500m sprint times

[MiddleAgeCRISIS]

I used to do lots of step ups onto a bench to strengthen my legs. If you have a big enough step up - it really helps and it might help with the speed of your leg drive because you cant really do it slowly. You only need to do 25 reps per leg.

Also if you have access to a TRX strap - you can do deep squats with the same effect. Having done this previously - this had a massive impact on leg strength for me. Again the reps dont have to be massive.

[withnail69]

Appreciate the responses. I'm definitely not used to the short stuff and always have been more inclined to aerobic activities rather than slow-twitch, power movements. My next go around, I'll bump up the drag factor 15-20 and see how that works.

Here are my times (I attempted to post a pic of the display originally but it didn't get posted)

time meter cal/hr s/m
22:39.0 5000 779 30
02:01.1 500 978 30
02:22.6 500 715 28
02:18.0 500 758 30
02:14.5 500 795 30
02:17.5 500 763 31
02:17.7 500 761 31
02:15.7 500 782 30
02:15.7 500 782 30
02:18.3 500 755 30
02:17.9 500 759 30

Please don't take this the wrong was but this makes me feel a lot better. I am only 5.8ft and if I row flat out. I mean flat out. I can get to 1:52 split for 500m yet I am seeing times on this board that look superhuman to me. My best 1000m is over 4 mins as well.
Is that a height/leg thing?

[max_ratcliffe]

Appreciate the responses. I'm definitely not used to the short stuff and always have been more inclined to aerobic activities rather than slow-twitch, power movements. My next go around, I'll bump up the drag factor 15-20 and see how that works.

Here are my times (I attempted to post a pic of the display originally but it didn't get posted)

time meter cal/hr s/m
22:39.0 5000 779 30
02:01.1 500 978 30
<>

Please don't take this the wrong was but this makes me feel a lot better. I am only 5.8ft and if I row flat out. I mean flat out. I can get to 1:52 split for 500m yet I am seeing times on this board that look superhuman to me. My best 1000m is over 4 mins as well.
Is that a height/leg thing?

Height does help - it gives longer levers. But yeah, you're right... some people on this forum are superhuman

I've been at this fairly seriously for 18 months, and there have been plenty of times when I've been convinced that I'm making no progress at all. Then suddenly, almost without realising, I'm rowing faster splits and the PBs start racking up.

If you haven't already done it, I recommend you posting a video of your form so that the cognoscenti can have a look. Many here will freely offer their guidance and getting the style right can really help.

[Gammmmo]

But yeah, you're right... some people on this forum are superhuman

Hardly any IMO - Armando (spelling?) comes to mind. I'd say what you have here is some people that have above average aptitude who work at it methodically and consistently. Never forget, as you do allude to, that physical size of an individual skews the numbers massively on the ergo. A tall, powerful, heavy individual is well suited to the erg quite unlike most other endurance sports.

EDIT: also remember v few people have REALLY good numbers across the board because many will play to their physiological strengths and some will not want to post stuff they're not so good at.

[withnail69]

Appreciate the responses. I'm definitely not used to the short stuff and always have been more inclined to aerobic activities rather than slow-twitch, power movements. My next go around, I'll bump up the drag factor 15-20 and see how that works.

Here are my times (I attempted to post a pic of the display originally but it didn't get posted)

time meter cal/hr s/m
22:39.0 5000 779 30
02:01.1 500 978 30
<>

Please don't take this the wrong was but this makes me feel a lot better. I am only 5.8ft and if I row flat out. I mean flat out. I can get to 1:52 split for 500m yet I am seeing times on this board that look superhuman to me. My best 1000m is over 4 mins as well.
Is that a height/leg thing?

Height does help - it gives longer levers. But yeah, you're right... some people on this forum are superhuman

I've been at this fairly seriously for 18 months, and there have been plenty of times when I've been convinced that I'm making no progress at all. Then suddenly, almost without realising, I'm rowing faster splits and the PBs start racking up.

If you haven't already done it, I recommend you posting a video of your form so that the cognoscenti can have a look. Many here will freely offer their guidance and getting the style right can really help.

Thanks for the reply Max. Appreciated

[Dangerscouse]

But yeah, you're right... some people on this forum are superhuman

Hardly any IMO - Armando (spelling?) comes to mind. I'd say what you have here is some people that have above average aptitude who work at it methodically and consistently. Never forget, as you do allude to, that physical size of an individual skews the numbers massively on the ergo. A tall, powerful, heavy individual is well suited to the erg quite unlike most other endurance sports.

EDIT: also remember v few people have REALLY good numbers across the board because many will play to their physiological strengths and some will not want to post stuff they're not so good at.

Yeah, I agree with this. There are many factors that are at work in rowing; admittedly some are preternatural and genetics but there is a huge amount of hard work, trial & error, tenacity and experience that plays into the end result. Not to mention how much good technique, core strength, discipline, breathing technique and mental strength add to this.

The really good rowers on here, all have some athletic background and there is quite often a clear link between people who have established a strong aerobic fitness at a young age being able to reproduce even if they haven't been consistently active.

It's an adage that has a lot of truth to it, but it's not unusual for your first ever PB to be your warm up pace given enough time.

As Max alludes to, progress is never linear and form is cyclical, which is probably a big part of the issue why people give up. Rowing is hard and its rewards are broadly meritocratic so you have got to enjoy the process and interrogate where you may be leaking power. Sometimes small adjustments make a big difference.

The short sharp distances do suit some more than others so you (dbo) may just not be physiologically suited to them, and longer distances might be your forte. Also they do take a lot of effort and you have to accept the uncomfortableness which is inevitable if you want to improve.

[hjs]

But yeah, you're right... some people on this forum are superhuman

Hardly any IMO - Armando (spelling?) comes to mind. I'd say what you have here is some people that have above average aptitude who work at it methodically and consistently. Never forget, as you do allude to, that physical size of an individual skews the numbers massively on the ergo. A tall, powerful, heavy individual is well suited to the erg quite unlike most other endurance sports.

EDIT: also remember v few people have REALLY good numbers across the board because many will play to their physiological strengths and some will not want to post stuff they're not so good at.

Indeed, if you are really gifted you pull sub6 in your first year. Atm nobody has the talent here to pull that off. Bit a sign of the time, everything is great. I have met a few guys in my life who where super talented. Not talking about rowing. Those people are freaks. Can do stuff with little effort where a pretty talented person can only dream off.

In rowing, the real freaks pull a 4x2k on 5 min rest al 4 below 6.....

[Gammmmo]

Yes, once you get into competitive sports (or certainly the ones in my experience) if you ARE superhuman (any good basically)....it's obvious straight away and irrespective of what training you do. Some of those people often lack the ability to realise their potential but that's when other people spot them and help them. The epitome of this is the professional athletes...in well supported sports like cycling these superhumans have their every whim catered for and everything is done so "all" they have to do is go execute the plan....OK, there are variables involved that even then dictate success but many top amateurs will be more switched on than many professionals, because they HAVE to be.

Anyway, "sprint times"...we digress...

[max_ratcliffe]

But yeah, you're right... some people on this forum are superhuman

Hardly any IMO - Armando (spelling?) comes to mind. I'd say what you have here is some people that have above average aptitude who work at it methodically and consistently. Never forget, as you do allude to, that physical size of an individual skews the numbers massively on the ergo. A tall, powerful, heavy individual is well suited to the erg quite unlike most other endurance sports.

EDIT: also remember v few people have REALLY good numbers across the board because many will play to their physiological strengths and some will not want to post stuff they're not so good at.

Yeah, fair enough. I was being facetious. Perhaps better then to note that "genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains". Even Armando - who's the closest we have to a sub-6er - has trained like a demon for years.

Your edit is a good point. It's important that we post our failures as well as our successes. Not only can it encourage others, but fear of failure never helped anybody. I never sprinted until recently, largely because I "knew" that I'd be atrocious. To my complete surprise, I have found it really good fun (that's "fun" in an erg-sense, not pure hedonistic delight!) and through learning to rate up, feel like my splits are better across the board.

[Gammmmo]

@max, yeah I know you were using the term "superhuman" loosely, but you get the point....

[hjs]

But yeah, you're right... some people on this forum are superhuman

Hardly any IMO - Armando (spelling?) comes to mind. I'd say what you have here is some people that have above average aptitude who work at it methodically and consistently. Never forget, as you do allude to, that physical size of an individual skews the numbers massively on the ergo. A tall, powerful, heavy individual is well suited to the erg quite unlike most other endurance sports.

EDIT: also remember v few people have REALLY good numbers across the board because many will play to their physiological strengths and some will not want to post stuff they're not so good at.

Yeah, fair enough. I was being facetious. Perhaps better then to note that "genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains". Even Armando - who's the closest we have to a sub-6er - has trained like a demon for years.

Your edit is a good point. It's important that we post our failures as well as our successes. Not only can it encourage others, but fear of failure never helped anybody. I never sprinted until recently, largely because I "knew" that I'd be atrocious. To my complete surprise, I have found it really good fun (that's "fun" in an erg-sense, not pure hedonistic delight!) and through learning to rate up, feel like my splits are better across the board.

There have been sub6 guys around, in the old days, there where two forums, a guy like Graham Benton came up and posted his training. Started out at 6.30 and within a year pulled sub 6. And later on, with a good coach sub 5.45

[Dangerscouse]

Your edit is a good point. It's important that we post our failures as well as our successes. Not only can it encourage others, but fear of failure never helped anybody. I never sprinted until recently, largely because I "knew" that I'd be atrocious. To my complete surprise, I have found it really good fun (that's "fun" in an erg-sense, not pure hedonistic delight!) and through learning to rate up, feel like my splits are better across the board.

I think the more common issue is that people don't even attempt the sessions rather than not post their failures.

I like to think that everyone, or at least the vast majority, on here will post good and bad sessions. Personally I always post my sessions as we all have bad days and it's important that people see them. It's not all a bed of roses, and for every dedicated sportsperson there will be a litany of failures

Also the issue with trying different sessions is that it's controlled by your ego. It's tough to start seeing progress over a specific session, which is usually the type that your most suited to, only to start feeling like a complete novice again with a different distance.

The only session that I'm not interested in is the 100m as it's far too risky for my back so it's never going to be a good idea.

[max_ratcliffe]

Your edit is a good point. It's important that we post our failures as well as our successes. Not only can it encourage others, but fear of failure never helped anybody. I never sprinted until recently, largely because I "knew" that I'd be atrocious. To my complete surprise, I have found it really good fun (that's "fun" in an erg-sense, not pure hedonistic delight!) and through learning to rate up, feel like my splits are better across the board.

I think the more common issue is that people don't even attempt the sessions rather than not post their failures.

I like to think that everyone, or at least the vast majority, on here will post good and bad sessions. Personally I always post my sessions as we all have bad days and it's important that people see them. It's not all a bed of roses, and for every dedicated sportsperson there will be a litany of failures

Also the issue with trying different sessions is that it's controlled by your ego. It's tough to start seeing progress over a specific session, which is usually the type that your most suited to, only to start feeling like a complete novice again with a different distance.

The only session that I'm not interested in is the 100m as it's far too risky for my back so it's never going to be a good idea.

Good points as always, Stu. I agree about the 100m, too - the idea of doing 15 or so maximal effort pulls with no time to reset the spine in neutral doesn't appeal.