Concept2 Forum

Hi. I read the height thread with interest. I'm 5 feet tall (5' 1" when I lie about it), with very short legs. So far, I can't get below 30spm with a drag at around 5. My fastest 5000k is 22.32.09 -- (but I've only been rowing for a month or so). Should I be setting the damper higher? Should I ever expect to compete with the 6 foot tall people? Is spm really important?

2part wrote:Hi. I read the height thread with interest. I'm 5 feet tall (5' 1" when I lie about it), with very short legs. So far, I can't get below 30spm with a drag at around 5. My fastest 5000k is 22.32.09 -- (but I've only been rowing for a month or so). Should I be setting the damper higher? Should I ever expect to compete with the 6 foot tall people? Is spm really important?

At 5', 30 spm is probably a reasonable rate, but there is really no reason not be able to go at much lower rates. 10 spm is a sort of minimum, since the monitor doesn't register below that. The secret, if it can be called that, to low rates is taking your time on the recovery. There is no need to be in a rush to get to the next stroke. The drive (plus getting the hands away past the knees) should be hard and quick, but the rest of the recovery is a time to relax and slowly come up to the catch of the next stroke. I regularly start my wakeups and warmups at 12 spm, taking about 1" for each drive and 4" for the recoveries. I am quite a bit taller than you, but anyone can take slow recoveries.

Note that the 5 is not the drag. It is the damper setting. The drag factor ranges from 50 to over 200 and must be read from the monitor. The drag factor does depend on the damper setting, but it also varies with the cleanliness of the flywheel cage and the air density, which, in turn, is dependent on the ambient temperature and air pressure.

Bob S.

Thanks Bob.
I played around a little the last couple days with setting the damper at different levels. It hasn't improved my times at all. Though I'm just a beginner, I still do wonder if I'll ever be competitive with taller people -- has anyone ever considered having height classes along with weight classes?

has anyone ever considered having height classes along with weight classes

Yes they have,.....

for all sorts of sports, ,..

basketball,darts, F1, volleyball,,....



Keep it up!, you will get there!

BTW: do they have a class for Silly people, like me?? ( and Bob )

Don't feel defeated!
I am 6ft tall and a woman. I am a BAD athlete! My best mile time (running) is 9 minutes flat, and these sorts of times correlate directly with my rowing abilities
Height does not correspond with athleticism! I would rather be shorter and be fitter and a better athlete than tall

XX

I, too am only about 5' (on a good day), 48. my problem is I feel like I run out of leg during the drive. I notice that I can keep spm down to about 16, but feel like I'm straining the knees. It's like the knees "snap" when I push completely out (straighten completely) and it hurts behind the knees.

I'm just getting back to training (I injured my back in a horseback riding accident). I'm only up to about 5200 m 3x week. pilates and resistance bands on others. have lost 20 lbs over the last 6 mos, but still am at 126.

looking for a training partner? perhaps we can cheer each other on.

response from anyone regarding the knees would be appreciated. by the way, I'm on a model B. do the flexfeet help?

2part wrote:Hi. I read the height thread with interest. I'm 5 feet tall (5' 1" when I lie about it), with very short legs. So far, I can't get below 30spm with a drag at around 5. My fastest 5000k is 22.32.09 -- (but I've only been rowing for a month or so). Should I be setting the damper higher? Should I ever expect to compete with the 6 foot tall people? Is spm really important?

Height definitely makes a major difference to your stroke rates, because your stroke length is determined by your height, torso height, and the length of your arms. A rower who is 6' 8" tall could have a stroke length that is 2/3's longer than yours, so you'd need to have a rating that is 67 percent higher to have the same total stroke length per time.

The key to one's stroke rate is to make sure you are getting a full stroke, while not shorting your momentum based on your body structure and mechanics. If you feel you are stopping, losing your momentum and/or running out of length in each stroke then your rating is too low.

I'm amazed that you did a 22.32.09 for the 5k at 30 spm with your height. My 5k PB was at 33 spm which I feel was rather low. Honestly I think the low rate stuff was all started by tall rowers who wanted to eliminate the competition based on height.

Just use whatever stroke rate feels right to you, remove the limits and use whatever stroke rate that you like and that helps you to row faster.

blue_heron wrote:I notice that I can keep spm down to about 16, but feel like I'm straining the knees. It's like the knees "snap" when I push completely out (straighten completely) and it hurts behind the knees.

response from anyone regarding the knees would be appreciated.

Your stroke rate is too low and you're running out of length with each stroke. Beware that could result in some injuries. It is better to keep your rating up, as long as you are able to get a full stroke, and high enough that you are able to keep up your momentum with each stroke. A good test is the rating that you are able to go faster/fastest, then that's a good rating.

by the way, I'm on a model B. do the flexfeet help?

I glued a thick piece of rubber across the back and top of the wood foot plates on the model B, and rowed quite a few millions of meters barefoot that way. However, the flexfeet would have been much better and easier.

Yes the flexfeet would definitely help.

Interesting thread. I'd just started myself wondering about there being a correlation between height & stroke rate -- I'm 5 ft. 2 in. & can't imagine doing anything other than falling asleep at a stroke rate lower than 20 per minute at a 4 or 5 damper setting. In less than month of having the erg, I've found my most comfortable moderate stroke rate to be about 27.

-- Mel

John Rupp wrote:.... Honestly I think the low rate stuff was all started by tall rowers who wanted to eliminate the competition based on height...

The low rate stuff was started by people who row in boats. In a single or double boat anyone who is rowing a 32 for a 5K rate has to have good technique and be very fit even if they are small (or they will be very slow). Larger boats do row somewhat higher then smaller ones but even in a quad or eight 32 spm is fairly high. We have been winning this season in 2x rowing mostly 26-27 for 5k and 24-26 in a 15 mile race, with the last 1K 2-3 spm higher. We're ~5'7" and ~145 lbs.

High stroke ratings may be fine for an erg, but if you want technique that will make you fast in a boat, you should be mostly rowing lower. 32 spm for 5K may be reasonable for a very hard or all out effort, but not every day, even for a small person.