2000m ?

[thomasan]

Should I be concerned with SPM or time per 500m when doing a 2000m timed race? Does rowing at 33 SPM at 1:50 pace cover any more ground than 23SPM at the 1:50 pace.

[TomR]

Pace is king. Higher rates enable you to go faster. Most people do a 2k in the low-30spm.

[p-fitz]

Does rowing at 33 SPM at 1:50 pace cover any more ground than 23SPM at the 1:50 pace.

No.

[tomhz]

Should I be concerned with SPM or time per 500m when doing a 2000m timed race? Does rowing at 33 SPM at 1:50 pace cover any more ground than 23SPM at the 1:50 pace.

1:50 pace at 33 SPM or 23 SPM is the same power. But when done at 23 SPM it definitely shows room for improvement on the pace.

Tom

[kazz]

wouldnt it be better to do a 2k at a slower pace, such as at a 26 than a 33? the lower SPM would allow for more recovery time, thus being able to hold a certain time longer?

[Ray79]

But to maintain the pace per 500m for any given stroke rate requires that the same amount of work be done. Yes the recovery will be longer at 26spm than 32spm, but each stroke will require more input to maintain the pace, and eventually the recovery time is no longer sufficient to recover from the stroke.

2:00/500m pace is 202 watts no matter how many strokes it takes per minute. However although more strokes per minute does allow you to "lighten" each stroke to maintain a certain pace, there is a limit to this as work is required in the recovery too (you do not just arrive back at the catch after each stroke - you have to get yourself there). I am not sure of the numbers for this, and it is bound vary from person to person.