Drag factor (again) for newbee

[JackB]

If you have an iphone, download the ErgData app. Before you begin rowing link the PM5 to the Iphone. Touch one of the boxes on the right side of the screen of the ErgData app. You can set the box to constantly read the drag factor while you row.

[philjoakley]

Hi Guy - I've been at this for just over a year now and have tried to get to the bottom of it. I'm 6'6" and about 210lbs and my preferred drag factor is about 110 to 120. For a very short piece such as 500m I might go above 130 but I'd never go anywhere near as high as you have.

You can spend a long time reading the forum and other places and it will nearly always suggest something like a drag factor 110 to 130 for most rowing, though it also seems to vary from individual to individual. On a machine with a clean flywheel (i.e. no dust inside, typically found in gym ergs) a drag factor of 110 to 130 would be around 3 to 5 on the damper setting, give or take a little.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I am currently recovering from the flu so not doing so much rowing and I did a little drag factor test on my own machine this week - 10x 150m pieces and took notes. See below for how it felt and what I wrote - perhaps it might help you figure out the best setting. My advice though - as a newer rower myself - is row on a much lower drag factor, more slowly (e.g. 22psm) and for longer distances if you want to get fitter and lose weight. Music helps me overcome the monotony but really I kind of like monotony - personality I think.

For context, I was doing this little test to see how easy it was for me to pull 7 minute 2k pace, so that's why I refer to 1:45 below (i.e. 1:45 mins per 500m = 7 minute 2k). I have a Model D from 2015 with a PM5. These 10 150m rows were done at about 28-30 strokes per minute.

**
This was just a drag factor test and check on damper settings. All damper settings refer to the mid-point next to the number, between lines.

1, DF82, quite difficult to pull sub 1:45 but maybe possible with much higher rate
2, DF90, again not that easy to pull sub 1:45
3, DF99, easier to pull sub 1:45
4, DF115, easy to pull sub 1:45 and this feels like my sweet-spot overall
5, DF130, easy to pull sub 1:45 but felt more sluggish than 4
6, DF146, definitely a bit sluggish but easy to pull sub 1:45, not a problem at all but couldn't keep it up for any distance I reckon
7, DF169, easy to pull sub 1:40 here but not great for my back I could feel it
8, DF183, this was very sluggish, and as above but harder to pull
9, DF199, very sluggish indeed and no way I would use this for any distance at all probably
10, DF212, incredibly sluggish.

When I went back to DF115 it felt incredibly easy to pull hard and fast.
**

Thanks for this really useful post. I have only be doing this for a couple of months and am still learning things about the erg. I am currently following the lunchtime Pete Plan doing three sessions a week with an extra 5k added in every other week. My ambition is to do a sub 7 2k by Christmas. Had started out not knowing a thing about DF and was rowing on level 7 on a new Concept 2 (DF about 136). Then settled at 126 for everything but after reading your post and your experiences with a lower DF, I knocked it down to DF 117 and have just pulled a 5k PB in 18:51. I echo your view that it was easier to pull harder and faster and I felt less fatigue throughout the effort.

[jimmyshand]

Hi Guy - I've been at this for just over a year now and have tried to get to the bottom of it. I'm 6'6" and about 210lbs and my preferred drag factor is about 110 to 120. For a very short piece such as 500m I might go above 130 but I'd never go anywhere near as high as you have.

You can spend a long time reading the forum and other places and it will nearly always suggest something like a drag factor 110 to 130 for most rowing, though it also seems to vary from individual to individual. On a machine with a clean flywheel (i.e. no dust inside, typically found in gym ergs) a drag factor of 110 to 130 would be around 3 to 5 on the damper setting, give or take a little.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I am currently recovering from the flu so not doing so much rowing and I did a little drag factor test on my own machine this week - 10x 150m pieces and took notes. See below for how it felt and what I wrote - perhaps it might help you figure out the best setting. My advice though - as a newer rower myself - is row on a much lower drag factor, more slowly (e.g. 22psm) and for longer distances if you want to get fitter and lose weight. Music helps me overcome the monotony but really I kind of like monotony - personality I think.

For context, I was doing this little test to see how easy it was for me to pull 7 minute 2k pace, so that's why I refer to 1:45 below (i.e. 1:45 mins per 500m = 7 minute 2k). I have a Model D from 2015 with a PM5. These 10 150m rows were done at about 28-30 strokes per minute.

**
This was just a drag factor test and check on damper settings. All damper settings refer to the mid-point next to the number, between lines.

1, DF82, quite difficult to pull sub 1:45 but maybe possible with much higher rate
2, DF90, again not that easy to pull sub 1:45
3, DF99, easier to pull sub 1:45
4, DF115, easy to pull sub 1:45 and this feels like my sweet-spot overall
5, DF130, easy to pull sub 1:45 but felt more sluggish than 4
6, DF146, definitely a bit sluggish but easy to pull sub 1:45, not a problem at all but couldn't keep it up for any distance I reckon
7, DF169, easy to pull sub 1:40 here but not great for my back I could feel it
8, DF183, this was very sluggish, and as above but harder to pull
9, DF199, very sluggish indeed and no way I would use this for any distance at all probably
10, DF212, incredibly sluggish.

When I went back to DF115 it felt incredibly easy to pull hard and fast.
**

Thanks for this really useful post. I have only be doing this for a couple of months and am still learning things about the erg. I am currently following the lunchtime Pete Plan doing three sessions a week with an extra 5k added in every other week. My ambition is to do a sub 7 2k by Christmas. Had started out not knowing a thing about DF and was rowing on level 7 on a new Concept 2 (DF about 136). Then settled at 126 for everything but after reading your post and your experiences with a lower DF, I knocked it down to DF 117 and have just pulled a 5k PB in 18:51. I echo your view that it was easier to pull harder and faster and I felt less fatigue throughout the effort.

Glad it was helpful Phil - it took me a while to settle on a number but it's good once you get a sense of what feels best for you.

And great work on the 5k PB! That's a great effort.

[philjoakley]

It was really helpful thanks. I just feel more comfortable on a lower DF now. Also feel better at a higher SPM as well. Have been doing a lot of my steady state stuff at 22 SPM on the basis of improving the efficiency and power of my stroke. This feels harder and can make my back ache (perhaps an indication I am doing something wrong?) whist I do not feel I get a great cardio workout. Did a 5k in 19:48 this morning at 28 SPM with DF 117 and average heart rate of 148 bpm (my max is around 195) and it felt really comfortable and I just felt I had a better rhythm without forcing it.

[THEPUNISHER]

So... Long story short, optimal factor ranges from 110 to 130 and that's what should feel like real water?

[lindsayh]

So... Long story short, optimal factor ranges from 110 to 130 and that's what should feel like real water?

short answer is yes.
longer answer is that there will be some who train at higher DF and some at lower but most have a sweet spot in that range. There are heaps of threads here with a lots of discussion, Should say though that the actual number is not as important as some think and whether it is 118 or 125 is not going to make a lot of difference

[Ombrax]

longer answer is that there will be some who train at higher DF and some at lower but most have a sweet spot in that range. There are heaps of threads here with a lots of discussion, Should say though that the actual number is not as important as some think and whether it is 118 or 125 is not going to make a lot of difference

I think it depends on whether you're goals are to go as fast as possible, or just to get a very good workout.

In my case it's the latter, so I just use a DF of 120 and row. I haven't felt the need to figure out what would happen if I did a 2k test at 115 instead of 120, but if I were to hop on an erg where the lever was set such that the DF was 125 I would notice the "harder" handle. Whether or not that would result in my being faster for a given effort, I have no clue.

However, if you're hunting PBs, then it makes sense to optimize the DF for your body, your brain, and the distance you're going to row.