Rowing at Higher Stroke Rates

[JerekKruger]

What sort of split do you pull at rate 28? It's possible that you're increasing your speed by more than the stroke rate warrants and hence using a more powerful stroke (which will be more taxing naturally).

As for getting used to higher stroke rates, nothing beats rowing at higher stroke rates. Do workouts like 6x500m/2r or 12x250m/1r at high stroke rates. After a while you'll get used to it and you can more on to things like 5x600m/2r, 4x750/3r and 3x1000m/4r.

[Dangerscouse]

That does sound strange that you can do 30 mins at 26spm bit struggle at 28spm. There shouldn't be much difference at all

[jamesg]

Check your power ratio for 500 and 5000. If it's less than 70% you need more endurance. Don't we all.

In any case your 30' stroke is pretty hefty (10 W-min) for a LW (how light?) and probably increases moving from 24 to 28, so running out of steam is hardly unexpected. The bloke in stroke seat is there to manage this sort of problem.

Maybe you could refine your stroke, removing any spurious action that costs but doesn't deliver, such as excess layback or too much reliance on other than glutes and quads. A quick in and out finish can work miracles rating wise. How high do you set your feet, and what drag?

[Gammmmo]

Rowing at Higher Stroke Rates?

....paging Rod...

[hjs]

Hi all,

So I'm a highschool sophmore male lightweight rower and I've been trying unsuccessfully to row at higher rates comfortably. I'm perfectly fine at around a 24-26 - I' did a 30 min. yesterday with an average stroke rate of 24 and split of 1:53.0. However, once I start trying pieces like a 2k, and row for any longer than 2 minutes at 28 I get rather winded and out of breath.

What can I do to improve this in term of workouts, and anything else in my life?

Thanks!

That means you are overpowering your stroke, you need to ease up at the finish and quickly turn to the recovery.
Look at clips of fast tall ergers, its the finish of the stroke that is soft and quick. If you on the other hand hammer that finish, your momentum is fully backswards, and that takes time to reverse.
Rowing strapless at higher rates is a good tool, but that will be not very pleasant...

[Dangerscouse]

Do you use ergdata? If you do, can you look at stroke length at 24spm and 28spm and see what the average is.

That might show up something

[hjs]

Murrey and bond. Strong rowers. The handle should only touch the lower chest, certainly not hit it.

https://youtu.be/IOVmIrWZdWA

[Dangerscouse]

I'm definitely developing some bruising around my midsection where I finish.

Wow, I have never heard of bruising! What is the df you're using? It's possibly too light if you can pull that hard into your chest.

[gooseflight]

Do you have any example clips you could drop a link to? I'm definitely developing some bruising around my midsection where I finish.

Try rowing strapless. Even at R28. If you're finishing that hard you will fall off the back. More bruises but you will learn something

[Erik A]

I was playing around with trying to keep various stroke rates the other night. takes some real concentration to drop to 20spm and not feel like i am sitting still for seconds at a time and actually proved quite difficult to hold. it almost feels like i could stop and take drink breaks and still maintain that average. my usual go to rate is 27spm which i pretty much drop into with no real effort. difference between 26 and 28 i find is none at all.
that vid of Eric and Hamish really highlight the form of those high performance athletes. appears to be no real effort involved but looking at the PM with 30 SPM and pulling under 140 splits for over an hour .... awesome

[hjs]

I was playing around with trying to keep various stroke rates the other night. takes some real concentration to drop to 20spm and not feel like i am sitting still for seconds at a time and actually proved quite difficult to hold. it almost feels like i could stop and take drink breaks and still maintain that average. my usual go to rate is 27spm which i pretty much drop into with no real effort. difference between 26 and 28 i find is none at all.
that vid of Eric and Hamish really highlight the form of those high performance athletes. appears to be no real effort involved but looking at the PM with 30 SPM and pulling under 140 splits for over an hour .... awesome

And yet 80% of their rowing is r20 ish..

Those guys pulled 1.45 ut2 r20 for an hour.

And saw a tweet from one the 2 pulling 4x sub6 on a 4x2k on 5 rest. Also a sub 1.30 5k....

[Dangerscouse]

I was playing around with trying to keep various stroke rates the other night. takes some real concentration to drop to 20spm and not feel like i am sitting still for seconds at a time and actually proved quite difficult to hold. it almost feels like i could stop and take drink breaks and still maintain that average. my usual go to rate is 27spm which i pretty much drop into with no real effort. difference between 26 and 28 i find is none at all.
that vid of Eric and Hamish really highlight the form of those high performance athletes. appears to be no real effort involved but looking at the PM with 30 SPM and pulling under 140 splits for over an hour .... awesome

I'm exactly the same Erik. I found slowing down by 1or 2 spm every 4 or 5 sessions was helpful. Trying to jump from 28 to 20 is too much. Get used to 25 then 23 or 22 and 20 isn't so bad. It still requires concentration and thought but it's just about acceptable. I find 22 or 23 sort of natural now, but I still prefer 26-28

[Erik A]

thanks for that advice. the last couple of sessions ive been concentrating on just dropping down a couple of SPM . managed to hold the last two 40 mins at 25 SPM. every now and then i forget and find im back up at 27/28 but regather my concentration and drop back down to 24/25

[paule23]

Murrey and bond. Strong rowers. The handle should only touch the lower chest, certainly not hit it.

https://youtu.be/IOVmIrWZdWA

I'm clearly doing something wrong, bloody painful chest every time i row!

Some technique work required methinks

[Dangerscouse]

@Paule23, what df do you use? I wonder if it's too light and you can too easily pull it. With a bit more resistance hitting your chest should be quite hard.