VO2Max question

[noobrower]

I checked out the VO2Max calculator here
http://www.concept2.com/us/training/too ... vo2max.asp

and plan on using it to setup a row program for myself.
Just got my rower yesterday and am very excited.
These things TOTALLY ROCK!!!

Anyway....

I plugged in my age, weight, and some example times for the 2K distance to see what kind of pace I needed to get into the EXCELLENT Cardiovascular Fitness column.

The problem is, the calculation doesnt seem to take into account the resistance/drag level.

Surely that makes a difference? Is there a standard setting for this calculation to make sense???

It told me I need to row 2K in 8 minutes to be rated excellent. That seems pretty high to me, although I am a light weight at 156lb's.
Im seeing people on here pulling 6:30, 6:40, 6:50 all over the place... WOW.


Any ideas?

[noobrower]

I see in the VO2MAX FAQ it states

Q. What damper setting should I use for my 2k test piece?
A. You should use the damper setting that enables you to get the best 2k result. This is how it was done in the study.


Wouldnt everyone just set it to the lowest setting???

This doesnt make sense to me.

Or does the erg log a greater distance per stroke when set on a higher damper setting???

[Nosmo]

The problem is, the calculation doesnt seem to take into account the resistance/drag level.

Surely that makes a difference? Is there a standard setting for this calculation to make sense???

Actually it makes very little difference. The drag factor is not simply the resistance you feel. The resistance is depends on how hard you pull.
Change the drag factor by 20% and you will have to change how hard/fast you pull by 20%. It turns out that with a little training a person is just as efficient over a broad range of speed. Your 2K speed will not be very different if you do it a drag of 110 or 130 once you get used to it.

You want to use the drag factor that you are fastest with. 120 would be a reasonable place to start for someone your weight.

It told me I need to row 2K in 8 minutes to be rated excellent. That seems pretty high to me, although I am a light weight at 156lb's.
Im seeing people on here pulling 6:30, 6:40, 6:50 all over the place... WOW.

The real question is how you define "Excellent". If you want to be better then 90% of the population then 8:00 might be fine. IF you want to be better then 90% of collage age rowers that is something else, and if you want to win the Crash-Bs or head of the Charles that is something all togther different.

[noobrower]

Ok that is starting to make sense.

So lets say I row on damper setting 1 and then on 10 and finish a 2K in the same amount of time on each setting.

Im guessing my technique and stroke rate would be different but....

Would the total WATTS for each workout, come out about the same?

[Nosmo]

Or does the erg log a greater distance per stroke when set on a higher damper setting???

The erg measures the Power you apply to the fly wheel. Power is force times the speed. The erg measures effectively measures both the speed and the force (I am hand waving here, but see http://www-atm.physics.ox.ac.uk/rowing/ ... meter.html
for details of what is really happening)

An analogy for bench pressing would be the weight you lift times the number of times you lifted it in a given period of time. So if you could lift 200 lbs, you may only beable to lift it twice in 10 seconds. But you may be able to lift 100 lbs 10 times, and 50 lbs 18 times, but 30 lbs 20 times In this example you would be doing a lot more total work lifting the 100 lbs weight then the 30 or 200, but only a little more then the 50 .

This analogy is not exact because on the erg the force depends on how fast you are pulling, but the idea is the similar.

[noobrower]

Aaaah, that clears everything up for me!
Thats what I was wondering.
Thanks man!

This thing fricken rules! I just get more impressed the more I toy with it

[Nosmo]

This this fricken rules!

It does rule. Until you get in to something like a Van Dusen Carbon fiber racing single!
But it is a great machine and a great company.