by This is Part 5 of my ongoing velocity based training for rowing series. In this post: video demonstrations of squatting and deadlifting with VBT and training program snapshots to show you how it works in a live session.
Part 1: Velocity based training for rowing research and resources, how VBT works to guide strength training, and pros and cons of using VBT in your strength training. Part 2: Unintended consequences of surveillance technology, initial athlete reactions, and how I try to minimize or mitigate these problems. Part 3: How I introduced and began to use VBT with the GRP teams. Part 4: Details of the 3-zone VBT system with findings from rowing research and erging data. (Note: A lightly updated version of this series exists all in one place in the “5-Year Update” addendum PDF to my book, “Rowing Stronger.” Download that for free here.)
VBT Video Demonstrations
First, here’s what the three VBT zones look like in training, recording during some early morning gym time at the last camp of the season. In the video below, I work up with sets of three reps on squat and deadlift. Fastest zones and lighter weights first, building up to slower zones and heavier weights. I’m still trying to accelerate each rep as the load increases. The lifting technique and speed intent stays mostly the same, and we adjust the load on the bar to achieve the actual speed of the movement.
There are three numbers that appear on each rep. The big one on the right is the concentric lifting speed, which is our primary output for VBT. The top left number is mean power in watts, which is a measure of velocity and load that I haven’t found much practical use for yet. The number just to the right of that is range-of-motion (ROM), measuring how far the linear measuring unit (ie. string attached to the bar) moves on each rep.
The ROM measurement is another great thing about the Vitruve system, because it means I don’t have to be as much of a judge of athletes’ squat depth. We can look at the data to see where each athlete’s consistent ROM is, and then Vitruve gives it to us on each rep to the tenth of an inch. I usually look at it as plus-or-minus an inch, which is still more accurate than I can usually be without the data, and I’ve found that athletes respond better to the number versus my visual estimation. We only celebrate speed or load increasing when ROM stays consistent. Losing ROM to gain speed or add weight isn’t helping us with the goal of better performance in our long-ROM sport!
VBT Programming Specifics
Now we’ll discuss programming specifics of how we actually strength trained with the three-zone VBT system, including some four-week sample programs from our training.
The only initial change in our strength training program was that I wrote a velocity range instead of an RPE range next to each main work (squat or deadlift) exercise. We kept our programming the same otherwise as far as sets and reps from the “RPE Era” to the “VBT Era.” Instead of checking in with the athlete about RPE and reps left in reserve after each set, we checked in about velocity data instead.
To reduce reliance on the technology and improve athlete learning of the three VBT zones, I don’t provide velocity feedback while the athlete is actively lifting. They finish the set, estimate where they think they were, and then double-check it against the data to decide what load to use for the following set. There is a way in the Vitruve system to get auditory feedback when the speed drops below the intended velocity zone, and coaches often set up VBT systems so that the athlete can see the data while lifting, receiving concurrent visual feedback on each rep’s speed. This is a great tool to keep within-set motivation high, and very useful in a testing context, but I want them to process feedback internally before receiving the external data feedback. We did this to support the goal of learning the three zones so that they can find the zones on their own when they are training without VBT.
VBT Example Strength Training Programs
First is a simple off-season program design with the main work all in the target velocity range of 0.5-0.75m/s, our accelerated strength zone for base strength training. The rower selects the load to achieve all reps within the range and/or an average velocity of all reps. For example, we could look at all six reps of a single set being between 0.5-0.75m/s. We could also look for the average of all six reps being between 0.5-0.75m/s, usually between 0.6-0.65m/s, even if one or two reps were above 0.75m/s or one or two reps were below 0.5m/s.
Next is an alternating strength and power session program design. Once we get within 4-8 weeks of a performance target, such as a race or important 2km erg test, we move to this alternating design to focus on rate of force development with rep velocity above 0.75m/s. This is the same pre/in-season strength-and-power training model that I’ve used for years, just enhanced by velocity feedback. During some in-season weeks or for the final weeks of preparation, we often move both sessions to power above 0.75m/s. This increases emphasis on rate of force production and also typically improves recovery with the athlete using lighter weights.
This is basically the same training program as when we used only RPE, just with velocity zone targets instead of RPE targets. If you want to read more about why I chose those exercises and how I write a strength training program in general, read my article, “Rowing Strength Training Program Priorities.”
Remember that VBT itself is not a strength training program. It’s just a measurement tool to use velocity data to guide training. We started out just using VBT to enhance our ability to select appropriate training weights. Even with this simple approach, VBT has been a great addition to our strength training. In addition to improved weight-selection, athletes are more engaged with the strength training and have a better understanding of the goals for individual sessions based on the 3-zone velocity system and data feedback.
We’ll cover other VBT training program designs in a future part to this series. In the next part, we’ll discuss VBT in a strength testing context using the concept of velocity failure instead of technical failure or muscular failure.
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