Concept2 Forum

I am doing all my bike workouts with a powermeter. Same since a few months for running (Stryd). Uploading all workouts to Trainingpeaks. TSS/IF is calculated based on wattage powerzones. These powerzones have been determined during a cycle and running test with oxygen mask.

Q: how do I determine powerzones using C2? Just row 2k and look at the average wattage? Or do I row 20min and take 92/95% of average wattage output?

See the Interactives, which base bands on 2k Watts: up to 60, 70 and 80% for UT2, 1 and AT. Alternatively try a 500 and work at about 50%, or use ratings 18-24 for UT, 27 for AT, holding stroke work roughly constant.

https://indoorsportservices.co.uk/training/interactive

There's ample choice of Level, Weeks and days/week.

Problem is those settings are all based on HR. That is not what I am looking for, I want to train based on wattage.

Livio Livius wrote:Problem is those settings are all based on HR. That is not what I am looking for, I want to train based on wattage.

They allow for both. Specifically it defines UT2 as 45-60% of 2k power, UT1 as 60-70%, AT as 70-80%, TR as 80-105% and AN as 105-115%.

Livio Livius wrote:I am doing all my bike workouts with a powermeter. Same since a few months for running (Stryd). Uploading all workouts to Trainingpeaks. TSS/IF is calculated based on wattage powerzones. These powerzones have been determined during a cycle and running test with oxygen mask.

Q: how do I determine powerzones using C2? Just row 2k and look at the average wattage? Or do I row 20min and take 92/95% of average wattage output?

Just read that using a percentage of 20 minute power is not accurate. You really need to do the full hour to get a true measure of FTP. I would do the same with the C2. It will be much more accurate.

kini62 wrote:Just read that using a percentage of 20 minute power is not accurate. You really need to do the full hour to get a true measure of FTP. I would do the same with the C2. It will be much more accurate.

From what I understand the "middle" 22' of a free rate flat out 30' is a reasonable proxy for the hour.

lindsayh wrote:From what I understand the "middle" 22' of a free rate flat out 30' is a reasonable proxy for the hour.

That's for heart rate I think. For power, if you're doing an honest hard 30 minute TT, you'd expect it to remain fairly stable throughout so it doesn't matter where you take the average.

FTP ramp test on Concept 2 (by EXR):

2min Warm up

1min intervals at:
2:58 (60W)
2:43 (80W)
2:32 (100W)
2:23 (120W)
2:16 (140W)
2:10 (160W)
2:05 (180W)
2:01 (200W)
1:57 (220W)
1:53 (240W)
1:50 (260W)
increase 20 W per minute till failure.
Multiply the last sustained interval power by 0.65 to get the rowing FTP.

Livio Livius wrote: ↑

January 3rd, 2018, 3:46 pm

Q: how do I determine powerzones using C2? Just row 2k and look at the average wattage? Or do I row 20min and take 92/95% of average wattage output?

Don't use average 2k effort. 2k is a VO2max effort. You can do a GxT if you are confident in your FTP:MAP ratio...but be warned it's not necessarily the same between running/cycling/rowing. In fact, almost certainly not the same.

There is an adaptation of the Allen/Coggan 20 minute test. You can read about it (in a rowing context) here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9365101/

I think you are familiar with this test since you mention the 92%/95% multiple.

And, finally, you can just use a 3 or 5 point CP model. That's probably what I would pick. It's a little easier to build the power/duration curve...and I feel like most contested rowing distances are middle distance/vo2max efforts. CP tends to be a little higher than either Coggan-test or GxT derived FTP. So that might be a little better suited to rowing specific duration efforts.

Plus, as the CP folks will tell you, it's the only one that really identifies actual physiologic levels. ;-D

I am doing all my bike workouts with a powermeter. Same since a few months for running (Stryd). Uploading all workouts to Trainingpeaks. TSS/IF is calculated based on wattage powerzones. These powerzones have been determined during a cycle and running test with oxygen mask.