Hi from a newbie

[MikeCooper]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to indoor rowing, but got my Model D a couple of weeks ago. I think I've started off OK (but I guess you can be the judge) and I'm now rowing for 30:00 each day, focusing on my technique rather than the numbers.

My first, abortive, attempt at rowing was about 18 years ago in my gym. The trainer who showed me how to use the rower was a bit of a fitness nut and had me going for well over 30spm with the damper on 10 and ridiculous speeds on the recovery (such that the chain was bouncing all over the place). Not surprisingly, it wore me out in about two minutes flat, and it's taken me pretty much until now to reconsider that this amazing form of exercise might actually have something to offer me if I take a more balanced approach.

Starting out this time I set the damper on 3 (as per the recommendation to start at 3-5) but I've realised this is only giving me a drag factor of about 85. I played around with the setting this morning and found that to get a drag factor of 125, I need the damper on 6. Does this sound right? My altitude here is about 2,500 feet, and I did read that altitude plays into this.

I'm seeing some occasional SPM spikes during training, but I can't tell if this is down to a problem with my technique, a problem with the machine (it's been suggested that I clean the sensors, but this would seem unusual for a brand new machine, no?) or - from reading the board - just one of those things that happens and that isn't that much of a problem.

Mike

[skiffrace]

The trainer who showed me how to use the rower was a bit of a fitness nut and had me going for well over 30spm with the damper on 10 and ridiculous speeds on the recovery (such that the chain was bouncing all over the place).

Looks more like he was incompetent as a trainer, and clueless about rowing.
1. Don't over-complicate what you are doing. Don't worry too much about the damper at this stage - anything around the middle (say 4 to 7) will be fine.
2. During the recovery phase count "one hundred one, one hundred two". This will set your recovery time at ~2 seconds. During the work phase pull as hard as you can sustain for the duration of your workout. This will set your stroke rate at ~20-something, which should be your pace.
3. In the perfect world you would find an on-the-water rower who would teach you correct technique on the erg. As an alternative, study the technique videos from C2, take screenshots if necessary, and then row near a mirror to watch to check the correctness of your technique.
4. There are LOTS of videos showing very, very bad technique. They are typically from steroid-heads setting 100 or 500 meters "records". Don't look at them. Instead, look at videos of rowers setting records in the standard 2K category. Those are the ones doing it right.

So again, slow and relaxed on the recovery, hard on the pull, 20+ rate, always verify that your stroke looks (but is slower like that of 2K champions

[sekitori]

Anyone who instructs a beginner to start out at pace of over 30 spm at a setting of ten is either totally ignorant about rowing technique or is a sadist who enjoys watching innocent people suffer.

There are many videos showing rowing technique, some good and some not so good. Below is an extremely informative 5 minute 42 second video. It's the best one I've ever seen and of course, it comes from Concept 2.

http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/t ... que-videos

In the video, you will notice the rower seat ends up at the very end of the rail after the drive. I thought that maybe the rail was shorter than normal. I contacted C2 and they said that the rail was normal length but that the lady using the rower stands 6 feet 4 inches tall and her long legs brought the seat all the way back.

Proper damper setting and stroke rate are not mentioned in the video. Concept 2 recommends a damper setting of from 3 to 5 and a stroke rate of between 24 and 30. A setting of 3 and a stroke rate of around 24 seems appropriate, but there is nothing wrong with starting at an even slightly lower setting and stroke rate. You first want to establish proper technique. When you have done that, you can adjust the stroke rate and drag factor to meet your needs. Just try to stay somewhere close to the ranges recommended by C2. 30+ and 10 are not among them.

[Pie Man]

It's a shame the Concept didn't label 10 as 'slow' and 1 as fast

[hjs]

It's a shame the Concept didn't label 10 as 'slow' and 1 as fast

Thats not correct, to go really fast, speed of motion is the limiting factor and 10 is needed.

[Pie Man]

I know, it's just a shame they didn't refer to the speed acceleration of the fan rather than the speed of the 'boat'

[hjs]

I know, it's just a shame they didn't refer to the speed acceleration of the fan rather than the speed of the 'boat'

Indeed, but its not easy, there is no simple one way explanation.

[skiffrace]

I know, it's just a shame they didn't refer to the speed acceleration of the fan rather than the speed of the 'boat'

Have you used C2 long enough to remember that the early models had TWO sprockets - a small and a large one?
The small one was like a small sprocket on a bicycle => hard resistance, you pedal slowly but go fast.
The large one was the opposite => low resistance, pedal fast, go slowly.
The same mechanics applied to early ergs. The fan damper resistance was an additional factor in modifying the effort.
At some point C2 abandoned 2 sprockets, and started relying on damper settings only, but the damper settings relies on the same logic as the 2 sprockets.
I agree with posters above that the terminology "slow" and "fast" are confusing and misleading.

A better way would be to name them "Hard" and "Easy", where "hard" (10) = smallest bicycle sprocket (no longer present on the erg) and "easy" (1) would be the largest bicycle sprocket.
Everybody rides (have ridden) a bicycle, so it should be quite clear.

[Pie Man]

Sorry I seem to have diverted this thread, I was trying to 'fudge' the labeling of the settings so people who just hop on the erg without any knowledge would set it to a more appropriate setting for them than going all out at 10 as the 'trainer' did for Mike.

Any way Mike you have come to the right place to learn a lot about rowing. It's interesting the effect of your elevation has on your drag factor I'm roughly at sea level and even with old clogged up gym machines they show over 100 at 3.