I get a lot of letters from converts from other sports who want to get their 2,000m times down.They come to indoor rowing with a high degree of basic fitness and a competitive edge. As a result their initial progress is rapid but then they hit a plateau and struggle to knock off the last few seconds to get them onto the podium.Because of the way the machine works, the faster you go, the more power is required. In fact, you need to cube the power increase for each second. For example; if you are rowing along at a 2:00 split and increase your power by 25 watts, your pace will increase by 4.5 seconds. Whereas if you are rowing along at 1:30 and increase your power by 25 watts, then your pace increases by 1.5 seconds. It is physically very hard to get those last few seconds.When I say they come over from other sports, that is not quite accurate. They may leave the game behind, especially if it is a contact sport, but they still enjoy elements of the training they did in their old sports. I get sent example of training routines they carry out and most of them are really good. They are varied and interesting and also physically demanding. Somewhere in the programme they wedge sessions on the rowing machine and create a hybrid training programme.There is nothing wrong with this except that it will not produce the results on the machine that they are looking for. When you prepare a training programme you have to start at the finish. You need to consider the physical demands, the energy systems, and mechanical and muscular efficiency. Once you have this information you are able to construct a specific programme that will be progressive and bring about the adaptation required to achieve your aim.Regular exercise is essential for a healthy life style, but exercise is not training and being healthy is not the same as being fit. Fitness has to be related to a specific task whereas healthy is not at risk of illness.So for all the converts there is a simple choice: carry on enjoying your hybrid programme and stop searching for those extra seconds or get onto a specific programme and reach your full potential.