Professional athletes doing a 2k

[sharp_rower]

I've always wondered what Lance Armstrong would score on a 2k. As far as I know, he does not use it for cycling training. Assuming he's never touched an erg before, if you gave him an erg and asked him to do a 2k, what would he score on his first try?

What about these other athletes: Usain Bolt? Michael Phelps? Roger Federer?

[hjs]

I've always wondered what Lance Armstrong would score on a 2k. As far as I know, he does not use it for cycling training. Assuming he's never touched an erg before, if you gave him an erg and asked him to do a 2k, what would he score on his first try?

What about these other athletes: Usain Bolt? Michael Phelps? Roger Federer?

You need to have good endurance and relative good strenght, so you more or less at forhand know what someone can do.
From your list without a doubt Phelps will be the best.
Bolt and Federer lack endurance. Although Bolt will proberbly ok.
Armstrong will have a lack of upperbody strenght to do well.

[djh]

I'd say Federer best. Then Phelps. Then Armstrong. Bolt last.

Obviously huge room for disagreement here.

[bloomp]

Wait a tennis player would fare better than a swimmer? No way. Phelps would easily be under 6:20 if not close to 6 flat. So many college coaches in the states recruit ex-swimmers because they know it's a. hard to make it in D1 swimming and b. swimmers have to have great anaerobic capabilities. Plus the typical huge torso/shorter legs of a swimmer is ideal for rowing.

Phelps, then Bolt, then Armstrong, and then Federer who would barely break 7. Armstrong could be a great lightweight rower, he has a lot more upper body strength than people give him credit for - ever seen his lifting vids? Nothing too shabby. Probably 6:30s for his first try. He's probably the same size as Ebbesen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDawlrIeaVM

Bolt has much more endurance than people give him credit for. You can't be fast at the 100m without doing longer runs, and the mid-distance training runs have the potential to be terribly painful. Bolt could go 6:20 on his first try.

[Citroen]

I'd say Federer best. Then Phelps. Then Armstrong. Bolt last.

Obviously huge room for disagreement here.

Are you taking into account that Armstrong is only 1.77m tall and (by now less than) 75Kg so is an indoor rowing LWt?
http://www.letour.fr/2010/TDF/RIDERS/us ... rs/21.html

[hjs]

I'd say Federer best. Then Phelps. Then Armstrong. Bolt last.

Obviously huge room for disagreement here.

hahaha certainly not, Roger 4 th for sure.

[Carl Watts]

Phelps, Bolt, Armstrong, Federer

Just because Bolt is a 100M specialist doesn't mean he is only a 10 second wonder. The 2K is a short sub 7min affair and with his build and the fact I'm sure all his training runs far exceed 10 seconds ! coupled with obvious upper body strength it would be a hard call not to put him first.

[Bob S.]

Phelps, Bolt, Armstrong, Federer

Just because Bolt is a 100M specialist doesn't mean he is only a 10 second wonder. The 2K is a short sub 7min affair and with his build and the fact I'm sure all his training runs far exceed 10 seconds ! coupled with obvious upper body strength it would be a hard call not to put him first.

Bolt has the ideal height and weight for a rower.

Bob S.

[sharp_rower]

Thanks for all your replies. Some of you are suggesting Armstrong, Bolt or Phelps would score in the 6:30 vicinity on their first try? Remember, we are assuming these athletes have never touched an erg before...I mean, I find it hard to imagine there is ANYONE out there who would be capable of breaking 7 minutes on their VERY FIRST 2k. What are your thoughts?

[hjs]

Thanks for all your replies. Some of you are suggesting Armstrong, Bolt or Phelps would score in the 6:30 vicinity on their first try? Remember, we are assuming these athletes have never touched an erg before...I mean, I find it hard to imagine there is ANYONE out there who would be capable of breaking 7 minutes on their VERY FIRST 2k. What are your thoughts?

I rowed 6.39 in my first ever 2k after only sitting 5 minutes on the thing before. I was relative fit/strong, and I have heard that more often. Graham Benton Pulled a 6.30 while not being very fit and went around 6 min while he started smoking......................

I have little doubt Phelps will pull sub 6.20 without to much trouble. He is tall, strong enough and extremely fit.

[NELSON]

Phelps by a long shot, followed by Armstrong, then a toss up between Bolt & Federer.
Lets remember, what 6:15-6:30 does to your lungs & quads over that distance, no 100/200m stop or no faults stoppage. I don't see anything in Bolt or Federer past that compares to a 2K all out. Mentally would they be able to push past that pain factor to get it done????? We that have done the 2Ks know that point of no return.

[ausrwr]

I'd be very surprised if all of them wouldn't be WELL under 7:00.

I'd put them in order:
Phelps
Armstrong
Bolt
Federer.

Phelps and Armstrong aren't going to blow up - they're too well acquainted with their bodies and their limits, and they are incredible physical animals.
Bolt - you'd have to tell him to hold back for the first 5 minutes
Federer - still has a fair bit of endurance.

My bases for these: I pulled 6:50-something the first time I got on an ergo as a not-particularly-fit triathlete and surf swimmer. I trained a bit, but nothing like those guys. First 2k proper was about 8 months after that, and pulled 6:20.

Or possibly the best piece of evidence on transferability to ergo was a mate of mine - started rowing and erging as a move out of athletics (4 hurdles) and went to Australian Indoors to do her first 2k. I got a text after that saying, "I did 7:00. Is that any good?".

To be honest, we are looking at a sport where power and fitness are the key. The ergo does not require that much technique that a reasonably fit person cannot pick up the rudiments and go quickly.

[ThatMoos3Guy]

Michael Phelps would obviously be amazing, of those athletes he's definitely going to be the top. He's 6'4 with gigantic arms, so he's going to have a serious lever advantage over Armstrong (who's 5'9), and he also does shorter events so he's probably going to have a little more power. Lance would obviously have the potential to be an incredible lightweight.

Bolt has the physique to be a great erger, but he likely doesn't have the same kind of endurance training. While he likely does some endurance training, the focus is going to be on pure power. He'd be fast, but not likely in quite the same range as the first two.

Federer is a very fit guy, but he practices a skill sport so it's not his first concern. Nadal would likely be better, and some of the taller players (like Juan Martin del Potro) would be even better.

As for people not being able to break 7:00 on their first 2k, an extremely talented cross country skier in my high school did a 2k after 10 minutes of warm up. Never been on an erg before and he pulled a 6:50. He was around 5'10 and 165 and the first 500m was at a 1:39. Too bad he never really stuck with it.

Who doesn't love hypothetical arguments?

[sharp_rower]

I suppose I'm "projecting" (as they say in psychology) regarding the possibility of breaking the 7 minute barrier on your first 2k ever. I trained pretty hard on the erg for a couple years but never managed to go below 7:01.2. Just couldn't sustain that 1:45 pace for the whole thing.

I agree that Michael Phelps would win. The 400IM requires ridiculous amounts of strength and endurance.

Lance who?

[ArmandoChavezUNC]

Lance on 'roids - sub 7
Lance not on 'roids - not sub 7