40 Strokes per minute on PM4 - calibration?

[Percepto]

I have a model D Concept 2 with a PM4.
I have recorded a few 1k and 2k times and my stroke rate on my faster rows is always between 38 and 42 wpm.
Is there something wrong with my rower or the PM4?
I keep reading that world champions are rowing at about 34 spm so it doesn't seem possible that I could row faster than them!
I think my form is pretty good (I am not making short strokes) I am 174cm and my times are decent. 1k - 3:32 and 2k - 7:57.
I set my damper on 8 for my 2k row and my splits were 40, 41, 41, 41, 40, 41 spm.
Is there something I need to calibrate, is there something obvious that I'm missing, or is everything perfectly normal?
Thanks in advance for any input.

[Citroen]

Search youtube for ”indoor rowing technique".

You are probably not using your legs enough.

[Bob S.]

I have a model D Concept 2 with a PM4.
I have recorded a few 1k and 2k times and my stroke rate on my faster rows is always between 38 and 42 wpm.
Is there something wrong with my rower or the PM4?
I keep reading that world champions are rowing at about 34 spm so it doesn't seem possible that I could row faster than them!
I think my form is pretty good (I am not making short strokes) I am 174cm and my times are decent. 1k - 3:32 and 2k - 7:57.
I set my damper on 8 for my 2k row and my splits were 40, 41, 41, 41, 40, 41 spm.
Is there something I need to calibrate, is there something obvious that I'm missing, or is everything perfectly normal?
Thanks in advance for any input.

You are not rowing faster than them. You are just rowing at a higher stroke rate. Faster on the indoor rower is indicated by a high watt reading, like 480 watts, or a low pace, like 1:30/500 meters. Anyone can row at 40+ spm if they don't pull very hard and rush the recovery to get to the next catch.

[hjs]

I have a model D Concept 2 with a PM4.
I have recorded a few 1k and 2k times and my stroke rate on my faster rows is always between 38 and 42 wpm.
Is there something wrong with my rower or the PM4?
I keep reading that world champions are rowing at about 34 spm so it doesn't seem possible that I could row faster than them!
I think my form is pretty good (I am not making short strokes) I am 174cm and my times are decent. 1k - 3:32 and 2k - 7:57.
I set my damper on 8 for my 2k row and my splits were 40, 41, 41, 41, 40, 41 spm.
Is there something I need to calibrate, is there something obvious that I'm missing, or is everything perfectly normal?
Thanks in advance for any input.

Your pm is fine, you can row at any spm between zero and roughly 50. Depending on stroke lenght and recovery speed.
You should have a look at your form, at the moment you proberly don,t finish your stroke, before you start the recovery.
Keep your knees fixed as long as you pull the handle in. You know now very likely break your legs already during the pull.
There is no magic spm for a 2k and rowing at a high spm in itself is not difficult.

[Carl Watts]

Forget about the rating or SPM, look at the pace.

For that 2K pace your rating should be down at 20spm not 40spm.

For a clean fan your 8 setting is too high. Look at the actual Drag Factor which is a number on the monitor in one of the menus you use to set-up the rower before you row to ensure it is the same from one machine to the next. The lever position on the fan is used to set this number between about 110 and 140.

[Percepto]

You are not rowing faster than them. You are just rowing at a higher stroke rate. Faster on the indoor rower is indicated by a high watt reading, like 480 watts, or a low pace, like 1:30/500 meters. Anyone can row at 40+ spm if they don't pull very hard and rush the recovery to get to the next catch.

Yes, I didn't word it correctly, I meant a faster stroke rate.
No, I'm not rushing the recovery, my chain doesn't shake, the bar is perfectly parallel to the floor throughout the stroke and my transitions are smooth.
It may well be that I'm not pulling hard enough, but I know I'm pretty dead at the end of the 2k!

Forget about the rating or SPM, look at the pace.
For that 2K pace your rating should be down at 20spm not 40spm.
For a clean fan your 8 setting is too high. Look at the actual Drag Factor which is a number on the monitor in one of the menus you use to set-up the rower before you row to ensure it is the same from one machine to the next. The lever position on the fan is used to set this number between about 110 and 140.

My machine is new, so I guess it can't be anything to do with the fan. I will check out the drag factor, thanks.

Your pm is fine, you can row at any spm between zero and roughly 50. Depending on stroke lenght and recovery speed.
You should have a look at your form, at the moment you proberly don,t finish your stroke, before you start the recovery.
Keep your knees fixed as long as you pull the handle in. You know now very likely break your legs already during the pull.
There is no magic spm for a 2k and rowing at a high spm in itself is not difficult.

I wasn't suggesting that rowing at 40 spm was "difficult", of course I could row at 60 spm if I didn't ever finish a full stroke! I just want to know that I am doing everything as optimally as I can. I feel as though I am finishing the stroke and I row with a mirror at the side which is a good monitor. That said, I have not been aware of this "breaking the legs early" during the pull and keeping my knees "fixed". These are good pointers. I think I will video myself and take a look. It could well be the answer. Thanks.

[Bob S.]

You are not rowing faster than them. You are just rowing at a higher stroke rate. Faster on the indoor rower is indicated by a high watt reading, like 480 watts, or a low pace, like 1:30/500 meters. Anyone can row at 40+ spm if they don't pull very hard and rush the recovery to get to the next catch.

Yes, I didn't word it correctly, I meant a faster stroke rate.
No, I'm not rushing the recovery, my chain doesn't shake, the bar is perfectly parallel to the floor throughout the stroke and my transitions are smooth.
It may well be that I'm not pulling hard enough, but I know I'm pretty dead at the end of the 2k!

That is not how a rushed recovery is manifested. It is the recovery to drive time ratio that counts. The drive should be full, hard, and quick. On the recovery, the hands should get away past the knees smoothly and quickly, but the rest of the recovery should be slow and relaxed. The time for the drive is in the range 0.5 - 0.9 seconds. Recovery times range from just under a second in an all out sprint to over 4 seconds for low rate technique practice sessions. Normal recovery to drive time ratios are around 3/1 for long, slow pieces for endurance training and around 2/1 for shorter, more intense pieces for strength and speed work.

Bob S.

[jamesg]

I am 174cm and my times are decent. 1k - 3:32 and 2k - 7:57.

So no complaints. You can use any rating you like. 60 is typical when starting to warm up with arms only, but as we add swing and later increase slide travel to make the legs do their bit, the rate will drop a lot.

The erg is mostly used for endurance work, and a power output of 1 to 2 W/kg fit body mass is enough for this to start with; implying, if you weigh 70 kg at 1.74 (BMI 23), are male and say <40, around 140W for long pieces at low HR. Rate 20 and 140W will be enough to make you sweat.

The lower rating and low drag give you time to lengthen the stroke action (to about 120cm overall length) and so use your legs more. These should be strong anyway, from walking, climbing stairs etc, so using them on the erg will load your CV system quite heavily - why we keep the rating down - and get you fit.

The stroke is as seen in these videos:
http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/t ... que-videos

The recovery sequence, arms, swing, slide is essential; it avoids tangling hands and knees and gets us to a strong catch position. There's no hurry if we use low drag. At around 110-130, the flywheel won't stop and the pull can be quick, long and as hard as we like.

[Percepto]

That is not how a rushed recovery is manifested. It is the recovery to drive time ratio that counts. The drive should be full, hard, and quick. On the recovery, the hands should get away past the knees smoothly and quickly, but the rest of the recovery should be slow and relaxed. The time for the drive is in the range 0.5 - 0.9 seconds. Recovery times range from just under a second in an all out sprint to over 4 seconds for low rate technique practice sessions. Normal recovery to drive time ratios are around 3/1 for long, slow pieces for endurance training and around 2/1 for shorter, more intense pieces for strength and speed work.

Bob S.

Wow! I have a lot to learn!
This makes a lot of sense, I didn't feel like I'm rushing the recovery, but, although I have a pretty high level of fitness, I'm a novice rower, so I'm obviously not taking as much time on the recovery as I should from the tips you've given.
I have already read a lot about the technique and watched a lot of the YT training videos, but this is the first time that this ratio between the drive and the recovery has ever been mentioned. Thanks for making me aware of it.

I am 174cm and my times are decent. 1k - 3:32 and 2k - 7:57.

So no complaints. You can use any rating you like. 60 is typical when starting to warm up with arms only, but as we add swing and later increase slide travel to make the legs do their bit, the rate will drop a lot.

The erg is mostly used for endurance work, and a power output of 1 to 2 W/kg fit body mass is enough for this to start with; implying, if you weigh 70 kg at 1.74 (BMI 23), are male and say <40, around 140W for long pieces at low HR. Rate 20 and 140W will be enough to make you sweat.

The lower rating and low drag give you time to lengthen the stroke action (to about 120cm overall length) and so use your legs more. These should be strong anyway, from walking, climbing stairs etc, so using them on the erg will load your CV system quite heavily - why we keep the rating down - and get you fit.

The stroke is as seen in these videos:
http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/t ... que-videos

The recovery sequence, arms, swing, slide is essential; it avoids tangling hands and knees and gets us to a strong catch position. There's no hurry if we use low drag. At around 110-130, the flywheel won't stop and the pull can be quick, long and as hard as we like.

I repeat, I have a lot to learn! Thanks for the great input. I'm still not 100% sure about the drag factor, but that's just because I never took it into account before. I will definitely put this info into practice. Thanks a lot.