Question
Body condition before
Hi.
I started rowing exactly 1 mounth ago, but have a good
background in many other sports, including xc skiing and
cycling, in which I competed at an average national level.
I'm 6'11" and 153lbs. I'm not really thin, my muscles are
already a bit developed actually (for a novice) and I tend
to be very very lean. [I attached a photo to give you a less
vague idea; I was taken before I started rowing ; I was
150lbs and less lean than now at that time]
Two days ago, a did my first 2000m test in 7:30:5.
I went to rowing this year for 2 main reasons, which are I'm
much better in short distance races (from 3 to 10 minutes)
than longer ones (more than 30, like in cycling and xc
skiing), but also because I'll apply for masters degree next
year in UK and US and I'd like to join a row crew.
I joined an Irish rowing club (as I'm currently studying in
Ireland) and started training quite hard, with 8 sessions a
week since last week (2 weight sessions, 4 erg and 2 boat
sessions).
I've got 3 questions:
1) Considering my weight an height, do you think I should
try to stay in the lightweight category or in contrary, try
to gain muscle mass to be more competitive as an heavyweight
rower? The problem is my actual weight doesn't give me a
good margin to gain muscle if I want to stay lightweight
right?
2) Considering the fact I haven't done any high intensity
workout so far, do you think doing a sub-7 PB before next
September 2011 is a realistic goal?
3) What would you recommend me if I want to get in a good
row crew next year (or in 2012 if I do a gap year, that
would also give me an additional year for training)?
I'm super-psyched but want to be sure my goals aren't
unrealistic and that I choose the best direction.
I don't think rowing technic will be too much of a deal as
my coach told me I'm improving very fast (he said I had
after 1 week a better technic than people who were rowing
for 3 month).
Thanks very much for your anwers.
Guillaume
AnswerHi Guillame: It says your height is 6'-11"!!! By the picture, you have to be 5'-11" or else you would be a skeleton. Correct me if I am wrong. I don't know your age (guessing you are in your 20s). Your erg time for the 2K is a bit below the average (7:15) for lightweight men between 19 and 29. But it's a good time for someone so new to the sport.
My answers to your questions are:
1. Considering my weight an height, do you think I should
try to stay in the lightweight category or in contrary, try
to gain muscle mass to be more competitive as an heavyweight
rower?
Answer: I think you should row lightweight. It is extremely hard to put on extra weight if you maintain a vigorous rowing schedule. Unless you lay off rowing for severl months and just do weights and increased calorie intake, you will not gain weight and probably lose weight.
2) Considering the fact I haven't done any high intensity
workout so far, do you think doing a sub-7 PB before next
September 2011 is a realistic goal?
Answer: With training and proper coaching, I see no reason you can't get your time down to as low as 6:50 by next September. Understand, that is still a very ambitious goal and the pace needed to row a 7:00 2K is extremely intense and physically overwhelming.
3) What would you recommend me if I want to get in a good
row crew next year (or in 2012 if I do a gap year, that
would also give me an additional year for training)?
I'm super-psyched but want to be sure my goals aren't
unrealistic and that I choose the best direction.
Answer: That's a tough question for me to answer. I don't know how much college eligibility you have to compete in sports. I also don't know what the European rowing scene is like. If you decide to go to the United States for Grad. school, you may have a year or two of eligibility. Some colleges operate crew as a club sport and have more liberal rules on eligibility. If you come to the states, I'd try to pick cities with a high concentration of rowing colleges and clubs. The two big ones are Philadelphia and Boston. Any of the private rowing clubs in these towns are very competitive and allow you to row all year round (weather permitting). You can make the same approach if you stay in the UK or Ireland -- pick cities which are rowing hotbeds, and you will find boats to row in.
Good Luck/AP
