Hello all - very tall newbie here

[MartinSH4321]

In an effort to establish a baseline from which to train, I pushed my 2000m pb a bit to 6:47.9 (17 second reduction). Not a full-on, balls-out effort and shoulders were a little tired from push pressing before hand, but close enough. Completely fresh, I'd maybe have 6:40 in there.

I also had a most frustrating aborted run at 1000m two days ago. I'd been suffering a bit with an upset stomach, felt OK going onto the rower but in the space of 2 minutes went from not needing the loo to desperate and had to call off an attempt at about 750m. I was on for a 3:04/3:05 at that point. Shit happens, or as is thankfully not the case here. It feels like 3 minutes dead is where my max would be presently.

I'll have one last go at 500m to ideally get it under 1:25 and then I'll get started properly training.

When doing working sets, how far from PB pace should one be working in order for the work to be effective?

sub 1:25 500m should be very low hanging fruits for you I think. With estimated 6:40 2k and 3:00 1k I would estimate you'll end around 1:20, your size and strength will both help a lot

[Dangerscouse]

In an effort to establish a baseline from which to train, I pushed my 2000m pb a bit to 6:47.9 (17 second reduction). Not a full-on, balls-out effort and shoulders were a little tired from push pressing before hand, but close enough. Completely fresh, I'd maybe have 6:40 in there.

I also had a most frustrating aborted run at 1000m two days ago. I'd been suffering a bit with an upset stomach, felt OK going onto the rower but in the space of 2 minutes went from not needing the loo to desperate and had to call off an attempt at about 750m. I was on for a 3:04/3:05 at that point. Shit happens, or as is thankfully not the case here. It feels like 3 minutes dead is where my max would be presently.

I'll have one last go at 500m to ideally get it under 1:25 and then I'll get started properly training.

When doing working sets, how far from PB pace should one be working in order for the work to be effective?

We are all different but if you can do a 3:04 1k, I reckon your 2k will be closer to 6:30 than 6:40 atm.

As for working sets, I'd probably advise that you go by feel, RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion), or use a HR monitor. There are (at least) two schools of thought for training. Go hard or go home & 80% slow / long and 20% short / sharp.

I've found the 80/20 works best for me, using circa 70% as the general slow pace, and 80-85% occasionally too, but I have seen others make great progress with doing the vast majority of their training at circa 80%, and higher, of max HR. It's all about finding what works for you, and what you enjoy doing.

[Big J]

To update:

More focus on rowing that lifting during the past week or two. Feeling noticeably fitter.

2k is down to 6:47.9, which was a decent improvement on before but not max effort

10k - I've only done this once and that was 37:47.1. Steady and paced pretty well.

1k - 3:02.5 - this was balls-out, max effort. Nothing left in the tank at all. Pace dropped from 1:28.7/500m for the first 200m to 1:33.2/500m for the 600-800m split, but I managed a slight improvement in the final 200m at 1:32.5/500m. I could have gone a little faster at the start, but my fitness presently wouldn't allow me to sustain it. At present, I feel that I am a lot stronger than I am fit!!

[winniewinser]

To update:

More focus on rowing that lifting during the past week or two. Feeling noticeably fitter.

2k is down to 6:47.9, which was a decent improvement on before but not max effort

10k - I've only done this once and that was 37:47.1. Steady and paced pretty well.

1k - 3:02.5 - this was balls-out, max effort. Nothing left in the tank at all. Pace dropped from 1:28.7/500m for the first 200m to 1:33.2/500m for the 600-800m split, but I managed a slight improvement in the final 200m at 1:32.5/500m. I could have gone a little faster at the start, but my fitness presently wouldn't allow me to sustain it. At present, I feel that I am a lot stronger than I am fit!!

Impressive start Big J ...no doubt big things to come too.

[le grand fromage]

Thanks for that. I shall incorporate that into my session

I hadn't actually realised until seeing the video that I've only got about 3cm of track left on the machine. Good job I'm not any taller

You can actually get an extra 1" by adjusting the rear seat roller. There are two holes for the back roller to bolt into. If the roller is in the 'rear' hole move it to the forward's hole and you can gain an extra 1" of travel. The following link shows the detail.

https://www.concept2.com/files/pdf/us/i ... ematic.pdf

I'm 6'9" and have enough travel with the seat adjusted like this.

FWIW Only once have I seen the extended monorail used, that was at the crash B's some years ago when one of the competitors rocked up and changed the standard monorail out for his extended one, on his race machine. Doesn't look right

[Big J]

The rowing is going well. It's only Wednesday and I've rowed three times already this week, for a total of 17.5km.

Here is a short video of me on the first of two back off sets doing 1000m. It's at about a 1:38/500m pace. Please critique the form

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvROm2PUNAk

[Dino]

The rowing is going well. It's only Wednesday and I've rowed three times already this week, for a total of 17.5km.

Here is a short video of me on the first of two back off sets doing 1000m. It's at about a 1:38/500m pace. Please critique the form

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvROm2PUNAk

Going well is an understatement!
Couple of things, the upper body is very static - missing out on the swing part, 11 o'clock to 1 o'clock. Also the shins coming slightly too far forward so too compressed at the forward position.
Check out Austin from training tall - this video from 4:35 in. He is 6'8" and the video at the suggested clip shows him at the same pace as you 1:38. You'll see what I mean. He is very controlled on the way forward as well... no rush. I might also sit slightly further forward on the seat but that's minor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUD1IkZ0nNM

[mict450]

Boy, you sure look like one of the guys in "The Last Alaskans".

Main thing is as Dino pointed out, you need more swing on the front end. Lot of power being left on the table because of that.

[winniewinser]

The rowing is going well. It's only Wednesday and I've rowed three times already this week, for a total of 17.5km.

Here is a short video of me on the first of two back off sets doing 1000m. It's at about a 1:38/500m pace. Please critique the form

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvROm2PUNAk

Going well is an understatement!
Couple of things, the upper body is very static - missing out on the swing part, 11 o'clock to 1 o'clock. Also the shins coming slightly too far forward so too compressed at the forward position.
Check out Austin from training tall - this video from 4:35 in. He is 6'8" and the video at the suggested clip shows him at the same pace as you 1:38. You'll see what I mean. He is very controlled on the way forward as well... no rush. I might also sit slightly further forward on the seat but that's minor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUD1IkZ0nNM

Good assessment Dino, I would agree....but what do I know

I dread posting a video again as I got very confused trying to change stuff after. So I would say BigJ, make one change at a time and be careful not to destroy what is natural.

[hjs]

The rowing is going well. It's only Wednesday and I've rowed three times already this week, for a total of 17.5km.

Here is a short video of me on the first of two back off sets doing 1000m. It's at about a 1:38/500m pace. Please critique the form

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvROm2PUNAk

Like the others say, there is no body swing, its legs only. At the catch your chest and knees should touch, no air left.
At the end, you should lean back.

To do this sit up tall, so you can pivot your hips.

[Big J]

Looking at the video, I completely agree. You feel like you're getting your back into it until you watch yourself not

I'll work on that. I think the lack of back involvement is a hangover from my back issues dating back to 2007. Earlier this year (before resuming weight training), my back was on some days so bad I had real difficulty walking. I used to periodically get spasms that would drop me to the ground too. It's improved a lot since then!

[mict450]

I think the lack of back involvement is a hangover from my back issues dating back to 2007. Earlier this year (before resuming weight training), my back was on some days so bad I had real difficulty walking. I used to periodically get spasms that would drop me to the ground too. It's improved a lot since then!

That puts another spin on things. I also have a bad back & obsess with perfecting my stroke to stay back-healthy. Forget about PB's for a while & work on technique. Lower your drag. You're pegged out at damper 10 now. As Henry says, sit up! You're slouching...sitting on you back pockets. Sit on your sitz bones. As Training Tall puts it, "sit on your junk!"

You're a big, strong guy & will have a tendency to open your back early. Very hard on one's back. Practice delayed back opening with one legged rowing.

Then after grooving your stroke, up the drag to infinity & go get those PB's!!

[jamesg]

As above. You're using the typical all-in-one C2 recovery. Some items that might help avoid this and its risks:

- Lower feet.
- The backstop drill and the rowing recovery sequence.
- A frontstop on the rail, about 50 cm from the heel plate.