Hitting a heartrate plateau...

[Little John]

I seem to be hitting a wall here - I'm unable to sustain the target heart-rate when I row at the "Anaerobic Threshold" level (24-28 spm, 146-155 bpm). I can stay just below that target rate, but when I step up the effort, I run out of steam pretty quickly.

I'm following the regime laid out on the UK site for weight loss, and have been successfully losing weight until I started doing AT-level rows, then I plateaued. I suspect a correlation from my inability to sustain a higher output, but I don't want to "camp out" on the UT1-level workouts forever.

I lift twice a week, and it includes squats (without weights, but I'm pretty heavy, too), with a cadence of 1 second down, 1 second hold, 1 second up, 12 reps, 3 sets.

Any thoughts? It's getting frustrating.


My schedule is:

Sun: Row
Mon: Lift
Tue: Row
Wed: Rest
Thur: Lift
Fri: Row
Sat: Row

I'm trying to minimize my rowing during the week since it cuts so much into the evening, and I do have family obligations. I don't row immediately after meals, it's miserable. I'll lift after I eat, though, I don't have a problem there.

 

[HyungJun1]

Why are so worried about hitting a certain target HR?

 

[Little John]

I'm going to start training for an indoor rowing race, and I don't want to be in last place. I've done test runs of the 2K, and I'm pathetic. I'm using the heartrate as a gauge for the Anaerobic Threshold level of working out, and I can't sustain it. I figure if I can maintain that HR, it's indicative of being able to maintain the AT level.


On the Concept2 forum, I was given the idea to row 3 minutes at AT, then slower rowing for 1 minute, and repeat for an hour. Don't think I'll hit that hour the first time around, but I should be able to get there eventually.


Then I can look at HIIT...