My Rowing Times

[Elifant]

Also, one reason that got me thinking about this whole weight topic was that naturally a 6'5" 200lbs person would achieve more meters in the same set time all things being equal. I realize that I will never get these numbers. But if you could adjust for that, were would I fall? Not with the intention to brag or go competitive just out of pure curiosity...

This is along the same lines as weight lifting. When you compare ratios (weights lifted per pound of body weight), this gives more of a true metric to see your own achievements. The regular dude in the gym is maybe 180lbs and lifts 250. So to be "equally fit" a person like me would need to bench around 180lbs.

To me this is just interesting to know. That's all.

[Sakly]

For rowing height is more of interest than weight. Weight (useful weight in form of muscles) only helps for shorter stuff, e.g. sprints up to 500m.
I am nearly 43, 177cm (so more the shorter guy when talking about rowing), ~80kg/175 pounds, rowing for 1 year and 9 month.
This month CTC was 200m, I could get 618W average =33.1s and am no sprinter at all. This equates to 7,725W/kg, not too bad.
For my steady states (typically 60min sessions) I am around 2.3W/kg, for my last season 6k I was at 1:46 splits with ~3.66W/kg.
Someone lighter as me, but taller, could probably generate the same or higher numbers due to more length in the strokes.

[p_b82]

I've never actually paid any attention to W/kg before today - I'm carry a little too much excess baggage and so my numbers get penalised as a result compared to some-one with a much lower % body fat but otherwise equal dimensions; although I've lost over 10lbs since I started so the numbers are becoming more favourable even if I ignored any performance improvement.

I gave up comparing myself too closely pretty early on though tbh - the "what have you done today" thread became depressing when I see people crank out Half marathons at r20 close/better than my 2k pace with HR's 30bpm lower.

I do admit I've been paying more attention to "stoke power index" or Watts\min recently, as I've been trying to improve the efficiency of my stroke - I was going up and down the slide a lot more frequently than I needed to; even though my HR was lower, it was impacting my progress because I wasn't really using my full potential or utilising the advantages of my frame.

[JaapvanE]

I gave up comparing myself too closely pretty early on though tbh - the "what have you done today" thread became depressing

That is exactly why people shouldn't compare themselves to others. To be honest, many have too much going on their lives that following a training schedule is a huge challenge. Sometimes getting on the erg and cranking out yet a couple of meters is already an achievement. Celebrating that people managed to step on the erg again is much more stimulating than some old guys way past their prime comparing 2K times.

[DavidA]

Hello,

I started rowing in the gym on the Concept 2 about a year ago. I am 41 years old and my weight is 130 pounds. I always felt that my times are decent for my age, but got a bit discouraged when I found "reference points" on various rowing websites such as rowinglevel.com. I then found the weight adjusted calculator on the concept 2 website.

Today, I completed 6,000m in 27 min and 52 seconds in the gym. According to the weight adjusted calculator that translate to a 7,058 meter row in 23 min and 42 seconds, if I were rowing on the water. However, I would like to know my "true" 6k time. Does the following work?:

Adjusted time of 23min and 42 seconds = 1,422 total seconds for 7k or 4.963 (7,058/1,422) meters per second.
NEW time based on adjusted numbers: 6k divided by 4.963 = 1,209 seconds or 20 min and some for a true 6k on the water.

The reason I am asking is that I only have access to the indoor machine. I always felt that my time for my age and weight is good but maybe not that good after my adjusted calculation.

Any help would be appreciated!

If you want, you could also look at the rankings on the C2 site, and see where you fall, but as others have pointed out - the main comparison should be with yourself.

David

[jackarabit]

I think 2.10 average split for 6k would be a good medium term target from current 2.19/500m for Elifant. He would be setting a goal for his personal efforts independent of the desirability of avoiding discouragement by odious comparisons. 26’ elapsed would be a 30watt increase in average power per kilo body weight (“fit” OR actual) and would appear very respectable to those who do not fear comparison of “My Rowing Times.”

I am aware of and sympathetic to the time constraints on fitness maintenance for folks with busy lives, killer work schedules, and procreational priorities. I don’t celebrate their halting progress at getting fit unless requested and I don’t hear that quotidian whine from the OP.

Time to do some structured training, Elifant. IMO, 3 or 4 three-week cycles of Pete Marston’s “Lunch Hour’ 2k prep plan could have you blowing the doors off your current results. Spin the wheel and you won’t need to spin your results. And please do enter your best 6k in the C2 rankings. There is nothing quite so aggravating (and possibly motivating?) as a glance at placement by percentile. Raise the ante, rake in the pot. Make us proud.

[mjhatten]

If you're looking to see how you compare to other rowers your age, post your time/distance for a standard exercise (I use 30-minutes) in the Concept 2 Log Book Rankings. You will see others in your age range and where you fit. I'm solidly in the 50th percentile of the 75 - 80 age group.