Stroke Rates

[jonesaa]

here's a question. If someone did have the cardiovascular endurance to keep an extremely high stroke rate for a race say 36 in a single would that be the most effective way for he/she to race. Would minimizing body swing and focusing on rate and relative length (full compression minimal swing) be the best way to go? Clearly Xeno Muller had a much much much higher rate than everyone else and he was quite shorter so would a slightly shorter stroke length with a rlly high rate with technical soundness be more effective (if the athlete could keep it without gassing himself)?

[Carl Watts]

Several threads on this one, at the end of the day there are so many variables it's up to you to experiment by using a HR monitor and finding what rating suits you best at you current cardiovascular ability. All I would add is that obviously a real high rating is wasting energy just moving your body up and down the slide, so your rowing "Better" if you can rate lower while still maintaing the same pace.

Use the following to post yourself a cool signature....

http://www.c2ctc.com/make_image.php

[johnlvs2run]

here's a question. If someone did have the cardiovascular endurance to keep an extremely high stroke rate for a race say 36 in a single would that be the most effective way for he/she to race.

Open Danish Indoor Rowing Championships 2009 - Men's Open Lwt 2000m
http://www.quistmedia.dk/roklub/dm09/dm09.swf

[Bob S.]

here's a question. If someone did have the cardiovascular endurance to keep an extremely high stroke rate for a race say 36 in a single would that be the most effective way for he/she to race.

Open Danish Indoor Rowing Championships 2009 - Men's Open Lwt 2000m
http://www.quistmedia.dk/roklub/dm09/dm09.swf

That video has nothing to do with the question. He is on an erg, not in a single.

Bob S.

[JimmyL]

It's all about effective use of your energy, if your not strong enough you won't be able to hold I high rate without rushing your slide and you'll end up going slower than if you had a controlled slide.

when you start pushing past rate 30 in a scull for any serious amount of distance you need to have exceptional technique and strength. Not to mention cardio and aerobic fitness as well.

The idea in a scull is to get the boat moving and keep it moving, that means going out hard at the start with short, strong strokes and then when the boat is moving at speed to open up and use long, smooth strokes to keep it running along.

Those Olympic rowers are on a completely different level.

[johnlvs2run]

Sydney Olympic average of medal winners in different boat types.