Beginner Goal Setting

[Liathanail]

One more comment: If you're the type who is motivated by progress, keep a log of your workouts (electronically or on paper) and over the next few months you'll be rewarded many times over.

First thing I did after I finished screwing my erg together was download the app and set up my logbook

[iain]

That is a fantastic improvement. You are definitely on the right course. Your drive is still very short and so there is more to come, but without a video we cannot diagnose the problem. The bad news is that you are extremely unlikely to ever knock that much time off your 2k PB again! To build fitness you will need to row longer, so you should look to lower the stroke rate a bit more and slowly increase the distance per session. You also might look to add a few minutes warm up (slowly increase the pace and add a few stretches at higher power and rate maybe 10-15 strokes each). These will help your system to start delivering oxygen earlier and so allow you to keep the pace up for longer. I also added a cool down after every session where for an increasing number of minutes you slowly decrease the pace. Then when you next do a session compare with the full metres done in the previous workout and the distance starts to look less daunting as you are only breaking new ground when slowing down.

But that is a great start, next target under 10 min!

[Liathanail]

Better again. Today was:

2K - 10’27 2’36/500m 22SPM 92W avg.

Drag factor 112, drive 0.56 secs

Thanks again for the advice and support. I’ve been trying to build good technique. I was thinking about the comment about drive length and realised I wasn’t coming all the way back to shins vertical on the recovery so I’ve been concentrating on making sure I use full knee and ankle flexibility. This has meant I’m actually using more of the rail on the drive as I’m starting from slightly further forward than I was. I guess that’s helped improve drive length from 0.40 to 0.56 secs. I have no idea what I should be aiming for with my short legs as I’m guessing that will limit me a bit.

I also tried to focus on power transfer so I’m thinking about foot position and pushing harder with fewer strokes. I’m thinking I’m doing something better as watts are up, SPM are down and pace is better.

I know it’s very early days but I’m loving that I feel like I’m learning something every time. I’m not going crazy as I want this to be something I do long term so I want to enjoy each session rather than try to do too much too fast and end up hating it.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to read and reply!

[OregonERG]

I know it’s very early days but I’m loving that I feel like I’m learning something every time. I’m not going crazy as I want this to be something I do long term so I want to enjoy each session rather than try to do too much too fast and end up hating it.

I think that is the healthiest approach. Like anything that we want to be doing in 5-10 years, we should probably like it.

I was asked by a fellow runner what I considered the most important part of "getting in shape" and this is what I said:

Step 1) Be consistent with your training. Frequency is important but consistency is even more important. Three times a week for a year is better than 5 times a week for a month...

Step 2) Volume does matter in aerobic sports. You will just feel everything get easier after a while. That is the "trial of miles" that, over years, makes it easier for life-long endurance athletes to keep at it. The bigger the base, the higher the pyramid.

Step 3) If you don't mix things up, there will be holes and gaps in your fitness. So look for variety in your training. Longer, slower, shorter, faster, easier, repeats, drills, etc. Do it all.

Step 4) Finally, bring some intensity or interval work to the table. You won't ever really break through to your full potential if you don't get to this step at some point. That said, this is the one that I'd wait longest before worrying about. The other three come first...

Anyway, it is great to see you are improving and I wish you a lot of success!