Ratio and Torque in Rowing a question answered:

Dear Xeno:

Please know how much I appreciate your Web site and Blog. Your dedication to rowing and love of the sport is truly inspirational (You are a stud!). I just started training on the Concept 2 for the first time about 2 months ago and I am already obsessed! If you would be so kind, I have a quick question. . .

OK, here goes. . .

I am following a level 3, 16-week, 2,000 meter, 4X per week training program that I downloaded off the www.concept.co.uk/training site. The chart says at the UT1 training level my stroke rate should be 22 – 24 SPM; however, I find that to row at my 2:00/500 meter UT1 pace I need to row 33 – 34 SPM. My entire training group has the same problem (i.e., our SPM is 10 SPM higher than the SPM indicated in our training chart), regardless of their UT1 pace. Are we nuts or just missing something?

Thanks in advance; peace and all good things for you and your family,

S.

Hi S.

In rowing there is much emphasis on RATIO and TORQUE
per stroke.

The recovery is roughly twice as long than the drive.

Torque is how much you can accelerate the flywheel in
one acceleration.

To learn torque see how much you can accelerate the
flywheel by keeping the stroke rate VERY low like 16.
You will notice that the recovery takes a long time
whereas the drive is fast. Make sure that on the recovery you get the
forward body angle BEFORE you raise the knees.

You should get my indoor workout DVDs because the
ratio and torque are clearly shown.

All the best and I hope this helped.

Kindest regards,

XENO

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.