Concept2 Forum

Just wondering if there’s a natural stroke rate a sort of sweet spot depending on your height weight other dimensions etc. Reason I ask this is because looking back over the last few years I don’t tend to vary my rate much. I pretty much stick at 22-26 S/M irrespective of what I’m rowing, I might go up to 28 if I’m pushing for a seasons best 2K. Generally I just vary my intensity which logically seems the wrong way to go about getting faster. If row at a higher pace my breathing and technique goes wrong.

I don't think that there is, but I might be wrong.

I think it's more dependent on where your strengths lie ie power or aerobic fitness. If you have more base fitness you can rate higher and vice versa, but this logic doesn't totally confirm that: I can row a HM at 28/30 but when I get over 33 I struggle to find a rhythm.

Breathing sequence is something that you need to work on as you change your stroke rate, either up or down and it does get easier if you concentrate on it, otherwise you will slightly panic that you're not getting enough air and then it's a downward spiral.

Boomer wrote: ↑

May 3rd, 2020, 1:38 pm

Just wondering if there’s a natural stroke rate a sort of sweet spot depending on your height weight other dimensions etc. Reason I ask this is because looking back over the last few years I don’t tend to vary my rate much. I pretty much stick at 22-26 S/M irrespective of what I’m rowing, I might go up to 28 if I’m pushing for a seasons best 2K. Generally I just vary my intensity which logically seems the wrong way to go about getting faster. If row at a higher pace my breathing and technique goes wrong.

No there is not, its more fitness related. The faster people often are the higher they can rate. Toprowers mostly train at rate 18/20, but for 2k races they do rate 35 and above. And those guys are often tall.

hjs wrote: ↑

May 4th, 2020, 4:26 am

Boomer wrote: ↑

May 3rd, 2020, 1:38 pm

Just wondering if there’s a natural stroke rate a sort of sweet spot depending on your height weight other dimensions etc. Reason I ask this is because looking back over the last few years I don’t tend to vary my rate much. I pretty much stick at 22-26 S/M irrespective of what I’m rowing, I might go up to 28 if I’m pushing for a seasons best 2K. Generally I just vary my intensity which logically seems the wrong way to go about getting faster. If row at a higher pace my breathing and technique goes wrong.

No there is not, its more fitness related. The faster people often are the higher they can rate. Toprowers mostly train at rate 18/20, but for 2k races they do rate 35 and above. And those guys are often tall.

I guess that makes sense because I’m not that fit, I can hit 7:40 2K at r20 and a 3:20 1k at r30 just before my lungs explode.

hjs wrote: ↑

May 4th, 2020, 4:26 am

Boomer wrote: ↑

May 3rd, 2020, 1:38 pm

Just wondering if there’s a natural stroke rate a sort of sweet spot depending on your height weight other dimensions etc. Reason I ask this is because looking back over the last few years I don’t tend to vary my rate much. I pretty much stick at 22-26 S/M irrespective of what I’m rowing, I might go up to 28 if I’m pushing for a seasons best 2K. Generally I just vary my intensity which logically seems the wrong way to go about getting faster. If row at a higher pace my breathing and technique goes wrong.

No there is not, its more fitness related. The faster people often are the higher they can rate. Toprowers mostly train at rate 18/20, but for 2k races they do rate 35 and above. And those guys are often tall.

I think it's also a function of morphology and maybe even the CNS.

Gammmmo wrote: ↑

May 4th, 2020, 1:38 pm

hjs wrote: ↑

May 4th, 2020, 4:26 am

Boomer wrote: ↑

May 3rd, 2020, 1:38 pm

Just wondering if there’s a natural stroke rate a sort of sweet spot depending on your height weight other dimensions etc. Reason I ask this is because looking back over the last few years I don’t tend to vary my rate much. I pretty much stick at 22-26 S/M irrespective of what I’m rowing, I might go up to 28 if I’m pushing for a seasons best 2K. Generally I just vary my intensity which logically seems the wrong way to go about getting faster. If row at a higher pace my breathing and technique goes wrong.

No there is not, its more fitness related. The faster people often are the higher they can rate. Toprowers mostly train at rate 18/20, but for 2k races they do rate 35 and above. And those guys are often tall.

I think it's also a function of morphology and maybe even the CNS.

Ofcourse, we can,t say rower x, being xx tall and weighing y should rate z. The general trend though is that faster rowers, on average, rate higher.

"Natural" rowing depends on rhythm: it's possible to suffer less with 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4 rhythms. If you pull a long hefty stroke using standard style and recovery sequence and a normal drag level, the pull will take about 0.65s, and the ratings follow automatically.

This is important for training both wet and dry. Gearing is adjusted so that a large stroke at the comfortable ratings is doable for the necessary time.

hjs wrote: ↑

May 4th, 2020, 1:51 pm

Gammmmo wrote: ↑

May 4th, 2020, 1:38 pm

hjs wrote: ↑

May 4th, 2020, 4:26 am

No there is not, its more fitness related. The faster people often are the higher they can rate. Toprowers mostly train at rate 18/20, but for 2k races they do rate 35 and above. And those guys are often tall.

I think it's also a function of morphology and maybe even the CNS.

Ofcourse, we can,t say rower x, being xx tall and weighing y should rate z. The general trend though is that faster rowers, on average, rate higher.

In line with this (and I can't say about rowing specifically) but for other paddlesports such as sprint kayaking, dragonboating and SUP, the research suggests it's rating primarily that makes the difference at race pace velocities, not force at the blade, irrespective of morphology (or in that this wasn't investigated).

if you or on nr.6 seat of an eight and stroke decides to row R32 - then you go with him or get wet..
you should row rates that are appropriate for that piece and be able to vary.

The rate defines the pace - the longer pieces are done at lower rates than the shorter pieces