How low can you go with strokes per minute (rating) ?

[e-Clair]

My “natural” stroke rate is 17. On Maffetone I had to go lower. I wouldn’t be worried about a rate going too low. On Just Row at least the monitor does like to stop around six seconds after a pull, so you’re right there’s a lower limit on what it’s willing to record. Maffetone Method is it’s own thing and has nothing to do with maximum heart rate. If the results you want is what Maffetone Method is after, then you should go with that. Yes, the exercise does seem very easy, but you can still progress fast. The biggest problem is the steady creep of the heart rate upward as the minutes go by, making you slow further down. If that’s a problem on the rower, you could try truncating those workouts and rowing more frequently. If Maffetone is working right, it’ll soon be less of a problem.

[Carl Watts]

First of all your rating is related to your pace if your putting in the same power per stroke.

I do not find I need to go below 16spm or you need huge power per stroke for a decent pace.

Training for me is 17-18spm and in cooler temperatures and lower humidity 1:57 to 1:58 pace is possible for 30 minutes.

21spm is up at 1:55 pace etc.

I'm not saying 10spm is bad but it depends on your pace. if your out at 3minute pace then there is no point, you need to rate up to 18spm.

Everyone is talking here about the rating but its irrelevant without pace information. If your drifting down to 10spm whats your pace ?

[bisqeet]

in answer to the topic question.
R1. I could do one stroke, then get off and have 55s rest...

But I guess thats not what you are asking.
For me about r16, anything lower feels "jerky".

First of all your rating is related to your pace if your putting in the same power per stroke.

there's the winner in my book.

For reference I do about 90% of all my stuff at about R18 -180W (2:05/500m)
A little lower than the magic W= kg x2 (1,95 )
I usually hover around 70% upto 42k rows.

If on my day i'm feeling good or shorter pieces- then i will up the rate and still keep the 10W / stroke.
If my HR jumps out of the zone, then i drop the rate (keeping the 10W)

note:
I would add that the ut2 / ut1 / an levels are only "guestimates" - lactate testing would be required for any serious stuff. still its a decent guidline.
I remember reading about Paula Radcliffe, her UT1 (lab measured) zone was about 92% HRMax.