How would you get an Erg score for rowing?

[Rowing] Realistically, how fast can I get on the erg in 16 weeks?

• I am male, I am about to turn 16, I'm about 63 Kg, and about average height. The under 16 rowing season is over, it is now winter and I'm trying to get fit for the under 17 season. I have about 16 weeks before the season starts. Currently, my 2Km time is 7:36.4 and my 5Km time is 19:59.1 I would like to have my 2Km time under 7 minutes. I have pretty much unlimited access to the schools erg room so I can train a lot. Basically, what I need to know is how fast can I get by next season, and what sort of training should I do (steady state, high intensity intervals, weights etc.)? It would also be nice if someone could give me an example of a training plan for one week. Thank You

• Answer:

  We are pretty much the same age and weight. You can start by working on a lot of fast, short pieces one day and then do a steady state the next day. High intensity training helps a lot- especially with 2K's. On my crew team, we do medium length sprints for 9 minutes and then 1 minute off, then 8 minutes and 2 minutes off. Try some 1 minute pieces 9 times in a row with a 1 minute break in between. Then in the middle of the week, try some steady state erging either for 30 minutes or an hour at half pressure. On Friday, do your weekly 2k. This has been my schedule since March and my 2K has gone from an 8:05 to a 7:29. It helps!