Rowing Machine calculations

[simonoaks]

Hi,

I have had an Oxford II rowing machine for a few years, and have just started, in the last 6 weeks, using it again, along with resistance band training for muscle workouts.

Anyway, the electronic reader doesn't seem to make sense in terms of distance covered. I have it set to level 10, and have, over the last six weeks built up from 500m to 2000m. I read on sites that people doing moderate row should do 500m in 2 mins 30 secs.

Here's what I don't get: I set counter to 2km and it now takes me about 24 mins to complete it, but I row at 26 strokes per minute. I am six foot four and by no means do small strokes. No matter what I do, I am ALWAYS doing 315 strokes per 1km.

So, does this seem right, as it seems odd to me? How can it be taking me 24 mins to do 2km, when websites say it should be under 10 mins? If electronic counter is wrong, is there a way I can calculate the actual distance based on time, number of strokes and strokes per minute. Also I feel tension level 10 gives me just the right muscle workout for that amount of time, is there anything wrong with that, or for fat burning, should I lower the tension level?

many thanks.

 

[simonoaks]

Hi,

I have had an Oxford II rowing machine for a few years, and have just started, in the last 6 weeks, using it again, along with resistance band training for muscle workouts.

Anyway, the electronic reader doesn't seem to make sense in terms of distance covered. I have it set to level 10, and have, over the last six weeks built up from 500m to 2000m. I read on sites that people doing moderate row should do 500m in 2 mins 30 secs.

Here's what I don't get: I set counter to 2km and it now takes me about 24 mins to complete it, but I row at 26 strokes per minute. I am six foot four and by no means do small strokes. No matter what I do, I am ALWAYS doing 315 strokes per 1km.

So, does this seem right, as it seems odd to me? How can it be taking me 24 mins to do 2km, when websites say it should be under 10 mins? If electronic counter is wrong, is there a way I can calculate the actual distance based on time, number of strokes and strokes per minute. Also I feel tension level 10 gives me just the right muscle workout for that amount of time, is there anything wrong with that, or for fat burning, should I lower the tension level?

many thanks.

Sorry, forget the tension thing, I just remembered it doesn't have one !!!

 

[summer123]

Take time to build up on it. It used to take me around that time on Level 10 to do 2000km, now it takes me 21 mins, and I slow down a few times to glug water. I normally move at around 32-45 rpm according to the machine. I don't often row, I do alot of other cardio type workouts which I think improves my overall fitness so when I do go back to the rower I can move faster. It can be done, it just takes practice.

Maybe try speed intervals: go as fast as you can for 30 seconds, then to normal for 30 seconds to 1 minute, repeat as often as desired. Over time this will help to improve your speed.

 

[row]

first of all you might need to oil the chain if its been a while since you used it.

I row for a team, and when we workout on the erg, we put the damper at a 4 for almost everything. I really don't know how a damper setting of 10 feels, however it shouldn't make a 10+ minute difference from what guys your size pull (on average).

It's more important to keep track of your split time (should be one of the options on the monitor, ___ per 500m. Usually it will be somewhere from a 1:45-2:30 depending on how strong, fit, etc you are. As someone said, try interval training to improve your time.

As far as calories go, im 136 lbs and when i pull all-out for 5 minutes its about 60 calories used up. When I row moderately, it drops to 40ish.



^^obviously not completely accurate but that's what you've got to go by if your erg doesn't compute it on its own