Help me go sub-7:00 for the 2k

[G-dub]

Maybe put some test dates out there and then work toward them. The interactive plan is neat because it starts out with aerobic work only and then transitions to faster work as you get closer to a test.

[jackarabit]

Looks like Indoor Sports Services site still gives access to the interactive programmes. This could change due to tough times at ISS, Larry, so don't procrastinate. Lots of guys have also got good results from Pete Plan (2k) including this old geezer. No, I didn't even get to a flat 8' but I did make progress. You won't like how no plan at all comes together--because it never does!

[gregsmith01748]

Thanks for all the responses.

I'm a 51 year old male, 6' 2", 185 pounds.

I ran a 5:57 mile when I was 45 years old so I had some good aerobic capacity not too long ago.

I'm working with the coaches at EngineRm in NYC.

I know this is a difficult goal. I don't know if I can do it but I'll try.

I like the idea of just doing a couple of very fast intervals a week to get used to that pace.

I'd be pretty happy at 7:06/7:10 by next year.

Larry,

I wish I had your stats! I'm 53, 5'11, and I should be 190 (right now I'm at about 200). At my 51, I went 6:36. Right now, I'm closer to 6:45.
I don't think sub-7 is your limit, I think closer to 6:30 is where you could end up.

A guy about your height and weight went 6:27 at last years CRASH-Bs. Having said that, Getting there would required focused training and a fairly consistent commitment of time.

By the way, I wouldn't wait to get on the water. It's a blast, even if you still need to improve your power output. The learning curve to get fast on the water is multiple years long, it would be better to get the mechanics right while you improve your rowing fitness. I find it a lot easier to find inspiration to do hard sessions on the erg knowing that the OTW season is coming.

Greg

[LarryRow]

Thanks everybody! I tried the interactive plan and am still trying to figure it out.

Does it predict your final 2k time? I'm not quite seeing it.

[lindsayh]

Thanks everybody! I tried the interactive plan and am still trying to figure it out.
Does it predict your final 2k time? I'm not quite seeing it.

You punch in your current stats including time and number of sessions and level of fitness and the number of weeks before you want to achieve a certain goal for 2km so the final time is your goal not the plan.

[jackarabit]

Larry, the ISS IP program generator spits out a training sched. commensurate with your personal athletic history and fitness, with your current best time over 2k, and with the time you have available to train, but does not predict a 2k result post-training.

At the beginning, I think it best not to treat pace numbers in training as narrowly "predictive." I remember Greg saying, apropos of his training experience: "Do the work and the results will follow." Knowing some common training pace corellations will allow you to talk the talk but ignorance of this collective wisdom can be a source of freedom from expectations--most importantly your own. Don't worry, you won't be cherry for long! For now, your mantra should be: Do the training, Track the (improvement in) training, Test the training.

[Carl Watts]

No point rushing things its going to take you at least 6 months of decent hard training to get down to near the magic Sub 7 mark.

I wouldn't even be worried about rowing 2K distances to start with other than for cool downs, you need that 30 to 40 minute training and build to row longer to the point your butt doesn't hurt doing a HM and then start doing interval training with on and off minutes during your rows.

Trying for anything thats a personal best really sucks it out of you an is likely to disrupt your training so keep it to like once a month if you want to see where your at and you can track your improving times.

The hardest part is not necessarily the 2K PB, its the huge amount of training and discipline that gets you to the fitness level you can bang one out. After all its only 7 minutes of pain, hard training rows have you putting up with discomfort for much longer five or six days a week so you need this mental conditioning as well to keep going even when you want to quit.

[hjs]

Given your current stats, your weakpoint is pure strenght. Relative speaking for your stats an 8 min 2k is very modest. Don,t know how relative fit you now are, but you need big Improvements.
Aerobic fitness is very important, but strenght needs to be there. Your stroke needs to be strong enough. Roughly speaking you need to be able to pull 16/18 seconds below your 2k av. to have enough power in your stroke. So for 1.45/7 min. You need a stroke clearly below 1.30 at max speed. I think this is your weak link.

[MarkEg]

On a wider note, interesting to see the occasional personal swipe appear on here. I thought that was the domain of social media (and precisely the reason I no longer engage in that) Surely the point of a forum about rowing is to offer advice and opinion on rowing, not dig at people for doing so?

[Pie Man]

Henry when you say 16/18s below 2k pace do you mean a low pull? Or do you mean a series of strokes all below 1:30?

Good luck with getting to 7:00 Larry, having seen a 'proper rower' at the gym a couple of weeks ago doing a warm up at 18spm 1:50 pace I think I understand what Carl is trying to get at, and how difficult getting to that sort of standard would be.

I too have some hard targets (for me) I'd like to hit, unfortunately the next few weeks are going to be busy so my gym time is going to be severely limited.

[hjs]

Henry when you say 16/18s below 2k pace do you mean a low pull? Or do you mean a series of strokes all below 1:30?

Good luck with getting to 7:00 Larry, having seen a 'proper rower' at the gym a couple of weeks ago doing a warm up at 18spm 1:50 pace I think I understand what Carl is trying to get at, and how difficult getting to that sort of standard would be.

I too have some hard targets (for me) I'd like to hit, unfortunately the next few weeks are going to be busy so my gym time is going to be severely limited.

Low pull, thats a few strokes at that pace. And 16/18 below is the minimum imo.

For a full 500 meter row think around 2k minus 11/14 seconds. The relation between 500 and 2k is not very big, some people are relative much faster. The numbers I mention are the minimum you need. You simply need some surplus is raw power.

[Carl Watts]

On a wider note, interesting to see the occasional personal swipe appear on here. I thought that was the domain of social media (and precisely the reason I no longer engage in that) Surely the point of a forum about rowing is to offer advice and opinion on rowing, not dig at people for doing so?

Generally forums are the same, the key problem is that users are anonymous so they feel there is no personal comeback so they can make any personal comments they like. The hard part is not to engage with them and if you do and they will not look at the facts or listen to what you have gained from personal experience its best to ignore them.

[Pie Man]

Thanks Henry, in trying to improve my times it's helpful to understand what bits need to improve the most so I can keep balanced, they seem to be consistent with what I can roughly do now.

[MarkEg]

On a wider note, interesting to see the occasional personal swipe appear on here. I thought that was the domain of social media (and precisely the reason I no longer engage in that) Surely the point of a forum about rowing is to offer advice and opinion on rowing, not dig at people for doing so?

Generally forums are the same, the key problem is that users are anonymous so they feel there is no personal comeback so they can make any personal comments they like. The hard part is not to engage with them and if you do and they will not look at the facts or listen to what you have gained from personal experience its best to ignore them.

Agreed -- I don't understand anonymous profiles. What's the point. Anyway, it is what it is.

[hjs]

Thanks Henry, in trying to improve my times it's helpful to understand what bits need to improve the most so I can keep balanced, they seem to be consistent with what I can roughly do now.

Cheers (missed your name )

If you are balanced, keep doing what you do. The base is simple anyway, bulk of the work, long low rated is best.