa 7. Reader's Letters: Gerald Haigh 8. World Police and Fire Games 2005 Report 9. Castle Combe Rowathlon Results 10. Reader's Letters: Herbert Leah **************************** Feedback Back Issues Subscription Information ________________________________________________________________ With Bells On ***************** For a glitzier, HTML version of our newsletter with pictures, cartoons and all the funny jokes (possibly), go to: http://www.concept2.co.uk/email/newsletter.htm. To receive the newsletter in HTML format, send an email to subscription@concept2.co.uk with HTML as the subject title. How To Write To Us ***************** Please don't reply directly to this email, 'cos we won't ever see it. Instead send your bouquets or brickbats to editor@concept2.co.uk. Indoor Rowing Glossary ***************** A guide to some of the more common terms used in indoor rowing can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/rowing/glossary.php ========================================================= Running Training On The Indoor Rower ========================================================= All too often runners learn the benefits of training on the Indoor Rower when it is too late. The toll on joints from years of impact pounding the pavements forces them to look at a viable non-impact alternative. Faced with the choice of running in the open air or training in a gym, for most runners it is no contest: they'll take the open road every time. However, you can actually prolong your running career by a combination of running and rowing. The ideal ratio is 60/40 in favour of running but this ratio will change during the year. In the heart of winter it could be 40/60 whilst in pre-competition and competition periods it would go to 90/10 or 100% running. Many of the training sessions can be substituted on the machine but first you have to establish the equivalent intensity on the machine that equates to a running session. http://www.concept2.co.uk/email/images/running_for_rowing.jpg Setting the monitor to the specified time and then recording average pace determine different intensity levels. Level 1. Identify maximum power by rowing for 10 seconds flat out. Level 2. Establish anaerobic capacity by rowing for 60 seconds flat out. Level 3. VO2 max. 5 minutes. Level 4. Aerobic capacity is measured over 20 minutes. Level 5. The final reference point is endurance measured over 1 hour. The following table give examples of some typical running sessions and the rowing equivalent. Running A: 3x5mins with 5mins easy recovery. Rowing A: 3x5mins @ level 3 with 5mins @ level 4 in between. Running B: 45mins fartlek Rowing B: Alternate level 1 and level 5. 15/15, 20/20,30/30, 20/20, 15/15. 6 sets with 4mins light paddling between sets. Running C: Hills/off road, 200m fast up recovery down Rowing C: 10x(1min on level 2, 2mins level 5) 3 sets with 4mins light paddling between sets. Running D: 60mins negative splits Rowing D: 60mins continuous paddling level 5. Increase the stroke rate from 20-21-22 every 20mins. Tending toward level 4 Running E: Alternate 400m Marathon and 10k pace to exhaustion Rowing E: 90 seconds @ level 5 followed by 90 seconds @ level 4 to exhaustion. Running F: Recovery runs inc. 6x100m strides Rowing F: 30mins @ level 5 with 10 strokes @ level 1 every 5 minutes. After 4-6 weeks retest for your intensity level. A move to the right is an indication of an improvement in condition. ========================================================= Health Club Games: Beat Branson And Win A Flight To New York ========================================================= Virgin boss and serial entrepreneur Richard Branson has offered participants in this year's Health Club Games the chance to win a free flight to New York, but only if anyone can beat his personal score. Sponsored by Oracle and run in conjunction with Shelter (the leading charity for the homeless and badly-housed), the Health Club Games is a nationwide, online competition for anyone who aspires to challenge themselves across a range of fitness events ranging from rowing to swimming to press-ups. Branson has posted impressive statistics in the 'Superthon', a multi-task event which includes a 2,000m row, one mile run, 5,000m bike as well as including push-ups, bench pressing and the plank. Having lent his support to the inaugural Games last year, Branson joins a host of other celebrities, including Jono Coleman, who are putting themselves to the test once again this time around. Richard Branson's stats are as follows - 2,000m row: 7:55 One mile run: 7:05 5,000m bike: 8:50 Push ups: 54 Bench press: 70kg The Plank: 2:12 Superthon Score: 1531 Richard Branson's score must be beaten by October 14th. The successful participants will be entered into a prize draw for the flight, which is provided courtesy of Virgin. You can enter now at http://www.healthclubgames.com. ========================================================= Clash Of The Breweries ========================================================= Down in Cornwall last month, Stuart Howe, head brewer of Sharp's Brewery, challenged his rival Roger Ryman of St Austell's Brewery to a race over 2,000m to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Taking place on the 24th at The Smuggler's Den Inn in Cubert near Newquay, the race turned out to be an immensely excellent one, which not only attracted a big crowd, but also saw Roger break his PB by ten seconds to finish in 6:42, only for Stuart to just pip him to the post with a time of 6:38. If you've taken part in an event using the Indoor Rower, make sure you send us your report in to editor@concept2.co.uk. ========================================================= Cartoon By Rog ========================================================= http://www.concept2.co.uk/email/images/cartoon128.jpg ========================================================= Tel's Tales ========================================================= If you've got a question for former Olympic rowing coach Terry O'Neill, send it to terry@concept.2co.uk. Peter Lawley: "I bought an Indoor Rower about two months ago and really enjoy using it. I began very gently at 25 strokes per minute at about level two or three, then upped it gradually. "I started the weight loss programme and after the first session of Anaerobic Threshold work at 3 x 6 minutes and 4 x 6 minutes at around 30spm at resistance seven/eight I sustained severe lower back pain. "I thought my technique was OK, moving my back between about 11 & 1 o'clock positions on the recovery and drive strokes, and pulling with my arms at the last minute so I'm not bending forward, but keeping my back straight and head up. "What could I be doing wrong, and should I discontinue rowing at all until my back heals?" Terry O'Neill: You should stop rowing until your lower back pain settles down. There are two likely reasons for the problem. The first could be tight hamstrings. The second reason could be core stability. The forces created on the rowing machine are divided almost equally between that created by the legs onto the foot stretcher and the force on the handle. The connection is through the lower back and trunk. In the seated position the lower back is almost at the limit of its range of movement and if the muscles of the trunk are relatively weak then you can suffer the problems you describe. The Indoor Rower tends not to cause problems but will expose any muscle imbalance. If you have a sedentary job you will find that the strength in the trunk will decrease at a greater rate than those of the legs. Then, when you row, the trunk muscles do not support the body as they should. The lower back, which through the seated position is already close to its range of movement limit, becomes stressed. When you start any exercise programme it is important to include both stretching for flexibility and core stability exercises both of which you can find on our website at http://www.concept2.co.uk/guide/ ========================================================= Edgbaston High School For Girls ========================================================= The Langa Educational Assistance Programme (LEAP) hopes to transform the lives of residents of Langa Township in Cape Town, South Africa by raising funds in the UK to support a programme of community and educational development. This is a particularly disadvantaged area with poor housing and few educational opportunities. The LEAP programme aims to help youngsters to gain qualifications and skills, to have improved access to sports and community facilities and better healthcare and health information. The school is in dire need of any help the UK can provide. Edgbaston High School For Girls U18 hockey team will be touring South Africa in 2006 and intend to visit the school, so some form of fundraising was thought to be a good idea. The solution they came up with was proposed by Laura Bartlett, the Head of the Lower School and a keen sportswoman and indoor rower, and was to row to South Africa on the Indoor Rower. The original idea was for a 12-hour marathon row but given the great distance a row of six hours duration with teams of six rowing 10 minutes in every hour was eventually decided. There was a fantastic response to this idea and, with over 30 teams taking part, the idea was expanded to include a Family Fun Day with bouncy castles and face painting etc to be held outside the main Hall where the rowing was taking place. Laura Bartlett takes over the story: "At one p.m. teams assembled ready for the off. Loudspeaker system READY STEADY ROW! And row everybody did- for the next six hours without a pause. The atmosphere was fantastic with parents, staff, children all cheering each other on and a certain amount of competition creeping into the day. Who would beat the Bartlett family team, who would row the furthest? Covert monitoring of the leading machines was certainly going on and there were some attempts to distract the leaders, to no avail! Outside the sun shone and visitors poured into the Fun Factory all afternoon. The barbecue started at 5pm - the smells taunting the rowers but not one team paused until the song "The Final Countdown" played. Corny, but there was such a sense of elation within the room that it was quite appropriate! "A quick shower and everyone outside for the Auction and to dance the night away to the live music and enjoy what was left of the barbecue. "Committee members had been collecting sponsor money, Fun Factory money, and sandwich money - 7000 sandwiches made in total and by the time 10pm came £30,000 was in the bag! "Having been in teaching for 35 years I can honestly say I have never experienced a day like it! The sense of purpose and community the project engendered was incredible. Everyone from all areas of the school was involved in some way. There were no expenses at all, everything was given free and every penny raised will go directly to the LEAP school. "None of it could have happened without the support of Concept 2. Not only did it raise a tremendous amount of money for a very good cause but also it acted as a stimulus for children and adults of all ages to see and feel the benefit of exercise and a healthy lifestyle." Results for the day can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/bppe7 ========================================================= Reader's Letters: Gerald Haigh ========================================================= Send your letters and comments to editor@concept2.co.uk. "It was good to see my old school friend Cliff North describing his recovery from injury. Indoor rowing was partly implicated in our making contact again after nearly fifty years, when he spotted my name in the online rankings. "I have a medical story of my own that I share with readers partly in the hope that someone may be able to give me some advice. I'm 68 now. Four or five years ago I was in the indoor rowing championships - once at Reading, then in the following year at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. I didn't do spectacularly, but I didn't disgrace myself in the 60-64 age group. At that time I was rowing about 7:48 for 2,000 metres. "Then three years ago, at the height of my training during the summer I had a routine blood pressure check (I'd been on medication for many years) and my blood pressure was suddenly through the roof (220/140) The doctor sent me straight from the surgery to the hospital and to cut a long story short I ended up on a battery of medication that's eventually got it under control. It's actually pretty good now. "The problem is, though, that I'm reluctant to train hard again. One of my pills (atenolol) slows my heart rate down, and the consultant says - sensibly - that it's probably not a good idea to push too hard against it, and I certainly shouldn't do heart-rate based training. "At the moment, then, I'm doing even paced rows, about four times a week, usually half an hour, but sometimes going on up to 45 minutes, at a little under 2:15 pace for 500 metres. I could settle for that, I suppose, given my age - it'll keep me fit and keep my weight under control, and compared with many I'm lucky to be able to do it. But I do wish sometimes I could push harder for a while and try to get my 2,000m under eight minutes again, perhaps with the British IRC in mind. What does anyone think (especially anyone who has the right experience and knowledge)? I have a feeling that most doctors and consultants, although they're brilliant, and save lives, are a bit at sea with any kind of advice of this kind and will always go for caution. Maybe it's just that the experience and the medical research doesn't exist." ========================================================= World Police And Fire Games: Quebec 2005 ========================================================= "The WPFG PSSA Team included 14 Prison Service Indoor Rowers plus a policewoman and fireman, who both joined us in Quebec at the Holiday Inn Select Hotel. After a late and tiring opening ceremony the team converged the following morning on the 27th June at the University Leval Quebec City for their individual 2,000m races. "The Men's Heavyweight 40-44 class proved to be the most competitive group of the day requiring two heats to race first thing in order to bring the group down to a field of ten for the afternoon final. Jules Stout of Portland YOI raced an impressive 6:30.3 to finish fifth in the fastest race of the day. GB Fireman Andy Sangster took the gold in a time of 6:25.7. "The Ladies races saw Lynn Thompson 45-49 (Durham) and Lynn Gull 50-54 (Highpoint) both in their first competitive races. Lynn Thompson took gold in her class with Lynn Gull pulling a solid 8:26.2 to take her group's gold. "Linda McGregor (Aylesbury) led from the start in the Ladies Lightweight 35-39 class to take her gold in 7.52.5 "Tim Ellis (Dorchester) also led out early to take Gold in 6:53.4 in the Men's Lightweight 45-49 class. This left his games record of 6:47 (Barcelona '03) still standing, but was good enough to beat the 40-44 medallists in the same race. "The PSSA's guest policewoman, Sue Palmer (Lancashire) rowed out the fastest GB Ladies time of 7:30.1 and took gold in the 40-44 class while achieving her PB time. Men's Heavyweight 50-54 class saw Jim Nangle (Durham) repeating his Barcelona performance to take gold in 6:52.6 "Mike Curtis (Channings Wood) in the Men's Heavyweight 60-64 class was another first timer in competition rowing. Following advice from other team members about pace, drag factor (he always rowed on 10) and technique, Mike showed that it pays to listen by knocking 12 seconds off his PB time! He took another gold for the GB team in 7:29.2 "Sue Hallahan took silver in the Ladies 40-44 class, whilst Charlotte Hodges (Aylesbury) took gold in the Ladies 20-29 group. "Daniel Forder (Pentonville) rowing in his first competitive race paid the price for a very fast start by fading from second to fourth place in the last 300m of his 20-29 class. "Experienced track and road runner Paul Jenkins picked up one of his four Games gold medals in his Lightweight 55-59 race. "The following morning found the weary rowers paired up for 1,000 Doubles races, with their two machines linked electronically to display the average pace of each 1,000m row. "Kristine Hemmings (Bullingdon) and Sue Palmer (Lancs Police) combined to take gold in the Ladies 40-49 class in 3:56. They impressively passed the 30-39 medallists in the latter stages of this combined field. The younger group included Lynda McGregor and Charlotte Hodges (Aylesbury) who took silver in the 30-39 class. "The 40-49 Men's class proved to be the most competitive of the day with all teams having to row off in the morning to compete for the afternoon final. Jules Stout and Tim Ellis made the final to compete in the fastest race of the day but were pushed into fifth position (3:12) just one second behind fourth and two seconds behind the bronze medallists." Full results are on http://www.2005wpfg.org ========================================================= Castle Combe 1 Rowathlon Results ========================================================= The first race in this year's Concept 2 British Rowathlon Series took place at Castle Combe on July 24th. In a thrilling race, the 2004 winner Dan Staite beat the 2003 champion Hywel Davies by three-quarters of a minute in a time of 40:03 for the 2k row, 16k cycle and 3k run course. Full results can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/rowathlon/results.php?race=combe&year=2005 The overall Male and Female Rowathlon Series winner's in each of the four senior categories (20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50+) will win a trip to Copenhagen for this year's Concept 2 European Open, including two nights accommodation in a top hotel and £100 towards travel expenses. For more on the Rowathlon Series, visit http://www.concept2.co.uk/rowathlon/ while information on the European Open can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/euro/. ========================================================= Reader's Letters: Herbert Leah ========================================================= Herbert Leah: "It is probably true to say that even outside the North West, Royce's Gym are not unknown, at least by the indoor rowing community, because for a number of years their members have featured in the North West, British and World Indoor Rowing Championships with a number of medal results. "They probably first hit the wider appreciation of rowers when they took the world record for the 100,000 metre team row from Leander. Equally memorable to this was, perhaps, when Chris Rushton, along with two other Brits, all finished on the same time to take joint gold at the 2002 World IRC, a first in itself. "Without being too partisan, it should be remembered that Chris at under 6'1" and 14 st 2 lbs was relatively small for a heavyweight, making his performance even more creditable. A team from the gym won the four man Redgrave Team Challenge at last year's British IRC and, needless to say, there have been others who have featured in the medal lists and out in the three main championships, including physically impaired competitors. "Despite these achievements there is great anticipation within the confines of the club, particularly about two fairly new prospects that are showing outstanding possibilities that hopefully are going to explode on the scene at this year's British IRC. "They are both heavyweights, but from different age divisions, so morale is extremely high that the 'Royce Boys' are on the (gold) medal trail...Watch out." ========================================================= Forthcoming Races And Events ========================================================= Name: Castle Combe 2 Rowathlon Date: 14/08/05 Venue: Castle Combe Distance: 3k row, 23k bike, 3k run Organiser: Rowing Triathlon E: info@rowingtriathlon.com W: http://www.concept2.co.uk/rowathlon/ Name: Reading Rowathlon Date: 10/09/05 Venue: Reading Distance: 2.5k row, 7k bike, 2.8k run Organiser: Rowing Triathlon E: info@rowingtriathlon.com W: http://www.concept2.co.uk/rowathlon/ Name: Thruxton Rowathlon Date: 25/09/05 Venue: Thruxton Distance: 3k row, 21k bike, 3.5k run Organiser: Rowing Triathlon E: info@rowingtriathlon.com W: http://www.concept2.co.uk/rowathlon/ Name: Enfield indoor Rowing Gala Date: 25/09/05 Venue: Southbury Leisure Centre Distance: 500m, 1000m, 2000m Organiser: Frank Birch T: 020 8886 8499 E: Frank.Birch@Myho.me.uk W: http://www.enfieldIndoorRowing.org.uk Name: Marlow Rowathlon Date: 02/10/05 Venue: Marlow Rowing Club Distance: 4k row, 25k bike, 7.5k run Organiser: Rowing Triathlon E: info@rowingtriathlon.com W: http://www.concept2.co.uk/rowathlon/ ____________________________________________________FEEDBACK You like? 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