Ideal Df and Spm for new Erg users

[Romper]

As s new erg user, I would like to know ideal DF and average SPM for the following pieces:

2k TT
10k
30 min
500m


Romper

[c2jonw]

It will be different for everyone. Personally I do almost everything with a DF of 115-125 and at a stroke rate of around 28-32.....C2JonW

[Romper]

Thanks

I have been rowing at around 110 DF and 23 S P M.

What is the advantage of your higher s p m rates?

Romper

[Hollywood_Kuma]

Ask 100 people about df and you will likely get 100 answers.

I am a fairly big guy (six feet, 230 pounds) and generally use 130-135.

My coach, a former world record holder, works at around 100-110, and she generally thrashes me on the erg.

So, there isn't really a right or wrong answer, it's a question of what works for you. To find that out, you need to experiment. If you get a faster time with a df of 100 compared with 110, use 100. If 140 gives you a better time, use 140.

To quote the Chinese proverb, it doesn't matter whether the cat is black or white, what matters is that it catches mice.

Stroke rates also vary - if I am doing long, steady-state pieces (necessary for aerobic fitness) then I will use 20 - 22 spm. At 2k race pace, I will use 30-32 spm.

As a beginner, however, it is better to work at lower rates and get your form perfect before you speed up. I rowed, on and off, for about 15 years without any coaching. My form wasn't too bad, but when I started taking rowing more seriously, my coach slowed me down on 5k pieces from ~27 spm to ~22 spm so that we could improve my rowing technically. Only when my form was good did we move back to higher rates of 26-34 spm.

It's better to master good form from the start, and then speed up, that to have mediocre form (like I had) and have to slow down, unlearn everything, re-learn how to row, and finally speed up again.

If you can get even a couple of hours of coaching, I'd highly recommend this. Also, take a look at the C2 video clips that demonstrate correct form, and the clip on higher intensity rowing.

[hjs]

As s new erg user, I would like to know ideal DF and average SPM for the following pieces:

2k TT
10k
30 min
500m


Romper

2k 30 minimum.
10k 26 or up
30 min 27 or up
500 400 or up

On any drag.

[Romper]

interesting info.

thanks guys.

Romper

[Jules]

2k 30 minimum.
10k 26 or up
30 min 27 or up
500 400 or up

On any drag.

hjs, are you suggesting those rates for daily training, for time trials, or both?

[hjs]

2k 30 minimum.
10k 26 or up
30 min 27 or up
500 400 or up

On any drag.

hjs, are you suggesting those rates for daily training, for time trials, or both?

First nothing carved in stone, and second for TT s. Daily training can vary a lot. Depending on goals, fitness, sort of training. Build etc...

A rough guide though is, the longer the row, the lower the rate.
The higher the intensity, the more rate.

For most people on daily training lower ratings for longer distances are common.

[Jules]

2k 30 minimum.
10k 26 or up
30 min 27 or up
500 400 or up

On any drag.

hjs, are you suggesting those rates for daily training, for time trials, or both?

First nothing carved in stone, and second for TT s. Daily training can vary a lot. Depending on goals, fitness, sort of training. Build etc...

A rough guide though is, the longer the row, the lower the rate.
The higher the intensity, the more rate.

For most people on daily training lower ratings for longer distances are common.

Thanks for the response.

I've recently started doing UT2 10Ks at about 19 - 20 spm to build cardiovascular fitness and I have been wondering if that stroke rate is appropriate. From your reply and Kuma's, it sounds like that rate is reasonable.

[DanielJ]

Sure.

I find it uncomfortable and awkward to do UT2 work any faster than about 22 spm. It's hard to maintain proper technique while actually stroking very lightly unless you have to mess around with the overall timing of the stroke. And I don't want to get into any bad habits for 60-minute-plus pieces.

So yeah, 19-20 seems sensible for UT2 for me.

[jamesg]

ideal DF and average SPM

Use the lowest DF that will let you produce enough Work per stroke. 90 df is enough for me (188cm, 85kg) for 7-7½ Watt-minute/stroke. A young beginner's target/guideline for Work could be 8-12 W'/stroke, as to age and height. Getting there depends on technique.

SPM (rating) is the ratio between the Power you want to deliver and the Work per stroke that you can produce for the duration. I work at 7 W'/stroke, and am usually happy with 140W at most (1.6 W/kg), so I rate 19-20. I did a 2k a few days ago, wanting to do it at 190 W, so used rating 190/7.5 = 25 for as long as I could see the monitor.

A beginner's Power guideline for long work could be 2 W/kg height related fit mass (BMI arbitrarily = 23), but it will take time (months) to get there for long pieces, so after sorting out technique, lower Power will do for a while - using HR to monitor.