New Personal Best! Brag About That New Pb!

[Gammmmo]

OK first test since I started a come-back. Not bought my own erg this time round as wasn't sure my back was going to be up to it. So, I got down the gym and clocked 38:51 for 10K. As if often the case, I was *slightly* disappointed with that but was pleased just to get into the 38s. I started out too quickly as the average was at 1:56.1 at 5000m and that slipped to 1:56.6 by the end (I slowed deliberately between 6000-8000m so as to guarantee I'd finish). A bit more there with current fitness and better pacing I think. It's a start. Gives me a line in the sand now but I came away with some more respect for the erg and my old PB from 10 years ago when I was 35 and about 7kg heavier which was about 37:20 IIRC. Enjoyed it though being a masochistic endurance sport junkie.

P.S. average spm came out predictably quite low at 26 with a DF of 121.

[Gammmmo]

Had another go at the 10K distance but this time I decided to do a large negative split. I brought the average down gradually to 1:57.0s/500m until 2000m to go and then increased the pace to finish on 1:56.4s/500m to give a new PB of 38:48. This felt easier. Probably still more there, so will have another go soon. Certainly upon finishing I was immediately able to fiddle around with the PM4 which I shouldn't really be able to do. Back seems to be OK with these max efforts too so will be looking to get my own erg soon.

[Pie Man]

Nice time Gammmmo puts what I am going to post in the shade, but I am very new to all this

Just did 2x2k r 4:00. First was 7:51.5 24 spm which was ahead of my old 2k pb set with a very poor technique. Second was a 7:43.5 25 spm, beating my old pb by 10 seconds. Definitely not my ultimate pace but a pb and it felt hard but good. MHR hit 163 in the second 2k which is the most I have ever seen for any significant time, normally I top out at 160.

[Gammmmo]

Nice time Gammmmo puts what I am going to post in the shade, but I am very new to all this

Just did 2x2k r 4:00. First was 7:51.5 24 spm which was ahead of my old 2k pb set with a very poor technique. Second was a 7:43.5 25 spm, beating my old pb by 10 seconds. Definitely not my ultimate pace but a pb and it felt hard but good. MHR hit 163 in the second 2k which is the most I have ever seen for any significant time, normally I top out at 160.

Cheers mate and congrats on the new PB(s). Sounds like much more to come even with current form/technique if you just go for a standalone 2K. Look forward to hearing how you get on. I'm approaching PBs from a different way this time round by going for the longer ones first and then going for shorter ones as time goes on as the muscle/joint load will be higher and I'm still teaching this creaky old, cyclist's body of mine to tolerate the erg!!!

-Paul

[hjs]

Nice time Gammmmo puts what I am going to post in the shade, but I am very new to all this

Just did 2x2k r 4:00. First was 7:51.5 24 spm which was ahead of my old 2k pb set with a very poor technique. Second was a 7:43.5 25 spm, beating my old pb by 10 seconds. Definitely not my ultimate pace but a pb and it felt hard but good. MHR hit 163 in the second 2k which is the most I have ever seen for any significant time, normally I top out at 160.

Cheers mate and congrats on the new PB(s). Sounds like much more to come even with current form/technique if you just go for a standalone 2K. Look forward to hearing how you get on. I'm approaching PBs from a different way this time round by going for the longer ones first and then going for shorter ones as time goes on as the muscle/joint load will be higher and I'm still teaching this creaky old, cyclist's body of mine to tolerate the erg!!!

-Paul

Only 70kg? For that height very low. Usefull on the bike ofcourse.

[Gammmmo]

Yes useful not just for hills but for reducing aero drag, which is key. I've put on 5kg since stopping riding competitively. I'm naturally slight and stacks (10-15hrs/week) of aerobic exercise such as running/cycling doesn't leave much on me! I also dropped 1-2kg when I went 100% gluten free (out of necessity). Another reason which is related is that I know I need to do some weight bearing exercise (am doing weights plus the erg). I'm not built like how I imagine a rower should look like but I'm going to give it my best shot.

[Anth_F]

70kg for 5'11 I hope all my aerobic exercise gets me down near there eventually.

Still got a lot of lard to shift yet...

[Gammmmo]

70kg for 5'11 I hope all my aerobic exercise gets me down near there eventually.

Still got a lot of lard to shift yet...

Running gets weight off like nothing else although bike rides of >3hrs are good too. Believe me it's no effort for me to be 70kg...I have plenty of fat round my stomach. At 65kg I was at a point where I wouldn't want to be lower...but again at the time it was no effort to be at that level. I'm a bit believer in eating well and exercising lots but letting your body settle at a weight it's comfortable with. You just get to know.

[Anth_F]

70kg for 5'11 I hope all my aerobic exercise gets me down near there eventually.

Still got a lot of lard to shift yet...

Believe me it's no effort for me to be 70kg...I have plenty of fat round my stomach. At 65kg I was at a point where I wouldn't want to be lower...but again at the time it was no effort to be at that level. I'm a bit believer in eating well and exercising lots but letting your body settle at a weight it's comfortable with. You just get to know.

To be honest, i was only in poor shape and overweight because of being completely lazy and not taking care of myself and my body!! Basically living on burgers, pizzas, etc etc. It's been a good few years since i done any real form of exercise up until i got my rower just over a month ago.

Since i got my rower it has given me much needed motivation, and lead me on to do other forms of cardio exercises etc. My conditioning now is getting much better, but also my diet has changed massively. I am now eating "real foods" that are good for you and gone are the pizza and burger days, at least for now until i get all this lard off and maybe treat myself once in a while. I will say, i have lost about 1 stone in a month since i began exercising (every day) So it's certainly paying off all this effort. And with the rower here i know i can maintain things now too... i feel like a new man already in fact.

[hjs]

Yes useful not just for hills but for reducing aero drag, which is key. I've put on 5kg since stopping riding competitively. I'm naturally slight and stacks (10-15hrs/week) of aerobic exercise such as running/cycling doesn't leave much on me! I also dropped 1-2kg when I went 100% gluten free (out of necessity). Another reason which is related is that I know I need to do some weight bearing exercise (am doing weights plus the erg). I'm not built like how I imagine a rower should look like but I'm going to give it my best shot.

You slowly could build some extra muscle, but you must have a very light build. I am not much taller, but below 90kg/6.1 I am a skeleton. I do weights stuff though and have been doing so for years.

For 2k and above you don,t need that much strenght. If you keep doing lower rate longer stuff (carefully!) you will build usefull strenght and power.

[Gammmmo]

Yes useful not just for hills but for reducing aero drag, which is key. I've put on 5kg since stopping riding competitively. I'm naturally slight and stacks (10-15hrs/week) of aerobic exercise such as running/cycling doesn't leave much on me! I also dropped 1-2kg when I went 100% gluten free (out of necessity). Another reason which is related is that I know I need to do some weight bearing exercise (am doing weights plus the erg). I'm not built like how I imagine a rower should look like but I'm going to give it my best shot.

You slowly could build some extra muscle, but you must have a very light build. I am not much taller, but below 90kg/6.1 I am a skeleton. I do weights stuff though and have been doing so for years.

For 2k and above you don,t need that much strenght. If you keep doing lower rate longer stuff (carefully!) you will build usefull strenght and power.

Hope so. Conversely, even at 6'1" I don't think you'd see many good runners or cyclists coming in around 90kg...even 80kg would be very overweight (a pro like Marcel Kittel is 82kg and would be at lease 6'1" and he'd be one of the heaviest in the pro peloton). It's horses for courses. I have come to the conclusion though that vast amounts of aerobic exercise that gets you skinny and promotes cortisol is not great for people long term. I did my first and only triathlon last year (I did a half Ironman and came in at 4hrs 38mins even with taking my time in transitions) and would like to do a full Ironman but TBH I'm not sure how good it is for you.

[hjs]

Hope so. Conversely, even at 6'1" I don't think you'd see many good runners or cyclists coming in around 90kg...even 80kg would be very overweight (a pro like Marcel Kittel is 82kg and would be at lease 6'1" and he'd be one of the heaviest in the pro peloton). It's horses for courses. I have come to the conclusion though that vast amounts of aerobic exercise that gets you skinny and promotes cortisol is not great for people long term. I did my first and only triathlon last year (I did a half Ironman and came in at 4hrs 38mins even with taking my time in transitions) and would like to do a full Ironman but TBH I'm not sure how good it is for you.

For cycling/running, upperbody muscle should be minimal. If aerobic work is not so great, I don,t know, depends on intensity I think and ofcourse if you have the right body type. Lots of people use exercise to lose weight ext. which is plane wrong. Excercise is for fitness. Weight is eating.

Rowers are not overly heavy, 90/100kg is pretty common, but on a 6.4/6.6 frame. Lightweight rowers are often 6.1/6.3 for 72kg otw. A bit your build.

[Gammmmo]

Hope so. Conversely, even at 6'1" I don't think you'd see many good runners or cyclists coming in around 90kg...even 80kg would be very overweight (a pro like Marcel Kittel is 82kg and would be at lease 6'1" and he'd be one of the heaviest in the pro peloton). It's horses for courses. I have come to the conclusion though that vast amounts of aerobic exercise that gets you skinny and promotes cortisol is not great for people long term. I did my first and only triathlon last year (I did a half Ironman and came in at 4hrs 38mins even with taking my time in transitions) and would like to do a full Ironman but TBH I'm not sure how good it is for you.

For cycling/running, upperbody muscle should be minimal. If aerobic work is not so great, I don,t know, depends on intensity I think and ofcourse if you have the right body type. Lots of people use exercise to lose weight ext. which is plane wrong. Excercise is for fitness. Weight is eating.

Rowers are not overly heavy, 90/100kg is pretty common, but on a 6.4/6.6 frame. Lightweight rowers are often 6.1/6.3 for 72kg otw. A bit your build.

Yes, I always tell people who are exercising for weight loss to find a sport they GENUINELY enjoy FIRST and weight loss will invariably be a side benefit. Otherwise few tend to stick at it to get any results.

Regarding LWT, yes, I would intend to compete on the erg as one if things go to plan and I progress. I think for my age as a LWT I *might* be able to be reasonable. Time will tell !!

[Anth_F]

I disagree some what. I decided to get a rower to lose weight and get in better shape... i had never rowed before in my life and just so happens it's been a life changer for me. I absolutely love rowing now, having experienced it and can't see myself not "sticking" to it"

I eventually got bored of mountain biking, and have been doing that the majority of my life...

Go figure!

[Gammmmo]

I disagree some what. I decided to get a rower to lose weight and get in better shape... i had never rowed before in my life and just so happens it's been a life changer for me. I absolutely love rowing now, having experienced it and can't see myself not "sticking" to it"

I eventually got bored of mountain biking, and have been doing that the majority of my life...

Go figure!

But if you'd hated it from the get-go you wouldn't have stuck with it.