Sumo Shins & Finally I get Scaling

Sunday Press:

45 x a lot

95 x 5

110 x 5

125 x 5

Monday Dead Lift

Sumo and shoulders above or behind the bar, the Dave Tate "teeter-totter"

135 x 5

200 x 5

235 x 5

265 x 5

resulting in Sumo Shins (above, since I couldn't get it below)

We talk about scaling, and if we're feeling good, we pretend to do it. Intellectually I've understood it for quite some time now, and it's presented clearly and authoritatively here:

http://www.againfaster.com/articles/zatsiorsky-scaling-and-power.html

Of course, like most guys I don't do it.

I have a clear and concrete goal of rowing a 2000 meter indoor race in 7 minutes or less. The handy C2 online calculator tells me I have to average 302 watts to do that, or in terms I understand better, I have to row 1:45 500m splits. Because I have a definite goal, I know what my power output has to be. I've trained to the point where a 1:45 500 is trivial, and a 3:30 1000 is strenuous, but entirely doable. I have, however, been utterly failing to row a 5:15 1500.

What to do?

302 watts is an inescapable fact of rowing a 7:00 2000. I can't slow down and produce less power. The only variable I can change in my training is volume, or total distance rowed per training session. So, I do less rowing and keep my power output where it has to be.

Hey, I'm scaling.

I think I'm able to do this since I know the exact outcome I'm training for. Too often we do work outs with the idea that we'll use maximal weight, or do the most rounds or repetitions. If you can keep in mind that ultimately power output is the meaningful metric, you'll scale volume or weight, and ultimately get better results.