Faster erg time

[NoviceSweepRower]

Hello I am a novice freshman rower. I am hoping to make varsity for my schools crew team next year. My school does 1500 meter races and to be comfortably on varsity I would need to go sub 5:00, though I would probably be good going sub 5:10. Right now my 1500 is 5:26. I have roughly a year to accomplish this goal of going sub 5:00. I am 6’2 175, in average shape.

Is this goal reasonable?

What should my training and diet look like to achieve it?

[MPx]

These sound like questions for your coach! Is rowing "the" sport you're going for or just one activity amongst many sports needing time/energy?

Sub 5min is sub 1:40 pace. That's properly quick, but not impossible by any means for a chap of your size. It is a bigger gap than it looks though as you need to up your wattage from 270 at 1:49 pace to 350 to reach your target. Probably a good idea to go for the 5:10 for the first few months. Apart from putting in the usual extensive time at steady state to build your aerobic engine, I'd suggest doing some intervals once a week at target pace - something like 6x500m 2r - initially start at (say) 1:48 for 5 but go all out to do a faster last. Use the average you achieve as the starting pace the next time, but again with a faster last. Hopefully you'll get down to 1:44 or lower in pretty short order.

Alternatively just follow one of the standard plans for the Olympic 2k distance - they will translate very well to a 1500 time trial.

[NoviceSweepRower]

Thank you for the reply! I’ll definitely talk to my coach.

[iain]

"Average" shape is a bit vague. Are you saying that you have been fitter or that you are in the middle of the pack of Varsity hopefuls? It would be useful to have a time for a 5k, 6k or 20' and potentially 500 together with the stroke rates used so as to evaluate whether you would be better to focus on your base or strength. It would also be useful to know current training and any recent changes as any program needs to build on where you are at present.

[NoviceSweepRower]

For a freshman I am probably average strength and below average cardio which would put me below average for other varsity hopefuls. As for other erg tests I don’t have any at the moment but for my previously mentioned erg test my stroke rate was a 28.

[iain]

You could get a bit faster by rowing at a higher rate. I suggest 8 x 500 with 3min rest as a great session to get used to this. I would do first set trying to stay at 1:51 at R29 for first 6 then a bit quicker if you have anything left in 7th and all out in final at at least R32. THe the fitness, I suggest you start some longer sessions at an easy pace, one you could talk a few sentences at done 3 or more times a week and try and increase about 10% a week. You should do long enough to feel it, but be confident that you could do again straight away if required.

Best of luck.

Iain