SPM

[Islesrower]

I like to to the daily workouts as a way to keep my workouts focused. The problem I have is (and I am new at this) keeping the SPM lower than 28-30. It just seems hard to go slower than that. I have the damper set at 3 as that is what was recommended in the manual. Should I increase the damper setting in order to reduce my SPM?

[Islesrower]

I realize my question is a little lacking in background. The daily workouts I refer to are the ones on the Concept2 web site. They frequently have workouts that require keeping the SPM in the lower 20's. That is what is giving me problems.

[Bob S.]

I realize my question is a little lacking in background. The daily workouts I refer to are the ones on the Concept2 web site. They frequently have workouts that require keeping the SPM in the lower 20's. That is what is giving me problems.

The key to rowing at lower spm is in the recovery. The drive and the hands away (past the knees) is hard and quick, initially using the legs. The recovery is slow and relaxed. You can watch the monitor clock to control it. The lowest spm that the monitor can record is 10 spm. Below that (or over 60 or so) the spm readout is generally nonsense. 10 spm can be done by counting 1 at the start of the drive, say at 10:00 for a 10' piece, then counting out the seconds - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 - and then hitting the next drive at clock reading of 9:54, starting with 1 again and repeating. The same technique can also be used for 12 spm - 5 seconds per stroke, 4 seconds at 15 rpm, and 3 seconds at 20 spm. For intermediate rates, this doesn't work, but the clock can still be used. As a example for a 10' piece at 24 spm, the first drive starts at 10:00, the 2nd at 9:58 plus a slight pause, the 3rd at 9:55 right on, the 4th at 9:53 plus a slight pause, and the 5th at exactly 9:50. In other words get in 4 evenly spaced strokes every 10 seconds. For 18 spm it is 3 strokes every 10 seconds - 10:00, 9:57 + short pause, 9:54 + longer pause, exactly 9:50, and soon. These values can be used to get the habit of taking evenly timed strokes with slow recoveries, which carries over to doing the other spms that cannot be done as easily by using the clock.

Normal drive times range from 0.5 seconds, to 0.9 seconds, so the count of 2 comes after the drive is complete, and usually well after the hands have moved out well past the knees on the recovery. Then the back and legs complete the recovery, slowly creeping up on the next catch, as the remaining seconds are counted out.

Bob S.

[jamesg]

Try pulling longer strokes: the further the handle goes, the further the boat goes too, and the more work we do. At the catch you should be able to get your hands near the chainguard.
This is what rowing looks like:
http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/t ... que-videos