The Sub-7 Experiment

Category: The Sub-7 Experiment

  • Still the Sub-7 Experiment

    It’s Friday.
    It’s been a long week.
    My WHOOP says 49% recovery.
    My brain says, “you’re behind.”

    So I asked ChatGPT for a smart session—and it delivered:
    500m rowing intervals, sled pushes, farmer’s carries.
    Solid, focused work.

    And I enjoyed it. I really did.

    But there’s something gnawing at me—and I need to write it down.

    I haven’t done the core work I said I would.
    Holiday’s coming up in a few weeks.
    And the truth is… when I look down, I still see the belly.
    The tyre.
    The thing I was hoping would be gone by now.

    I’ve been consistent. I’ve been disciplined.
    I’m rowing faster. Pulling harder. Lifting heavier.
    I’m wearing trousers I couldn’t fit into a while back.
    My shirts hug in the right places again.

    I know I’m fitter. I know I’m stronger. I feel it every session.

    But… I don’t see it. Not in the way I’d hoped.

    And it’s messing with my head.

    I think part of it is stress. Work’s intense right now.
    And I feel like I’m slipping into old habits—being hard on myself.
    Impatient. Frustrated.
    Beating myself up when I should be backing myself up.

    I kind of thought this other work—this training, this structure—would sort everything out.
    That I’d look down one day and think, “There he is. That’s the guy I was aiming for.”
    But instead, I look down and think, “Still the same.”

    The truth?
    That’s not true.

    It’s not the same.
    I’m not the same.

    But body image is a funny thing.
    It lags behind the progress.
    It rewrites the story.
    And sometimes… it just lies.

    A Thought from the Shower

    This morning, standing under the water, something hit me:

    Is this the part of the experiment where a human coach would make a difference?

    Would a real-life coach have pointed to the mat and said, “Go. Now. Do the core work.”
    And would I have done it—just because someone was watching?

    It’s easy to ignore words on a screen. Even when those words are spot on.

    But the whole point of the Sub-7 Experiment is to see if I can close that gap.

    The AI can suggest the work.
    But I still have to choose to do it.

    This isn’t failure.
    It’s a data point.
    A moment in the experiment where the mental friction is more important than the reps.

    And here’s the realisation:

    Consistency is easy when it’s comfortable.
    The real test is doing the things I’d rather avoid.

    It’s Friday. The sky is blue.
    The sun is shining.
    My people are healthy. I’m healthy.

    I’m making real progress—even if I can’t always see it in the mirror.

    This is still the Sub-7 Experiment.
    And it’s about much more than rowing.

  • Am I Rowing Too Much?

    Picture the scene:
    You walk past a bedroom and notice the warm spring sunlight pouring through the window, spilling across the bed.

    The bed whispers:
    “Come on in. Sit down, swing your legs up, lean back on the pillow. You can see the sky from here. Feel the sun.”

    So you do.

    Next thing you know, you’re drifting off… and in your dream, your arms are pumping, chest bouncing—you’re rowing. On the erg. Again.

    You jolt awake, arms twitching in unison.
    Your son is home from school, banging on the front door, pulling you out of an unexpected but delicious nap.

    Am I rowing too much?
    Maybe.
    But this is still the Sub-7 Experiment.

  • Flustered, Focused, and Still Rowing

    Today was messy before it even began.

    I was looking forward to trying out my new headphones at the gym—but they wouldn’t connect properly. I got flustered. Frustrated. Caught up in the tech not working.

    And hovering over everything was a work situation: a conversation with my boss that I’ve been dreading. I’m pretty sure a mistake’s been made—not a massive one, but one of those frustrating, vague gaps where I should have documented something and didn’t. Now it’s fuzzy. And it’s on me.

    Old me would’ve taken all that as a reason to skip the gym.

    But today?

    I rowed anyway.

    500-meter intervals at a 1:50 pace.
    Low stroke rate—24 to 26.
    Tough, focused work.

    And even with everything swirling around in my head, I stayed in it.

    The gym didn’t fix the problem. It didn’t make the conversation disappear.

    But it grounded me. It gave me something solid to push against. And it cleared enough space for me to walk out thinking:

    “Okay. I’ve already done one hard thing today. I can handle the next one.”

    And that’s what this experiment has really become.

    Not just about pace.
    Not just about rowing.

    It’s about how I show up when things get messy.
    It’s about handling it, instead of hiding from it.
    It’s about pushing through the noise.

    Flustered. Focused. Still rowing.

    This is the Sub-7 Experiment.

  • I’ve Got This, I’ve Got Us

    I’ve got so much to do, I’m feeling pretty stressed about it.

    So I went to the gym for a row.

    A good solid row, with some slow, hard strokes and plenty of rhythm to get lost in and reflect from.

    And I think it might be 16 year old me who’s panicking—the voice that says, “I have to fix this now. I have to fix it alone.

    But the truth is: adult me is in charge now. And we’ve got this.

    Adult me has 40 odd years of experience, the wisdom to ask for help without feeling inadequate, and there is time. All of which 16 year old me struggled with. That version of me was used to carrying things solo. But that’s not the job anymore.

    Until this passes, we’ll keep talking. We’ll keep showing up to train. We’ve done this before.

    Adult me has a plan. It’s time for 16 year old me to let go of the reins.

    I’ve got this, I’ve got us.

    This is the Sub-7 Experiment.

  • Much More Than Just Rowing

    Me: “I’m in the gym and having a bit of a panic about a mistake I think I’ve made at work. Could cost tens of thousands. Can I have a grounding rowing session please, with a warm-up?”

    ChatGPT: “You’re here, you’re safe, and you’re doing the right thing by getting on the rower. Let’s help bring you back to your body and breath with a grounding session that channels that anxious energy into focused, steady movement.”

    Grounding Rowing Session – 45 minutes including warm-up

    Warm-up (10 minutes total)
    • 4 mins easy row @ 20 SPM, ~2:20–2:30/500m
    • 3 mins @ 22 SPM, ~2:10/500m
    • 3 x 20-second power strokes @ 26 SPM, full pressure, with 40 seconds easy paddling between each

    Main Session (30 minutes)
    • 3 x 7 mins @ 22 SPM, ~2:05–2:10/500m
    • 1 min rest between each
    Focus:
    – Breathe in on the recovery
    – Breathe out through the drive
    – Legs push, core connects, arms finish
    – Feel the rhythm settle your system

    Finisher (5 minutes)
    • 2 x 250m sprints if you feel up to it — smooth and controlled
    • Or 5 mins of gentle paddling @ 18–20 SPM — long, calm strokes

    “Let the rhythm settle you. Mistakes happen — but right now, you’re rowing. We’ll deal with the rest after.”

    That’s how the session came about today.
    And it worked. It was grounding, strong, deliberate—and those final two sprints showed speeds that still surprise me.
    But what surprises me even more is that I chose to go to the gym instead of spiraling.

    Old me would have been knocked sideways by this. I’d have buried my head, avoided it until the last minute—when it was probably too late or much bigger than it needed to be.

    But not today.
    Today, training was the reset.
    And this experiment? It’s not just about rowing anymore.

    This is the Sub-7 Experiment.

  • Stick to the Plan

    Interesting day today on two fronts.

    First: my back was a little sore when I woke up, but I still wanted to get to the gym. I know I probably won’t get another session in this weekend, so I asked ChatGPT for a distance row. The plan was smart: a gentle 1,000m warm-up, then three blocks of 3,000m, gradually building the pace. After each 3K, I’d check in with my back and decide whether to continue or stop.

    And I did exactly that.

    That’s what stood out to me first—not the workout itself, but the fact I actually listened. I followed the advice instead of charging ahead like I might have in the past and avoided turning a sore back into something worse.

    The second thing? A subtle but surprising mindset shift.

    At my gym, there are two rowers side by side. I always use the one on the right. Midway through my first 3K, I noticed a guy eyeing the rowers from the static bike. No problem—he disappeared somewhere else.

    But just as I was about to start my final 3K, he came back. He sat down next to me with a bit of a flourish, cranked the damper to 10, and launched into it.

    Old me? I’d have taken that as a challenge. Tried to match him stroke for stroke. Maybe even tried to bury him.

    New me? I had a plan. And I stuck to it.

    I held 27 strokes per minute at a steady 1:59/500m. I kept my rhythm. He was at 34 strokes per minute, burning calories fast but looking all over the place. When he hit 1,000m, I was at 1,500. When he stopped at 2,000m, I was passing 2,800.

    I didn’t break form. I didn’t chase. I just rowed.

    It would be easy to say I had an advantage—after all, I’m training for this. But what I’m most proud of is the restraint. The shift in mindset. I didn’t let ego take over. I didn’t go looking for a moment of glory. I followed the plan. I trusted it.

    And that, more than the numbers, is what progress looks like to me.

    This is the Sub-7 Experiment.

  • Just One of Those Days

    Last night, I was looking forward to going to the gym.
    This morning, my first thought was, “Good—let’s go.”

    I got there, asked ChatGPT for a 45-minute rowing session, and it delivered.
    I did it.
    Then some sled push/pulls.
    Then some Farmer’s Carries.

    It was a great session—strong, powerful, controlled—and I really enjoyed it.
    But there was no buzz. No post-workout euphoria.

    Was it because today was hot and humid?
    Maybe.
    Was it because I’m a human being and some days just feel flat?
    Probably.

    So I went home, took a shower, had a recovery drink, and started typing these words.
    No self-criticism. No self-sabotage. Just a quiet realisation:

    There will be days like this.

    And I’m okay with that.

    This is the Sub-7 Experiment.

  • Turning Crankiness into Power

    A controlled session, a clear head

    Me: “Ok, it’s Monday. I’m at the gym. Feeling a bit cranky. Whoop has me at 97% recovery. What’s the plan?”
    ChatGPT:
    “Perfect timing—you’re in a great position to turn that crankiness into pure fuel today.
    Here’s the plan:

    Warm-up (10 minutes total): • 5 minutes easy Assault Bike or Rower (low effort, just moving) • 5 minutes easy Rowing (~2:15–2:20/500m, ~20 spm)

    Main Rowing Session: • 5 × 500m intervals • Pace: 1:50–1:55/500m • Stroke Rate: 24–26 spm • Rest: 2 minutes light movement between intervals

    Optional Finisher: • 1 × 250m hard push (~1:45–1:48/500m)

    Cooldown: • 5 minutes easy rowing or bike, focus on deep breathing.

    Focus Today:

    • Channel the cranky energy, but stay smooth and powerful.
    • Strength through rhythm—not thrashing.

    If it feels like too much, back off the pace slightly. It’s about consistency, not self-destruction.”

    What a well-judged session that was.

    Old me would have used the crankiness as a self-destruct button, hammering myself into injury or exhaustion. Not today.

    Saturday, I visited a different gym. Same chain, different part of town.
    Let’s just say… there were some serious heavyweights in there.
    Only one rowing machine in sight, so ChatGPT adjusted the plan: two 15-minute sets, offering an easy exit if someone was waiting.

    In the end, no one needed it. I got the full session:

    • 2 × 15 minutes at 2:05/500m
    • 2 × 500m sprints at 1:49/500m
    • Bike spin
    • Then another 2 × 500m sprints back on the erg.

    Quietly delighted with myself.

    Out of curiosity, I asked ChatGPT what a 1:49/500m pace would mean over 2,000 meters.
    The answer? 7 minutes 16 seconds.
    That got my attention.

    ChatGPT then asked if I wanted to work towards 7:16 as an interim goal. I said yes.
    So today’s session was part of that plan—and it worked beautifully.

    Interestingly, I didn’t even notice the “optional” 250m finisher in the original plan.
    If I had, I might have paced the earlier rows differently—holding something back for a final flourish.

    Instead, I finished the set, then added two bonus 250m sprints:

    • Held a pace of 1:36/500m.
    • Controlled. Focused. No wild flailing.

    Before, I’d only ever glimpsed numbers like that when I was out of control and hanging on for dear life.
    Today, it was deliberate—and it felt powerful.

    The crankiness?
    Gone.

    And the progress?
    Undeniable.

    This is the Sub-7 Experiment.

  • Training with AI: Real Conversations, Real Progress

    Why Did I Start This Experiment?
    To see if I could use ChatGPT as a coach and training advisor to help me row 2000 meters in under 7 minutes on the indoor rowing machine—the erg.

    That’s the core of this experiment, and I thought I’d share a full, unedited conversation I had with ChatGPT today to show exactly how that plays out in real time.

    Me:
    “Ok I’m in the gym. Kinda feeling tired and run down but I think it’s mental health. Whoop has me in the green at 75% recovery. I think I want to do distance today. No exercise yesterday. What do you recommend?”

    ChatGPT:
    “If you’re feeling a bit tired and it’s more mental than physical, a steady endurance row is a great call—it’s meditative, rhythmic, and tends to shift mood in a positive way without needing to be all-out.

    Here’s what I suggest for today’s distance row (45–50 mins total):
    Session: 10,000m steady state

    • Warm-up: 5 mins easy (2:15–2:20/500m) at ~20 SPM
    • Main Row:
      • 9,000m at ~2:05/500m, 22–24 SPM
      • Smooth, controlled, find your rhythm
    • Last 1,000m: Pick it up if you feel good—finish strong at ~1:55–2:00/500m
    • Cooldown: Optional 3–5 mins easy spin or slow row

    Let’s get that good-tired feeling—burn off the mental fog and come out the other side. Want a finishing push suggestion too?”

    Me:
    “Thank you. Let’s row first and then see about the pushing.”

    ChatGPT:
    “Perfect—lock into the rhythm, breathe it out, and let the row do its thing. You’ll know by the end if that sled wants a turn or not. Let me know how it goes when you’re done.”

    Post-Session:
    Me:
    “Found a good rhythm at 23 SPM. First 9000m @2:05. Final 1000m at 1:48–1:53 @30–31 SPM.”

    ChatGPT:
    “That’s a strong session—controlled, consistent, and a powerful finish. Holding 2:05 at 23 SPM for 9K is impressive. And a sub-1:50 push to close it out? That’s real progress. You’re building aerobic endurance and power now. Legs feeling worked or still ticking over?”

    Me:
    “Legs are feeling worked. I think we might need to do some lower back/core work—I was losing form near the end.”

    ChatGPT:
    “Great observation. Lower back and core work will make a real difference, especially when fatigue sets in. We’ll integrate targeted strength work on your next gym day. Let’s build that base.”

    Me:
    “I just snuck in some sled work—5 x push and 5 x pull at 75kg.”

    ChatGPT:
    “Love that. That’s a strong finisher—especially after a 10K row. Power + consistency = serious gains. Let me know how the legs and back feel tomorrow—we’ll adjust accordingly.”

    So why share this today?
    Because this is the experiment in action: using AI as a training partner that adapts in real-time—offering structure, encouragement, and flexibility, almost like a human coach.

    Of course, a real trainer could correct form mid-session. ChatGPT can’t. It can offer YouTube links and detailed stroke guidance, but it can’t nudge my hips or spot poor posture. That’s fine by me. I enjoy experimenting and finding what works for my body.

    And the suggested session was meditative. That rhythm, that structure—it lifted the fog. I walked in scattered, and walked out level-headed.

    A Note on the Tech:
    There are a lot of doomsday headlines about AI—how it’ll take jobs or make people redundant. And in some industries, yes, roles will change.

    But here’s my advice: Don’t fear it. Explore it.
    Create a free ChatGPT account and just ask:

    • “What can you do for me?”
    • “How could we work together?”
      Let it ask you questions back. You’ll be surprised what it can help with.

    This is more than an experiment in rowing. It’s an experiment in mindset, in learning, in adaptation.
    And for me? It’s working.

    This is the Sub-7 Experiment.

  • I Needed That

    I needed that session in the gym today—really needed it.

    The last proper one I did was Friday. It was a big 10K row, and honestly, I overdid it. Afterwards, I ate loads of stuff I shouldn’t have—salty carbs, bread, potatoes. The works. Friday night, I didn’t sleep well. Saturday I was wiped out. I went for a walk, then actually crawled back into bed. Sunday was a good family day, with more walking, and Monday I went out on the bike—46km, and that felt great. Dialled in. Strong. Power was coming back.

    Tuesday was quiet—no formal exercise, just walking around town with my son. We had lunch together, and I loved that.

    But by Tuesday night, the voices were back.

    “It’s over.”
    “That’s the end of your streak.”
    “Go and eat. You’re feeling sorry for yourself—go on, eat more.”

    And this morning, first thing in my head:
    “Don’t worry about the gym. Take the day off. You don’t need it.”

    But I did. I really did.

    I asked ChatGPT for a mental health reset row, and it gave me just what I needed:
    30 minutes steady, with three controlled pushes at the end. No heroics, just structure. Just movement. And now, after the session?
    I feel great. Clear. Calm. More like myself.

    Yes, there’s still a hint of impostor syndrome. Still a flicker of guilt for not being at my desk first thing. But honestly? I’d have been useless if I had gone in without that session. My head was all over the place. Now it’s back together.

    I’m also realising something really important:
    Three or four days without movement is too much for me.
    Physically, mentally, emotionally—it’s just too long. I need the rhythm. I need the space. I need the anchor.

    And the real breakthrough?

    I chose to do something about it.
    I didn’t ignore it. I didn’t hide. I didn’t roll over and disappear under the duvet.
    I noticed it, I owned it, and I moved.

    That’s the difference now. And that’s the work.

    This is the Sub-7 Experiment