<p>Excellent advice. I know a kid who just dropped 5 seconds. He trained for 6 weeks this summer, 10 workouts a week. 1 million meters. A coach he had been trying to contact but who had basically not responded until then, wrote after hearing the new PR and said something to the effect of “your new time will get you a lot more interest from coaches. And it should!”</p>
<p>Work hard. Good luck. It can be done.</p>
<p>Another tip: </p>
<p>Of course it depends on the individual, but for most people getting a PB on your own is really difficult.</p>
<p>Get a group of guys together who have similar or faster ergs than you and test together so you push each other. </p>
<p>When school starts again the testing environment may help as well.</p>
<p>Agreed, PureVision, about how hard it is to do on your own but at least where we live, the fall is all about the 6K.</p>
<p>Agree with PureVision. Use a good coxswain too, if you can.</p>
<p>Great answer OldScarecrow. A lot of kids can benefit from having a concrete plan to implement. So you would advise that Historian not erg until he’s ready for one more 2k at the end of Sept., figuring cross training will build the strength needed? Thanks for taking the time to write that list, and hope Historian sees his target sub 6:30 PR in the next 30 days!</p>
<p>^ Yes. He needs to build aerobic and anerobic strength. </p>
<p>I’d also like to see a similarly concrete plan from Historian for his approach to schools other Penn.</p>
<p>If this student is a current rower, it’s likely he has team practices and his coaches will expect him to do what is needed for the team and his position there…and that will mean training for his fall season…erging long steady state pieces, right?</p>
<p>^That is a problem. It highlights the OP’s dilemma. There simply may not be the time to get done what he needs to get done. Hence the need for a Plan B</p>
<p>There are ways to feather this program into his team training.</p>
<p>The interesting part of OldScarecrow’s training list is the fact that Historian may not have to erg 7 days a week to possibly PR, but should concentrate on cross training to shave time. Maybe it’ll be a relief to hear that attempting a 2k every week for the next month isn’t the only way to reach his goal. Yes, Fall will present challenges with long steady state pieces, in terms of using OldScarecrow’s training list as a blueprint of sorts, but if Historian continues cross training, he will have given himself every opportunity to pull his best 2k. Good luck Historian!</p>
<p>^I think you have it right. </p>
<p>Perhaps, I’m old fashioned but I don’t think you can get a five second improvement in such a short period of time by simply erging one’s butt off. There are better and more efficient ways to build muscle mass and strength and to increase aerobic and anerobic conditioning than erging. What Historian requires is a step change in capacity. It’s hard to do this solely by erging.</p>
<p>Old Scarecrow, do you have any information for a diving recruit to HYP?</p>
<p>Hi bearmom and welcome to the CC Athletic Recruits board. You may want to start a new thread on this forum titled something like “Ivy Diving Recruit Question” to get the attention of people who may know some things. I’m afraid your question will get buried over here under this rowing discussion. And sorry, I don’t know much about diving, but someone will! Lots of us know a good bit about Ivy recruiting in general, so ask away.</p>
<p>Agree with riverrunner bearmon.</p>
<p>I wish I could help but diving is way above my paygrade. I am pretty useless on anything but rowing and, even there, I struggle to keep up.</p>
<p>Best to you.</p>
<p>Has OP been back lately?</p>
<p>A few days ago he reported on unofficial visits to Penn, Dartmouth and another Ivy. He’s encouraged by a meeting with the Penn coach and is looking forward to his OV there.</p>
<p>Fall season doesn’t start until September 6th. At home I’m erging and running. As far as “safer” schools go, I’m keeping in touch in BU, and trying to visit Williams, Trinity, and Hamilton. Also keeping my fingers crossed! Will report any prs.</p>
<p>Historian: totally rooting for you! Our daughter, also a 4/21 birthday (!) dropped 4 seconds from her 2K time after several weeks solo training this summer. It can be done! And it has resulted in very close coach interest. You probably know this, but it may be worth saying: be sure to pull those pieces at your school or club boathouse when a coach is present. D was cautioned to do so by at least one Ivy coach. And though she trained at home on a borrowed erg and at the gym, she made sure to do her time trial and final 2k at the boathouse (p.s. with a teammate coxing; made all the difference). Best to you and good luck!</p>
<p>^^^Very good advice, elileo, about trying for the 2k PR with a coach present, just to really substantiate/verify the good news. Regarding 2k PRs, significant barriers and plateaux can be broken. My D, about to be a freshman rower at an ivy, dropped 13 seconds between 2 2ks that were about one month apart from one another, during her junior spring. The training between the two was nothing out of the ordinary. Needless to say, that changed everything - she went from being solidly on the radar, feeling confident with several D1 coaches, to almost overwhelming attention from all ivies, Stanford, etc. Doors were opened that we had never imagined (US Rowing, etc.) You may well amaze yourself with what you are capable of with your next 2K. Good luck! It is worth all the effort you are putting in :)</p>
<p>Historian,</p>
<p>Stay focused. Work hard. Reach back if you need us.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Historian,</p>
<p>Let us know how the OV goes this weekend at Penn and how we can help in your negotiations with the coaches.</p>
<p>Give full measure.</p>