Improving erg scores

Question
QUESTION: Hi, I have been doing rowing for a year and i am currently in Grade 10 at school (14 years old) and i weigh about 112 pounds or 51kg and I'm 5"8. I haven't done a 2k yet but i did a 1k and got 4.10.Also, I did a 15 minute erg and got a 500m average split of 2.16. This seems to be worse than most of the other people that did it and i seem to get tired very easily and i want to know if i can improve and how.

Thanks

ANSWER: Hi Jess: For someone your age, the average 1K time is 3:57.  But you are not that far behind.

There are no easy shortcuts to getting your erg times down.  It's going to take a lot of time and hard work, not only on the erg, but in the weight room and on the road doing hard runs to build up your wind.  Are you rowing on the water?  

I would recommend that you try to add another 10 to 15 pounds of muscle through weights and increasing your calorie and protein intake in your diet.  The added weight will make a big difference on your erg scores.

Below is a link to a ergometer workout plan you might want to try.

http://www.concept2.com/forums/wolverine_plan.htm

Good Luck/AP

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for that answer! Yes, I do row on the water. I do mostly sculling quads or sweep eights. and i think i'm definitely better on the water than on the ergo! I seem to find that i cant build enough muscle since i've been trying to build it for a few months but i don't seem to be gaining anything? How long does it usually take to increase muscle?
Thanks  

Answer
Hi Again Jess:  As I tell many people here, rowing is a sport won or lost on the water.  I've seen people pull incredible erg scores, yet are unable to apply this in the boat because of poor technique.  Your combination of sculling and sweep rowing will make you a very technically sound rower as you get older and get more experience.

People have varying results with weights.  Some people make quick gains while others struggle to gain mass and strength.   But if you stick with it, you WILL put on muscle.  

For someone as thin as you, you want to approach your weight workouts with lifting as heavy of weights as possible where you can only get between 8 to 10 repetitions per set.  If you can do more than that, the weights are too light.  Make sure you are working your major muscle groups with exercises like the bench press, lat pulldowns and barbell squat (or leg machine if you don't have a spotter).

Good Luck/AP