I started rowing about 3 months ago. I love it and I really want to get picked for some races in the next few months. The team captain is basing her choices for race teams on 3 things: 1) ability on the water 2) 1k erg times and 3) dedication. My ability on the water is good (compared to my fellow novices) and I am very dedicated- I grab every opportunity to get out in a boat and I'm at the gym for at least an hour a day, usually more. Problem is my 1K time is rubbish. The best time I have rowed is 4.08, which although it is far from the worst time of the novices, it is nowhere near in the top 4. There is no way I will be picked for any team unless I at least break the 4 minute mark. Any advice on how to get a better time? I would do anything to get into a race this year!
Thanks in advance
Improving my 1000m time
Re: Improving my 1000m time
What is your 2km time? I think 1km is something that is not done very often, I'm a novice this year and we done 1 at an indoor comp but havent done any as training exercises. Maybe some interval training may help it, as you need a decent anaerobic base as well as a reasonable tolerance to lactic acid.
Re: Improving my 1000m time
There's at least one rowing club near me that hosts a 1k race. Perhaps it is a more common distance for masters. I'm an indoor rower, but do plan to do a learn-to-row program in March so I'm training with a mission. I'm also slow, but have improved my 1k from 3:59.6 to 3:47.3 in 4 months thanks to the Wolverine Plan. There are a lot of smart and gifted athletes on these forums and I don't doubt that one of them can come along and provide you with some great comments. Until then, please consider my offering below.
I'd do no more than one sesion per week at race pace (2:00/500m), one set near race pace (2:08/500m), and then the rest of the week's sessions at an easier pace (2:16/500m). I've become a big believer in the value of warm-up and cool down meters as well as active recovery (rowing slowly between intervals as opposed to stopping to rest). You'd do well to look into the Pete Plan or Wolverine Plan. That would get you some good fixed-rate and steady state exercises.
I'm not a big fan of heart rate based training, but Concept2 is a great resource for that if you are interested. All of the workouts below are from Concept2's posted Workout of the Day (http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/training/wod) along with warm-ups, cool downs, and target paces that I would recommend.
Your goal is to rack up quality meters during the week, really push yourself once per week, and to never stop working on technique. If you do a test (all out 1k), that counts as your 1 fast workout for the week. You really don't want to do that too often. A 4 x 500m with rest is goign to be much easier to recover from than an all-out 1k test.
No more than once per week:
20’ Warm-up at 2:48/500m
4 x 500m @ 2:00 / 2 min easy
Row four 500 meter pieces. Row for two minutes at light pressure between each 500.
20’ cool down at 2:48
No more than once per week:
15’ Warm-up at 2:48/500m
3 x 750m @ 2:08 / 2 min easy
Row three 750 meter pieces. Row for two minutes at light pressure between each 750.
15’ cool down at 2:48
10’ Warm-up at 2:48/500m
6 x 500m @ 2:16 / 1 min easy
Row six 500 meter pieces. Row for one minute at light pressure between each 500.
10’ cool down at 2:48
10’ Warm-up at 2:48/500m
3 x 750m @ 2:16 / 1 min easy
Row three 750 meter pieces. Row for one minute at light pressure between each 750.
10’ cool down at 2:48
10’ Warm-up at 2:48/500m
5 x 750m @ 2:16 / 1 min easy
Row five 750 meter pieces. Row for one minute at light pressure between each 750.
10’ cool down at 2:48
10’ Warm-up at 2:48/500m
3 x 1000m @ 2:16 / 3 min easy
Row three 1000 meter pieces. Row for three minutes at light pressure between each 1000.
10’ cool down at 2:48
10’ Warm-up at 2:48/500m
4 x 1000m @ 2:16 / 2 min easy
Row four 1000 meter pieces. Row for two minutes at light pressure between each 1000.
10’ cool down at 2:48
I'd do no more than one sesion per week at race pace (2:00/500m), one set near race pace (2:08/500m), and then the rest of the week's sessions at an easier pace (2:16/500m). I've become a big believer in the value of warm-up and cool down meters as well as active recovery (rowing slowly between intervals as opposed to stopping to rest). You'd do well to look into the Pete Plan or Wolverine Plan. That would get you some good fixed-rate and steady state exercises.
I'm not a big fan of heart rate based training, but Concept2 is a great resource for that if you are interested. All of the workouts below are from Concept2's posted Workout of the Day (http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/training/wod) along with warm-ups, cool downs, and target paces that I would recommend.
Your goal is to rack up quality meters during the week, really push yourself once per week, and to never stop working on technique. If you do a test (all out 1k), that counts as your 1 fast workout for the week. You really don't want to do that too often. A 4 x 500m with rest is goign to be much easier to recover from than an all-out 1k test.
No more than once per week:
20’ Warm-up at 2:48/500m
4 x 500m @ 2:00 / 2 min easy
Row four 500 meter pieces. Row for two minutes at light pressure between each 500.
20’ cool down at 2:48
No more than once per week:
15’ Warm-up at 2:48/500m
3 x 750m @ 2:08 / 2 min easy
Row three 750 meter pieces. Row for two minutes at light pressure between each 750.
15’ cool down at 2:48
10’ Warm-up at 2:48/500m
6 x 500m @ 2:16 / 1 min easy
Row six 500 meter pieces. Row for one minute at light pressure between each 500.
10’ cool down at 2:48
10’ Warm-up at 2:48/500m
3 x 750m @ 2:16 / 1 min easy
Row three 750 meter pieces. Row for one minute at light pressure between each 750.
10’ cool down at 2:48
10’ Warm-up at 2:48/500m
5 x 750m @ 2:16 / 1 min easy
Row five 750 meter pieces. Row for one minute at light pressure between each 750.
10’ cool down at 2:48
10’ Warm-up at 2:48/500m
3 x 1000m @ 2:16 / 3 min easy
Row three 1000 meter pieces. Row for three minutes at light pressure between each 1000.
10’ cool down at 2:48
10’ Warm-up at 2:48/500m
4 x 1000m @ 2:16 / 2 min easy
Row four 1000 meter pieces. Row for two minutes at light pressure between each 1000.
10’ cool down at 2:48
-Andy
PaceBoat lurched ahead unforgivingly, mocking his efforts.
PaceBoat lurched ahead unforgivingly, mocking his efforts.
Re: Improving my 1000m time
That sounds great, thanks. I'll give it a try and see how it goes 
Re: Improving my 1000m time
Make sure your technique is where it needs to be. I'm no expert by any means, but by reading and watching technique videos over the last couple of months, I've brought my SPM's down by 5 or 6 and my average times are 5-10% better at all distances without much change in fitness.