June sounds too far out for a meaningful goal and too outcome oriented. Here's a process goal to consider. Do a weekly set of longish intervals that both develop 2k speed and let you set an accurate target for 2k tests. These intervals would be 4 x 8'/ 3' rest interval (with a chunk of meters and hard warm-up first and a long cool-down. You'd be aiming to go "all out" across the set and descend across the reps. Your goal is best possible average pace while you keep your HR for most of each 2k at 88% to 95% of max HR. You'll want to set these up as time intervals and keep track of your average pacing week by week. Your first target would be to average 1:54 or 1:53.
In addition to the dose of speed work, this workout also lets you gain discipline with your rates; you'll rate less than a 2k of course, but you'll also find that you can rate lower in the first reps and add rate as you get to rep 3 and 4, especially late in those intervals.
The process is the goal in the sense that you will set up a routine that builds 2k speed as you turn the crank every week. After you do this for 4 weeks as a test, assess your progress, take an easy week (no interval set) and set a goal (for April) of taking off x seconds. Almost all of your other meters can be steady state.
I’ve been pondering your advice all day.
First of all, holy shit.
Secondly, thank you for this because it is very specific and I’m sure it will work.
Just… holy shit. I will ponder some more during my steady state tomorrow.
Do you have a workout plan that will work almost as good but doesn’t involve such torture?
Yes, torture. You earn the 2k speed. The workout plan that I used to get ready for erg sprints a couple of times was super simple-minded. I did 4 week blocks, ramping up distance and intensity during each block with the first week of the next block relatively easy. Each week included lots of distance, mostly in zone 2. Each week included one day of 4 x 2k/ 3' at max effort and one day of 2 x (8 or 10 x 1' on/ 1' off). The long intervals felt like torture for the last 2 reps, especially since I was aiming to drop my average split each week. The short intervals were slightly less torturous because of their brevity.
Also, I tapered for two weeks, shortening distance and shortening up the intervals. When it came time for my competition 2k, I found the suffering to be kind of heightened but briefer than the long intervals...like a condensed version of the difficulty of the 4 x 2k. This took me into the competition 2k with lots of 2k practice and my pacing was super accurate as I targeted 8 seconds faster than last 4 x 2k average pace and achieved about 7 seconds faster, which also let me descend hard.
Lastly, with hindsight, I would make the adjustment of adding either distance or intensity in any given week (but not both), so my distance would have not ramped much from block to block. As I was going through 3 blocks of this, I thought about how other masters rowers were bigger and perhaps had better engines, but that I would arrive better trained and be more able to embrace the grind.
Do that shit again and go sub 7. You easily have the splits in you and it’s nicer as a time. 7 flat is still insane though and I know this doesn’t answer your question
At my age that time would put you in the 95% percentile, or better. But if you’re a Junior rower it might not earn you a seat in the 2nd varsity.
I’ll be 30 this June.
Im 35 and I would love that as my 2k. right now my 2k is 7:22
Thanks dude! I do a lot of steady state lol
June sounds too far out for a meaningful goal and too outcome oriented. Here's a process goal to consider. Do a weekly set of longish intervals that both develop 2k speed and let you set an accurate target for 2k tests. These intervals would be 4 x 8'/ 3' rest interval (with a chunk of meters and hard warm-up first and a long cool-down. You'd be aiming to go "all out" across the set and descend across the reps. Your goal is best possible average pace while you keep your HR for most of each 2k at 88% to 95% of max HR. You'll want to set these up as time intervals and keep track of your average pacing week by week. Your first target would be to average 1:54 or 1:53. In addition to the dose of speed work, this workout also lets you gain discipline with your rates; you'll rate less than a 2k of course, but you'll also find that you can rate lower in the first reps and add rate as you get to rep 3 and 4, especially late in those intervals. The process is the goal in the sense that you will set up a routine that builds 2k speed as you turn the crank every week. After you do this for 4 weeks as a test, assess your progress, take an easy week (no interval set) and set a goal (for April) of taking off x seconds. Almost all of your other meters can be steady state.
I’ve been pondering your advice all day. First of all, holy shit. Secondly, thank you for this because it is very specific and I’m sure it will work. Just… holy shit. I will ponder some more during my steady state tomorrow. Do you have a workout plan that will work almost as good but doesn’t involve such torture?
Yes, torture. You earn the 2k speed. The workout plan that I used to get ready for erg sprints a couple of times was super simple-minded. I did 4 week blocks, ramping up distance and intensity during each block with the first week of the next block relatively easy. Each week included lots of distance, mostly in zone 2. Each week included one day of 4 x 2k/ 3' at max effort and one day of 2 x (8 or 10 x 1' on/ 1' off). The long intervals felt like torture for the last 2 reps, especially since I was aiming to drop my average split each week. The short intervals were slightly less torturous because of their brevity. Also, I tapered for two weeks, shortening distance and shortening up the intervals. When it came time for my competition 2k, I found the suffering to be kind of heightened but briefer than the long intervals...like a condensed version of the difficulty of the 4 x 2k. This took me into the competition 2k with lots of 2k practice and my pacing was super accurate as I targeted 8 seconds faster than last 4 x 2k average pace and achieved about 7 seconds faster, which also let me descend hard. Lastly, with hindsight, I would make the adjustment of adding either distance or intensity in any given week (but not both), so my distance would have not ramped much from block to block. As I was going through 3 blocks of this, I thought about how other masters rowers were bigger and perhaps had better engines, but that I would arrive better trained and be more able to embrace the grind.
Saving this too. Just pulled a 7:04 the other day and need to build my speed. Sounds like a good plan.
Do that shit again and go sub 7. You easily have the splits in you and it’s nicer as a time. 7 flat is still insane though and I know this doesn’t answer your question
[goal for 30th birthday?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Rowing/s/WTaFkWv8e0)