I============================================================ INDOOR ROWING NEWSLETTER # 35 ========================= 27-April-2001 ======================== _________________________________________________ C O N T E N T S 1. PPP healthcare British Indoor Rowing Championship 2. Message Board 3. Regional Races 4. Forthcoming Events 5. Tel's Tales 6. Hire Machines 7. British Ranking 8. Cens*rship 9. C2 Shop 10. DYNO Test Protocol 11. Education Matters 12. Back Issues ________________________________________________________________ ========================================================= PPP healthcare British Indoor Rowing Championship ========================================================= The worst kept secret in indoor rowing is finally out: this year the PPP healthcare British Indoor Rowing Championship will be taking place at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, the venue for the 2003 World Indoor Athletics Championship. Although the Rivermead Leisure Complex in Reading has served well over the last six years, the event has outgrown its surroundings and it's time to move on to bigger and better things. The date for this year's championship is Sunday the 18th of November - less than six months away, jeez - and we hope to be able to make an announcement shortly about some of the big name stars who'll be attending [note to sub-editor: check that Bob Carolgees and Spit are still up for coming] as well as running some features about how to prepare for the event. ========================================================= Message Board ========================================================= One of the main reasons why the change to the National Indoor Arena was such a badly kept secret is because we blabbed it all over the message board (http://www.concept2.co.uk/messageboard.htm) a couple of weeks ago. Although on this occasion it was due to Gripper Stebson giving us a Chinese burn behind the bike shed, we've decided to use the message board to release future news. Not only will this prevent the possibility of us getting wedgied by Gripper next time around, but it means that you'll be able to read and comment on the news as and when it happens, rather than have to wait a fortnight to get high on that indoor rowing fix. Also, if you've got some news you'd like to announce, whether it's the competition at your local leisure centre, your attempt to break the 40-49 women's heavyweight marathon record or that you've tracked down the treasure of the Sierra Madre, post it there and let the world know. ========================================================= Regional Races ========================================================= The fifth annual Cornish Indoor Rowing Championship took place on March 28th this year. Unfortunately, a combination of Mothering Sunday, foot and mouth, the clocks going forward and, possibly, Dick Dastardly and Mutley all conspired to ensure a slightly lower turnout than last year. Despite this, the atmosphere and performances still came out of the draw labelled top notch. For the women, Anna Bailey (Hanley Swan, Worcester) was quickest overall, finishing in 7:23.4, just 4.8 seconds outside her British 50-59 Hwt record, while for the Men Neil McMullan (Lydford, Devon) broke the existing championship record with 6:12.5. A special trophy, meanwhile, was presented to William Harvey, who at 81 was their oldest ever competitor, clocking an impressive time of 9:05.8 Full results and a report can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/v4/local.htm ========================================================= Forthcoming Events ========================================================= Name: Hexham 24 Hour Marathon Row: Date: 6-7th May Venue: Hexham Town Square Other: A fundraiser for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Fund, there will also be a 500 metre competition run throughout the day. Contact: http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/hexhamrowing/page9.phtml Name: West of England IRC Date: 9th June Venue: West Somerset Sports and Leisure Centre, Minehead Distance: 2,000 metres and 500 metres sprint. Entry Fee: 8 pounds for 2,000 metres (includes free T-Shirt); 4 pounds for 500 metres (includes free medal) Contact: Neil Hutchinson. Tel: 01643 708857 E-mail: wsslc@wsslc.demon.co.uk Name: Stranraer Scottish Indoor Rowing Championship: Date: 24th June Venue: Ryan Centre, Stranraer Distance: 2,000 metres Entry Fee: 5 pounds (includes free T-Shirt) Contact: David Hislop. Tel: 01766 705535 E-mail: davidh@dumgal.gov.uk ========================================================= Tel's Tales ========================================================= Indoor Rowing uber-genius Terry O'Neill's been gallivanting off abroad for the past couple of weeks, so there's only one Tel's Tale this issue. If you've got a question you'd like Terry to answer, send it to tels-tales@concept2.co.uk Darren Rhodes: "I have two related questions for you regarding training predominantly at UT1 and UT2 [Utilisation 1 and 2]. "1) I notice on the 2,000 metre section of the Training Guide [http://www.concept2.co.uk/v4/training_prog.htm] that stroke ratings are specified and vary according to light, medium and hard week loadings, while the time of the session remains the same. What is the impact of this rating change? "I find, during AT [Anaerobic Threshold] pieces, that I cannot hold a rating of say 28 SPM [Strokes per Minute] at the wattage which my AT occurs (I have had lactate testing done) because at this rating, I am well over the wattage unless I rush the slide severely. I find I hold it at 24-26 BUT, at these lower ratings, am I still getting the benefit working at AT as if I were rating 28? "2) What are the effects of breaking up UT2 and UT1 pieces? For example, for a 40 minute UT1 piece, I usually do 2 x 20 minutes with weights and stretches in-between. Do I still get the same benefit as with 1 x 40 minute piece?" Terry O'Neill: The intensity of training can be controlled/varied in three ways. Maintaining the SPM and pulling harder to reduce the split time, applying the same force and increasing the SPM to reduce the split time and thirdly by working directly from heart rate response and disregarding the SPM. For on water rowers, especially in crew situations, they have to keep in time and so they use SPM as the method of intensity control and for this reason we included both heart rate bands and stroke rate as an option. Amongst elite rowers there would be a correlation between heart rate and stroke rate but it may not hold true for everyone, so don't worry if you are one of these who just work to your heart rate. As far as breaking 40' UT1 into 2x20' it will have the same effect, as both come into the range of long interval training that form the training load of UT1. The same would not hold true for UT2 which should be carried out uninterrupted. People who are using UT2 sessions for weight control should note that there is evidence that fat is burned at a higher rate after 35 minutes of continuous exercise and so in this case the training aim would be affected by dividing the long session into a series of shorter ones. ========================================================= Hiring ========================================================= Since the launch of the hire scheme a month ago we've been inundated with requests for information. The hire scheme is ideal for both individuals and clubs who are either unsure as to whether they need a machine and wish to try it out on a limited basis or those who know they can't live without one but don't have the necessary moolah to splash out on the full sum. The minimum period for hire is for three months and, if you then decide to buy it, half of the first three months hire charge is discounted from the price of the machine. Prices for the different items are as follows: Concept 2 Indoor Rower with PM2: 50 pounds a month Concept 2 Indoor Rower with PM2+: 55 pounds a month Concept 2 DYNO: 100 pounds a month Concept 2 Slide: 10 pounds a month Contact Concept 2 on either sales@concept2.co.uk or (0115) 945 5522 for more details. ========================================================= British Ranking ========================================================= The 2000/01 version of the British Ranking will be posted on our web site sometime within the next week. With over 10,000 entries for distances ranging from 2,000 to 100,000 metres, it'll be the definitive snapshot as to the state of play in Britain today. Due to the fact the Ranking is increasing in size faster than ant exposed to radioactive gloop in a dodgy B-movie, the format of the printed version will also be changing this year. Rather than being a free magazine, it'll be printed in a format reminiscent of the training guide, with more pages and features than you can shake a stick at. It's also likely that there'll be a nominal charge, which is unfortunate but, as scientists say in dodgy B-movies, such is the price of progress. ========================================================= Cens*rship ========================================================= Apologies to the handful of you who didn't receive the last newsletter. Apparently the mention of a sh*gpile carpet was seen by various types of e-mail filter software as an attempt to corrupt the minds of a generation and caused them to block its transmission. If you didn't receive a copy, send an e-mail to webmaster@concept2.co.uk titled something like: "Release the Indoor Rowing 34" and you'll receive the censored PG version. Alternatively, follow the instructions for back issues later on in this newsletter. ========================================================= C2 Shop ========================================================= And now a word from our sponsors: A new range of top quality items has recently been added to the Concept 2 On-line Shop. Under the subheading "Other Fitness Equipment" you can find products ranging from dumbbells to body fat monitors to those funny looking abdominal crunch trainer type doodahs. This is, of course, in addition to all the usual suspects of rowing machines, heart rate monitors, t-shirts etc. Adjustable six pound ankle weights! Only a click away at: http://www.concept2.co.uk/v4/merchandise.php3 ========================================================= DYNO Testing and the Long Arm of the Law ========================================================= New guidelines designed to test the fitness of both current and new recruits into the police force have highlighted the Concept 2 DYNO as the ideal platform on which to assess dynamic strength. The Metropolitan Police Service has now incorporated the DYNO into its own Job-Related Fitness Test, a test which is also used by over 20 other police forces in England and the Royal Netherlands Air Force in Holland. This test is used to assess the suitability of candidates hoping to join the police force and for assessing those set to move to roles demanding much greater degrees of fitness and strength. It was researched and developed for the Met by Loughborough University's Department of Physical Education and it was the University that highlighted the DYNO as an ideal replacement for a 'press-up' type component within the old test. A total of 25 DYNOs have just been ordered for police forces in England so they can implement the new test as soon as possible. Alan Jones, the Met's Head of Physical Education, is confident the new test protocol will prove effective, commenting: "The DYNO will allow us to test pushing and pulling strength, important qualities for police officers dealing with confrontational situations." The DYNO does away with weights and uses an air resistance system proven over 20 years on the Indoor Rower to create three of the most basic, but most important strength development exercises - the leg press, the bench press and the bench pull. The flywheel on the DYNO produces a more versatile range of resistance options than the Indoor Rower - with eight damper levers controlling airflow to the fan. This creates a range of loads meaning that up to 1,000 kg can effectively be 'lifted' on a machine which weighs just 55kg. While the DYNO is ideal for strength testing, as with any test it is important that a set of guidelines are followed in order to make it as rigorously fair and standardised as possible. The official Concept 2 DYNO Test Guidelines are now available to download and print out on the DYNO web site at http://www.concept2.co.uk/dyno.htm. ========================================================= Education Matters ========================================================= An irregular column by Concept 2's Education Team: "Part of the drive to increase standards in British schools saw the development of specialist sports colleges which have a special mandate to develop sporting excellence. Most of the 84 existing sports colleges have Concept 2 Indoor Rowers, with the average being two per school although some have as many as twelve. "One of these specialist colleges is Oldfield school in Avon, who report good use of the machines as they are also linked into "Project Oarsome" and pupils are encouraged to row on the water with Avon County Rowing Club. Sara Grimshaw, the director of PE and Sport, already has machines linked up and pupils row against each other via PM2+ monitors. She is interested in using the technology to row against other schools and colleges over the Internet. "Continuing its programme of support for schools, Concept 2 attended the Independent Schools Physical Education Conference at Cheltenham College in April. "In a fashion reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe at the Cannes Film Festival, the Concept 2 DYNO was undoubtedly the star of the trade exhibition, attracting admiring glances and wolf whistles in equal measure. Delegates were impressed by its safety, mobility, instant feedback via its sophisticated monitor and its finely turned ankle. A happy teacher of physics envisaged taking his class down to the gym and went away muttering "work, joules, velocity". We also know of one school using the DYNO to create a Year Seven baseline database and another using it for disabled pupils. Tell us about your experiences and we'll be pleased to feature you." ========================================================= Back Issues ========================================================= For those of you in search of back issues, they're all now available on-line at http://www.concept2.co.uk/v4/newsletter_index.php3. New old issues will be posted on the release date of the following newsletter. ____________________________________________F E E D B A C K Like what you read? Dislike what you read? Ideas for future newsletters? Make sure to tell us at webmaster@vermonthouse.co.uk. Or of course, you could always tell us at our message board: http://www.concept2.co.uk/messageboard.htm. Oh go on. _________________________________________________________ _______________________________________SUBSCRIPTION INFO If you think you're on this mailing list accidentally, just return the e-mail with "unsubscribe" in the subject header. If you're getting more than one copy, then reply with "multiple" as the header. Did you hear about the two aerials who got married? The wedding was a bit shoddy but the reception was fantastic.