The way that I've always done really well on 2ks, is to come out pretty quick for the first 500, slowly hang on to something sustainable until the last 500 and finish off strong. So for my 2k pb my 500's were 130,132,133,130. I think this is particularly better for power athletes who can have a strong start with out it impacting the rest of their piece and mentally gives them breathing room for the middle 1000 where youre basically just trying to be as efficient as possible conserving energy for a big sprint at the end. It's kind of a mix of the positive and negative I guess lol
The most common strategy on the water by far is fastest first 500, second fastest last 500 with second and third a little slower. Even “level pace” crews such as the Kiwi pair were doing this strategy.
My current plan is to reach 1K at 1 second below my target split, it gives me a confidence boost to know I've got a little wiggle room for the last 1K and I'll still hit my target. Nothing hurts worse than when you miss your target by 2-3 seconds.
Thanks, a lot of good tips. Iam used to loose breath at 800😅 the middle 1000 is the key and most challenge. I was in Paris, score was 6.51 , master, but not nice. Followed your race from the stands.
I always set myself a target average pace, try to get ahead of it in the first 500m. I can then maintain the target average for 1 km or go slightly faster if feeling good (sometimes 500m maintain, 500m slightly faster). Last 500 mins is maintain until I feel I can give everything.
Nice vid Cam ! In fact i think i should mo 2ks, because i'm use to do 3 2ks during the year and before each of them i'm making a very very big deal of it. So i think that doing more 2ks is going to help improve, thanks for the advice !
great advice!! currently in the summer after my novice year trying to break that 8minute mark so i can make cutoffs eventually - i am hopefully going to start doing more 2ks so they feel less intimidating and more like a challenge💪
So I like to do the first 300 sub 5 seconds of aimed average split at a 32 33 rate then next 1500 up the rate to 36 but hold aimed split final 200 go balls to the wall and crank the rate up to 45 doing half strokes till the bitter end.
Strong start, get to pace within 45 secs, sustain pace till 900. At 900, ask yourself if you can accelerate a bit, sustain pace if you can’t. 400m means sprint, 180m means everything OUT
ive probably got a 2km test in 4-5 weeks. just did my 5km a week or two ago, 20:16, so a 2:02 ish split. my old 2km pb was 7:47, so im hoping to get around 7:37-7:45 for my next 2km
I think my best 2K times have been, per 500m: FASTEST, slow, slower, SECOND FASTEST. It isn't any of these strategies, I guess, lol! If I had to choose one: negative split.
My personal favorite is where I fly and die but I don’t die u til the last 500. I just did one two days ago and my splits were 1:43, 1:44, 1:45, then a 1:50 (sophmore in high school btw)
thank you Cameron for the video. I am new to rowing and I think I've been inadvertently doing the "fly and die" method by accident. I am going out to row here in about an hour and I will try to row with a better pace and see if I get a better result.
Thanks for this Cam, informative as always. I tend to be more of a positive splitter/fly and die 😂. Go out far too fast usually!! This video has helped me to realise I am probably more endurance suited so next 2k trial I want to give the even split 2k a try. Out of interest what are your thoughts on the accuracy of Paul’s Law? My 2k Pb is 6:24 but using my 10k Pb, the law suggests that my 2k should be 6.14. Seems a big discrepancy to me but wondered if you have seen or experienced similar discrepancies based on whether people are more power based or endurance based? Cheers
From my experience, Paul's Lw is wrong when : 1. your not a balanced athlete, which most of the peoples aren't 2. your pbs where done of two differents points of the year where the form wasn't equal
Hey Chris! The start of the 2k is always so easy to go out too hard! 😂 With things like Paul's law it doesn't really take everything or everybody into account so you're going to have people at either end of the scale so I wouldn't worry if you don't abide by it. Generally it depends what type of athlete you are, power or endurance and then that'll usually mean you're either further off of the short stuff or the long stuff! It does provide good targets though! #yamsquad
Cameron Buchan Thanks for the really useful reply, very much appreciated. It is tough sometimes to really understand these projected times and how they’re calculated especially when they look to be bang on for some pieces but way off for others. Certainly think I fail in to the more endurance side of things which could explain the results I had as well as some of my performances. Like you say though, provides some good targets to aim for and in all will help me to become a more balanced rower I suppose. Thanks again 👍🏻
I think there is quite an individual answer for everyone. It. An depend on level of athlete, amount of training around the 2ks. Intensity of the 2ks themselves. On the GB squad we would only do a couple a year. Last season I did 7 or 8!
I'm really no expert on this, but one thing which confuses me - with the Negative Split or Even - you are required to hit either your fastest or equal-fastest moments towards the end of the race. That is, when your muscles are tired and you are breathing hard. Just from a logical point of view, I always thought it would be easiest to do the 'hardest work' when your muscles and lungs are freshest. Then when you are getting fatigued towards the end, you have the luxury of dialling back and maintaining a slower pace (which is obviously still difficult after the earlier work). Therefore the Positive Split makes most sense to me, although I'm not claiming to be good at it - just on paper
Have you tried both options? On paper yes it does sound easier to positive split as you described. The feeling of doing the positive split though is horrible and needs a supreme amount of fitness to not completely fall off of the pace if you go too hard to begin with
@@CameronBuchan you are totally correct, and also the reason why almost every elite athlete (rowing / running / cycling etc) will usually have a 'sprint finish' - it just works, regardless of logic or on-paper thinking. I can only think of Steve Prefontaine and maybe Liz McColgan, who were proper front-runners and attacking early on during races. I think you said it right - trying different methods, getting experience, and knowing what works and what to aim for. Thanks!
@@CameronBuchan ah yes, you are correct. Still hopeful that one day we will see the Ziedler vs Van Dorp race us indoor enthusiasts have been waiting for!
Those are all bad , what you should do is go like 5 or 10 lower than your 1k split in the first 500, then the middle 1k you just hold a steady but very fast split , then last 500, give it your all
I tried it the other day managed 8 min 29 rowing with one leg as I can't wear my prosthetic whilst rowing
That's great work!
Damn! That is utterly fantastic. 💪 Lots of respect from this very heavy rower in Norway.
Bud has better leg drive than both my legs
The way that I've always done really well on 2ks, is to come out pretty quick for the first 500, slowly hang on to something sustainable until the last 500 and finish off strong.
So for my 2k pb my 500's were 130,132,133,130. I think this is particularly better for power athletes who can have a strong start with out it impacting the rest of their piece and mentally gives them breathing room for the middle 1000 where youre basically just trying to be as efficient as possible conserving energy for a big sprint at the end. It's kind of a mix of the positive and negative I guess lol
Agreed, my best 2k have also come from this strategy
I do that aswell i feel its the best strategy
The most common strategy on the water by far is fastest first 500, second fastest last 500 with second and third a little slower. Even “level pace” crews such as the Kiwi pair were doing this strategy.
I also think it is very important that you really must have a realistic endtime before you start so you know what splits you have to have.
Definitely! You need to know what you're capable of. Another reason why doing a few 2ks can help! #yamsquad
Really like the addition of "the pen and paper". Makes everything a lot easier to understand. Thanks.
My current plan is to reach 1K at 1 second below my target split, it gives me a confidence boost to know I've got a little wiggle room for the last 1K and I'll still hit my target. Nothing hurts worse than when you miss your target by 2-3 seconds.
Recently got my 2k from 7.40 to 7.04 in 4 months (still not certain how!) This video really helped.
Let's goooooo!! Good job!
Thanks, a lot of good tips. Iam used to loose breath at 800😅 the middle 1000 is the key and most challenge.
I was in Paris, score was 6.51 , master, but not nice. Followed your race from the stands.
The middle 1000 can definitely be a mine field. If the plan is right though, it shouldn't be too difficult! Paris was an amazing event! #yamsquad
I always set myself a target average pace, try to get ahead of it in the first 500m. I can then maintain the target average for 1 km or go slightly faster if feeling good (sometimes 500m maintain, 500m slightly faster). Last 500 mins is maintain until I feel I can give everything.
A little bit of the positive split to start. Always comforting to have there cusion there, especially if you're still feeling good! #yamsquad
Nice vid Cam ! In fact i think i should mo 2ks, because i'm use to do 3 2ks during the year and before each of them i'm making a very very big deal of it. So i think that doing more 2ks is going to help improve, thanks for the advice !
great advice!! currently in the summer after my novice year trying to break that 8minute mark so i can make cutoffs eventually - i am hopefully going to start doing more 2ks so they feel less intimidating and more like a challenge💪
Sounds like a plan! Enjoy!
So I like to do the first 300 sub 5 seconds of aimed average split at a 32 33 rate then next 1500 up the rate to 36 but hold aimed split final 200 go balls to the wall and crank the rate up to 45 doing half strokes till the bitter end.
Strong start, get to pace within 45 secs, sustain pace till 900. At 900, ask yourself if you can accelerate a bit, sustain pace if you can’t. 400m means sprint, 180m means everything OUT
ive probably got a 2km test in 4-5 weeks. just did my 5km a week or two ago, 20:16, so a 2:02 ish split. my old 2km pb was 7:47, so im hoping to get around 7:37-7:45 for my next 2km
Good luck! Let us know how you get on!!
I think my best 2K times have been, per 500m: FASTEST, slow, slower, SECOND FASTEST. It isn't any of these strategies, I guess, lol! If I had to choose one: negative split.
Very good stuff on the big scary test that frightens everybody and that we all dread.
My personal favorite is where I fly and die but I don’t die u til the last 500. I just did one two days ago and my splits were 1:43, 1:44, 1:45, then a 1:50 (sophmore in high school btw)
That's a bold strategy!
thank you Cameron for the video. I am new to rowing and I think I've been inadvertently doing the "fly and die" method by accident. I am going out to row here in about an hour and I will try to row with a better pace and see if I get a better result.
Nice one! Yes pacing can be very important in a 2k. Good luck!
massive scores comin up
I’ll start fast taper off in the 3rd 500 and then push the last.
3rd 500 fade usually suggests too fast pace in the first 1k
Great video, thanks. Do these strategies work with a 500m row as well?
Thanks! No unfortunately not really. The 500m is "too short" for almost anything but the fly and die approach! Everyone is different though!
thanks for the quick response, i thought that might be the case, unfortunately I'm dying at the 300m mark!.@@CameronBuchan
@@charlesdfrench only 200 to hold on!
Thanks for this Cam, informative as always. I tend to be more of a positive splitter/fly and die 😂. Go out far too fast usually!! This video has helped me to realise I am probably more endurance suited so next 2k trial I want to give the even split 2k a try. Out of interest what are your thoughts on the accuracy of Paul’s Law? My 2k Pb is 6:24 but using my 10k Pb, the law suggests that my 2k should be 6.14. Seems a big discrepancy to me but wondered if you have seen or experienced similar discrepancies based on whether people are more power based or endurance based? Cheers
From my experience, Paul's Lw is wrong when :
1. your not a balanced athlete, which most of the peoples aren't
2. your pbs where done of two differents points of the year where the form wasn't equal
Hey Chris! The start of the 2k is always so easy to go out too hard! 😂
With things like Paul's law it doesn't really take everything or everybody into account so you're going to have people at either end of the scale so I wouldn't worry if you don't abide by it. Generally it depends what type of athlete you are, power or endurance and then that'll usually mean you're either further off of the short stuff or the long stuff! It does provide good targets though! #yamsquad
Cameron Buchan Thanks for the really useful reply, very much appreciated. It is tough sometimes to really understand these projected times and how they’re calculated especially when they look to be bang on for some pieces but way off for others. Certainly think I fail in to the more endurance side of things which could explain the results I had as well as some of my performances. Like you say though, provides some good targets to aim for and in all will help me to become a more balanced rower I suppose. Thanks again 👍🏻
Thanks for this. Really useful and great way of presenting the information 👍#yamsquad
How often should we do 2ks? Good video Cam, like always 😉👍
I think there is quite an individual answer for everyone. It. An depend on level of athlete, amount of training around the 2ks. Intensity of the 2ks themselves. On the GB squad we would only do a couple a year. Last season I did 7 or 8!
@@CameronBuchan Thanks Cameron! 💪 #yamsquad
@@CameronBuchan are you still on the GB team?
@@mishatsarevsky9656 no, have not been since 2017
@@CameronBuchandude, you're such a good rower shame that you wont go to the Olympics
"are you a power athlete or an endurance athlete" uhhhh *eats more gummy worms*
also rip norm macdonald . wow what a legend
Any marathon training plans 🤞🏻💪🏻👍🏻
when you hit a 5 second PR everytime you fly and die and cam says it does work :(. 6:45.0 2k 16 yr
If you PB are you really flying and dying?
as someone who rowed before youtube howtos proliferated , rowing was overwrought enough during the rowingillustrated era
Hate it when you blow your yam in the first 1k! Hahaha
What do you think about when you 2k? I think I have a pretty bad mental block for 2ks. I’m trying to fix it
I try not to think about to much really, just sticking to my race plan. I speak about mental work in today's episode! #yamsquad
When’s the 2k?
2 days ago he said in the next 14 days
I'm really no expert on this, but one thing which confuses me - with the Negative Split or Even - you are required to hit either your fastest or equal-fastest moments towards the end of the race. That is, when your muscles are tired and you are breathing hard. Just from a logical point of view, I always thought it would be easiest to do the 'hardest work' when your muscles and lungs are freshest. Then when you are getting fatigued towards the end, you have the luxury of dialling back and maintaining a slower pace (which is obviously still difficult after the earlier work). Therefore the Positive Split makes most sense to me, although I'm not claiming to be good at it - just on paper
Have you tried both options?
On paper yes it does sound easier to positive split as you described. The feeling of doing the positive split though is horrible and needs a supreme amount of fitness to not completely fall off of the pace if you go too hard to begin with
@@CameronBuchan you are totally correct, and also the reason why almost every elite athlete (rowing / running / cycling etc) will usually have a 'sprint finish' - it just works, regardless of logic or on-paper thinking. I can only think of Steve Prefontaine and maybe Liz McColgan, who were proper front-runners and attacking early on during races. I think you said it right - trying different methods, getting experience, and knowing what works and what to aim for. Thanks!
@@euan1234 ollie ziedler usually does a fast first 500 too!
@@CameronBuchan ah yes, you are correct. Still hopeful that one day we will see the Ziedler vs Van Dorp race us indoor enthusiasts have been waiting for!
going to try a negative split, always done a more positive split (trying to maintain an even split). hopefully this works
Just another strategy to help, might not be the key to your extra speed!
no harm in giving it a try, we'll see how it goes
@Lachlan Rawson good luck! Let us know how you get on
Have you seen this 2K strategy from ex GB rower Cam Nichols? ua-cam.com/video/j5_4upqhYeQ/v-deo.html
Yeah I've seen it! A lot of crossover there! #yamsquad
Those are all bad , what you should do is go like 5 or 10 lower than your 1k split in the first 500, then the middle 1k you just hold a steady but very fast split , then last 500, give it your all
Interesting strategy. If that works for you that's great!