ENERGY SYSTEMS

Energy systems used in Rowing

Aerobic 80%
Anaerobic 19%
Alactic 1%

Appropriate Training Levels

There are five aerobic and two anaerobic training categories.  The pattern followed is to first increase volume of aerobic work, then drop volume and increase intensity through anaerobic threshold and maximum volume oxygen.

All categories use maximum heart rate to monitor the appropriate level of intensity.
The best way to calculate maximum heart-rate is a 2 minute step test.  Failing that – for fit women:  max HR = 211 less ½ your age;  for fit men:  205 less ½ your age.

Category VI – Aerobic I  (60 – 65% of maximum heart-rate, i.e. 120 - 150bpm)

In rowing, the majority of the energy used to compete is aerobic.  The aerobic base built in Cat VI is the foundation for subsequent higher intensity interval training, therefore the greater portion of the year will be spent training in this category.  Aerobic means ‘with oxygen’, so the body uses oxygen and the calories stored in fat to supply the fuel needed to do the work.  How efficiently the body can shunt oxygen to the muscles determines the duration muscles can be worked without fatiguing.  Slow twitch muscle fibres are targeted during this training leading to improved lactic acid removal and rowing efficiency.  The goal at this level is to increase the volume, or the number of kilometres, not the intensity.

Workloads start at 45 minutes, aiming to get longer with stroke rates at 22 spm or less.
Work/Rest Ratio = continuous
 
Category VI is the ideal intensity for technical work.  Skill learning is most effective at lower intensities.  To ignore this phase of your training means that your aerobic base never increases and you, therefore, rely on strength and existing aerobic levels to perform.

Category V – Aerobic (65 – 80% of maximum heart-rate, i.e. 140 = 165 bpm)

Cat V represents those training intensities between aerobic (with oxygen) threshold and anaerobic (without oxygen) threshold and is part of aerobic base training.  At this level you are increasing the body’s cardiovascular efficiency, the ability of the lung’s to supply oxygen and remove carbon dioxide at the cellular level and by the strong pumping of the heart to move oxygenated blood to the working muscles.  Also, at this level there is some muscle strength development.  Training in Category V can either be done as steady-state exercise or long undulating intervals.  In this category the volume decreases while the intensity increases.

Workloads are 30 – 90 minutes in length with stroke rates at 18 – 25 spm.

Work/Rest Ratio – 5:1

Category V training is important for head racing.  In longer head races, 30 minutes or more, as much as half of the race may be done at the upper end of Cat V.

Category IV – Anaerobic Threshold  (80 – 90% of maximum heart-rate, i.e. 165 - 175bpm)

Category IV is a narrow band just above aerobic and just below anaerobic threshold.  Anaerobic means ‘without oxygen’.  The training intensity is at the threshold of switching energy systems to one that doesn’t use oxygen to work.  At this level of training the biggest fitness gains are made.  In this heart rate zone the body is on the verge of switching fuel systems from fat to glycogen, which is stored in the muscles and liver.  The downside to burning glycogen is the by-product lactic acid.  The training intensity should be just at the threshold of lactic acid burn, not into it, i.e. your body is at its limit of removing the acid as fast as it is being produced.  The goal of the training is to increase the body’s ability to remove lactic acid at a faster rate, therefore lengthening the time of work done before muscle seizure.

Workloads are 10 – 45 minutes in length at 24 – 28 strokes per minute.

The work/rest ratio is 3:1

The recovery period between intervals lets the body deal with the lactate that is produced during the work period.  This allows a higher volume of work to be completed than if no recovery periods were taken.

Category III – Anaerobic Threshold/Maximum Volume Oxygen (MVO2) (90 – 95% maximum heart rate. i.e. 180 - 200 bpm)

Category III represents intensities between anaerobic threshold and maximum volume oxygen.  Since category III is above anaerobic threshold training has to be done interval style to obtain an adequate volume.  The intensity of these workouts is definitely into lactic acid debt, so part of the training is to mentally be able to focus on form, timing, technique and power, not on the pain from lactic acid.  As the intensity goes up the volume of work is taken down.

Workloads total 4 – 10 minutes at stroke rates of 25—32 spm.

Work/rest ratio is 2:1

Category II – Maximum Volume Oxygen  (95 – 100% maximum heart-rate, i.e. 180 - 200 bpm)

Category II exercise is performing for as long as possible at VO2 max.  The objective of category II training is to increase VO2 max and endurance time at intensity.

Workloads total 2 - 7 minutes at race pace of 28 - 36 spm
Work/rest ratio is 1:1

Training in Cat II is similar to Cat III.  The difference is the length of rest or recovery time.  Therefore, work performed in Cat II is at a slightly higher intensity , i.e 105% effort while the volume for a Cat III would be slightly higher but the effort would decrease, i.e. 95%.

Category I – Anaerobic Lactic - (100% maximum heart rate, i.e. 180 - 200 bpm)

This type of workout focuses on anaerobic lactic, where the duration of an ‘on’ piece is less than 2 minutes but longer than 10 seconds, and the power output during the piece is at 100%. It puts the training at the upper level of power output over a sustained period of time which causes the production of lactic acid. The focus is on sustained speed and power such as the final sprint, with about 300 – 500 m left in the race.  Accounting for up to 50% of the race, the final sprint is crucial for success in a 1000 m race.

Workload total 30 – 90 seconds at stroke rates of 28 – 40 spm
Work/rest ratio:  1:5

 Neuro-Muscular - Anaerobic Alactic  (100% maximum heart rate, i.e. 180 - 200 bpm)

As the title says, ‘without oxygen’ and ‘without lactic acid’ meaning that the body is using the energy (ATP-CP) that is stored in the muscles for immediate use. This is pure power work for only a very short duration, less than 10 seconds per piece, and the rest period is a minimum six times the work period.
 
This workout can be deceptive because the number of power strokes is so few.  The purpose is to build strength and muscle mass.  Its greatest effect is during starts used in sprints.  In order to be effective, though, good technique must be maintained both for good lockup of the blades for leverage and for good posture to transfer the power and minimize back injuries.

Workload per piece is at a maximum of 15 seconds at race pace
Work/rest ratio:  1:6

The maximum total ‘on’ workload in this category is 60 seconds at a maximum 30 - 40 spm.