Tabata Row on the Concept2

I've done Tabata workouts before on the Concept2 indoor rowing machine, and as i had limited time today thought I'd sneak in a quick session.


1k warm up - 3:54


30 x 60kg bench press (gym challenge from a friend!)


Tabatas - at 15 strokes per minute, max power. So, 8 x (20 secs on, 10 secs off), 5 strokes per rep.


99m - 1:41.0 - r15
99m - 1:41.0 - r15
98m - 1:42.0 - r15
98m - 1:42.0 - r15
97m - 1:43.0 - r15
96m - 1:44.1 - r15
96m - 1:44.1 - r15
95m - 1:45.2 - r15


Total work metres - 778m - 1:42.8 - r15


2k cool down - 9:00.0


I found it tough by rep 4 and the last rep was a killer, glutes hurting. This workout is great for when you have limited time to train as your metabolism will be high hours afterwards, helping to burn fat.


Here's how to set it up on the Concept2 PM4 monitor:


TABATA

Day 2 of no smoking and rowing session

I stopped smoking yesterday. I'd love to say I feel great on Day 2 but I don't! 

It's tough this time. Last night I woke up in the middle of the night - too hot, too cold, couldn't get comfy, etc. This morning I felt nauseous for a while. By late afternoon I was yearning a strong cup of coffee and a session at the gym for my fixes!

The rowing session was a mixed bag, but high power work:

1000m r15 - 3:26.9 - 1:43.4 - 316W - 21.17 spi - df115

Tabata Row - r15 (8 x 20 sec on / 10 sec off)

1/ 97m

2/ 97m

3/ 96m

4/ 95m

5/ 95m

6/ 93m

7/ 94m

8/ 94m

761m - 1:45.1 - r15 - 301W - 20.1spi - df on max

249m - r18 - 1:31.3 - 25.55spi - ran out of oomph going for a 500m...

500m - r12 - 1:48.5 - 274W - 22.83spi

2000m - r10 - 8:13.6 - 2:03.4 - 18.63spi - strapless and minimum drag

A decent power session tonight. Looking forward to an endurance session next to test the new lungs out!

Getting the odd craving, just dealing with each one as they come and drinking more water/tea and less coffee than usual, although I felt very lethargic this afternoon until I had an espresso!

Tabata Row and Weights

I've got a 1000m race on Saturday and not feeling as fit as I was last year so decided on a quick, intense session to help build some lactic tolerance. The idea is that the legs will last another 50m into the race before turning to jelly! (I hope) 

Warm up - 3000m at 25spm @ 1:59.2 pace - steady, building a sweat up (just under 12 mins)

Tabata Row - 20 second burts with 10 seconds pause x 8

112m, 114m, 112m, 112m, 112m, 111m, 111m, 112m - total 895m (summary rounded it down from 896m)

average pace and rate - 1:29.3 at 33spm

My best is 916m from last September so I'm a bit behind but at least I finished strongly.

Weights:

2 x 8 x 60kg straight leg deadlifts (working hams and lower back)

6 x 60kg power cleans (power work)

60kg power clean and jerk + press

70kg power clean and jerk + press

80kg power clean and jerk

90kg power clean and jerk (a bit wobbly)

Cool Down

10 mins recumbent bike, first 5 @ Heart Rate of 135 bpm, second 5 slowing to under 110 bpm.

15 minute workout?

I've done a couple of Tabata sessions on the Concept2 indoor rowing machine in the last couple of days. The first was to record a distance for a monthly fun challenge, the second was because I didn't have much time before playing tennis.

I've read up a bit on the Tabata interval training and I am wondering if it really is as effective as everyone claims it to be? The theory can be applied to various different exercises but for my sake, it's all on the indoor rowing machine. 20 seconds of high intensity effort followed by 10 seconds of rest and repeat 8 times. The total distance rowed during the work phase is recorded for your 'score'. You can also use the lowest number of meters done in a single work rep and use that as an alternative but I prefer to use the whole session total.

I'll be doing more of them in the coming weeks so I'll guess we'll see. One thing that will affect the results is that I'm on Day 4 of stopping smoking too so there will be some natural gains from that at the same time.

Anyway - the session is all on the Concept2 erg machine:

-> 1000m warm up, gentle pace (around 4 mins)
-> 1 min rest/preparation
-> 8 x 20 seconds of high intensity work then 10 seconds rest (3m50s in total)
-> 2 mins recovery
-> 1000m cool down (around 4 mins to 4 mins 30secs)

Total Time c. 15 mins

My results so far:

1/ 894m (2nd Sep)
2/ 909m (3rd Sep)
3/ 916m (19th Sep)

I'll keep coming back to update the scores on this blog post so I/we can compare and see what progress, if any, is made. Any comments or shared experiences are welcome, please comment or rate below.

I think that it would be useful to see how this type of training can affect overall fitness so I'll do a 1000m time trial in the next day or so to set a benchmark and then again in a month to see what difference there is. Again, the no smoking will affect this result so it can't really be used as a scientific experiment, more a personal observation.

Also, here are a couple of links to websites I've set up for people to support each other in weight loss or stopping smoking - they are free to join and very positive communities, come say hello!

Stop Smoking Together

Lose Weight Together

Tabata Row on the Concept2 erg (MK2)

I loved it that much I did it again!

As I'd been challenged to a tennis match, had to choose a short session - BRILLIANT, I get to do the tabatas again!

And, knowing that Rob Smith had done them today motivated me even more....

2:40.0 - 909m - 1:28.0 - r39 PB

119m - 1:24.0 - r45
115m - 1:26.9 - r45
114m - 1:27.7 - r45
114m - 1:27.7 - r39
113m - 1:28.4 - r39
112m - 1:29.2 - r36
111m - 1:30.0 - r36
113m - 1:28.4 - r33

A 15m improvement on last night's marker. Positive paced but just had enough to dip back under 1:30 for the last one.

The warm up felt better tonight, and HR ws only 107 when I'd finished the 1k @ around 1:57 pace. Normally it's around 125 - 130. It dipped back below 100 within 40 seconds too...

After the tabatas, had a walk to the water, and then back, prob around 2 mins before checking HR which was 125 and then back to 115 60s after that.

I knew that to improve, I'd have to up the rate (from r33 to r39). That gave me an extra 2 strokes per rep pretty much so it zapped my legs a little bit less than yesterday but I still had massive lung burn and glute burn after the end!

If you haven't done this one before - TRY IT! It's great

Tennis - only time for one set due to time/light - lost 7-6 (tie break! wow, closest I have been to winning yet!)

Tabata Row on the Concept2 erg

This month's Facebook Challenge is the Tabata Row:

(20 seconds on, 10 seconds 'rest') x 8

This is a 3 min 50 sec workout including the rest periods - not much eh?

1k wu

118m - 1:24.7 - r36
117m - 1:25.4 - r36
116m - 1:26.2 - r36
109m - 1:31.7 - r33
111m - 1:30.0 - r33
107m - 1:33.4 - r30
107m - 1:33.4 - r30
109m - 1:31.7 - r33

TOTAL 2:40.0 - 894m - 1:29.4 - r33

It's a marker. My friend Jon Backman has gone WAY quicker, but he's mental!

Before you try this, be prepared for the 10 second rest to surprise you - as you finish the rep and relax, you look up and it's countdown to the next already - it isn't really a proper rest! I felt a bick sick during the last 3 reps and got a proper lung burn which is good - helping to flush out the lungs.

3 x 20 x Med Ball Sit Up Throws
10, 10, 20 x 5kg DB between ankles, leg raises

1k - 2:00
1k - 1:54

After the tabatas, I just went throught the motions but still managed to blast the abs with the med ball throws and leg raises.

Day 2 no smoking has gone well. In a couple of days or so I'll do a long plod - maybe a strapless low drag 10k or something just to really get the lungs working.