Target Watts - 5000m and 2000m

[Phoerig]

For a new rower, is there any benchmark for a target watts level for both the 5,000m and 2,000m?

I'm struggling with how to balance intensity with learning good form, building good fitness, etc. Also curious if anyone has an opinion on the notion of not using footstraps to learn good form. (What is it supposed to teach you about the rowing motion)?

[Bob S.]

For a new rower, is there any benchmark for a target watts level for both the 5,000m and 2,000m?

I'm struggling with how to balance intensity with learning good form, building good fitness, etc. Also curious if anyone has an opinion on the notion of not using footstraps to learn good form. (What is it supposed to teach you about the rowing motion)?

Rowing strapless helps to get the proper drive sequencing: legs/back/arms. The legs give the body backward momentum. If that backward momentum is not cancelled by the finishing pull with the arms, the rower is likely to go flying over backwards off the seat.

With regard to watt traget levels, have you checked out the ranking for you age/weight/gender category? That can give you an idea of what you might expect. The data is not given in watts, but the C2 website has convenient calculators for converting from one form to another.

http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/t ... calculator

Bob S.

[jamesg]

target watts level for both the 5,000m and 2,000m

A lot depends on age and sex; but for male and <50y, 2 and 3W/kg respectively if easy would show you are reasonably fit and have decent technique.

Body mass kg here can be based on your height, using say BMI 23 with the newer formula BMI=1.3 x kg/h^2.5 where h=height in metres. This formula gives for BMI 23:

1.75m/72kg - 1.8m/77kg - 1.85m/82kg - 1.9m/88kg

Somewhere near 2W/kg will be fine for most training.