New guy here....

[bend3333]

Hi Y'all.

New to all of this and this board has been a wealth of useful information over the last few weeks. Thank you for that.

Here is a bit about my background. I'm 38, weigh 205 and stand at 6'2" tall currently. I ran cross country and track in high school and college. Was what I consider good in high school (top 10 in state of Oregon) and then a pretty average D1 runner in college. I raced mountain bikes growing up and it was my true passion and talent. After college I raced mountain bikes professionally until I was 27.

My progress had stagnated, I wanted to eat more pie (ha!) and it was time to try to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. I weighed 160'ish up to this point. for the last I guess 11 or so years I've been in full blown damage control mode. I fell in love with the weight room so I consistently have lifted a lot. That's how I put on 45'ish pounds. I then would run anywhere from 10 to 25 miles a week just so I could relieve some stress and not turn into a fat ass.

So I injured my leg running about a month ago. Was doing some cross training at the gym and saw the ergs sitting there. Jumped on and it's been a new passion ever since. I live in Austin Texas and found the Erg Rodeo is going on in mid February so I figured I'd let it rip and see what I can do.

Been following the interactive program that I've seen a lot of links to on this board. My form feels fine but I'm sure it's absolute shit! Here are some of the workouts I've done the last week or two.

Today was 4 X 1.5min with 1min recovery. I was 1:36, 1:36, 1:36, 1:38

last week I did 4 X 5min with 3min recovery. managed 1:46, 1:47, 1:46, 1:48

The AT workouts I've been doing seem fairly easy. Did 3 X 10min with 5min recovery averaging 1:52 pace for all. Felt pretty easy.

Anyway, all of this seems like it's going fairly good. I am definitely getting stronger and I am looking forward to this next 5 or 6 weeks.

I haven't done a 2k test yet and I don't really want to for a few weeks at least. What do you guys think is a reasonable goal time based on those workouts above?

I'm thinking 6:45'ish????

Anyway, that's my story. Thanks for listening to it and I'm looking forward to engaging in some conversation on this board in the future.

Chris

[jamesg]

I'd say 6:45 looks a little on the tough side. However, you have the speed, at least as shown in the 90s pieces. Did you do the endurance work?

The last few weeks of the Interactive (say level 4, 6x26) can be a great help, but a 2k test is needed for pace/Watt calibration.

[Carl Watts]

All the short distance stuff is not going to help you loose weight.

Same applies to the rower as it does to running, you need to do some distance training and this will also help make you faster for the shorter events over the long term.

[maestroak]

Just based on what you posted, I'd agree 6:45 seems aggressive, but who knows. Sub 7 looks doable, problem is that when you get up to your limits, 10 seconds is an eternity. I could pull a sub 7 relatively easily but sub 6:50 makes me cringe just thinking about it, they are worlds apart. I'd suggest trying for 1:45 splits for 1500m and then seeing what you have left to finish the 2k (ideally faster) in a week or two. If you can put up a decent number without killing yourself you could set a more aggressive goal when it matters.

-Steve

[bend3333]

Thanks for the replies so far.

I'm actually not so sure I need to lose weight? I'm actually a pretty lean 205. Would losing muscle weight help me?

I was basically starting from scratch a month ago. A 8k row at 2:05 was difficult at that point. I started the program a little over two weeks ago. Was just doing the 4 day a week on level 4 until this week. I finally feel like I'm in good enough shape to where I can actually recover from workouts and start to actually get into reasonably good shape. So I'm bumping it up to the 6 days a week this week. We'll see how it goes. I started pretty much at the bottom a month ago so unless I really screw up my training I should have nowhere to go but up for another month or two I would think.

I'm doing the workouts based on putting a 6:50 2k into the system.

As I said, I live in Austin. I've lived here for a decade and have never been on the water to row even though I see people driving by the water every day. I may have to figure out how to get into the on the water stuff in a month or two. It's fun to find a new sport to get into. Training hard for running or cycling and not being able to sniff anywhere close to personal bests that were set 15 or so years ago doesn't really interest me anymore. It's just frustrating!

[G-dub]

If you take one of your workouts and do 4 X 1K on 5' rest most would agree that your average split for that session is about a second higher than your current 2K split. And it will tell you what kind of shape you are in.

[bend3333]

Cool. I'll do that workout at some point in the next week and see what comes of it.

Do the majority of you guys have a erg at home or do you use one at the gym?

[G-dub]

You might want to start the first one at like 1:45 (or just under). If you are fit, the last one will bring the average down. But starting out a little conservative lets you get to the last one.

[Galeere]

Welcome to erging madness. Judging from your 3x10 minutes and your fast work, sub 7 seems doable. But as maestrok said 6:45 is a different story, you need 12% more power for that.
So I agree with Glenn and maestrok: Do the 4x1 k test or a genuine 2k-test with an initial 1:45-target. If it feels easy work it down from there. Endurance work (longer rows) will help to bring it down further in the long run.
Re Erg: I have one sitting in the cellar but also use one in the gym. I reckon that many others who are posting here have one at home as well. Some seasoned veterans but also some newbees who couldn´t wait to turn in plenty mileage on a rig easily available.
Good luck and have fun!

[hjs]

Thanks for the replies so far.

I'm actually not so sure I need to lose weight? I'm actually a pretty lean 205. Would losing muscle weight help me?

I was basically starting from scratch a month ago. A 8k row at 2:05 was difficult at that point. I started the program a little over two weeks ago. Was just doing the 4 day a week on level 4 until this week. I finally feel like I'm in good enough shape to where I can actually recover from workouts and start to actually get into reasonably good shape. So I'm bumping it up to the 6 days a week this week. We'll see how it goes. I started pretty much at the bottom a month ago so unless I really screw up my training I should have nowhere to go but up for another month or two I would think.

I'm doing the workouts based on putting a 6:50 2k into the system.

As I said, I live in Austin. I've lived here for a decade and have never been on the water to row even though I see people driving by the water every day. I may have to figure out how to get into the on the water stuff in a month or two. It's fun to find a new sport to get into. Training hard for running or cycling and not being able to sniff anywhere close to personal bests that were set 15 or so years ago doesn't really interest me anymore. It's just frustrating!

Certainly don,t loose weight, if you are pretty lean.

You will improve rapidly at this stage, think you will easy get that 6.45 soon and beyond. In general focus on longer work at lower rates. Really erging is pretty simple, get/be fit and have/build a strong stroke. That is 90% of the game.

[teddyDK]

If you take one of your workouts and do 4 X 1K on 5' rest most would agree that your average split for that session is about a second higher than your current 2K split. And it will tell you what kind of shape you are in.

Yesterday i did this in 1:58,6. So my 2k is around 1:57,6?

[Galeere]

If you take one of your workouts and do 4 X 1K on 5' rest most would agree that your average split for that session is about a second higher than your current 2K split. And it will tell you what kind of shape you are in.

Yesterday i did this in 1:58,6. So my 2k is around 1:57,6?

That´s what the rule of thumb says and it´s a fairly accurate one. Of course it depends a little on the question if it was an all out effort. In my experience on a 2k-TT or 2k-race one really goes to the edge.

[teddyDK]

If you take one of your workouts and do 4 X 1K on 5' rest most would agree that your average split for that session is about a second higher than your current 2K split. And it will tell you what kind of shape you are in.

Yesterday i did this in 1:58,6. So my 2k is around 1:57,6?

That´s what the rule of thumb says and it´s a fairly accurate one. Of course it depends a little on the question if it was an all out effort. In my experience on a 2k-TT or 2k-race one really goes to the edge.

It was tough yesterday

Thanks

[bend3333]

Okay....THAT HURT!

Today was the day that made the most sense to swap workouts and do the 4 X 1000 with 5min rest thing. It actually went really well. I thought I may have overcooked it on the second one but held it together through the end. Definitely felt like I had a good day for the fitness level I'm at. Here are the splits....

142.3
140.3
142.2
141.1

Average 141.5

So I'm in 6:42'ish shape according to this test?

This erg stuff hurts like hell when you're letting it rip! It reminds me a lot of skate skiing. Feels like every muscle in your body is fighting one another for oxygen and it puts you in the PAIN CAVE!

[G-dub]

Very impressive! You are on your own now not much more to say except keep training and making great times.