Indoor rowers?

Forgot to ask: Have you played around with any of the rowing-specific apps that are out there? I installed LiveRowing a few days ago but to date, I'm still using Endomondo and ErgData to track my erg sessions. I'm really intrigued by RowPro, but I'm not too keen on setting my laptop up next to my rower.

TmacMMM wrote: »

CafeRacer808 wrote: »

Forgot to ask: Have you played around with any of the rowing-specific apps that are out there? I installed LiveRowing a few days ago but to date, I'm still using Endomondo and ErgData to track my erg sessions. I'm really intrigued by RowPro, but I'm not too keen on setting my laptop up next to my rower.

I use ErgData to get the data from the C2 to the C2 log. The log gives me as much analysis as I want at the moment.


AnnPT77, thanks for saying hi! We'll take a look at that existing group. I'm very much looking forward to getting OTW next year.

I was telling my son about the first prize hammers at the CRASH-Bs and said I had no expectation of winning one. But in the back of my head, "Maybe someday..."

Do you follow a training schedule in the off season or do you just move between the erg and other exercises as the mood strikes?

What I like about LiveRowing and RowPro is that they both gamify erging by allowing you to race other users in real time. I'm pretty competitive by nature so something like that would really motivate my training, I think.

So glad there is a rowing thread! I'm new to the erg and rowing in general; I plan to join a rowing association in the spring and actually get out on the water!

I have a few questions for those of you that are a little more experienced -- what is a good beginner split for 500m? Let me preface your answer by also sharing that I was in a horrible accident about 3 months ago and spent 3 weeks in the hospital. My energy still isn't what it used to be, and thus I fear my times are really slow!

Right now I average about a 2:15 split. Also, how do I get my SPM rate down? I have a feeling my technique is faulty in the drive; I have a tendency to row at a rate of 24-26 SPM during a 5000m piece and it just wears me out to death!!

katielee83858 wrote: »

Right now I average about a 2:15 split. Also, how do I get my SPM rate down? I have a feeling my technique is faulty in the drive; I have a tendency to row at a rate of 24-26 SPM during a 5000m piece and it just wears me out to death!!

A 2:15/500m split time is pretty quick and a 24-26 spm rate at that speed is pretty low, especially if you're doing it for 5k meters. For comparison, I believe that the top stroke rate for single scull Olympic rowers is around 32-36.

That's a lot faster than I row. When I'm just "cruising" (which is normally the case), I normally do 2k meters in 10 mins at 24 spm and at an ave of 2:30/500m. I've done 2k meters in under 9 mins at 26 spm, which is under 2:15/500m, but it wiped me out. So, I seldom try to do that anymore.

You can drop your stroke rate to feel less exhausted but it may feel awkward to do that (not a natural rythym for you) and, of course, your times will drop, unless you significantly increase the watts pulled (or the amount of work done) per stroke, which will result in zero sum situation that will leave you feeling just as exhausted as b4.

On the other hand, if you want to maintain the same stroke rate and split time but feel less exhausted, I 'd just suggest that you drop the distance to 1 or 2k meters.

Any reason why you need to do a single 5k meter row? If not, you can just do 2-3 2k meter rows or 5 1k meter rows (or a combo of 1 & 2k meter rows to equal 5k) w/some rest in between to feel less exhausted than doing just a single 5k meter row.

FWIW, I started doing 5k meter rows but it was more than my butt could handle. So, I switched to 2k instead and just row 2-3x's if I need to burn cals.

Just find what works best for you.

Good luck!

sgt1372 wrote: »

katielee83858 wrote: »

Right now I average about a 2:15 split. Also, how do I get my SPM rate down? I have a feeling my technique is faulty in the drive; I have a tendency to row at a rate of 24-26 SPM during a 5000m piece and it just wears me out to death!!

A 2:15/500m split time is pretty quick and a 24-26 spm rate at that speed is pretty low, especially if you're doing it for 5k meters. For comparison, I believe that the top stroke rate for single scull Olympic rowers is around 32-36.

That's a lot faster than I row. When I'm just "cruising" (which is normally the case), I normally do 2k meters in 10 mins at 24 spm and at an ave of 2:30/500m. I've done 2k meters in under 9 mins at 26 spm, which is under 2:15/500m, but it wiped me out. So, I seldom try to do that anymore.

You can drop your stroke rate to feel less exhausted but it may feel awkward to do that (not a natural rythym for you) and, of course, your times will drop, unless you significantly increase the watts pulled (or the amount of work done) per stroke, which will result in zero sum situation that will leave you feeling just as exhausted as b4.

On the other hand, if you want to maintain the same stroke rate and split time but feel less exhausted, I 'd just suggest that you drop the distance to 1 or 2k meters.

Any reason why you need to do a single 5k meter row? If not, you can just do 2-3 2k meter rows or 5 1k meter rows (or a combo of 1 & 2k meter rows to equal 5k) w/some rest in between to feel less exhausted than doing just a single 5k meter row.

FWIW, I started doing 5k meter rows but it was more than my butt could handle. So, I switched to 2k instead and just row 2-3x's if I need to burn cals.

Just find what works best for you.

Good luck!

Thanks so much for the info! I have to take breaks after about 2k meters, I generally just row 2k 3-4x a week but do the longer pieces occasionally. I suppose I just feel really out of shape, but perhaps I'm making better progress than I thought! I read somewhere online that a collegiate rower is expected to post times around 1:45/500m and it left me feeling defeated and slow, despite rowing my tail off.

Also, thoughts on proper damper settings? Currently I'm rowing at a 4; I've heard 4-6 simulates the resistance of water, but I think my weight warrants a drag factor of 3-5...

katielee83858 wrote: »

.... what is a good beginner split for 500m? Let me preface your answer by also sharing that I was in a horrible accident about 3 months ago and spent 3 weeks in the hospital. My energy still isn't what it used to be, and thus I fear my times are really slow!

The reality is, it depends... Doing a 500m best effort will give you a very different result in comparison to your 5oom pace for a 2K, 5K or 10K session. As upthread, comparison is the thief of joy.

I use a WaterRower, rather than a Concept, and it's largely a cross training tool for me. A 10K session will take me about 40 minutes so it's a nice opportunity to get a balance of CV and resistance work in. My main sport is marathon and ultra running.

I'd suggest being clear on what you're wanting to get from your rowing, the same as any other sport, and train to that objective. It sounds like you're initially interested in increasing our endurance, so a slower pace will let you work for longer, equally you might find interval training a good way to improve your endurance.

sgt1372 wrote: »

katielee83858 wrote: »

Right now I average about a 2:15 split. Also, how do I get my SPM rate down? I have a feeling my technique is faulty in the drive; I have a tendency to row at a rate of 24-26 SPM during a 5000m piece and it just wears me out to death!!

A 2:15/500m split time is pretty quick and a 24-26 spm rate at that speed is pretty low, especially if you're doing it for 5k meters. For comparison, I believe that the top stroke rate for single scull Olympic rowers is around 32-36.

That's a lot faster than I row. When I'm just "cruising" (which is normally the case), I normally do 2k meters in 10 mins at 24 spm and at an ave of 2:30/500m. I've done 2k meters in under 9 mins at 26 spm, which is under 2:15/500m, but it wiped me out. So, I seldom try to do that anymore.

You can drop your stroke rate to feel less exhausted but it may feel awkward to do that (not a natural rythym for you) and, of course, your times will drop, unless you significantly increase the watts pulled (or the amount of work done) per stroke, which will result in zero sum situation that will leave you feeling just as exhausted as b4.

On the other hand, if you want to maintain the same stroke rate and split time but feel less exhausted, I 'd just suggest that you drop the distance to 1 or 2k meters.

Any reason why you need to do a single 5k meter row? If not, you can just do 2-3 2k meter rows or 5 1k meter rows (or a combo of 1 & 2k meter rows to equal 5k) w/some rest in between to feel less exhausted than doing just a single 5k meter row.

FWIW, I started doing 5k meter rows but it was more than my butt could handle. So, I switched to 2k instead and just row 2-3x's if I need to burn cals.

Just find what works best for you.

Good luck!

I'd quibble with the bolded. Dropping your rating will only be slower if your stroke mechanics and power stay the same. In practice, you may get a tiny bit faster split, but there's a diminishing output-power return because mechanics & input power suffer.

As a newbie, especially, mechanics and power don't stay the same as rating increases. If your aim is to get faster (big picture, over the long term, not just for the next few seconds), what you want to do is work most often at a rating where you can maintain good stroke mechanics. That's how you practice good mechanics.

However, if you're just trying to get today's most vigorous workout, maybe you push the rating up and don't worry about the mechanics. It matters what your goals are.

Most of us, when learning, start to fall apart technically if we push the rating too high too soon - and then all we're doing is practicing (grooving in) bad stroke mechanics. My coaches did not encourage us to push up the rating until we could hold a strong stroke while doing so. Early in my rowing learning, they had us do a lot of rowing in the teens - sometimes as low as 14-16. And they still start most team practices at lower ratings, and build up to higher ones.

At any given point of learning, one tends to have a rating where one's getting the best output for the least input - where efficiency of the stroke is maximized (not where one's getting the fastest split). So you do your volume practice there (or a bit below), so the good stroke mechanics become second nature, and you gradually increase your rating as you improve and can hold onto the efficiency at a higher rating.

Furthermore, at a slower rating, a newbie can usually get better power application at the catch (more time per stroke allows one to focus better).

You may surprise yourself with how fast a split you can get at a low rating. I'm not an extraordinarily strong rower, but I can pull sub-2:10 at a 22 (not for long, though!). Try working on technique points, one at a time, and trying to use them to improve pace at a some given sustainable rating. It's insight-provoking.

The effect of mechanics of rating can be seen on the erg, but it's glaringly obvious on the water (largely because on-water rowing has more mechanics to it, 'cause bladework and boat-check!). My double partner and I can row in the low 30s (briefly - LOL!) . . . but the boat goes faster if we settle to the mid-20s.

P.S. The most effective rowing rhythm may not feel natural at first. If doing what felt natural really worked best, the random people you see on ergs at the gym would have good splits. Mostly, they don't.

P.P.S. Training for rowers (like at the collegiate level) typically starts with building an aerobic base - they do mostly longer distances at lower intensity. So, if you're getting exhausted doing 5K at 26, but your long term goal is to be a better and faster rower (not simply to get a good workout today), then your better strategy as a newbie would be to let your rating come down, your split get slower (to something that's sustainable as a daily practice intensity), keep the length (the 5K), and work on mechanics. Throw in a more intense but shorter workout maybe once a week, if your fitness allows, and test yourself at some fixed distance maybe once a month to see how you're progressing.

katielee83858 wrote: »

So glad there is a rowing thread! I'm new to the erg and rowing in general; I plan to join a rowing association in the spring and actually get out on the water!

I have a few questions for those of you that are a little more experienced -- what is a good beginner split for 500m? Let me preface your answer by also sharing that I was in a horrible accident about 3 months ago and spent 3 weeks in the hospital. My energy still isn't what it used to be, and thus I fear my times are really slow!

Right now I average about a 2:15 split. Also, how do I get my SPM rate down? I have a feeling my technique is faulty in the drive; I have a tendency to row at a rate of 24-26 SPM during a 5000m piece and it just wears me out to death!!

Afterthought - A suggestion, regarding comparisons:

Pick a test distance (500m, 1000, 2000, whatever). Do a warm-up at an easy pace for 10 miniutes or so, throwing in 2 or 3 power tens during the 5 minutes. Then row your test piece.

Record and rank it via the Concept 2 logbook. Note where you are in the percentile rankings for your age group/sex/weight class.

Train effectively. Test again in a month. Have you improved your time? Great! Have you improved your percentile ranking? Fabulous - you're improving vs. the competition.