how fast can you row 2000 metres ?

[So]

Lemming Train said:

Thanks chaps. I've just done the 'medium' workout of the day :


Medium
8 x 3 min / 1 min easy
Row eight 3 minute pieces. Row for one minute at light pressure between each piece.

That's interval training.

Lemming Train said:

Button Sequences
PM3/PM4: B-D-D-B-B-A-A-A-A-B-E
PM5: B-D-D-B-B-B-A-A-A-A-B-E.

That's an index finger workout.

Lemming Train said:

I pressed all those buttons for PM5 in that order and started rowing but I was expecting it to beep at me every 3 mins and 1 min but nothing happened, the timer just kept on going up and I had to remember them in my head. Is it supposed to beep or alert you?

Bleep? It's a pace monitor not an alarm clock. It's important that you stay awake.

If you input:

Menu>

Select workout>

New workout>

Intervals Time>

You can set your work time and rest time. When you're working, the top left number is counting down until you rest. During the rest period a little R appears next to the number counting down. All you need do is not doze off before the end of the rest period. GO LEMMING, YOU CAN DO IT.

Lemming Train said:

Anyway I found this quite manageable with 1 min gentle rowing intervals and finished with a total of 5183km.

Well done. Now leave it for a couple of days. 2-3 times per week rowing is adequate. More than that you will become fatigued.

Lemming Train said:

I've now got a blister on the palm of each hand and a sore arse .

Be careful who you tell about that, it sounds like you've been the gimp at a gay gang bang.

[LivingTheDream]

Pleased to find this thread.

I'm similar to Lemming, in terms of size and lack of exercise but have joined the gym as the boy wanted to go and I said I would join him.

I've been starting with a mile row as a warm up before anything else but I'm finding the rowing the best part of the gym. I think its because theres a competitive element to it (I can try and beat times etc)

Now I've found the Wiki - I've got something to aim for. It sounds like I need to be trying the 2k as it seems to be the benchmark.

I'll update when (if) I've got something worth talking about

[clonmult]

LivingTheDream said:

Pleased to find this thread.

I'm similar to Lemming, in terms of size and lack of exercise but have joined the gym as the boy wanted to go and I said I would join him.

I've been starting with a mile row as a warm up before anything else but I'm finding the rowing the best part of the gym. I think its because theres a competitive element to it (I can try and beat times etc)

Now I've found the Wiki - I've got something to aim for. It sounds like I need to be trying the 2k as it seems to be the benchmark.

I'll update when (if) I've got something worth talking about

2k is the "standard" distance over which to prove yourself, which is what they tend to row on the water in competition (apart from the Oxford Cambridge boat race). And the main competition - yourself.

Unless you happen to find a training partner who has similar performance to you, in which case a bit of friendly rivalry can be quite handy.

[Lemming Train]

I can't do the continuous rows at any distance yet, at least not at a decent spm anyway, so I've been doing 8x 3 min intervals and with a 1 min slow row in between to get my breath back! I didn't set up the PM properly for 1 min intervals and they became rest intervals instead so the distance in my 'slow' rows wasn't counted in the total but yesterday I did 8x 3 min for a total distance of 4183m and I've just done the same day with a strong push on the last minute of each segment and managed to increase it to 4477m which I'm quite pleased about! Probably a pathetic amount to the pro-rowers here but I only started rowing 4 days ago!

[MellowshipSlinky]

Go to the Concept2 website and register.

You can then add all the workouts you do, rank your times, and keep a running track of the metres you row.

[Lemming Train]

MellowshipSlinky said:

Go to the Concept2 website and register.

You can then add all the workouts you do, rank your times, and keep a running track of the metres you row.

Everyone is so much faster than me

[MellowshipSlinky]

And everyone was new to it once...

[clonmult]

Lemming Train said:

MellowshipSlinky said:

Go to the Concept2 website and register.

You can then add all the workouts you do, rank your times, and keep a running track of the metres you row.

Everyone is so much faster than me

Not everyone, and the main competition is yourself. Just keep a track of your training, pace and you will gradually improve.

I've got a comp in February, and whilst I'm targeting a PB on the 2k, I am expecting to be finishing last, as everyone else there is faster than me. I'm hoping for a fairly big PB too ..... your improvements will depend on how much pain you're willing to put yourself through.

Could be worth checking on technique - that can be a key area of improvement. Look up Dark Horse Rowing on youtube, they have some excellent tutorials.

[Lemming Train]

clonmult said:

Not everyone, and the main competition is yourself. Just keep a track of your training, pace and you will gradually improve.

I've got a comp in February, and whilst I'm targeting a PB on the 2k, I am expecting to be finishing last, as everyone else there is faster than me. I'm hoping for a fairly big PB too ..... your improvements will depend on how much pain you're willing to put yourself through.

Could be worth checking on technique - that can be a key area of improvement. Look up Dark Horse Rowing on youtube, they have some excellent tutorials.

I think my technique is OK now. I was not sliding forward enough before but now I've got into a natural flow and it's become noticeably easier once you get a smooth rhythm going. I'd had to pause for a few days as I'm on a stack of antibiotics at the moment with a nasty cellulitis infection.

[clonmult]

Lemming Train said:

clonmult said:

Not everyone, and the main competition is yourself. Just keep a track of your training, pace and you will gradually improve.

I've got a comp in February, and whilst I'm targeting a PB on the 2k, I am expecting to be finishing last, as everyone else there is faster than me. I'm hoping for a fairly big PB too ..... your improvements will depend on how much pain you're willing to put yourself through.

Could be worth checking on technique - that can be a key area of improvement. Look up Dark Horse Rowing on youtube, they have some excellent tutorials.

I think my technique is OK now. I was not sliding forward enough before but now I've got into a natural flow and it's become noticeably easier once you get a smooth rhythm going. I'd had to pause for a few days as I'm on a stack of antibiotics at the moment with a nasty cellulitis infection.

I thought my technique was okay (heck, i was told it was pretty good by an ex GB rowing coach), but when I'm on the ergs at our HQ gym, I find the ergs slip forward .... (I tend to stick a 25kg plate on the base to stop it moving) Realised that I'm possibly over compressing my legs as I end the recovery before going back into the catch, which jerks the erg forward. Weird that it only happens on the Model E ergs at our HQ gym. It isn't a problem on our Model Cs at home or the Ds at our office gym.

Currently quite looking forward to the 2K race at the EIRC (Manchester Velodrome) in a couple of weeks. Set a PB on the 1k yesterday (3:16.2), a PB on the 5k last friday. Shaping up for a PB on the 2k, assuming I win the mental game.

[So]

clonmult said:

Currently quite looking forward to the 2K race at the EIRC (Manchester Velodrome) in a couple of weeks. Set a PB on the 1k yesterday (3:16.2), a PB on the 5k last friday. Shaping up for a PB on the 2k, assuming I win the mental game.

2k is harder than any other distance, I find, because of the mental aspect.

[clonmult]

So said:

clonmult said:

Currently quite looking forward to the 2K race at the EIRC (Manchester Velodrome) in a couple of weeks. Set a PB on the 1k yesterday (3:16.2), a PB on the 5k last friday. Shaping up for a PB on the 2k, assuming I win the mental game.

2k is harder than any other distance, I find, because of the mental aspect.

It's a mental game with all of the distances, but at least for once in my life I'm actually coming into a competition in what is, for me, fairly good form. In addition to the 1k and 5k, over the last month I've also done PBs on the 10k, half marathon, half hour and also the 4k on the bike erg.

So mentally I'm feeling fantastic. A decent coffee on the day of the race and I'll be fine.

Probably.

Maybe.

[So]

clonmult said:

So said:

clonmult said:

Currently quite looking forward to the 2K race at the EIRC (Manchester Velodrome) in a couple of weeks. Set a PB on the 1k yesterday (3:16.2), a PB on the 5k last friday. Shaping up for a PB on the 2k, assuming I win the mental game.

2k is harder than any other distance, I find, because of the mental aspect.

It's a mental game with all of the distances, but at least for once in my life I'm actually coming into a competition in what is, for me, fairly good form. In addition to the 1k and 5k, over the last month I've also done PBs on the 10k, half marathon, half hour and also the 4k on the bike erg.

So mentally I'm feeling fantastic. A decent coffee on the day of the race and I'll be fine.

Probably.

Maybe.

What's your 1/2 hour distance?

[clonmult]

So said:

What's your 1/2 hour distance?

Pretty lousy really, 7,704m.

I have a fairly major drop off in pace as the distance increases.

500m - 1:27.1
1k - 1:38.1
2k - 1:44.3 (as a non-smoker - it was 1:44.4 when I was a 20 per day smoker, been nicotine free now for 2 years)
5k - 1:51.9
half hour - 1:56.8
10k - 1:57.7
Half marathon - 2:01.5

[LivingTheDream]

clonmult said:

LivingTheDream said:

Pleased to find this thread.

I'm similar to Lemming, in terms of size and lack of exercise but have joined the gym as the boy wanted to go and I said I would join him.

I've been starting with a mile row as a warm up before anything else but I'm finding the rowing the best part of the gym. I think its because theres a competitive element to it (I can try and beat times etc)

Now I've found the Wiki - I've got something to aim for. It sounds like I need to be trying the 2k as it seems to be the benchmark.

I'll update when (if) I've got something worth talking about

2k is the "standard" distance over which to prove yourself, which is what they tend to row on the water in competition (apart from the Oxford Cambridge boat race). And the main competition - yourself.

Unless you happen to find a training partner who has similar performance to you, in which case a bit of friendly rivalry can be quite handy.

Thanks

Only been about 4 times so far and have to be very careful as I have a dodgy knee so many things are out. The rowing isnt too bad though as its balanced across both legs IYSWIM

My first target was to get a sub 7 min mile (I know, not very impressive) as a start. last visit at Xmas I managed 7.01

This weekend I went for the 2k to see what I could do. Its quite hard!!

Anyway, mile time dropped to 6.48 and I managed 2k in 8.21

Bit rubbish but I havent done anything like this in years - so thats my target now.

[MellowshipSlinky]

‘Quite hard’

Understatement of the thread this year...

[clonmult]

LivingTheDream said:

Thanks

Only been about 4 times so far and have to be very careful as I have a dodgy knee so many things are out. The rowing isnt too bad though as its balanced across both legs IYSWIM

My first target was to get a sub 7 min mile (I know, not very impressive) as a start. last visit at Xmas I managed 7.01

This weekend I went for the 2k to see what I could do. Its quite hard!!

Anyway, mile time dropped to 6.48 and I managed 2k in 8.21

Bit rubbish but I havent done anything like this in years - so thats my target now.

It's all relative.

I was "competing" at the BRIC a few years back, I was warming up next to Graham Benton, who's warm up pace was faster than my race pace. He did his 2k in about 5:55, I was around 7:15.

I wish the mile was a ranking distance for the C2, its a good distance to do in prep for the 2k.

Have targets, slowly chip away at them, the times will slowly but surely come down. As I suggested, the main competition is yourself. Unless you manage to find yourself a training partner who has broadly similar pace to yourself.

[So]

clonmult said:

Unless you manage to find yourself a training partner who has broadly similar pace to yourself.

I generally do this, but Matron won’t always allow them out of the nursing home.

[Lemming Train]

LivingTheDream said:

Thanks

Only been about 4 times so far and have to be very careful as I have a dodgy knee so many things are out. The rowing isnt too bad though as its balanced across both legs IYSWIM

My first target was to get a sub 7 min mile (I know, not very impressive) as a start. last visit at Xmas I managed 7.01

This weekend I went for the 2k to see what I could do. Its quite hard!!

Anyway, mile time dropped to 6.48 and I managed 2k in 8.21

Bit rubbish but I havent done anything like this in years - so thats my target now.

Rupert, as a new rower like myself I can only applaud you if that 2k time is true! I've just had a go and had to give up at 1k as I was a fraction away from being dead! Pulling like fk I only managed 4:26 for 1km . It's taken me literally 30 mins to recover and get my breath back; thought my lungs were going to explode. I reckon at the very slow I would have had to have done if I'd continued it would be probably 10 mins to do 2k . I am clearly seriously unfit . I shall continue with my intervals doing 8x 3 min rows and a 1 min gentle row in between as this works better for me right now and I am slowly improving my total distance as the weeks pass too.

[So]

Lemming Train said:

LivingTheDream said:

Thanks

Only been about 4 times so far and have to be very careful as I have a dodgy knee so many things are out. The rowing isnt too bad though as its balanced across both legs IYSWIM

My first target was to get a sub 7 min mile (I know, not very impressive) as a start. last visit at Xmas I managed 7.01

This weekend I went for the 2k to see what I could do. Its quite hard!!

Anyway, mile time dropped to 6.48 and I managed 2k in 8.21

Bit rubbish but I havent done anything like this in years - so thats my target now.

Rupert, as a new rower like myself I can only applaud you if that 2k time is true! I've just had a go and had to give up at 1k as I was a fraction away from being dead! Pulling like fk I only managed 4:26 for 1km . It's taken me literally 30 mins to recover and get my breath back; thought my lungs were going to explode. I reckon at the very slow I would have had to have done if I'd continued it would be probably 10 mins to do 2k . I am clearly seriously unfit . I shall continue with my intervals doing 8x 3 min rows and a 1 min gentle row in between as this works better for me right now and I am slowly improving my total distance as the weeks pass too.

If you think you're "pulling" you still need to look at your form. You should feel like you are pushing (with your legs). It is principally a leg exercise.

You do sound quite out of shape and you are not going to help yourself by pushing yourself to the point of lung explosion. Keep going with your intervals. As you finish each rest period you should just about have got your breath back, you shouldn't be bleeding from your eye sockets.

Add in the occasional longer row. Don't row more than three times per week at the moment.

You'll have plenty of time to hurt yourself on a rower once you're fit. But you need to get there first, and you won't if you have a heart attack. I started rowing to replace a training partner, who died of a heart attack whilst rowing on an erg! What better advert for rowing as a means of staying healthy....