rhr wrote:Henry, the OP is 5'11 turning 40 and by the time he gets to 10-12% BF he will weigh around 82-85kgs. That will make him a fairly short, light heavyweight. Plus 500m intervals are mostly anaerobic and don't translate well into 2k times. You can get away with reduced fitness and extra weight doing 500's.
How many 40 yr old 5'11 rowers that weigh 82-85kgs row a 6:20 / 2k? The only guys around that height and vaguely similar weight that do that are world class lightweights and a couple of exceptional guys in the CTC who weigh just above LWT.
I agree 6:30 seems doable, in which case I'm suggesting Andy has a crack at LWT if he can (6%-8% BF) as that would be a competitive time in that weight category.
Andy you never lose just fat when you drop weight. Usually around 80% of the loss is fat. If you bulk up muscle at the same time then it's possible. There are also dehydration techniques one can use to "make weight" where you don't need to be 75kgs exactly, you can be heavier and lose water weight.
The 6.20 was optimistic, I did not know he was 40. But erging is age friendly. The odds are against him. 6.20 is indeed very fast for that age.
The weight thing, if he handles it smart, loosing the fat will make him faster. So that is only a plus. Doing it wrong with not enough protein etc will also cost muscle. That would be wrong ofcourse.
The 8x500 on 1 min is no matter what always close to 2 pace. Yes anaerobic, but a lot less compared to the more common longer rest. If he pulled 141 flat, he can pull 6.45 now.
I don,t talk about lightweight. I find that utter nonsence. If he needs to overly loose weight to get to sub 75 it indeed would no help. But again, that 75 is just a number.
I disagree about the muscle loss. Yes he will loose muscle, but not the rowing ones. Remember, he is not well trained, so his body will adapt even. The non rowing muscle will lessen some.
Weightwise also remember, most people are not lean, at races heavies I see are often overweight. In the sence above 10%. So they could be leaner. Toprowers are often 90/100kg around 193/2.00.
A lean 5.11 with 82/85 kg is not weak.
Last weak at the euro s I saw both Paul B, 10kg overweight in my view. And andy J, even more overweight. They both leave time on the table with that weight. I talk about 20/25% fat they carry.
If I look at myself. 93 at 6.1 think 12% fat now. I could be 90kg. If I loose my non rowing muscle a bit I could be 85/87 it would not make me slower on the 2k.
are simply taller and therefor weigh more.