Hello. I am a newbie, and my rowing has been sporadic over these several months since I purchased a Model D in January. I'm a bit concerned about my inability to take my spm much above 24. I feel comfortable in the low 20's and have finished quite a few 5k rows without any problems; however, I'd like to attain 27-30 spm for short intervals to push myself sometimes. When I do push, I can get my pace down to about 2:00, but my spm does not exceed 26.
Rowing is enjoyable, and I hope someday to be one of those people in their 70's or 80's who post with such passion for rowing. I understand it will take time to build a good fitness base (I need to lose about 50 lbs.). All the same, it's surprising that I can't hit 30 spm, even for one minute.
I'll include a few statistics, in case they prove useful. A typical workout lately is a 5k (3-4 days a week) with a pace of about 2:20 to 2:25, damper setting between 3 and 5 (still experimenting). I stand 6' 3", weigh 300#, and have logged about 150,000m so far. The helpfulness of the posters and variety of perspectives I've seen on the board thus far has been impressive. Any thoughts offered will be appreciated.
Question about spm
I think you're going in the right direction, but need to complete the picture.
The components of the stroke are Length, Force and Rating. Rating is the least important. Most training is done at 18-22 and unless you want to race you'll never need higher than 24.
Applying Force is hard work, and can damage tendons and other soft bits, so all you need to look at now is Length.
So my Rule 1 says learn to row (aka technique). This means learn a good long stroke, starting and finishing in strong positions, and using all your natural extension. Use numerical control of what you're doing: watch and record the work per stroke (8-10 W'/stroke), your Power per kg (say 2W/kg using a BMI value of 23-25 for your height) and your HR. Work to the lowest, not the highest, but keep the pressure on.
Which is my Rule 2, saying push yourself always (not sometimes) - but not to death - keeping the power level high but not devastating. We have to do the distance and even if you go slow it's all work done.
A HR monitor can help: keeping HR in what we could call the "long distance sweat" area, around 70% of reserve. This gives you automatic control, both immediate and long term, of your effort level.
You know Rule 3 already: have patience and never stop. Aesop's tortoise was no fool. The daily ½ hour is a change for ever.
The components of the stroke are Length, Force and Rating. Rating is the least important. Most training is done at 18-22 and unless you want to race you'll never need higher than 24.
Applying Force is hard work, and can damage tendons and other soft bits, so all you need to look at now is Length.
So my Rule 1 says learn to row (aka technique). This means learn a good long stroke, starting and finishing in strong positions, and using all your natural extension. Use numerical control of what you're doing: watch and record the work per stroke (8-10 W'/stroke), your Power per kg (say 2W/kg using a BMI value of 23-25 for your height) and your HR. Work to the lowest, not the highest, but keep the pressure on.
Which is my Rule 2, saying push yourself always (not sometimes) - but not to death - keeping the power level high but not devastating. We have to do the distance and even if you go slow it's all work done.
A HR monitor can help: keeping HR in what we could call the "long distance sweat" area, around 70% of reserve. This gives you automatic control, both immediate and long term, of your effort level.
You know Rule 3 already: have patience and never stop. Aesop's tortoise was no fool. The daily ½ hour is a change for ever.
08-1940, 179cm, 75kg post-op (3 bp January 2025).
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johnlvs2run
- Half Marathon Poster
- Posts: 4012
- Joined: March 16th, 2006, 1:13 pm
- Location: California Central Coast
- Contact:
Blaze,
Like you I prefer the lower stroke rates but there is an easy way to row at higher rates. Buy yourself some slides. Slides make it easy to hit higher SRs because the erg goes back and forth and your body stays more or less stationary. With slides I can easily hold a SR in the low 30s and momentarily hit a 60+ SR. Slides also have the advantage of being easy on the back if you use a low DF.
Frank
Like you I prefer the lower stroke rates but there is an easy way to row at higher rates. Buy yourself some slides. Slides make it easy to hit higher SRs because the erg goes back and forth and your body stays more or less stationary. With slides I can easily hold a SR in the low 30s and momentarily hit a 60+ SR. Slides also have the advantage of being easy on the back if you use a low DF.
Frank
[size=75][color=blue]M 61 6'3'' (1.90m) 195lbs (88kg)
500m-1:30.4 1K-3:17.6 2K-6:50.5 5K-17:59.9 6K-21:38.6 10K-36:54.1 HM-1:19:53.7 FM-2:47.08.6 30m-8151 60m-15862 [/color][/size]
500m-1:30.4 1K-3:17.6 2K-6:50.5 5K-17:59.9 6K-21:38.6 10K-36:54.1 HM-1:19:53.7 FM-2:47.08.6 30m-8151 60m-15862 [/color][/size]
Re: Question about spm
Blaze,Blaze wrote:Hello. I am a newbie, and my rowing has been sporadic over these several months since I purchased a Model D in January. I'm a bit concerned about my inability to take my spm much above 24. I feel comfortable in the low 20's and have finished quite a few 5k rows without any problems; however, I'd like to attain 27-30 spm for short intervals to push myself sometimes. When I do push, I can get my pace down to about 2:00, but my spm does not exceed 26.
Rowing is enjoyable, and I hope someday to be one of those people in their 70's or 80's who post with such passion for rowing. I understand it will take time to build a good fitness base (I need to lose about 50 lbs.). All the same, it's surprising that I can't hit 30 spm, even for one minute.
I'll include a few statistics, in case they prove useful. A typical workout lately is a 5k (3-4 days a week) with a pace of about 2:20 to 2:25, damper setting between 3 and 5 (still experimenting). I stand 6' 3", weigh 300#, and have logged about 150,000m so far. The helpfulness of the posters and variety of perspectives I've seen on the board thus far has been impressive. Any thoughts offered will be appreciated.
I wouldn't worry about it at this point. I am a lot shorter than you and at the LWT/HWT borderline. I rowed a 2k at 24 spm at the Beach Sprints in 2005, beating the qualifying time by about 11 seconds. A couple of weeks later, at the Crash-B, the Beach Sprints director kidded me about it and said that he hoped that I would get above 24. Well, I rowed that one at about 26 and did have an improvement of about 1 1/2 seconds. In the 2006 season, I followed a couple of training programs that included a moderate amount of interval work and got more used to getting up into the low 30s once in a while. However, my races and my most successful time trials have been at about 28 spm. The longer pieces, like 60 minutes, half marathon, and full marathon have been at even lower rates.
Be patient. Take your time at it. As you lose weight, I have a hunch that you will find it easier to increase your stroke rate and also increas the time that you can go at higher rates. Just don't fall into the trap of taking shorter strokes to get a higher rate.
Bob S., your trans-Sierra neighbor (Big Pine)
-
johnlvs2run
- Half Marathon Poster
- Posts: 4012
- Joined: March 16th, 2006, 1:13 pm
- Location: California Central Coast
- Contact:
Re: Question about spm
As you are doing around 21.5-22.3 spm for a 2:20-2:25 pace, and 26 spm when going at 2:00 pace, then this is the same 9.6 meters per stroke.
Seeing that you are 6' 3 and 300 pounds, this might be about the right stroke rate for you at this time, and the answer to getting the stroke rate up higher, is to keep rowing and improving your fitness.
You are probably just not fit enough yet, to maintain the stroke rate any higher and that's fine. It doesn't really matter all that much anyway, as long as you are doing the exercise and enjoying yourself.
Seeing that you are 6' 3 and 300 pounds, this might be about the right stroke rate for you at this time, and the answer to getting the stroke rate up higher, is to keep rowing and improving your fitness.
You are probably just not fit enough yet, to maintain the stroke rate any higher and that's fine. It doesn't really matter all that much anyway, as long as you are doing the exercise and enjoying yourself.
bikeerg 75 5'8" 155# - 18.5 - 51.9 - 568 - 1:52.7 - 8:03.8 - 20:13.1 - 14620 - 40:58.7 - 28855 - 1:23:48.0
rowerg 56-58 5'8.5" 143# - 1:39.6 - 3:35.6 - 7:24.0 - 18:57.4 - 22:49.9 - 7793 - 38:44.7 - 1:22:48.9 - 2:58:46.2
rowerg 56-58 5'8.5" 143# - 1:39.6 - 3:35.6 - 7:24.0 - 18:57.4 - 22:49.9 - 7793 - 38:44.7 - 1:22:48.9 - 2:58:46.2
Thanks to each of you for taking the time to help me – from near, far, and even all the way from Italy. It appears consensus is I should not be worried about this issue right now. Rather, I should focus on developing proper stroke technique and consistently putting in the time to improve fitness. Sounds good to me.
jamesg – the HR monitor is something I have been considering. From what I’ve read, that could prove useful, particularly while I am trying to lose weight. After I’ve worked on my stroke for some time (I watch parts of the CD that came with the erg about once a month), I’ll do some reading so I can understand the work/power topic better.
FrankJ – the slides have intrigued me, since I have never actually rowed on the water. For now, though, space limitations put them out of reach for me.
Rowing goals (besides losing 50 lbs.): meet the challenges for Halloween and Christmas this year, 5k<20 minutes in ’07, row a half-marathon by the end of ’07, join the Million Meter Club.
Thanks again for the encouragement.
jamesg – the HR monitor is something I have been considering. From what I’ve read, that could prove useful, particularly while I am trying to lose weight. After I’ve worked on my stroke for some time (I watch parts of the CD that came with the erg about once a month), I’ll do some reading so I can understand the work/power topic better.
FrankJ – the slides have intrigued me, since I have never actually rowed on the water. For now, though, space limitations put them out of reach for me.
Rowing goals (besides losing 50 lbs.): meet the challenges for Halloween and Christmas this year, 5k<20 minutes in ’07, row a half-marathon by the end of ’07, join the Million Meter Club.
Thanks again for the encouragement.
Blaze
