New erg feeling DF

[alien878]

What is the range from min. to max.?

Mine is 76-206.

[hjs]

What is the range from min. to max.?

Mine is 76-206.

Thats fine, nothing wrong with your machine.

[hjs]

What is the range from min. to max.?

76 - 224.

Perfect

[Marcus]

What is the range from min. to max.?

76 - 224.

Perfect

I think what's thrown me off is different machine = different number setting = different DF = different watts = different splits.

I've just done a tough 5k that really shouldn't;t have been tough, so I'm going to start from scratch and find the most efficient DF on this machine for me.
Maybe not right away though, that session just hurt!

Any tips to find this? I've watched the dark horse video about it (6 mins @ 10 @ 16spm, 5 mins @ 8 @ 20spm... etc) or is that the good baseline?

Thanks though folks. Very helpful forum.

[hjs]

76 - 224.

Perfect

I think what's thrown me off is different machine = different number setting = different DF = different watts = different splits.

I've just done a tough 5k that really shouldn't;t have been tough, so I'm going to start from scratch and find the most efficient DF on this machine for me.
Maybe not right away though, that session just hurt!

Any tips to find this? I've watched the dark horse video about it (6 mins @ 10 @ 16spm, 5 mins @ 8 @ 20spm... etc) or is that the good baseline?

Thanks though folks. Very helpful forum.

Drag really is not so important. Just set it at for you comfortable setting and keep it there gor a while.

Beginners should row at very low ratings, they can,t handle that well. First use rate 20/25 and build a feeling for the movement. After that look further. In the end its not rocket science, but mostly fitness and enough strenght in the right muscle.

[Dangerscouse]

I think what's thrown me off is different machine = different number setting = different DF = different watts = different splits.

I've just done a tough 5k that really shouldn't;t have been tough, so I'm going to start from scratch and find the most efficient DF on this machine for me.
Maybe not right away though, that session just hurt!

Any tips to find this? I've watched the dark horse video about it (6 mins @ 10 @ 16spm, 5 mins @ 8 @ 20spm... etc) or is that the good baseline?

Thanks though folks. Very helpful forum.

As a rough rule men are 'suggested' to use 120-130 but you may prefer it higher or lower. It's like a car seat position, just adjust it until it feels right.

I think r16 (spm) is too low as you will probably be pausing going this slow. R18 is the lowest you need to go but make sure to master a variety of rates I.e. 18 - 30 spm as they are different feelings and are all valuable for different types of sessions. Breathing sequence will be different for slower and faster rates too, which takes a bit of getting used to

[Marcus]

I think what's thrown me off is different machine = different number setting = different DF = different watts = different splits.

I've just done a tough 5k that really shouldn't;t have been tough, so I'm going to start from scratch and find the most efficient DF on this machine for me.
Maybe not right away though, that session just hurt!

Any tips to find this? I've watched the dark horse video about it (6 mins @ 10 @ 16spm, 5 mins @ 8 @ 20spm... etc) or is that the good baseline?

Thanks though folks. Very helpful forum.

As a rough rule men are 'suggested' to use 120-130 but you may prefer it higher or lower. It's like a car seat position, just adjust it until it feels right.

I think r16 (spm) is too low as you will probably be pausing going this slow. R18 is the lowest you need to go but make sure to master a variety of rates I.e. 18 - 30 spm as they are different feelings and are all valuable for different types of sessions. Breathing sequence will be different for slower and faster rates too, which takes a bit of getting used to

Oops sorry, I think I've done some bad writing there and not explained myself...

Finding the optimal drag factor.
You row
6 mins @ 10 DF setting @ 16spm,
5 mins @ 8 DF @ 20spm
4 mins @ 6 DF @ 24spm
3 mins @ 4 DF @ 28spm
2 mins @ 3 DF @ 32spm

With the corresponding previous row minutes as the rest period in-between.
Then crunch all the numbers and you can see and feel what may work best for you.
Probably the highest watts during a split? And whatever feels most comfortable with the best Watts?

If that makes sense? (There's a video somewhere).

I don;t have an issue with my machine, it just 'feels' heavier than the gym one's I'm used to and I am having to put a few more watts out with a higher heart rate for my same splits. No biggie, I'm just going to find my groove on this machine and get comfy.

[Anth_F]

I think a lot of it comes down to just how rested/recovered are we.

I no longer mess with the df on my machine, i leave it where it is. But somedays i.e 2:03 pace with the usual same rates can feel a bit heavy and like a slog to hold pace. Then couple days later or whatever after i'm rested i can cruise along @ 2:02 pace and it all feels nice/settled not too strenuous and getting a nice snappy drive going, and sometimes vice versa can occur lol.

Like today for example, i rowed 6k and it felt a bit tougher than the 6k i done 2 days ago, and okay humidity was even more today so i must take that into account. Anyway, rowed a tad bit slower today, but yet it felt like harder work than the 6k 2 days ago. And it showed in the HR as well, 148 end avg today and going slower, 2 days ago HR end avg 145 and rowing faster and lower rate end avg.

[nick rockliff]

Finding the optimal drag factor.
You row
6 mins @ 10 DF setting @ 16spm,
5 mins @ 8 DF @ 20spm
4 mins @ 6 DF @ 24spm
3 mins @ 4 DF @ 28spm
2 mins @ 3 DF @ 32spm

This doesn't make any sense, looks like you are getting drag factor mixed up with the lever position. Drag factor and lever position can differ from machine to machine.

[Allan Olesen]

Finding the optimal drag factor.
You row
6 mins @ 10 DF setting @ 16spm,
5 mins @ 8 DF @ 20spm
4 mins @ 6 DF @ 24spm
3 mins @ 4 DF @ 28spm
2 mins @ 3 DF @ 32spm

This doesn't make any sense, looks like you are getting drag factor mixed up with the lever position. Drag factor and lever position can differ from machine to machine.

...and to add to the senselessness:
It doesn't make any sense to change both duration and stroke rate when testing out different drag settings.

If we wants to know how different drag settings will affect us, we should keep everything else equal while testing. So same duration, same stroke rate, same pace or power, but different drag settings.

[Anth_F]

Finding the optimal drag factor.
You row
6 mins @ 10 DF setting @ 16spm,
5 mins @ 8 DF @ 20spm
4 mins @ 6 DF @ 24spm
3 mins @ 4 DF @ 28spm
2 mins @ 3 DF @ 32spm

This doesn't make any sense, looks like you are getting drag factor mixed up with the lever position. Drag factor and lever position can differ from machine to machine.

...and to add to the senselessness:
It doesn't make any sense to change both duration and stroke rate when testing out different drag settings.

If we wants to know how different drag settings will affect us, we should keep everything else equal while testing. So same duration, same stroke rate, same pace or power, but different drag settings.

Yep!! And rowing with the damper on 10 at 16spm is a daft idea as well... the only thing you might find out from that is a lower back injury.

[Dangerscouse]

Yeah I agree with all of the above. In my experience I have to row at a specific drag factor for at least two, and preferably more, long steady sessions to really know what feels best.

If you do all of the different drag factors in one session, especially when you get to r32 you will have tiredness to contend with as well but no reliable opinion of the sweet spot.

My advice is confirm the drag, not the damper setting which you are doing now, and try at about 120 to start with and see how that feels. 115-130 seems to be the usual range for most of us.

You can confirm the drag factor on Ergdata or on the rower. The damper setting isn't much use as depending on how dirty the tower's fan is the setting will be higher or lower to get the same drag factor. The more accumulated dust the lower the drag falls and the higher the damper setting needs to be.

For a seemingly simple exercise it's surprisingly technical!!

[Marcus]

Are you allowed to post links on here?

If so... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rySeSi93KYc

If not, apologies.

[hjs]

Are you allowed to post links on here?

If so... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rySeSi93KYc

If not, apologies.

Ofcourse, but this one I don,t know. Don,t like the info at all from this guy. Clicked it away as soon as I saw him

[Anth_F]

I do find DHR useful for some stuff, but for that vid all that stuffs not necessary to find your sweet spot on the erg. Anything 120-145'ish df is okay for most people.