Rowing inquiry

Question
QUESTION: I am 28. I weigh 195 pounds. What should I be averaging on an erg for high level competition? Right now for 3600 meter distance I average between 1:50 and 1:58. What should I be rowing or pulling for a great sprint time?
Thank you for your answer and help.

ANSWER: Hi Charles: I'd say the first thing you want to do is row a 2000 meter piece and see what your time/splits are.  The 2K is the standard racing distance in 99.9% of all indoor rowing events.  There really isn't much too compare with a 3600 meter pieces.  But what I can give you are percentiles for men your age in the 2000 and 5000 meter distances (Time are based on what is in the Concept II online database):

2K
90th   75th   50th   25th    500 Split for 50th percentile
6:39.1 6:57.6 7:23.1 7:55.9  1:50.8

5K
90th    75th    50th    25th     500 Split for 50th percentile
17:57.8 18:40.5 19:42.2 21:02.9  1:58.2

Doing some interpolation, I'd guess if you took these rowers and had them row 3600 meters, the 50th percentile split would be around 1:54.  So, based on the data provided, I'd estimate you are in the 50th percentile among heavyweight rowers your age.  

For high-level competition, you want to break 7 minutes in a 2K piece.

Good Luck/AP


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I have been rowing many 2k's on a setting of ten. My average time is 7:26 - 7:30. Is this a great time frame and what is the usuall resistance settings for indoor rowing competitions? How does this compare to actuall rowing on the water? With the understanding that nothing can replace actual water rowing. Thanks for your previous answer and quickness. The information you provided helped a great deal.

Answer
Hi Again, Charles: As per my previous response, the median time for a 2K for someone your age and weight is 7:23.1.  So you are pretty close to that.

You definitely want to get the damper setting off of 10.  That is a very stiff setting and you can even risk injury at a setting that high.  The optimal setting is between 4 and 5.  That is the one that most closely emulates the feeling of a fast moving boat.  Not only that, your time should also improve as you will have a lighter and quicker pull through.

The CII erg is the best simulation of what it feels like on the water.  Older ergs were like medieval torture where you had to spin a large metal flywheel with a weight-adjustable brake mechanism that would impede the tourque of the flywheel.  Rowing on the water is an experience like no other; however, there are many technical aspects (i.e., keeping the boat level, getting the oars in and out cleanly through the water) that have to be mastered if you want to apply the same level of pressure as on the ergometer.

Regards/AP