Required fitness level for a sub 7 min 2km

[Carl Watts]

Drug use is a sad situation, we are only hitting the tip of the iceburg in uncovering the users in sport.

[hjs]

Squats, deadlifts, power cleans.

If you run 5k in roughly 20 minutes, you already have a decent engine, so I think getting a sub 7 2k is a matter of "mental strength" and proper rowing form.

If you love rowing, listen to this guy, Remi. Remi pulls amazingly strong times and is not tall either but he's incredibly powerful. I'm not terribly tall myself (around 5'10"). I can relate to the extra challenges for the rower that is not as tall. My son is your height and has just started rowing at 23 (he's like a younger version of Remi - shorter but incredibly strong).

All Henry is trying to say is that running may be a better competition sport for you. I'm not built for rowing either, but I really enjoy it and the mental challenges of it along with the fact that it's low intensity. My goal is also to break 7 minutes. Will I ever achieve it? Who knows. I went from 7:50 last year to a 7:19 early this year. You have the cardio strength it sounds like now, just work on your muscle strength. You'll need to be powerful. I would look up Ed McNeely power rowing on Google. He has a blog article talking about just doing 10 (building up to 20 reps) max pulls two or three times a week. With your other sports that you like, that would be a good place to start (perhaps add it in after your rowing as a finish workout).

Remy is NOT 56 kg, he is 90, so using him as an example Mike ? Apples and P....

Other point, erging for general health is fine for everybody. But a young person should not just look at that. Put your energy in your talent, not in a "weakness"

[hjs]

Remy is NOT 56 kg, he is 90, so using him as an example Mike ? Apples and P....

Probably closer to 95 now

And how much did you weigh around 16 years old, any idea? Gives some extra answer to the op.

[G-dub]

Young Matt has taken a run at this question a few times this spring with different posts and many of us have tried to council him to consider going where his strengths may be. Much easier to look backwards than forwards I suppose! I guess the first step for him is to try and get in the boat he is aiming for. I cannot imagine dropping the time he needs without getting on an erg, but more power to the young and enthusiastic. It will be a crap shoot and I think the only advice to be given is what has been said already: eat well, sleep well, lift weights in a fashion that mostly resembles rowing, get as aerobically fit as possible by other modes, do power exercises like box jumps and power cleans...

[jackarabit]

Collegiate rowing is mostly about eights but there's a ninth guy in the boat. What's he called? Shorty? Runt? Equipment manager? Capt. of the Pep Squad? No, he's the cox'n! Give it some thought. You don't belong in the engine room. The afterguard doesn't need broad shoulders and a long inseam if he has good lungs, native intelligence, and the patience of a sheep dog.

Or you can get mad, find an erg, go 6:59, make the JV boat for one yr at Altered State U. That would also be a great result.

[mattflint49]

You should be honest, you really don,t have the build for a rower. You have the build for running or cycling uphill. Toprower are close to twice your body. A bit like fighting windmills....
In our day its not common to simply tell the truth, in the longer run you are better off doing a thing you are better suited for.

Listen to what hjs is saying. For the same amount of work, you can be a good runner/cyclist/x-country skier, or a very(very) mediocre rower.
Rowing is a sport for tall people, and you can't change the laws of biomechanics.
Perhaps your thinking is "even though I will not be any taller, I may become muscular, like the top rowers"
Well, just like the height, the amount of muscle you have the potential to build is largely genetics.
That is, unless you use steroids, which is a very stupid thing to do, esp. for an amateur/recreational athlete.
How about kayaking? It's a very enjoyable, muscle-building outdoor sport, similar to rowing in many ways, and there are some very good 5'9 - 5'10 kayakers.

guys i just want u to know im pretty passionate about rowing for high school. i know im not gonna go professional but all im looking for is make our schools 1st 8. and if by then i feel like im at a high enough standard id love to row for university, but never professional olympics or anything.

[gregsmith01748]

Today seems to be my day to be contrarian. If you are rowing a 7:36 at 15, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to get below 7:00 by rowing season, even if you don't add any height. Here's my advice.
- workout at least 6 times a week (at least 4 of those should be running or long swims)
- if you can find some steep hills or stairs to run on. (A sports stadium is perfect). This is a big off the water workout type for many university teams
- if you access to weights, squats, deadlifts, good mornings, bent over rows. Go heavy. 3 sets up to 5 reps. 3 times a week.
- if you can't get weights, get some resistance bands and Google strength routines with resistance bands for tips on exercises like squats, deadlifts and rows.

The guys on the forum are right that you don't have the body type to row at the olympics or even at the most competitive colleges, but if you enjoy rowing, and you can get to sub-7, there are plenty of teams that you would fit into. It really depends on how you get enjoyment from your sport. If you want to pick the sport where your body type gives you an advantage and you could be more competitive on an absolute scale, then running or biking might be better, but if you love being on a team and on the water, rowing is a terrific sport.

There are hundreds of thousands of rowers, only a few of them are truly elite, but when see kids at a regatta, all of them are pulling hard and having a blast. You shouldn't let a bunch of grumpy old men tell you to quit rowing because you aren't tall enough.

[skiffrace]

Today seems to be my day to be contrarian.

I can see your point, especially when OP emphasizes his love for rowing. If he understands his limits, there is no reason why not engage in the sport "ars gratia artis".
The main problem is that he apparently not only does not have access to on-the-water rowing, but not even the erg.
Training specificity rules supreme - one does not become better swimmer by bicycling, or better rower by swimming.
Swimming and running are fine as cross-training activity, but to become better rower one needs to, well. row a lot, and there is no way around it.

You shouldn't let a bunch of grumpy old men tell you to quit rowing because you aren't tall enough.

Nineties are the new twenties

[jackarabit]

i'm on the side that's always lost
Against the side of heaven.
I'm on the side of snake-eyes tossed
Against the side of seven.
--Leonard Cohen

Maybe the upside dreamers and we grumpy old men could do something positive for Matt. Sounds like over-summer access to an erg would be helpful. Matt, if you're still around, are you willing to tell us a bit about your situation. What are the obstacles to getting you on an erg for some out of season training?

[aussieluke]

I saw a video the other day of England's Strongest Man and many time WSM competitor Lauren Shahlei getting on an old model c and pulling a 500m in 1:15 with zero technique.

So you could hit the gym like a mo fo, maybe get some serious conditioning with things like prowler pushes and farmer walks, keep building an aerobic base with running swimming and cycling...

[skiffrace]

I saw a video the other day of England's Strongest Man and many time WSM competitor Lauren Shahlei getting on an old model c and pulling a 500m in 1:15 with zero technique.

So you could hit the gym like a mo fo, maybe get some serious conditioning with things like prowler pushes and farmer walks, keep building an aerobic base with running swimming and cycling...

For short distances on the erg, supreme strength and fitness may go a long way.
However, when we're talking about (very) technical sport of on-the-water rowing.....

[mattflint49]

i'm on the side that's always lost
Against the side of heaven.
I'm on the side of snake-eyes tossed
Against the side of seven.
--Leonard Cohen

Maybe the upside dreamers and we grumpy old men could do something positive for Matt. Sounds like over-summer access to an erg would be helpful. Matt, if you're still around, are you willing to tell us a bit about your situation. What are the obstacles to getting you on an erg for some out of season training?

I've had a constant pain in my back for about a year. At first i thought it was growing pains (oh how i really hoped it was) and it was bearable. during rowing season its became really unbearable and now it hasnt gone back too how it was before. its in my quadratus lumbourous or something (quadlumbs) in the lower back-sides. apparently its something to do with my hips according to my physio? says my hip flexibility isnt very strong so my back takes all the force or something. dunno if its true or not but i just follow the stretches she sets me. back to the point. way too painful to do deadlifts/erging now so i just stick to running, swimming, cycling, squats, bench pull, chin ups, shoulder press.
i do have access to an erg but i just cant use it because my lower back hurts way to much.

[jackarabit]

The cat can't see to go nowhere until he's out of the bag, Matt. Still think the shortest way thru a brick wall is around it.

[mdpfirrman]

Remy is NOT 56 kg, he is 90, so using him as an example Mike ? Apples and P....

Probably closer to 95 now

I'm terrible at cm to feet/ inches obviously. Sorry Remi.

Still yet, there are shorter rowers with success. There's a guy named Andrew Campbell at Harvard that's 5' 10" and like 155 lbs and rowed a 6:19 or something like that at the Crash-Bs a few years back and now he's an Olympic hopeful. If he can row a 6:19 at 5'10" and that weight, there is hope for you if you work hard enough to get under a 7.

[hjs]

Remy is NOT 56 kg, he is 90, so using him as an example Mike ? Apples and P....

Probably closer to 95 now

I'm terrible at cm to feet/ inches obviously. Sorry Remi.

Still yet, there are shorter rowers with success. There's a guy named Andrew Campbell at Harvard that's 5' 10" and like 155 lbs and rowed a 6:19 or something like that at the Crash-Bs a few years back and now he's an Olympic hopeful. If he can row a 6:19 at 5'10" and that weight, there is hope for you if you work hard enough to get under a 7.

Relative fastest I know of was former European record 6.02 at 69kg / luigi. But Italian in the haydays of epo.