Rank Beginner

[JezDavis]

Hi everyone.

I started on the C2 in the gym at work about a month ago. Every Friday I go in and try to beat last Friday's time for 2K. Last week was hard, and it was at that point I knew I'd reached the limit for my inital tactic of shaving my 500m split by 1sec each week. Over the weekend I used the interactive online trainer and set myself a gorgeous 16 week programme, training three times per week. So my question is:

- At the end of the four month period, when I do my final test (i.e. 'race day', though there isn't actually a race), how do I know what 500m split to set myself?

Cheers in advance for any advice offered.

J

[Cyclingman1]

You have left out the details of your training. To improve 2K times one must row distances that are shorter and at a faster pace than the target 2K pace and distances longer at a slower pace. Of course, that is vague, but that is the general idea. Being a beginner, you undoubtedly have no idea where you will end up. So this training is an iterative process. As you get faster in your training, your target 2K will come down. For starters, I would base my training on what you can now do for 2K. In other words, shorter distances are faster than your current 2K pace and longer distances are slower. Of course, there is the matter of how short and how long. Obviously that affects pace. If you cannot complete workouts, you are going too fast or your workouts are too ambitious: too many reps, too long, etc. When can do a workout successfully a couple of times, decrease the time. After four months, you should have a good feel for what kind of pace you can row for 2K.

[JezDavis]

Sorry, to clarify: the details of the training are those as generated by the online generator (http://concept2.co.uk/training/interactive) on this site. I keyed in my current details and it throws out the lot: increasing/decreasing training times, intervals, intensities, etc. It's genius. So I've kind of already done what you suggest - thanks. The one thing it doesn't do however is advise whether, at the end of the period, one should be looking to surpass one's previous best by 1sec/500m, 2sec, etc. Maybe this can't be predicted but with the degree of accuracy of the programme itself I'd certainly suspect that whoever authored it would be able to suggest, even vaguely, expected improvements.

So to reiterate: I was wondering whether anybody had any experience with the use of the online trainer on this site and therefore what results to expect, i.e. the degree to which progress can be predicted.

[PaulG]

So to reiterate: I was wondering whether anybody had any experience with the use of the online trainer on this site and therefore what results to expect, i.e. the degree to which progress an be predicted.

Many people have used the IP with success including myself. i enjoy the variety of sesssions although the reliance on time for each session rather than distance gets mentally tiring. With experience and the use of the pace calculator on the rankings page you will be able to substitute distance for time, given a pace. To answer your question, there is no easy way to predict the faster pace you should use for you 2k test. However, again with experience from the shorter sessions you will get a good idea of what target pace you could hold for 2k. People have used the pace from a flat out 1k + 5 secs to predict 2k pace. Also the average pace for 6x 500 m with 1 min rest (I think) has predicted a 2k pace for many people.
Or you could just try one an learn from it.

[jamesg]

At the end of the four month period, when I do my final test (i.e. 'race day', though there isn't actually a race), how do I know what 500m split to set myself?

The simplest way is to do a 500m test, take note of the average Watts and then do the 2k at 70%. In pace terms, say 11% slower.

[jamesg]

So to reiterate: I was wondering whether anybody had any experience with the use of the online trainer on this site and therefore what results to expect, i.e. the degree to which progress can be predicted.

In my first year on the erg (when 62) I dropped from 8 minutes plus to 7:10, for the 2k. I did 20 minutes a day, when I remembered to, and then the last 4-5 weeks of an Interactive 2k schedule. Since then I've got steadily slower, tho always using the IA as a guide; I did a 2k in just under 8 minutes this year, after doing the first half of a 26 week Interactive.

A 7 minute 2k is 300W, and most people weighing at least 75 kg should find it easy enough, if not too old. This implies 4 W/kg; no doubt you can do the same if you have good technique, do a lot of CV work, some short and nasty as to the IA in the last month, use low drag and avoid going fast in the first half of the piece. If at 500m in you start to think, wow this is easy, then four minutes later you will have changed your mind. It has to feel very easy at 500, 2k is a long way to go and if you burn up your anaerobic reserves too soon, what will you call in during the last 500?