Noob- How much can I improve my 5k in 3 months?

[Lucasium]

So I'm currently pulling 2:11 at like 25 s/m but I need to make 2:00 by October to make the novice crew for my uni. I'm 6'0 and 84kg, not super lean maybe 14pc body fat. For the past week and a half I've been doing 10ks and seen an improvement from 2:20 to 2:17 at like 19 s/m. Used to play rugby and was pretty fit, checking my training log I apparently pulled a 19:30 5k three years ago. Do you guys think it's possible? Thanks

[Gammmmo]

I think it's like possible.

If you pulled 19:30 three years ago I reckon just focusing on sitting on the ergo 2-3 times a week for a hard 5K or 10K session will get you back pretty fast to where you were. You've only just started.

[Ombrax]

If you're healthy, young and motivated I bet you can.

Four or five sessions a week, with a mix of speed and distance (there's plenty of information on training plans out there) and you'll get there with time to spare.

Good Luck

[Dangerscouse]

I agree it's possible but it will be tough. I think 30r20 sessions will be helpful as you could do with strengthening your stroke

If you used to play rugby and judging by your weight and body fat percentage I wonder if it's at least slightly a matter of you winning the mental battle to go faster. You should have a decent aerobic base so it's possibly just a matter of refining it

[hjs]

So I'm currently pulling 2:11 at like 25 s/m but I need to make 2:00 by October to make the novice crew for my uni. I'm 6'0 and 84kg, not super lean maybe 14pc body fat. For the past week and a half I've been doing 10ks and seen an improvement from 2:20 to 2:17 at like 19 s/m. Used to play rugby and was pretty fit, checking my training log I apparently pulled a 19:30 5k three years ago. Do you guys think it's possible? Thanks

Should be easy. At your age and height you always should be able to pull sub 2.00 on a 5k. Get to work, for a young guy you are very Unfit. Bit a sighn of the time, modern people often are.
Google petes 5k plan. Think that 19.30 is very doable.

[Ombrax]

Should be easy. At your age and height you always should be able to pull sub 2.00 on a 5k. Get to work, for a young guy you are very Unfit.

I disagree.

What % of men with the same age, overall body size and composition as the OP would consider a 5k @ 2:00 something "easy" to achieve?

I bet it wouldn't be more than 2%.

[jamesg]

Shouldn't be a problem, if he learns to row first. 2:11 at 25 is a weak stroke, even for someone only 6' tall.

A 20 minute 5k is a 10W stroke at rate 20-21, well within an oarsman's range if he does the mileage.

[hjs]

Should be easy. At your age and height you always should be able to pull sub 2.00 on a 5k. Get to work, for a young guy you are very Unfit.

I disagree.

What % of men with the same age, overall body size and composition as the OP would consider a 5k @ 2:00 something "easy" to achieve?

I bet it wouldn't be more than 2%.

You are infected with modern day deskjob, lazy, doing nothing mentality. 200 watt for 20 min is really very moderate.
Every guy (80/90%) 180 or above should be able to do this. If you can,t you simply are lazy and doing nothing. Or sick and can,t.

[JerekKruger]

Honestly I'd be surprised if you couldn't beat 20 minutes in 3 months. Just do plenty of hard longer rows (30 minutes, 10k etc.) and do a practice 5k every couple of weeks or so. It might be worth posting a video of your technique as, as James points out, your stroke seems pretty weak, which might suggest a technique fault.

[JMac]

Should be easy. At your age and height you always should be able to pull sub 2.00 on a 5k. Get to work, for a young guy you are very Unfit.

I disagree.

What % of men with the same age, overall body size and composition as the OP would consider a 5k @ 2:00 something "easy" to achieve?

I bet it wouldn't be more than 2%.

You are infected with modern day deskjob, lazy, doing nothing mentality. 200 watt for 20 min is really very moderate.
Every guy (80/90%) 180 or above should be able to do this. If you can,t you simply are lazy and doing nothing. Or sick and can,t.

Agree 100%.

[Gammmmo]

Should be easy. At your age and height you always should be able to pull sub 2.00 on a 5k. Get to work, for a young guy you are very Unfit.

I disagree.

What % of men with the same age, overall body size and composition as the OP would consider a 5k @ 2:00 something "easy" to achieve?

I bet it wouldn't be more than 2%.

It's a question of perception. Men of his age, stature etc *SHOULD* consider it well within their grasp because they have the body potentially to do it. It's just whether they BELIEVE it. The OP is clearly sports-inclined as he's done rugby and has at least sat on an erg from time to time and found this forum!

[JerekKruger]

You are infected with modern day deskjob, lazy, doing nothing mentality. 200 watt for 20 min is really very moderate.
Every guy (80/90%) 180 or above should be able to do this. If you can,t you simply are lazy and doing nothing. Or sick and can,t.

I tend to agree too. Obviously it'll vary in difficulty depending on natural ability and physical dimensions, but it should be within the grasp of the vast majority of healthy under 30 year old men with enough training.

[hjs]

You are infected with modern day deskjob, lazy, doing nothing mentality. 200 watt for 20 min is really very moderate.
Every guy (80/90%) 180 or above should be able to do this. If you can,t you simply are lazy and doing nothing. Or sick and can,t.

I tend to agree too. Obviously it'll vary in difficulty depending on natural ability and physical dimensions, but it should be within the grasp of the vast majority of healthy under 30 year old men with enough training.

Indeed, take an average farm boy from say 25 years back.

Most people here start having done nothing for years, often very overweight etc. If thats the norm... I think people should be physical active, not just doing sports, but whatever.

And back to the op. He did pull 1.57 and now he is 20!! Seconds slower. It takes a lot of not doing anything at all at that age to get that done. He is very unfit.

[Allan Olesen]

Should be easy. At your age and height you always should be able to pull sub 2.00 on a 5k. Get to work, for a young guy you are very Unfit.

I disagree.

What % of men with the same age, overall body size and composition as the OP would consider a 5k @ 2:00 something "easy" to achieve?

I bet it wouldn't be more than 2%.

Well, you could take a look at me. I am 50 years old, 6 foot high, roughly the same weight as the OP, was in quite bad shape 6 months ago but has been doing miscellaneous training since then. I tried a rowing machine for the first time ever 9 months ago. Did not fall in love with it instantly, but did it again a few times, and a few months ago I ended up buying a C2.

Shortly after buying the C2, probably with less than 100 km in total since my first rowing experience, I decided to test myself at a 2k. I picked a day where I had set a new personal distance record in running. Probably not wise. Didn't really know how to push myself either during the 2k attempt, so I think I did a somewhat soft attempt. I ended up at 8:02.6.

I know that 2k is not 5k. But I also know that 50 years is not 20 years. And I know that bad shape is not good shape.

So to me it sounds really unbelievable that a a young man who is already into sports should not be able to do a sub 2 minutes 5k with a few months of training.

[jimmyshand]

So I'm currently pulling 2:11 at like 25 s/m but I need to make 2:00 by October to make the novice crew for my uni. I'm 6'0 and 84kg, not super lean maybe 14pc body fat. For the past week and a half I've been doing 10ks and seen an improvement from 2:20 to 2:17 at like 19 s/m. Used to play rugby and was pretty fit, checking my training log I apparently pulled a 19:30 5k three years ago. Do you guys think it's possible? Thanks

Yes, it's definitely possible. Dedicate yourself to it from now until October (and taking into account the advice on sessions above) and I'd be very surprised if you didn't achieve it sooner.

Also, if I were you I'd also check what drag factor you are rowing at, and make sure it's not too high (e.g. if you are putting the lever/damper up to 10, that will almost always be a bad idea). I'm not very fast but when I row a fast 5k I have the drag at about 115 (which is damper setting 5 or so on my machine, but this varies a lot between machines because the flywheel gets dusty and messes it up).

It does depend upon preference somewhat, but I'd experiment with this before settling on a number that works for you.


To view drag factor on the PM:

On the Main Menu, select More Options.
Select Display Drag Factor.
Begin rowing. The PM will display the drag factor after a few seconds.