Stroke rate

[GreenStratMan]

Hi, I have been using an erg on and off for many years now.

I’m getting fit again after having been quite ill for the last 18 months. I’m now in a position to increase my fitness levels. My stroke rate is very low. I did 7125 metres in 30 mins on Sunday @15 spm, with a damper setting of 4. I tend to dawdle back to the catch from recovery phase.

I’m 6’5’ I do have reasonably long arms and legs. I could do 10k in 34 mins, damper setting 10 before becoming ill.

Should I be aiming to increase my spm?

Many thanks

[Dangerscouse]

Yes, r15 is too low imo as there isn't any training benefit that outweighs the risk of injury, but surely if you can do 10k in 34 mins, you already know what you're doing?

[GreenStratMan]

but surely if you can do 10k in 34 mins, you already know what you're doing?

Thanks for your reply dangerscouse. I thought I knew what I was doing. I’m realising that quite a few of my ideas are fundamentally flawed. I don’t know what my stroke rate was the last time I rowed 10k in that time, it’s been almost two years. I’m keen to get fit again, but safely and I’m interested in exploring efficiency and developing good technique. Have been a bit on the brute force and ignorance side previously.

Thanks again

[hjs]

Why do you use that rate in the first place?

In extreme cases very low rates can be used to build strenght, but anything below 18/20 hardly can be called rowing. And height does not play a role. Toprowers, over races, also rate high 30 ies.

[Tony Cook]

Hi, I have been using an erg on and off for many years now.

I’m getting fit again after having been quite ill for the last 18 months. I’m now in a position to increase my fitness levels. My stroke rate is very low. I did 7125 metres in 30 mins on Sunday @15 spm, with a damper setting of 4. I tend to dawdle back to the catch from recovery phase.

I’m 6’5’ I do have reasonably long arms and legs. I could do 10k in 34 mins, damper setting 10 before becoming ill.

Should I be aiming to increase my spm?

Many thanks

I too am a born again ether, since March. I imagine I am a lot older than you but am also 6’5 with long limbs.
I highly recommend you look up Dark Horse Rowing on Youtube and spend a few weeks rowing along with his technique and warm up videos. Research drag factor as well.
They helped me to be able to row effectively (for me) at 20SPM and ironed out some flaws in my technique that I was unaware of.
I was ‘lucky’ in that I was rehabbing from a knee operation and so had to go steady, if not I know I would have not had the patience to go slow and just rowed with poor technique at too high a damper and never achieved the things I have over the last few months.

[lindsayh]

Hi, I have been using an erg on and off for many years now.
I’m getting fit again after having been quite ill for the last 18 months. I’m now in a position to increase my fitness levels. My stroke rate is very low. I did 7125 metres in 30 mins on Sunday @15 spm, with a damper setting of 4. I tend to dawdle back to the catch from recovery phase.
I’m 6’5’ I do have reasonably long arms and legs. I could do 10k in 34 mins, damper setting 10 before becoming ill.
Should I be aiming to increase my spm? Many thanks

How old are you? How long ago was that 10k done?
Assuming that the 10k was done on a C2 rower then you are very accomplished indeed which explains why there is a degree of puzzling/doubt in the above responses. 30' sr15 @2:06 is 173 watts which is also very strong but your questions don't reflect that level of accomplishment.
It would be better if you were talking with reference to drag factor rather than damper setting and doing 10k and maximum drag is not a great way to go. Stick to a DF of 120-130
SR 15 is a negative not a positive - best way forward is to aim for 30' to 10k+ at 20-25 spm trying to hold that 10w per stroke. Keep it slow and steady and aerobic

[lindsayh]

I see from the PP thread that you are 51 and indeed the times are on a C2
The PP is a pretty good place to start if you are looking at doing well at 2k but you will need to do some other pieces if your main goal is to get fitter in general. The Pete is very intense after say 3 cycles and isn't really sustainable in the long term as you need to get better each cycle.

[GreenStratMan]

Thanks for the replies I appreciate that.

I did that 34 10k about 2 years ago, before I became ill. Yes, it was on a C2 rower.

I have had a little coaching from a qualified club coach and have spent a little time on the water in both an 8 and single, but not much and that was over 20 years ago.

I have been exceptionally fit most of my life. I’ve been ignorant of some key points of rowing and now understand drag factor etc. My way has been brute force and ignorance in the past, not rowing accomplishment. I want a different approach now. I’m 51.

I will aim for 20 spm in my next row. I’m glad I now know that that is a good rate for steady rowing, which means the flywheel will be spinning faster on the next catch.

Thanks all

[GreenStratMan]

I see from the PP thread that you are 51 and indeed the times are on a C2
The PP is a pretty good place to start if you are looking at doing well at 2k but you will need to do some other pieces if your main goal is to get fitter in general. The Pete is very intense after say 3 cycles and isn't really sustainable in the long term as you need to get better each cycle.

I’m going to do the beginner one and do the 5 day option. See how I get on with that. That will get me rowing 5 consecutive days a week. Apparently it’s suitable for intermediates too. I’d like to get some foundation work in along with concentrating on good form. I’ve always had a knack for endurance so eventually I’ll do the longer pieces.

[Dangerscouse]

Thanks for your reply dangerscouse. I thought I knew what I was doing. I’m realising that quite a few of my ideas are fundamentally flawed. I don’t know what my stroke rate was the last time I rowed 10k in that time, it’s been almost two years. I’m keen to get fit again, but safely and I’m interested in exploring efficiency and developing good technique. Have been a bit on the brute force and ignorance side previously.

Thanks again

Ah OK, fair comment Kevin. Take your time and rebuild your fitness, and it could be quite frightening what you're capable of if you refine your technique.

[jamesg]

Should I be aiming to increase my spm?

Most distance work is done between 18 and 23, covering the endurance range, as you know having rowed in 8s.

Afloat 18 is usually paddle light, since it gets difficult to hold the crew together and work hard at very low ratings. You'd be hanging on the front stop waiting for stroke to move. But on the erg, as we please.

In any case 7125 at 15 is not a bad stroke, worth about 10 Watt-minutes, but not much given your experience, size and age. At 6'5 you can pull a long stroke hard, and having rowed you know how to balance the two factors of the stroke, what sequences to use etc.

[GreenStratMan]

Most distance work is done between 18 and 23, covering the endurance range, as you know having rowed in 8s.

Afloat 18 is usually paddle light, since it gets difficult to hold the crew together and work hard at very low ratings. You'd be hanging on the front stop waiting for stroke to move. But on the erg, as we please.

In any case 7125 at 15 is not a bad stroke, worth about 10 Watt-minutes, but not much given your experience, size and age. At 6'5 you can pull a long stroke hard, and having rowed you know how to balance the two factors of the stroke, what sequences to use etc.

Thanks for that. Appreciate your input. Rowing in 8 was a long time ago. I’ve been very ill over the last 18 months. 7 or so months ago I couldn’t do one press-up, this time last year I couldn’t row for more than 2 minutes.

But I’m on the mend. Got my pm5 today. Measured my drag factor at 125 - 3 damper setting. Pulled 5k in a spot over 20 minutes each k was just about 2 mins, spm was 20. I’d like to share them from my C2 log book, if that’s possible. Have tried posting an image using Facebook and pixabay as hosts, unsuccessfully. I can usually figure it out on other forums.

I enjoyed today, but too intense really. I’ve got a polar H9 coming, to ensure I’m not so close to, or slip over threshold into the anaerobic realms. Will reduce the drag factor too. I‘ve realised too I’m not using my legs like I would have done.

I’ve learned so much by coming here and reading other posts. And from the input and insights of other members. I realise now that I originally posted this in the wrong forum, sorry about that.

I’ll get there! Thanks chaps

[Citroen]

But I’m on the mend. Got my pm5 today. Measured my drag factor at 125 - 3 damper setting. Pulled 5k in a spot over 20 minutes each k was just about 2 mins, spm was 20. I’d like to share them from my C2 log book, if that’s possible. Have tried posting an image using Facebook and pixabay as hosts, unsuccessfully. I can usually figure it out on other forums.

Getting a 2:00/500m pace is pretty good for a novice rower.

Leave the damper lever exactly where it is now and check your drag factor every month.

There's an option at https://log.concept2.com to allow public access to your logbook.

Don't post things on the Faceborgs (it's not accessible to unassimilated folks like me without a Borg account - I am Locutus of Faceborg). Use https://imgur.com (which even has an option to generate the BBCode needed on here).

[GreenStratMan]

Getting a 2:00/500m pace is pretty good for a novice rower.

Leave the damper lever exactly where it is now and check your drag factor every month.

There's an option at https://log.concept2.com to allow public access to your logbook.

Don't post things on the Faceborgs (it's not accessible to unassimilated folks like me without a Borg account - I am Locutus of Faceborg). Use https://imgur.com (which even has an option to generate the BBCode needed on here).

Thanks for that.

I’ve made my log open to all. Appreciate any feedback. My name is Kevin Bryden. I’m not sure if I need to post a link?

[Citroen]

Post a link in your forum signature. Folks are more likely to read it.
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