Recording and comparing force data at different stroke rates

[oneillnick]

Hi, I am a very new rower so this question may be simple or misguided. Broadly, I am interested in seeing whether I can compare the individual force per stroke at different stroke rates.

When I use the ErgData app two of the available data fields are "ave force (N)" and "max force (N)". These are calculated per stroke correct? And when you download the data in a .csv from a workout from the logbook the data seems to be organized in a way so that each row is a single stroke. But there isn't any force data in the .csv, the data in the .csv file are Number, Time (seconds), Distance (meters), Pace (seconds), Watts, Cal/Hr, Stroke Rate, and Heart Rate. Looking around the forum I see people use SPI or stroke power index to estimate something similar to this by (Watts/Stroke Rate)? Just wanted to know A) whether there was any way to see the force data after a workout and is this something interesting to be looking at i.e. how much more/less force per stroke am I able to generate at 20 SPM vs 30 SPM

[p_b82]

Hi and Welcome,

They are values that are calculated on the fly and can be displayed in ergdata, but they are not metrics stored in the output.

However they are the basis for the power calculations, which are probably more use; because typically one "should" generate more power by increasing the stroke rate - as it's a measure of work done over time.

SPI is useful just to see the trend - do I massively drop off my work per stroke when I rate up, or can I maintain the same effort/technique at the higher rate, if the SPI number stays the same at the higher rates, then it's just fitness that we need to worry about etc.

[JaapvanE]

When I use the ErgData app two of the available data fields are "ave force (N)" and "max force (N)". These are calculated per stroke correct?

As far as we can tell, they are indeed calculated instantaneously.

And when you download the data in a .csv from a workout from the logbook the data seems to be organized in a way so that each row is a single stroke. But there isn't any force data in the .csv, the data in the .csv file are Number, Time (seconds), Distance (meters), Pace (seconds), Watts, Cal/Hr, Stroke Rate, and Heart Rate.

It is communicated via the Bluetooth protocol, which can be read by ErgData but also by Painsled and similar tools. These other tools can record all stroke force data (including force curves).

However they are the basis for the power calculations,

Nope, they aren't. In a pure theoretical approach they might be used this way, but they can't due to limitations in the sensor setup.

typically one "should" generate more power by increasing the stroke rate - as it's a measure of work done over time.

This is correct. Or, as power and pace are directly linked, just look at the pace.