Concept2 Forum

Hi everybody.

Due to a long term running injury I've recently started using the concept 2 rower in order to maintain my fitness. I've actually got quite into it and I'm now looking to see if I can improve my times.

My background is long distance trail running and also road cycling, so I've got good endurance and on the bike a good power/weight ratio (hills climbs are my specialty) but I've very much got an an endurance athletes build with low body fat.

Height = 172cm (5ft 8")
Weight = 64kg (141 lbs)
Age = 33
Body fat approx 5%

I've done a few 'maximum effort' tests on the rower and my current PB's are....

1k = 3:50 (1:55 pace / stroke rate 33)
2k = 7:53 (1:58 pace / Stroke rate 30)
5k = 20:38 (2:04 pace / Stroke rate average 26)

I know that these times are pretty average, but given my height/build what sort of targets should I realistically be aiming towards?

Also based on those times and stroke rates etc, can anybody see any areas or distances that I should be targeting to improve?

Looks fine, all your pieces were with a 7 W' stroke, and two 3 W/kg. If your HR didn't go over expected bands, and your interest is endurance, there's nothing to change.

If you do want to go faster, you'll need a heftier stroke, which means pull each stroke harder and longer.

Power, rowing is a power endurance sport, endurance you have plenty, power hardly any.
Also for a smaller guy your ratings are low, using a higher rate will favor your strenght, endurance.
For training using a lower rating is fine though, it will build strenght. If you want to be a better erger, the best you can do is get stronger and build some extra muscle. At the moment you are super light, eat enough, with a good bit of protein.

Thanks very much for the replies.

I'm going to try working on my upper body and core strength, as feel that's the weakest part for the chain. Leg drive feels ok due to cycling strength.

Just did 30 min row, my longest ever. Managed 7250m (2:04 pace) so pleased that I was able to equal my 5000m PB and then hold on to the pace for another 9 mins

As the others have mentioned, you need to build power. Intervals are a good way to do this.

Depending on your pain and suffering threshold, go for either 500m intervals with a rest period 3-4 minutes or something a little shorter, say 1 min active followed by 2-3 minutes rest. For the work pieces, try to go at a pace that is faster than your 2K target pace, but not too much faster. For the 500m I do 6 sets, and for the 1 minute, I do 8 sets.

It's a great way to build your power.

You and I are the same build, but I've got 30 years on you! Those times look pretty good for just getting started. It takes a while for the body to adjust to new exercises (how long did it take before you were able to hang with the pack in a bike road race?). Just keep at it, follow a training plan if you're so inclined, and you'll see your times start dropping. Check out the rankings on the C2 web site for comparisons on how you're doing. Have fun!

Hi LB and All,
Yes, more grunt work needed here !
To rebuild my strength after my internal war I use a mix of intervals and long rows. The intervals need to be as tough as you can take and the rests as short as you can take. I use 500m on, 1 min rest, repeat 10 times. Work rate should be hard enough so that you are at max hr by the end of interval 8. Also you could do just 1 minute on and 1 minute rest. You might do 35 strokes in that 1 minute and you can make each one of them like a weightlifting effort. This will build speed / power . The aim is to overload your muscles (including your heart ...) so they will likely get sore and will need protein and time to rebuild. I aim to do this twice per week to give time for my poor self to recover . If it feels easy then it probably is and you need to go harder. I expect to feel rubbish by 9th 500 interval and I am seldom disappointed. Got to love it
I use the other days to do long rows to work on form (see videos) and to maintain long distance endurance. Intervals only seem to help with speed and power and don't seem to help me at 5 km+ times. At these longer distances we probably have almost enough power already.
All the best - David.

Thanks again for the advice. I'm going to start doing some of those 500m intervals as I've not been doing anything like that so far.

Well after spending a few days focussing on just 500m intervals and also some technique drills, I've got a couple of new PB's

2k = 7:38 (15 sec improvement)
5K = 19:49 (49 second improvement)

Well chuffed with those, especially the sub 20 min 5k. I managed to row it with fairly even 1:58-2:00 splits, and an average stroke rate of 27, although nearly killed me near the end, lol!

Still working hard and have pretty much smashed my PB's at all distances!

New PB's are....

500m = 1:39 (1:39 pace)
1000m = 3:32 (1:46 pace)
2000m = 7:27 (1:52 pace)
5000m = 19:37 (1:58 pace)
30 min = 7464m (2:00 pace)

Pleased with those considering my height/weight and that I've only being rowing a few weeks