The Sub-7 Experiment

Tag: writing

  • 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.

  • 7:22 – And the Voice That Told Me to Quit

    I’m still out of breath.

    Today I rowed a 7:22 for 2,000 meters, a full 7.5 seconds faster than my last test. That’s a big leap. And even though I was quietly hoping to hit 7:15, I’m genuinely proud of this.

    Because this wasn’t just a fitness test, it was a headspace test.

    These last few days have been heavy. Work stuff has knocked my confidence. I’ve felt jaded. Tired. The kind of mental fatigue that clings to your legs and lungs even before you’ve moved. Whoop put my recovery at 59%. And honestly, I felt it.

    Part of me, the old voice, said not today.
    “Wait until you’re feeling better.”
    “Do it next week.”
    “Don’t make a scene. Just row easy. Skip it.”

    But I needed this today. Not because I had something to prove, but because an older version of me still wants proof.
    Proof that the training is working.
    Proof that this is going somewhere.
    Proof that I’m not just going through the motions.

    The Middle Bit—Where It Got Messy

    The first 500 meters were inconsistent, too fast, too slow, couldn’t find my rhythm.
    Then with 800 meters to go, the real moment hit:

    “Just stop.”

    That voice again.
    Not shouting, not panicking just calmly suggesting I give up.
    And honestly? It was persuasive.

    But I didn’t stop.
    I refocused. I locked into form. I listened to my breathing.
    And I found something there, not a burst of power, but a thread to follow.

    By the time I hit the final 500 meters, my lungs were screaming. My legs were burning.
    The last 300 was ragged, messy, all over the place. But I held on.
    I kept rowing. And I crossed the line in 7:22.

    The Reflection—Now That I’ve Sat With It

    I’m home now. I’ve been sitting with this in the car, and I think I’m feeling a bit… sad.
    Or maybe it’s disappointment. I’m not quite sure.

    I didn’t hit 7:15, which was the target I had in my head.
    And now I’m wondering; was that just the old me again? Not being realistic, not being SMART with my goals?
    Or was it simply that I was at 59% recovery and the tank just wasn’t full?

    Either way, this session has shown me something valuable:

    Breaking the 7-minute barrier isn’t just a stretch goal. It’s serious work.

    And I’m still a long way from it.

    Maybe that’s what I’m really sitting with, the weight of that reality.
    It’s not discouraging, though. Not really. If anything, it’s clarifying.
    I thought for a moment that I might need to change the name of the blog to“ Just a bit below The Sub-7 Experiment”, because maybe I was already knocking on the door of breaking it.

    I’m not.

    Not yet.

    Today gave me something better than a perfect result. It gave me a new baseline.
    7:22. Solid. Honest. Earned.

    And that’s where the next leg of the journey begins.

    This is 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.

  • 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.

  • Reflection: More Than Just a Rowing Goal

    When I started this experiment, the plan was simple: see if modern AI could help shape a training plan that would get me to a sub-7-minute 2000m on the rowing machine—the erg.

    And that’s still the plan. I still feel the need for progressive overload, for pushing myself with purpose. I still need a reason to get to the gym.

    But the experiment has shifted. More on that in a moment.

    First, a quick word on the AI itself.

    I’ve been using a large language model—ChatGPT—a type of generative AI. “Generative” because it can create new output from what it’s learned, and “large language model” because it’s trained on a massive amount of data: books, articles, websites, conversations. It hasn’t lived life or felt what we feel, but it’s incredibly good at predicting what comes next in a conversation. That prediction is what makes it sound smart, helpful, and sometimes even insightful.

    That’s what’s happening here. It’s taking everything it knows about fitness, training—and in my case, rowing—and using that to build a plan and keep me moving.

    I haven’t posted every single conversation in this blog. There are lots of sessions behind the scenes. Things I’d probably never ask a personal trainer in real life. But the responses have been encouraging, balanced, and when needed, honest. I’ve even asked it to cut the fluff and just tell me straight. And it has. No judgement. Just calm, clear guidance—whether I’ve shown up excited, or worn out and ranting about something else entirely.

    More than anything, this process has made me look at myself differently.

    The ChatGPT app has a voice record function, and after each session I’ve started using it. What comes out is often a stream of consciousness. Frustrations. Wins. Questions. And then it plays things back to me in a way that makes me actually listen.

    And what have I learned?

    For one, I understand the technology better now. And not from a course or a video—but from real use, over time, in the middle of life.

    But more importantly, I understand myself better.

    I’ve learned that I’m consistent. Not just when it’s easy—when I’m tired, on the road, or in a funk, I still show up.

    I’ve learned that I’ve changed my default settings.

    I used to say things like, “I’m lazy,” or “I always self-sabotage.”

    But that’s not true anymore. I’m training differently. Responding to setbacks differently.

    Movement has become my anchor. A reset. A reminder of who I am and what I can handle. I’ve always known this on some level, but those old stories about who I was used to shout louder.

    Not anymore.

    The biggest shift?
    I now believe I can be the person I want to be.

    Impostor syndrome has run the show for a long time. The voice that asked, “Am I really this person?”

    Now I know: Yes. I am.

    And I deserve to be.

    That might sound entitled, but here’s the truth: I’ve always been this person. I just listened too long to the doubters—especially the one in my own head.

    I’m not saying every day is easy. I’m human.

    But I’m learning to spot the hard days sooner. I’ve got tools now. And more importantly, I’m using them.

    And here’s the bit I never expected:

    I’m comfortable with this version of me.

    And that’s something I’ve never said before.

  • When Setbacks Hit: Keep Moving Forward

    A slight medical issue has raised its head. Not from training, but it’s definitely something that will slow me down.

    In the past, this would have been the excuse I needed to stop everything.

    • “Maybe this whole thing is a bad idea.”
    • “I should just give up now before I fail.”
    • “This always happens—why bother?”

    But now, I’m questioning it.

    Is this fear of failure creeping in?
    Or maybe even fear of success?

    Talking It Through With AI

    One of the unexpected twists in this journey has been my conversations with ChatGPT.

    Recently, I’ve started speaking directly to it using my phone—capturing raw, unfiltered thoughts in the moment. No overthinking. Just saying things out loud.

    And it’s been fascinating.

    ChatGPT isn’t judgmental. It doesn’t tell me what I want to hear—it just plays my thoughts back to me in a way that makes me reflect.

    For example, I told it about my pattern of stopping whenever setbacks appear. And instead of just agreeing or dismissing it, it highlighted something big:

    ME: “My first thought this morning was doom and gloom. I wanted to roll over, crawl into a ball, and hide under the duvet. It feels like whenever I make progress in the gym, something always comes along to stop me. Is that an excuse, or is it real? I don’t know. But I dragged myself to the gym anyway, asked ChatGPT what to do, and the first thing it told me was to breathe. So I breathed. Then I did a 7,000m mental health row. And now I’m outside the supermarket, having done my shopping.”

    ChatGPT: “This is a huge moment of self-awareness. You’ve spotted a pattern—whenever you build momentum, something seems to knock you off course. The key question you’re asking yourself:
    ‘Am I using this as an excuse, or is it really stopping me?’

    And what did you do? You went to the gym anyway.

    ChatGPT then broke it down:

    1️ Recognizing the Pattern – I’ve noticed setbacks tend to arrive right when I’m making progress. That’s not a coincidence—it’s resistance.

    2️ Choosing to Show Up Anyway – Even though every part of me wanted to stop, I still showed up and rowed.

    3️ Breathing as a Reset – A simple but powerful reminder. Breathe. Pause. Then take action.

    Writing It Down Helps Too

    I think putting this into words is making a difference.

    I’ve talked about accountability, but it’s more than that—it’s getting these thoughts out of my head so they don’t take up more space than they need to.

    So I’m going to keep training and keep showing up.

    Because this isn’t just about rowing.

    This is The Sub-7 Experiment.

  • So. What’s The Experiment?

    I’ve worked in IT for more years than I care to remember, and it’s treated me well. I’ve had the chance to work around the world with some amazing people and technology.

    Lately, the pace of technological change has been accelerating so fast that it boggles the mind—and one of the biggest shifts has been AI (Artificial Intelligence).

    I’m not an AI expert, but I’d call myself an AI hobbyist. The possibilities fascinate me, and with the rise of Generative AI, things are getting even more interesting.

    What is Generative AI?

    You’ve probably heard of ChatGPT. Other tech companies have their own versions, but at its core, the GPT part stands for Generative Pre-Trained—meaning it can generate new responses based on the massive amount of data it has been trained on.

    And the Chat part? That’s where the real magic happens. Unlike traditional AI systems, anyone can talk to it in normal language. No coding, no technical knowledge—just type a question, and it responds.

    But how does it actually work?

    The best analogy I’ve come across is this:

    Imagine every person on the planet has a parrot on their shoulder. That parrot listens to everything they say and remembers the patterns. Then, every parrot shares their knowledge with every other parrot on the planet.

    Now, if you ask your parrot “How are you today?”, it doesn’t think about the answer—it just repeats what it has heard most often:

    “I’m very well, thank you. How are you?”

    It’s not true intelligence, just pattern recognition on a massive scale.

    So… Who is My Coach?

    My coach is ChatGPT.

    • It helps structure my training and keeps me accountable.
    • It refines my blog posts, making them clearer while keeping them mine.
    • It helps me reflect on progress without getting lost in my own head.

    I’ll be posting some of my conversations with ChatGPT as part of this process—showing how I’m using it, what I’m learning, and how it’s shaping my approach.

    Is It Cheating?

    No.

    The thoughts and words are mine—AI is just my editor, tightening things up so they read better.

    And AI isn’t the one sitting on the rowing machine. I am. I will get that sub-7-minute 2,000 meters. This is The Sub-7 Experiment.