Rowing an Interval Row

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Rowing an Interval Row

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Using Session Setup, you can set up almost any Interval Row you want:

A Training Plan session from your RowPro Training Plan.
A Custom Row you have created in the RowPro Custom Row Studio.

 

The most common sets of intervals have a repeating active/rest pattern with all active pieces identical and all rest pieces identical. Other more advanced patterns are also available in Training Plans and in the Custom Row Studio.

The options available for Interval Rows are:

Intervals

The overall pattern of intervals is shown on the Progress Bar below the 3D Display during your row, and summary data for each interval is automatically recorded in your Digital Rowing Log when you're done.

Warm-up/down

In Session Setup, you can choose to include a Warm-up and/or a Warm-down with a Custom Row Interval Row. Interval Rows that are part of a Training Plan have pre-specified Warm-up/downs that you cannot reduce but can extend.

 

Some of the options for Steady State Rows are not available for Interval Rows:

Race Start

For Interval Rows, only Workout Starts are available.

Splits

Splits are not available for Interval Rows.

Strokes

Stroke data cannot be saved for Interval Rows.

Analysis

The Analysis functions are not available for Interval Rows.

 

To row an Interval Row:

Open Session Setup.
Choose the row you want.
Choose any Options you want. Any that are not available are grayed out.
Click the Row button.
Row the Warm-up if there is one. Start gradually and build up to your intended rowing pace.
Row the Interval Row. Use the In-row Display to monitor your rowing performance. See below for details.
Row the Warm-down if there is one. For most people a "walking pace" of around 3:00 /500m is about right.
Look at your Session Report if you wish.
Look at your results in your Digital Rowing Log anytime you want after the row is completed.

 

When you row an Interval Row:

3D Display

The 3D Display shows you moving along the course. The rows of buoys ahead of you are automatically arranged to fit the interval that you will row next, so the buoys are always set correctly for each interval as you row it.

Progress Bar

The Progress Bar under the 3D Display shows you the overall pattern of intervals. The Progress Bar is automatically scaled to the total duration (in either meters or minutes as appropriate) of the overall set of intervals. Each interval is shown as a colored section on the Progress Bar. As you row, the Progress Bar slider gradually moves along from left to right, so as you row you can track exactly where you are in the set of intervals.

Charts

The Charts display your pace and/or heartrate according to the settings you choose by clicking the buttons on the black frame below the charts. The charts are logarithmic, meaning they show your complete session from the start, no matter how long you row, automatically compressing the x-axis in the older section of the chart. For interval rows, the charts keep on recording as intervals pass, so eventually the whole set of intervals is charted.

PM twin

The PM twin exactly matches the real PM as you row. For each interval, it counts down from the set time or distance for the interval to zero, then resets for the next one and counts that one down, until all the intervals are completed.

Targets

For each interval, you can set target bands for heartrate, pace and stroke rate. Targets are preset in Training Plan Interval Rows, and you can set them yourself for Custom Interval Rows in the Custom Rows Studio. As you move from Active to Rest and back again, the targets change automatically. This means all you need to do is keep your rowing within the targets, adjusting your rowing each time the targets change. This greatly simplifies Interval Rows.

 

The PM2+ is designed to provide Fixed Intervals only. These have a repeating Active/Rest pattern where all Active periods are the same and all Rest periods are the same. The PM2+ only records the Active periods. During the Rest periods, the PM2+ simply counts down the Rest time. If you continue to row during the Rest periods, you get no performance feedback on the PM2+ and any distance you row is not recorded.

RowPro enhances the operation of the PM2+ for intervals in several ways that the PM5, PM4 and PM3 can do natively:

Rests

With RowPro, the PM2+ remains fully operational during Rest periods. It handles each Rest period the same as it handles each Active period, showing your performance and recording your results. This is important because it's better for your muscles to row at an easy pace during Rest periods rather than stopping completely. All Interval Rows in RowPro Training Plans require you to row at an easy pace during Rest periods.

Variable Intervals

Using the Custom Row Studio, you can set up Interval Rows where the Active periods and/or the Rest periods are not all the same as each other. For advanced rowers and coaches, this opens up a whole new world of possibilities for training and variety. When you row these, it's just the same process as rowing Fixed Intervals.

Freestyle Intervals

You can also use the Custom Row Studio to go the ultimate step - creating any arrangement of intervals you want, without needing to put in rests between intervals at all. You can use this to create staircase rows or any other shape you can imagine. Again, these are no more complex to actually row than Fixed Intervals.

 

URL of this page: https://digitalrowing.com/support/help/index.html?rowinganintervalrow.htm