Competition Preparation

Feeling the doms today still in hams, glutes and now upper body.

Did a comfortable session, rowed a 5k next to a guy in the gym.

5k r20 - 1:59.4

500m r16 - 1:58.2

10 x 100m - r24 - 1:38.2

Comfy stuff, but very sweaty!

Need to plan the run-in to Basingstoke where I'm competing in an indoor rowing sprint competition over 100m and 300m. 

I usually work backwards, thinking:

Competition Day - 100m, 300m, bleep test for fun...if I can still walk
2 days rest (Fri, Thur)
Recovery row (Wed)
Heavy deadlifts and power erg reps (Tue)
4 x (5 x 100m on 1 min) on 4 mins - aim for 1:15 (Mon)
Sprint start drills then couple of 100m TTs (Sat or Sun)
Power Cleans (Fri)
2 x 200m on 5 mins aim for 1:13, Bentover BB and DB rows, reverse curls (Thur - Crikey that's tomorrow!)

Not long left to prepare. I'm about as strong as I've been but endurance is off the mark. Just hope that this preparation gets me ready to go fast!!

Power Session

After last night's heavy weights I thought I'd do a snappy power session to let the glutes know I haven't finished with them just yet, I can rest tomorrow and recover.

2k warm up, steady 2:00 pace r23 ending heart rate 149.

3 x 30seconds on, 60 seconds rest - 20 strokes per minute, so power 10 strokes:

Total - 495m, Average 1:30.9 pace r20 - 23.3 spi
Same again:

Total - 492m, Average 1:31.4 pace r20 - 22.8 spi

Then some 30 second pieces with 90 - 120 seconds rest between

163m - 1:32.0 449w r20 22.4 spi

136m - 1:50.2 261w r12 21.7 spi

131m - 1:54.5 233w r10 23.3 spi 

118m - 2:07.1 170w r10 17.0 spi

132m - 1:53.6 239w r10 23.9 spi 

133m - 1:52.7 244w r10 24.4 spi

135m - 1:51.1 255w r10 25.5 spi

137m - 1:49.4 267w r10 26.7 spi

SPI - stroke power index - it is calculated from Watts/Stroke Rate - it's useful for working out the power at different rates. I don't think I've ever hit 26.7 spi before, so that means I'm able to convert absolute strength into explosive power which is handy. Interestingly, it was done on very low drag (resistance setting) and so relies on speed of movement as opposed to 'hauling anchor'.

Naked Deadlift PB

I better explain the title before I go into the training!

A deadlift is an exercise in weight lifting where the bar is picked up from the floor and you stand up, straight and tall. I've done some heavy deadlifts recently with wrist straps that help to give better grip and a belt to support the lower back. My best with straps is 235kg. Here's a 220kg effort from last year:

Before today, the most I could do without straps and just a naked grip was 180kg. Any more and my fingers would let go half way up. Anyway, here's the session:

3000m r20 - 1:54.4 pace on the indoor rower. Fairly tough, sweaty work.

Bench Squats (with a bench betwen the legs, bum to touch the becnk each time)

10 x 70kg

10 x 100kg

2 x 5 x 120kg

Back Squats (normal squats with bar along shoulders and traps)

5 x 150kg

2 x 180kg

Deadlifts (without straps)

10 x 100kg

2 x 3 x 130kg

1 x 170kg

1 x 185kg new PB 

Power Clean (bar from floor up to collar bone)

1 x 100kg comfortable, better than this previous effort

100m sprint - 14.4s - 1:12.4 pace r54 (indoor rower)

1000m - r15 - 1:55.5 pace

1900m cool down - 2:16 pace, heart rate steady at 145

6000m of indoor rowing work and some decent weights for leg and back strength. 

I need to ramp it up a bit before the 9th April though as I'm aiming for the 300m World Record and am about half a second off at the moment (44.6s v 44.1s). If I don't come off the seat and I get a decent warm up there's a chance, but I'd rather be confident knowing it was in the bag. Perhaps not enough time to get that bit...

#quiztime

OK, new game - some instructions here to help you/us play the game more easily:

All Tweets MUST contain the tag #quiztime (no tag, no win!)

The question is a missing word from a famous advert, product, catchphrase

e.g. "Mild ____, Fair Liquid" answer = Green, so you would Tweet:

"#quiztime Green"

The hard bit is tracking the game! There is only one quizmaster at any one time, the winner of the previous game. 

When you declare the winner, state @soandso is the next #quiztime #quizmaster

When you become a #quiztime #quizmaster, give it 2-3 mins for people to follow you and get ready for the next question.

TIP!

Tweetdeck allows you to follow a few things at once, I use 4 columns:

All Friends

Mentions (@ replies)

Search: #quiztime

profile of gamesmaster

If you are using Twitter - use the search term #quiztime and follow the game that way

If it gets out of hand, let me know what to include here for others to learn how to play?

Cheers , have fun!

@Graham_Lay

Twitter and Indoor Rowing 5k?

Twitter and Indoor Rowing? Non rowers, see if you can understand this blog!?

I had to go to the gym to do a 5k to start getting my fitness back after a 11 day cold so I asked Twitter to give me a target to aim for.

I gave 'Twitter' options of 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60 and 54 was picked by @IainMcGill (Scottish Conservative candidate for Edinburgh Central....weirdly enough!)

This was my code for a 1:54 pace, which is the time over 500m, so a 5000m is 10 of them which works out  to be 19mins 0.0secs. To make it harder, I restricted the rate to 22 strokes per minute. This means I wasn't allowed to zip back and forth but do it with controlled, powerful strokes until the end.

The way it broke down, into 1000m sections was this:

1000m - 1:54.0 pace, r22

2000m - 1:53.8 pace, r22 

3000m - 1:54.0 pace, r22 

4000m - 1:53.9 pace, r22 

5000m - 1:54.0 pace, r20 

Time - 18:59.5 - so 0.5s under target, although I wasn't aiming to beat it. I was pleased with the consitency and how it felt, I even dropped the rate in the last 1km to make it tougher.

My PB is 17:54.7 at a free rate (moving back and forth as fast as you want) but this was a different session and points to 'ok' levels of fitness. Obviously I want to improve quickly over the next few weeks, we'll see how that goes but in the meantime I havea 300m World Record Attempt on 9th April to prepare for, so lots of weights and short interval bursts to build power and lactic tolerance up.

Hope it didn't bore you to death!

Indoor Rowing Guide for those who want to know more.

Back in the game

Having taken 11 days off training due to a cold and sinus congestion, tonight was my kickstart session to get back into the routine:

1k wu @ 1:59 pace r24

Race start drills - max drag, 5-6 hard strokes from standing start

100m Test - 14.2 - 1:10.9 - r59
Hit 1:07 on 5th stroke and felt good but not enough to equal PB of 14.1s

Race start drills again

1k cd 2:00 r22

Not much, but it's a start. Next step - get some intervals done and weights.

If this is all gobbledygook and you want to know more about indoor rowing - read my guide:


INDOOR ROWING GUIDE

Why is Twitter better than Facebook?

I go through phases.

At some point I'm sure I'll go back to bejewled blitz and bouncing balls and commenting on friends photos and status updates. For now though, Twitter is my preferred social networking arena. 

The question I asked Twitter tonight (well, my followers anyway) was:

"Why is Twitter better than Facebook?" 

Let's see what people had to say:

So, a few different opinions there

What do you think? 

Leave your comment below or Tweet me @Graham_Lay

250m indoor rowing PB

4th day of DOMS since the leg workout - never been this bad before but then it was a big old session. The elbow injury is more of a dull ache so I thought I'd test the water out and see if it would hold out for some sprinting.

2k wu 2:01 r25

5 stroke starting drills from still flywheel:

max df
1:39, 1:22, 1:11, 1:09, 1:08 - 1:14.8 finishing ave
1:39, 1:20, 1:10, 1:08, 1:08 - 1:14.6

8/9 damper
1:37, 1:20, 1:11, 1:09, 1:08 - 1:14.6
1:38, 1:20, 1:10, 1:08, 1:08 - 1:14.4

6/7 damper
1:37, 1:19, 1:11, 1:10, 1:09 - 1:14.8

max df
1:38, 1:20, 1:10, 1:08, 1:08 (1124w) - 1:14.2
1:39, 1:21, 1:10, 1:09, 1:07 (1141w) - 1:14.3 equal LP PB
1:38, 1:20, 1:10, 1:08, 1:08 (1106w) - 1:14.2

250m TT - target sub 1:14.0 (37.0s) old PB - 37.4s (soft compared to 300m 1:14.3)

100m - 14.3 - 1:11.5 - r55
200m - 14.5 - 1:12.5 - r50
250m - 7.8s - 1:18.0 - r54

250m PB - 36.5s - 1:13.0 - r53

Passed 200m in 28.8 @ 1:12.0 so another PB

I went 1:38, 1:20, 1:10, 1:08 off the start and came off the seat slightly. Instead of stopping I tried to gradually get back into position whilst pulling 1:08s and 1:09s. Then I settled into a slightly more controlled pwoer cruise of 1:11 r50 until the fade started, but managed to hold it for quite a while. The last 75m was not great, lost a bit of form and was a bit ragged, last stroke a 1:20 as I had got out of position again.

I was hoping to get 36.8 but to hit 36.5 with a couple of errors is great, the feeling of pulling 1:11 r50 was good. I'll need to tidy it up a bit before Basingstoke if I'm going to get anywhere near the World Record (44.1s 1:13.5 pace).

Elbow is aching slightly but it didn't hamper the sprint rowing and as long as I don't stress it with bench or pec I think it'll be ok.

I'm Addicted to Twitter! Are You?

 YOU ARE A CONFIRMED TWITTER ADDICT!  

(And you'll Tweet this using the TweetMeMe button of course....)

@Graham_Lay 

Publicise your problem with a bumper sticker!

Take the Quiz

Addicted to Twitter?

So, you think you may have a problem, that's why you're here. Let's find out!

Take the Twitter Addict Quiz and see just how bad things really are. Count your score as you go, 1 for Yes, 0 for No, and click the relevant result to see 'what's really going on here?'

1/ The first thing you do in the morning and last thing you do at night is check your @replies.

2/ If you lose a follower, you panic.


3/ If you gain a follower, you get excited.


4/ If something happens in the world, you think, think, think of something funny or intelligent to say about it.


5/ You have your smartphone on Twitter whilst at work.


6/ You Tweet from the loo


7/ You use Twitter AND Tweetdeck (or other) at the same time.


8/ Your mission in life is to get as any followers as possible.


9/ You keep trying to get replies from celebrities and if you do, the whole world gets to know about it.


10/ You unfollow and then refollow people now and again to get up their follower listing.


11/ You Tweet in bed.


12/ You want to be the first to reply to any celeb, important/funny Tweet.


13/ You #ff loads of people every Friday.


14/ You include your Twitter handle in all e-mails and business cards.


15/ You have RSI from repeated refresh clicks on Twitter.


16/ You have set up a Twitter account for your pet.


17/ You average more than 10 Tweets per day.


18/ You panic when the Fail Whale appears


19/ You Tweet about mundane things but try to make them sound dramatic.


20/ You Tweet in the supermarket aisles and checkout.






How addicted are you?


0-10 - RESULT


11-20 - RESULT

Addicted to Twitter Result

You are OK!

You may have developed some signs of addiction, but all in all you are in control.

You are probably new to Twitter, here's some tips for you to get the most out of it:

TWITTER GUIDE

And don't forget to follow me and let me know you're not addicted.....yet!

@Graham_Lay

Memoire - Broken Key

Earlier today, as I was opening a cardboard box at work using a key to slice the cellotape, I had a flashback to a childhood memory and I thought I'd write it up for posterity and in case anyone was interested to read.

When I was 9 years old, we lived in Cyprus and had some great times. This memoire comes from one of our many days out as a family. 

We travelled up to the mountains to explore an area near Troodos (#1 on map). 

It must have been summer because it was pretty hot and there was no snow. We had stopped off to go for a walk and my little brother and I were fascinated by the hundreds of spent shotgun cartridges laying around on the floor. My dad picked up a tincan that had been shot and decided to try and open it up to show us the pellets inside. How the rest of the day panned out stemmed from that few seconds where he used the car key and it snapped!

There we were, in the middle of nowhere, stranded. This was before the days of mobile phones (yes - once upon a time nobody had them!). I'm not sure how much panic ensued, but we had to find some form of civilisation to get assistance and so started walking.

We came across a farmhouse a mile or two down the road and went to go and see if we could borrow a telephone. The people inside were very welcoming and invited us in. The men folk were out farming whilst the ladies and children were at home cooking and playing. Before we knew it, they had made us lunch and lemonade and one of the men said he would drive my dad to Limassol (#2 on map) to get a new key cut! 

My brother, mum and I stayed with the family whilst dad went off in this pickup with the farmer for the 3 hour or so round trip....! 

I remember my brother and I being shown that you could eat the nuts off the pine tree outside, by the sundeck. We started our own little harvest and accumulated handfuls of these pine nuts and ate and ate and ate! My brother was sick due to eating so much.

A few hours later, dad returned with the farmer and went off to get the car. Thankfully, the new key worked and we were able to get back on our journey home after spending most of the day with a farmer family who had taken us in and been extremely generous and helpful. 

As I was only 9 years old, I don't remember all the details but I do recall mum saying that the family had been persecuted, either in Cyprus by other locals or in Australia where they had gone to previously (not sure which way round). I'm pretty sure it was to do with a marriage between a Greek Cypriot and an Australian. It was a sad story as we all found them to be so friendly. 

I wonder how they all are and hope good things have happened to them since as they deserve it. I'll bring it up with mum n dad next time I see them to find out more about the day as the memory is a bit fuzzy.

At the very least, I learned that using a key to open anything up is not a good idea, that's why today I used someone else's key! :-)

Severe Leg Workout

I got invited to join Matt Lewis for a leg workout today, jumped at the chance as I do most of my training alone and Matt is about the same standard as me when it comes to legs.

The aim was for Matt to aim for a heavy squat PB and then half kill ourselves afterwards until walking became difficult!

Warm Up
25 x Bar (20kg) squats

Squats
10 x 110kg
10 x 150kg
1 x 180kg
1 x 200kg I failed, Matt managed
1 x 210kg I failed, Matt managed
1 x 220kg Both did 3 x partial reps (half way down)
10 x 150kg
10 x 110kg

Jump Squats
10 x 110kg

Overhead squats
5 x 70kg
10 x 60kg

Drop Set Squats (each to do the 3 sets on no rest and then swap)
10 x 120kg
10 x 100kg
10 x 80kg

Bench Squats (legs astride a bench, bum to touch bench)
15 x 80kg

Power Cleans
10 x 80kg - Matt finished here, 'done'

Straight Leg deadlifts
2 x 10 x 80kg 

Cool Down
10 mins recumbent bike until HR below 110


That's the hardest leg session I've done for a long time. Struggled to walk up and down steps or even on the flat for that matter. Felt very shakey for half an hour or so after. Going to feel it for the next day or two...