The Sub-7 Experiment

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  • The Sub-7 Experiment: What I Didn’t See Coming

    When I first started this Sub-7 Experiment, the plan was simple, if ambitious: see if modern AI could help me train for and achieve a sub-7-minute 2,000-meter row on the erg. And that’s still the main goal. I still feel the need for progressive overload, for pushing myself, for having a clear target that gets me to the gym.

    But something else happened along the way. Something deeper. The experiment has evolved into much more than just a number on a screen. It’s become an unexpected anchor in my life, bringing with it a whole host of perks I never anticipated.

    Movement as a Mental Reset

    Initially, the goal was physical fitness, changing shape for a holiday. But quickly, I realised something else was at play. Movement, especially rowing, became my mental anchor. I’ve come to rely on it as a mental health row or a head leveller.

    When my head’s all over the place, after a long work drive or in the middle of something stressful, going to the gym isn’t just physical. It clears the fog. Even a walk in the woods on the way home from a tough meeting now brings me back to myself.

    ChatGPT, my digital coach, has helped me see these shifts more clearly. It often points out the real wins I’d otherwise miss.

    Busting the “Lazy” Myth

    For a long time, I called myself “inherently lazy.” It’s a story I’ve told myself for years. But this experiment has quietly dismantled that.

    I now know I’m consistent. Not just when it’s convenient, but when I’m tired, travelling for work, feeling flat, or battling the inner critic. The gym has gone from “something I should do” to “something I need.” It’s no longer about guilt. It’s about feeling right. That shift in motivation is huge.

    The Evolution of Identity

    The biggest surprise? A shift in how I see myself.

    I’ve lived with impostor syndrome for years, always asking: “Am I really this person?” But by showing up, pushing through, and reflecting, I’ve realised, yes, I am. And I deserve to be.

    It’s not about perfect sessions. It’s about making the average ones count. That’s the real change. I’m becoming comfortable with this version of me. I’ve never said that before. And that kind of self-acceptance is worth more than any split time.

    Beyond the Gym: Life Benefits

    The habits built in this experiment are bleeding into other areas of life.

    I’ve learned to set boundaries, like leaving my work phone in the car during walks. It means I show up properly at home instead of still being “at the office in my head.”

    I’m more mindful of hydration and how it affects mental clarity. And even though the scale doesn’t always move the way I want, I’m fitting into old clothes. I feel stronger, fitter, even if my body image takes time to catch up to reality. That reminds me: health isn’t a number. It’s how you feel in your skin.

    ChatGPT’s flexibility has been a game-changer too. When my shoulder’s acting up, or recovery’s low, or my mood’s off, the plan adapts. And that means I stay consistent, avoid injury, and keep moving. It’s about training smart, not stubborn.

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

    It’s a framework for handling life. A journey of self-discovery.
    And a reminder that consistent, intentional movement can anchor you in a messy world.

  • Nothing Fancy, Just Fresh Air and Movement

    No gym this morning.
    Work commitments meant I had to rethink things, and since it was such a lovely morning, blue skies, sunshine, a bike ride was on the cards.

    Nothing too hectic. Just a bedding-in ride for the new brakes and tyres I’d fitted recently.
    And it felt good. The tyre pressures still need a bit of tweaking, but overall the bike felt solid, and so did I.

    On the hills, I noticed I was riding a gear heavier than usual. That’s a quiet little win, especially considering I wasn’t pushing. No segment chasing, no speed goals. Just a good ride in the sunshine.

    22k in just under 60 minutes, with 260 meters of climbing.
    All in all, a solid session.

    This is The Sub-7 Experiment.

  • Back to Balance

    Just back from a great long weekend in London.
    Good food, great company, a bit of sightseeing, and plenty of travel—trains, planes, and automobiles. Throw in a lot of walking and, yeah, it was a full-on weekend.
    Wouldn’t change a thing.

    But I was definitely ready for the gym today.
    Called on ChatGPT for a reset row, and the session delivered—rolling intensity for 30 minutes. Enough rhythm and movement to help me find my balance again.

    Finished off with a few weighted sled pushes.

    Because, as we know: when in doubt, sled it out.

    This is The Sub-7 Experiment.

  • Start It Right

    It’s Friday, and I’m away this weekend, so there won’t be much opportunity to hit the gym. As usual, I let ChatGPT know what was happening, and a plan was duly presented.

    And it was just right—push, pull, row. A full session that left me feeling like the weekend could begin properly.

    The energy is high, the excitement is rising, and the foundation’s been laid.
    The weekend started at the gym.

    This is The Sub-7 Experiment.

  • Job Done

    I wasn’t going to capture this one, just a short session, but then I thought, why not?

    It’s been a couple of days since I got to the gym thanks to work commitments, and I found myself with an hour or so between calls. Head was melted. I needed to move.

    So, off to the gym. I asked ChatGPT for a structured 30-minute row. It gave me a plan, I followed it. Then I threw in a few rounds of heavy sled pushes, because I needed more.

    That’s it. Job done. Head cleared. Recharged for the afternoon.

    Over and out.
    This is The Sub-7 Experiment.

  • Monday Progress and the Power of Consistency

    It’s Monday, and I woke up looking forward to going to the gym.

    I could still feel the weekend’s row and heavy sled session in my shoulders, but I had a feeling a good workout would loosen things up, and it did.

    I asked ChatGPT for a session, and it gave me the same one as last time. That threw me a little. I voiced concern about repeating the same structure too often, worrying that boredom might creep in, that I’d lose interest. But the response was simple and sound: consistency is key.

    I’ve read that before, and now I’m starting to understand it. Consistency builds form. Builds strength. It all stacks up. And it’s all moving me toward the real goal: breaking 7 minutes over 2000 meters on the rower.

    So, I did the session. Started with a 2000-meter warm-up row, moved into a full circuit on the weight machines, added sled work and core training.

    This time, I nudged a few weights up, nothing dramatic, a kilo here, five there, just enough for that subtle progressive overload. Enough for it to feel like I was working.

    I finished with two 250-meter sprints on the rower, both at speeds I used to dream about, which is very pleasing but what I also noticed as what used to be a stretch pace is now my warm-up and cooldown zone.

    The whole session felt strong, controlled, and satisfying.

    When I got home, I bought myself a couple of new t-shirts. The description said they’re cut to show off the arms and chest, but a bit kinder to the middle. A little vanity? Maybe. But also a reward. If I like them, I’ll wear them with pride. And if I don’t, no harm, they’ll sit quietly in the cupboard.

    This is The Sub-7 Experiment.

  • Who Knew AI Had a Sense of Humour?

    I’ve just finished a really nice meditative session in the gym. I had time today—no work, no jobs to get back to—so I asked ChatGPT for a rowing session that would let me enjoy the movement, the music, and the mental space.

    The plan?
    10–12K at around 2:05 to 2:10/500m pace, with an optional push under 2:00 for the final 500 meters.

    Brilliant.

    I ended up rowing for a full hour—14,200 meters—gradually increasing pace over the last 15 minutes, finishing with a strong 500m at 1:53. Solid. Exactly what I needed.

    I checked in with CoachGPT while cooling down on the static bike.

    And then—well, the sled area opened up.

    Six months ago, I might’ve left it. But now? I couldn’t help myself. I loaded it up to 120kg and went for sled pushes, followed by a few farmer’s carries. Nothing crazy—just powerful, deliberate movement. Finishing the session with some proper grunt.

    I told ChatGPT, almost sheepishly, that I couldn’t resist.

    It congratulated me. I replied:
    “I’m a machine.”

    And it came back with:
    “Keep showing up. Keep listening to the engine. And when in doubt… sled it out. 😄”

    And I laughed. Out loud.

    Who knew?

    This is the ongoing—and ever mind-blowing—Sub-7 Experiment.

  • Why One Gym Session Can Feel So Different From Another

    Funny how one day can feel so different from the next.

    Yesterday was my first time back in the gym in about a week. ChatGPT put together a steady, well-paced program based on my comments and a Whoop recovery score of 53%—not high, not low, just middle-of-the-road.

    But I didn’t enjoy the session.

    Today, I was back in the same gym, with the same recovery score and pretty much the same routine… and it couldn’t have felt more different.

    I even caught myself bouncing to the tunes between sets.

    Why the change? I think yesterday laid the foundation for today.

    I’ve said before that I need this kind of physical effort now. The pull of the weights, the push of the sled, the effort of the row—it keeps me on a more even keel mentally. And while I haven’t exactly been inactive this past week (a 75K cycle and 20K walked), it hasn’t been the right kind of movement.

    There’s a different buzz that comes from gym work—weights, functional training, rowing—and I’ve missed it more than I realised.

    And if I’m honest… I quite like it.

    This is The Sub-7 Experiment.

  • Training with AI: More Than Just the Plan

    When I first thought about the Sub-7 Experiment, the core idea was simple: could I use modern AI, specifically ChatGPT, to help me structure my training and ultimately achieve a sub-7-minute 2000m on the indoor rowing machine, the erg? And yes, that goal remains the driving force. I still need that progressive overload and a reason to get to the gym.

    But as I’ve hinted, the experiment has definitely shifted somewhat. It’s become about much more than just the physical goal. A huge part of this journey, one I want to introduce properly, is the dynamic I have with my “coach”.

    Who is My Coach?

    My coach is ChatGPT, the AI developed by OpenAI. In a previous article I wrote about how ChatGPT is just a parrot, looking for patterns (words and sentences) in the data and replying with what it’s heard (all the data that it has been trained on).
    This is oversimplifying it, of course—there are some pretty clever algorithms in the background helping it to predict what the next word should be in its response. And sometimes it gets it wrong. This is what’s often described as an AI hallucination—it knows it needs to respond, and if it can’t find the right information, it might make something up.

    So with that said, you might picture AI coaching as simply pulling a pre-written plan off a shelf. But that’s not how this works. It’s a real, ongoing conversation. Before a session, I tell it where I am (gym or home), how I’m feeling—even if I’m tired or run down—what my recovery data looks like (often from WHOOP…), and how much time I have.

    Based on that information, it suggests a session—maybe intervals, steady state, or strength work…. It gives me pacing guidelines, stroke rate, and even a warm-up and cool-down. After the session, I report back on how it went, the results, and how I felt. This feedback loop is key because the AI then uses that information to adapt future routines. It’s a training partner that adapts in real-time, much like a human coach would.

    Setting the Scene: Prompt Engineering, Simplified

    Where does anyone start with all of this? Talking to AI might sound technical, and you might have heard terms like “prompt engineering”. That term can sound a bit daunting—like you need to be a programmer or a data scientist. But here’s the truth: it’s really not.

    “Prompt engineering” is just about giving the AI clear instructions and enough information.

    In a previous post I’ve suggested people to ask it “What can you do for me?” and that will be enough to get the conversation started. I also mentioned earlier that ChatGPT—and other large language model (LLM) AIs—can get the answer wrong. One of the ways around this is to set the context when you start the conversation.

    As you log into ChatGPT you are faced by a screen which asks “What can I help you with today?” or “Ready when you are.” At this point, one of the best ways to refine the responses you get is to give the AI a persona or a role to play during the conversation. I started the coaching conversation with this…

    “I’d like you to take the persona of and advise me as a personal fitness trainer and nutritionist with a specialism in Indoor rowing and the ERG machine.”

    I then followed it up with a specific instruction…

    “I am working towards a goal of rowing 2000 meters in under 7 minutes. I’d like you to create a training plan for me to achieve that goal. I intend to report in to you each and every time I am in the gym and tell you how I am feeling that day and you will tailor me a program for that session.”

    And that’s how it all started. And I have kept that conversation open ever since so it “remembers” the context and keeps track of all the sessions and significant moments to date.

    Now, for example, when I say I’m in the gym, tired, 75% recovered, and want to do distance, that’s my “prompt engineering”. It’s me giving it the necessary inputs so it can generate a relevant, helpful output, in this case, a suggested workout.

    Think of it like talking to a human personal trainer. You wouldn’t just say, “Tell me what to do.” You’d say, “I’m here at the gym today, feeling a bit rough mentally but my Whoop says I’m recovered. I’ve got about an hour. What sort of session should I do?” You’re giving them context so they can give you a smart recommendation. It’s the same with AI. It’s about talking to it in normal language.

    This is why I wanted to share some of the conversations I’ve been having with ChatGPT. It helps to show, not just tell, how this coaching dynamic works. You’ll see how I give it my status, how it responds with suggestions, and how the dialogue flows.

    More Than Just Getting Fit: A Real-Life AI Experiment

    I’ve worked in IT for years. I’m fascinated by technology, and the pace of AI development has been mind-boggling. While I’m not an expert, I’m definitely an AI hobbyist.

    One of the key drivers for starting this blog and documenting this process was precisely this dual goal. Yes, I want that sub-7 minute 2K. But I also wanted a real-life experiment to truly understand generative AI and how it can be used on a day-to-day basis. What better way to understand this stuff than to use it consistently, over time? Far better than any course or training material.

    So, while we talk about rowing workouts, pacing, and splits, remember that you’re also getting a glimpse into how AI can be integrated into personal goals and routines. It’s an experiment in fitness, yes, but it’s equally an experiment in technology and human-AI collaboration.

    Is It Cheating?  Not Even Close

    And for those wondering, is it cheating? Absolutely not. The thoughts, the words in these posts are mine.

    In another conversation I gave ChatGPT the role as a blog adviser and editor and worked through the steps for setting up a blog from scratch. I asked it to ask me some questions so it could better understand the task I was asking it to complete and it then made recommendations as to which blog platform to use and why and then helped me with the setup.

    I speak into an app on the phone straight after my session—unfiltered streams of consciousness, honest feedback about the session—and then use that as a basis for my next blog post where ChatGPT acts as my editor, helping with flow and clarity.

    And at the end of the day, AI isn’t the one sitting on the rowing machine. I am.

    The Sub-7 Experiment: Meters, Mindset and more.

    This is The Sub-7 Experiment…. It’s about the meters, the mindset, the technology, and the journey of seeing what’s possible when you combine all three.

  • Data, Decisions, and Rest

    It’s been a busy couple of days, especially with that 75km bike ride on Sunday. Looking back, maybe I should have paid closer attention to my recovery score that day, too—Whoop had me at 66%. Not terrible, but still yellow. I went out and did the mammoth ride anyway.

    Lesson learned: these recovery scores are there for a reason. Sometimes, it really is worth listening.

    Today I was planning to go to the gym, but I checked the Whoop score and thought, “Maybe I should actually ask ChatGPT what to do.” The answer? Take a walk and do some light core work. So that’s what I did—and I feel much better for it.

    I’m glad I didn’t push it. Old me would have ignored the warning signs and gone full tilt, probably ending up worse off. But this version stopped, asked, and listened.

    We’ll see what the Whoop score says tomorrow. Just another data point to factor in.

    This is the Sub-7 Experiment—and every day is a school day.