Newbie needs a target

[don1000]

Hi all,

I've just started at the gym and quite like the rowing machine. I do 10 mins on the bike to warm up, then 20 mins on the cross trainer followed by my Concept 2, 2000m as quick as i can, followed by some weights.

I'm 6' tall and weigh 67kgs ( built like racehorse!).I'm pretty lean and have strong muscles( i think). I'm 38 ( tuesday), male.

My recent times for 2k have been 8.34, 8.31, 8.24, 8.21 and today 8.17! which i'm really pleased with. I know the gains come easy at the beginning but am hoping to get an idea of what is "good" for my type.

I'm putting in a few strong pulls at the start then settling in to 2.06/500m and going hell for leather for the last 100m.

I've had around 10 sessions on the rower now and would like some idea of the sort of times i could/should be aiming for.

Cheers for any help.

Don.

[George Dunning]

Hi all,

I've just started at the gym and quite like the rowing machine. I do 10 mins on the bike to warm up, then 20 mins on the cross trainer followed by my Concept 2, 2000m as quick as i can, followed by some weights.

I'm 6' tall and weigh 67kgs ( built like racehorse!).I'm pretty lean and have strong muscles( i think). I'm 38 ( tuesday), male.

My recent times for 2k have been 8.34, 8.31, 8.24, 8.21 and today 8.17! which i'm really pleased with. I know the gains come easy at the beginning but am hoping to get an idea of what is "good" for my type.

I'm putting in a few strong pulls at the start then settling in to 2.06/500m and going hell for leather for the last 100m.

I've had around 10 sessions on the rower now and would like some idea of the sort of times i could/should be aiming for.

Cheers for any help.

Don.

Man you must be a greyhound at that height and weight

For a target have a look at the online rankings http://www.concept2.com/sranking03/rankings.asp for your age and weight and then work your way up the list

george

[Citroen]

I'm 6' tall and weigh 67kgs ( built like racehorse!).I'm pretty lean and have strong muscles( i think). I'm 38 ( tuesday), male.

You should easily get under 7:00 for 2K.

1. Drop the damper - get a drag factor around 135.
2. Drive with the legs rather than hauling with the arms.
3. Drop your stroke rate.
4. Keep going at 2:06 for another 4K, then rest 90seconds and do another 6K. Long steady distance builds endurance.

[andyb2004]

Hi all,

I've just started at the gym and quite like the rowing machine. I do 10 mins on the bike to warm up, then 20 mins on the cross trainer followed by my Concept 2, 2000m as quick as i can, followed by some weights.

I'm 6' tall and weigh 67kgs ( built like racehorse!).I'm pretty lean and have strong muscles( i think). I'm 38 ( tuesday), male.

My recent times for 2k have been 8.34, 8.31, 8.24, 8.21 and today 8.17! which i'm really pleased with. I know the gains come easy at the beginning but am hoping to get an idea of what is "good" for my type.

I'm putting in a few strong pulls at the start then settling in to 2.06/500m and going hell for leather for the last 100m.

I've had around 10 sessions on the rower now and would like some idea of the sort of times i could/should be aiming for.

Cheers for any help.

Don.

I suggest working on rowing for longer rather than faster. You say you just started with the gym so can we assume that you took little exercise prior to this? If so, as you say you will initially improve quickly, but to sustain the improvement you need to work on your aerobic base. So slow down to maybe 2:20/500 and work toward 10k then an hour... and beyond.
Also have someone knowledgeable (probably not the gym staff!!) look at your technique as bad habits will become ingrained and harder to correct.

Glad your enjoying the erg so far, remember to keep it fun

[Snail Space]

... easily get under 7:00 for 2K.

[don1000]

Cheers for the help everyone.

I've been looking at the list and am around 100th mark. I'd like to think this means i'm the 100th fastest in Britain for my category but i guess not!

I am keeping an eye on my form, but don't want to get too technical with everything just yet.

I'm going to keep doing my 2k and once a week i'll try the endurance bit.

I'll aim for 8.00 by christmas, the easy 7.00 will have to wait some time i fear. Is there such a thing as an easy 2k in 7.00 or is that a typo?

[johnlvs2run]

Sub 7 is easy if you weigh 200 pounds, but not if you're built like a greyhound.

I'd develop your own program, see what suits you best and don't be concerned with the rating.

Set your own goals and do things the way it suits you.

[Citroen]

... easily get under 7:00 for 2K.

Don is 6 foot (5 inches taller than me) which is the big advantage, lightweight and six years younger. If I've been able to get sub 7:00 he should be able to.

I've done it twice, once in the gym once in a competition.

[badocter]

... easily get under 7:00 for 2K.

Don is 6 foot (5 inches taller than me) which is the big advantage, lightweight and six years younger. If I've been able to get sub 7:00 he should be able to.

I've done it twice, once in the gym once in a competition.

I think he can easily get under 8:00 since at 4 sec improvement per workout it is clear he is still refining technique and homing in on the groove, but easy for 7:00 ? I am 6'2" and 38 and have been at this 4 monthes and have just managed 7:42 -- i figure I have at LEAST 4 more monthes before 7:00 will be in reach.

Then again, maybe I am misreading your post. Do you mean easy now or easy 6 monthes from now?

[Citroen]

Then again, maybe I am misreading your post. Do you mean easy now or easy 6 monthes from now?

I mean this season or next. Not this week or next.

[Snail Space]

... easily get under 7:00 for 2K.

Don is 6 foot (5 inches taller than me) which is the big advantage, lightweight and six years younger. If I've been able to get sub 7:00 he should be able to.

I've done it twice, once in the gym once in a competition.

Dougie

I had no problem with your sub7 prediction.
It's just that "easy" and "2K" in the same sentence is an alien concept to me!


Cheers
Dave

[jamesg]

Don1000 says
some idea of the sort of times i could/should be aiming for

I think a beginner should not aim at times, but at learning to row. If you do this, you'll get fit anyway without even noticing and also go fast, in due time.

Your height and weight (1.83m and 67kg) suggest you should pull a longish stroke, without high forces. The first implication of this is low drag, if not very low.

Your net stroke length (net of the catch loss) could be around 1.2m, and average handle force 40-50 kg. This implies a stroke characteristic of 8-9 Watt-minutes per stroke; or 160-180W at 20, 200W at 25 and so on.

Try it for size; you can always adjust to suit yourself, but make sure the stroke is long without over-reaching. Each stroke has to be perfect, you can't go fast unless each single stroke takes you a long way. Then, once you have established your stroke, you use it at different ratings. Adjusting the rating adjusts the power level for longer or shorter pieces. As you get specific rowing strength and skills, no doubt you'll also be able to increase handle force, but this is not critical. Even Olympic lightweights don't pull much harder, but they do it in long strokes rating 40 or more.

To see the importance of length, you can warm up by pulling arms only for say a minute, then add swing, then add a little knees-up after the swing, then slowly increase this to shins vertical. As length increases, drop the rating and increase the pace or Watts. Always keep your back straight. This should take about 15 minutes; then you keep going for as much again, at least, at somewhere between 2 and 3 W/kg at an appropriate rating.

[don1000]

Hi Guys,

Tried some of the suggestions this afternoon:

Focused on the technique, keeping the chain flat, pulled a nice long stroke, reduced my stroke rate to around 23/24 (i don't know what it was before), and pulled with more power from the legs.

Result: 8.06.9, a new pb!! I was concentrating so much i forgot to sprint for the finish, so 8.00 here i come next time!!

I had more energy left than in previous attempts, but felt it in my glutes!

[Nosmo]

Hi Guys,

I was concentrating so much i forgot to sprint for the finish

That is exactly what you want to do! Forget about breaking 8:00 now and 7:00 will happen that much faster. 8:00 will happen very soon and 7:45 soon enough. Concentrate on technique every stroke every workout and don't worry about time yet.

If you can get some mirrors and watch yourself erg. Two large mirrors can be set up so you can look forward and see yourself from the side.
Also get a video camera.
Set your monitor to display the force curve and make sure that it is smooth.
Best to get rid of any bad technique before it is an strongly ingrained habit.

[don1000]

And there it is: 7.59.9 perfect!! (for me)

I had to work very hard and i couldn't maintain technique all the way, it all got a bit messy towards the end!

Now i've done my "8" i'm going to spend the next couple of weeks concentrating on my form, stamina and strength.

I'm going to reduce the drag, do 3000m, at around 2.20 per 500m with good form, i hope. I don't want to do much more as i don't have the calories to spare!

Meanwhile i'll continue with the weights and eating like a hippo. i'm up to 69.7 kilos so far so that's good.

All advice welcome and very much appreciated, and needed!