Split, pace and watts
Indoor rowing machines show your speed as a split: the time it would take to row 500 meters at your current pace. Concept2, whose machines are the standard in gyms and competitions, converts pace into power with:
Watts = 2.80 ÷ pace³
where pace is in seconds per meter (split ÷ 500). Because of the cube, small improvements in split need large gains in power.
Worked example
You hold a 2:00 split for 2,000 meters.
- Split: 120 seconds per 500 m.
- Pace: 120 ÷ 500 = 0.24 s/m.
- Power: 2.80 ÷ 0.24³ = 203 W.
- Finish time: 0.24 × 2,000 = 480 s = 8:00.0.
- Speed: 1 ÷ 0.24 = 4.17 m/s, or 9.32 mph.
Split to watts table
| Split per 500 m | Watts | 2,000 m time |
|---|---|---|
| 2:30 | 104 W | 10:00 |
| 2:15 | 142 W | 9:00 |
| 2:00 | 203 W | 8:00 |
| 1:50 | 263 W | 7:20 |
| 1:45 | 302 W | 7:00 |
| 1:40 | 350 W | 6:40 |
| 1:30 | 480 W | 6:00 |
Going from 2:00 to 1:50 takes about 30% more power for an 8% faster pace.
The 2,000 m test
The 2,000-meter row is the standard benchmark in rowing, used for selection and rankings. Typical times:
| Rower | 2,000 m |
|---|---|
| Beginner adult | 8:30 to 10:00 |
| Fit recreational man | 7:00 to 8:00 |
| Fit recreational woman | 8:00 to 9:00 |
| College varsity men | 6:00 to 6:30 |
| Elite heavyweight men | under 6:00 |
Training by split
- Steady state: about 15 to 20 seconds slower per 500 m than your 2k split.
- Threshold pieces: about 8 to 12 seconds slower.
- Intervals: at or slightly faster than 2k split.
Watch your stroke rate as well: a 2k is usually rowed at 28 to 34 strokes per minute, steady state at 18 to 22.
Damper setting
The damper changes how heavy each stroke feels, not the resistance itself: the monitor accounts for it. Most rowers train at a damper of 3 to 5; a higher damper is not automatically a better workout.