timeframe for improvement?

[john19c]

Hi all,

I got my model D about a month ago. Being new to the erg, I'm doing all my homework... working on my form, and slowly building up a base. I'm still in that newbie phase where I hit a PR just about every time I sit down, but I'm barely getting off the last page on any of the rankings (not that I'd expect any different at this stage)

My question, to those of you who have been at this game for a while, is what is a reasonable timeframe and amount of training necessary to get to a level of respectability, like 50th percentile at most distances at least?

I know, obviously, that everyone is going to be different, based on their age/height/weight/level of fitness/training plan, etc, so I'm really just looking for an educated guess by which to anticipate my progress.

So if a 39yo, 185lb guy is pulling 45:00 10k right now, how many months/meters should it take him to get sub 40?

How long does it take a complete newbie to work up to a 1:30/500, or 7:00 2k? Curious to know your thoughts, experiences, and recommendations.

thanks
John

[sander]

Hi,

It depends on your fitness history. I got from 8:00 2km to a 7:20 2km in two months after a year of doing absolutely nothing, but then I have been a race rower in the past. A sub seven might take you a year.

Use a training plan, don't overdo it at the beginning and slowly but steadily improve.
First, see your steady row get faster and faster, then try to get down the 10km first.

[SwedeRow]

I started rowing about 2 months ago, almost exclusevily OTW, but I've done pieces on the erg from time to time when the weather's been awful. The day I signed up for the beginners course i set a time of 8:00 on the 2k, with what i assume lousy technique, last week i did a semi-serious test and the timer stopped at 6:47.2. I've also gotten my 5k from 21:01 to 17:30 during this period. Although i guess the skillset needed to get a decent 2k is way diffrent then for a 10k. Anyways, what I'm trying to say with my ramblings is that atleast I felt that technique was the key to progress in a far greater way than in say running or biking.

I'm thinking you'll do it in 2 months for sure, knowing squat about your level of fitness. The 10k that is, the 7 might be trickier.

[Carl Watts]

Didn't track my progress to get into half way in the rankings but it has taken the best part of 2 years to get into the 90th percentile.

It all depends on where your starting from and even what you were capable of 10 or 15 years ago. The great news is like you said, you will see rapid improvement to start with so it keeps you motivated.

[hjs]

Hi all,

I got my model D about a month ago. Being new to the erg, I'm doing all my homework... working on my form, and slowly building up a base. I'm still in that newbie phase where I hit a PR just about every time I sit down, but I'm barely getting off the last page on any of the rankings (not that I'd expect any different at this stage)

My question, to those of you who have been at this game for a while, is what is a reasonable timeframe and amount of training necessary to get to a level of respectability, like 50th percentile at most distances at least?

I know, obviously, that everyone is going to be different, based on their age/height/weight/level of fitness/training plan, etc, so I'm really just looking for an educated guess by which to anticipate my progress.

So if a 39yo, 185lb guy is pulling 45:00 10k right now, how many months/meters should it take him to get sub 40?

How long does it take a complete newbie to work up to a 1:30/500, or 7:00 2k? Curious to know your thoughts, experiences, and recommendations.

thanks
John

There are a few rough rules.

At first we have the first wave of rapid improvement. Our body adepts to the new movement and muscles that are not very well trained for rowing will pick up, this will last a few months. After this the improvement will go a lot slower and very fit people won't much at all anymore.
It also depends on age, young people will still grow and improve for that reason much more than older athletes. People between 25/40 ish are roughly fullgrown and there potential won't improve anymory.
After 40 we start loosing potentieel so it get's harder and harder to improve.

How long it takes for a newby to row sub 7? depends on your talent, there are people who row sub 7 the first time they sit on an erg, even sub 6.30 sometimes.
For a well trained, bigger man sub 7 should be very easy to reach, for smaller people less fit it will be quit a bit of work and short not very talented people will never be able to row sub 7.

It is hard to say what you could do with the info you give, you say nothing about your current fitness or training background. Telling what you weigh makes not much difference either. It that a lean weight or is it 25/30 % fat.

[Carl Watts]

I recon a Sub 7 is still a good benchmark for "rowing well", if only because a Sub 6 is pretty unrealistic for just about everyone.

45min for 10K is relatively slow, however a few good months of this kind of distance training can get you to 2:00ave pace and then you will be looking to go even faster. Work on dropping your rating and check what your drag factor actually is on the monitor. Be warned the quest to go faster never ends, well not until apparently until your about a 45yo anyway, then you just switch to trying to minimise the decline in performance.

[Bob S.]

Be warned the quest to go faster never ends, well not until apparently until your about a 45yo anyway, then you just switch to trying to minimise the decline in performance.

It is well that you added that qualifier. I first got on an erg at 65 and it has been more or less down hill ever since.

Bob S.

[hjs]

I recon a Sub 7 is still a good benchmark for "rowing well", if only because a Sub 6 is pretty unrealistic for just about everyone.

You can't say that, if Rob Waddel fals back to 7.00 he is very very unfit, for others it's fine. 7.00 is just a number it says nothing about our personal fitness. It can both be maximal or very poor.

[mikvan52]

"should" is a tricky word when it comes to improving speed.
I do not think that there are any hard and fast should unless one know many, many facts about the athlete in question.

For Instance... no matter what it would be doubtful that an erger will go under 6:00 for 2k if he/she is under 5' tall...
Point being: even height makes a difference.

My background is:
Started sweep rowing 1969
Started erging in late 1990's
None of this has been been w/o long breaks ... for others sports

Checking percentiles in the C2 rankings can tell you a whole bunch about your prospects.

For instance:
If you are in the (say) 75th percentile for 500m, chances are you can train yourself to the same percentile for 1k and 2k...
It's easier to score a relatively stronger 500 than a 2k....

The fellow who mentioned the 6:47 2k and the 17:30 5k fits this profile....

There are many other rough measures... Such as double the distance add 3 seconds to you 500m avg pace...

Ultimate improvement is largely based on Vo2 max... bur not precisely
Stroke volume (cardiac output) is another huge number
Muscle fiber makeup..

As you see... there are lots of variables... making the whole thing more of a wonder... than a "should"...

[chgoss]

My question, to those of you who have been at this game for a while, is what is a reasonable time frame and amount of training necessary to get to a level of respectability, like 50th percentile at most distances at least?

Difficult to generalize, as others have pointed out we all start at a different point (different physiology), getting better pretty quickly initially then at some point it levels out and getting better is much harder.

One thing for sure, if you get on a consistent regimen, work hard and stick with it; you'll get a lot better than if not. To my mind, that's where training with others (online with RowPro) comes in to play. Keeps you interested, motivated, provides just that extra bit of impetus to sit down and pull that chain when you would really rather just watch TV and relax.

free eval copy at https://www.digitalrowing.com/Downloads ... ctions.htm

good luck!

[mikvan52]

training with others (online with RowPro) comes in to play. Keeps you interested, motivated, provides just that extra bit of impetus to sit down and pull that chain ....
free eval copy at https://www.digitalrowing.com/Downloads ... ctions.htm

Good advice.

I wish RowPro with get with it and put out a Mac version:

"RowPro also requires Microsoft .Net Framework 2 and the Microsoft DirectX9 Runtime to be present in your PC. If RowPro Setup determines that the correct version of each of these is not already installed in your PC, RowPro Setup automatically downloads the correct version from Microsoft and installs it in your PC."

[Carl Watts]

training with others (online with RowPro) comes in to play. Keeps you interested, motivated, provides just that extra bit of impetus to sit down and pull that chain ....
free eval copy at https://www.digitalrowing.com/Downloads ... ctions.htm

Good advice.

I wish RowPro with get with it and put out a Mac version:

"RowPro also requires Microsoft .Net Framework 2 and the Microsoft DirectX9 Runtime to be present in your PC. If RowPro Setup determines that the correct version of each of these is not already installed in your PC, RowPro Setup automatically downloads the correct version from Microsoft and installs it in your PC."

We have not seen an upgrade to RowPro since like December 2010 (or even 2009 ?) from memory so I would keep a close eye on the Digital Rowing website for an update, probably even a whole new version. I know there are a number of major changes underway and there has been numerious ideas heading their way to improve the software. Essentially it has been aimed at the "Recreational Rower" but it just needs a couple of tweeks to make it very useful to more of an Elite rower or someone that needs better performance tracking analysis and on screen information when rowing with others and in the results etc, in particular SPM.

[john19c]

thanks for all the replies...

I realize there are a ton of variables in what determines how fast someone progresses through various levels of competency. I'm pretty competetive, and absolutely hate sucking at something, so I have plenty of incentive to keep working. The one thing I have to keep reminding myself, when I see how far down the rankings I am. is that I'm comparing myself to competetive rowers (or at least those dedicated enough to log their times online). I'm sure there are tons of people out there who don't care whatsoever about their times and just do 30min at 3:00/500 a few times a week to get some exercise. That won't be me : )

and I bought rowpro the day my erg was delivered... love it so far

[chgoss]

Do you row online? Bunch of us have had standing sessions Mon (12k), Wed(2x5k) and Fri(10k) at 7:30 PM EDT for going on 4 years now. Would love to have you join us some evening!
-chad