Reasonable goal setting advice

[jib]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the forums and to owning a model D. I'm a 34F, 5'6", who rowed in high school. After such a long hiatus, I'm so excited to start rowing again... and hopefully never have to stop

I've been doing 20-35 minute sessions 6 x week using the Hydrow basic app for 3 weeks now—mostly low intensity steady states (18-24 s/m) with some higher intensity interval workouts thrown in (24-30 s/m). I'm basically just trying to build a solid base of aerobic fitness and strength. I haven't done a 2k test yet (I'm afraid!), but I've been completing most of my workouts in the 2:30-2:39 range.

As an average height woman who is just starting to get back in shape, what would be some reasonable short term and long term split goals? I know everyone talks sub 7 minutes, but that just feels entirely out of reach for me.

I'm also curious if anyone has any thoughts on the Hydrow app vs. Asensei vs. Dark Horse Rowing. I love that the Hydrow trainers are actually on the water and are so supportive (very different from my HS rowing experience!), but I do wonder if there's something better out there.

Thanks so much!

Jillian

[Dangerscouse]

Welcome to the forum Jillian.

For now, you should just keep focusing on improving on your own times when you do the higher rates/ intensities and also have a look at the C2 ranking pages. This will be really useful for you to see what other females, aged 30-39, are doing for all of the rankable workouts.

Sub 7 for females is out of reach for all but a handful of extraordinary women, and it's comparable with a man's sub 6 target. I think you need to aim for sub 8 to start with and build from there.

I don't know anything about the three rowing apps that you mention, but some others have used, or still do use, them so they will be able to comment

Good luck with it all

[hjs]

Maybe have a look at the concept2 ranking for an idea.

Sub7 is more a thing for the average man to reach, it simply sounds nice. But sub7 for a female is a different beast. Certainly not a goal for most females.
Elite times for F are sub 6.30, for man that would be, sub 5.45 ish. So sub 7 for a female would be like sub 6.15 for a male. Doable for some, but far out of reach for most.

[sabrina]

Hi Jillian,
I have been debating to post and ask the pretty much same question. So, no answer here, but I can share some of my times, so you can compare yourself to a real normal person .
I’m 37F, 163 cm (guess that’s about 5’3). I have started rowing last year in November, after work on Friday afternoons with a bunch of work colleagues. I have never really done any sports and am not competitive. We would normally row around 8k, in 4 sets of 2k. I didn’t record data, my goal was to survive and eventually become a lightweight (go from 64ish kg to 61.5kg). Initially, my splits were around 2.40 average over the 8k.
Sometime in January or February, I’ve started to row 3 times a week, to see if I can actually improve. I’d normally row 6k on Monday and Wednesday and 8k on Friday. The goal was to row all 2k sets under 2.30 or 10 minutes. I started to track my exercises with the concept2 app mid-February (because I want a million meter t-shirt)
So, in February I would row something like (2:23, 2:23.6, 2:25.5, 2:28.4 and the last one was HARD). My best 2k was at 2:17.6 (9:10.4). I felt like (and still do) my times depend more on my shape of the day than actual improvement. Early March, I did a 1k at 4:21.3 and my last 2ks of the 8k still feeling very hard (and sometimes be above 2:30).
Then Corona came and I splurged on my own model D. First row on my brad new machine was an accidental PB 2k at 9:01.3 (2:15.3), so new goal was to row the 2k under 9 minutes. So, very far from the 8 minutes Dangerscouse mentiones. Now I row between none and around 30,000 meters a week, sometimes push myself a bit and sometimes just row while watching a TV episode.
I have also realized that I will never be fast, and row different distances - like 3k at 2:21.4 (not trying very hard) and 5k at 2:22.6, which I am very proud of. I have done one 10k row, but don’t feel I am strong enough yet to enjoy rowing distances that long. Thus, I feel the very much talked about Pete Plan is not relevant for a perfectly normal female. My new best 2k is at 8:56.4 with no intention to try again anytime soon. I have ranked my 2k and 5k and they are pretty much the 50th percentile, which I am super happy about. When I try a bit harder these days, I row my 8k in all 4 sets just under 2:25 and feel great afterwards. With summer being over soon, I will start working towards a more steady 2:20, eventually get a t-shirt and enjoy rowing while doing so.
I haven't worked with either app, but the hydro looks like fun. I'll probably check the free trial month out. I agree with the above and would log some workouts and browse the ranking results a bit and then find goals which you mind motivating and achievable.

[boomingaway]

That's really good improvement, Sabrina. Have you looked at the beginner Pete's Plan? It actually seems pretty tailormade for you. It takes you from rowing 5k in week 1 to 10k in week 11. It has small, steady, increases in distance to get you used to spending more time on the rower. And these sessions are done at a steady pace (probably while watching a TV episode for you).

It sounds like you are really enjoying rowing and doing whatever you feel like on the day. If this is what you want, then keep going! If not, then the BPP might provide you with more structure that you need.

[lawteamrunner]

To Jib/Sabrina/Anyone else interested to read :0),

So glad I found this post. I am in NO position to offer any advice yet glad I'm reading all the entires.

I have a concept2 PM3 and my husband got it off craigslist for $100 and said "hey look what I added to your workout room". Initially wasn't excited! But after I got tired of seeing my comforters and socks dry on it...I started to use it.

What I've begun to use as a workout guide is the Concept2 Workouts of the day that you can get into your email inbox. Since I'm still trying to "like/love" rowing, I only do the Short workouts. They have short, medium and long. I've also attempted two challenges. Thus far I've really only completed one challenge...and that was a STRUGGLE to say the least.

My struggle is that I always average between 31 - 35 spm. I think that's a problem and don't know how to fix it.

Nonetheless, in an effort to help to see where you may fall here are my season stats:
HWT | 47F | 5'7" | 200 lbs
1,000M: 4:42.4 | Pace: 2:21.2 | Concept2 Rankings: 212 of 260 | Verified: Yes
2,000M: 8:45.9 | Pace: 2:11.4 | Concept2 Rankings: 143 of 315 | Verified: Yes
5,000M: 23:02.2 | Pace: 2:18.2 | Concept2 Rankings: 138 of 307 | Verified: Yes
6,000M: 30:45.7 | Pace: 2:33.8 | Concept2 Rankings: 136 of 183 | Verified: Yes
10,000M: 51:57.6 | Pace: 2:35.8 | Concept2 Rankings: 224 of 298 | Verified: Yes

[sabrina]

Hello,
Thanks for the kind words Boomingaway. That is very encouraging. I will think about if I need more structure in my rowing or if I just keep messing around

Lawteamrunner, I do enjoy reading your reply. I was also rowing at a high spm and kept wondering how people talking about 18-22 spm manage to row that slowly. Even though I had watched a few rowing videos, only this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6T91GbWsBU eventually really got to me (she is so intimidating). At 3:20, yes, I do mess this up. I did start to go with the mantra and my spm dropped considerably. I am now mostly rowing at 23-24 spm during a regular workout. A bit of a higher drag factor helps as well - I normally row at damper setting 4.5-5, but put it up to 7 if I want to focus more on my technique. Looks like your 1k and 6k are older workouts; you can improve by minutes by now . Have fun doing so . I agree, some of the challenges are fun and others just not achievable (yet)

[ampire]

Hello,
Thanks for the kind words Boomingaway. That is very encouraging. I will think about if I need more structure in my rowing or if I just keep messing around

Lawteamrunner, I do enjoy reading your reply. I was also rowing at a high spm and kept wondering how people talking about 18-22 spm manage to row that slowly. Even though I had watched a few rowing videos, only this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6T91GbWsBU eventually really got to me (she is so intimidating). At 3:20, yes, I do mess this up. I did start to go with the mantra and my spm dropped considerably. I am now mostly rowing at 23-24 spm during a regular workout. A bit of a higher drag factor helps as well - I normally row at damper setting 4.5-5, but put it up to 7 if I want to focus more on my technique. Looks like your 1k and 6k are older workouts; you can improve by minutes by now . Have fun doing so . I agree, some of the challenges are fun and others just not achievable (yet)

I find its easier to row at low SPM at a low drag factor (damper).

[lawteamrunner]

Hello,
Thanks for the kind words Boomingaway. That is very encouraging. I will think about if I need more structure in my rowing or if I just keep messing around

Lawteamrunner, I do enjoy reading your reply. I was also rowing at a high spm and kept wondering how people talking about 18-22 spm manage to row that slowly. Even though I had watched a few rowing videos, only this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6T91GbWsBU eventually really got to me (she is so intimidating). At 3:20, yes, I do mess this up. I did start to go with the mantra and my spm dropped considerably. I am now mostly rowing at 23-24 spm during a regular workout. A bit of a higher drag factor helps as well - I normally row at damper setting 4.5-5, but put it up to 7 if I want to focus more on my technique. Looks like your 1k and 6k are older workouts; you can improve by minutes by now . Have fun doing so . I agree, some of the challenges are fun and others just not achievable (yet)

Oh my...she is VERY intimidating! Clearly I've been messing this all the way up!! I now need to relearn how to row and start over. My plan is to try Pete's 24 week beginner plan and see how it goes.

Thanks for the advice! SOOOO HELPFUL!!!

[Polop]

That's really good improvement, Sabrina. Have you looked at the beginner Pete's Plan? It actually seems pretty tailormade for you. It takes you from rowing 5k in week 1 to 10k in week 11. It has small, steady, increases in distance to get you used to spending more time on the rower. And these sessions are done at a steady pace (probably while watching a TV episode for you).

It sounds like you are really enjoying rowing and doing whatever you feel like on the day. If this is what you want, then keep going! If not, then the BPP might provide you with more structure that you need.

I'll add my voice to the Beginner Pete Plan. Once you have the basics it's a good way to have a varied plan for the week. The only point you want to ignore is when it says "20mn for 5500m" on week two. I'm overweight 1.70m guy, got from a 5k at 2m30s split to a 10k at 2m18s. And I'm enjoying the different interval sessions.