Setting Your Rower on the Correct Damper (NOT 10!)
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- Опубликовано: 27 янв 2021
- #fitnessmotivation #rowing #fitnessinstruction
A simple range for setting your damper on the rower.
Drag Factor Guide:
2k+ = 105-120
500m-2k = 120-135
Less than or equal to 500m = 135-150
Equipment used in this video:
www.roguefitness.com/black-co... 
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Gold!! Thanks Matt
This was so helpful thanks!
Good video, I am just getting in to using the rower and always put it to 10 for everything, will adjust my settings now based on your recommendations.
Bravo! Thank you very much 👍
Our pleasure!
I’ve used these for years and never knew any of this. Thanks so much
Happy to help!
Priceless advice!
I assumed it was resistance. I’ve been dying a death doing sub 7 minute 2000m rows on level 10!
Too funny. Hope this helped.
I was the same but doing 5k on 10. 😂
I've being rowing 20 minute 5ks at a damper setting of 10 for the past 6 months. HAHA! I wondered how I was possibly going to shave any more time without passing out. I had no idea "drag factor" was a thing until literally today!
Hope this helped
Great info. If you could make a video for the bike and ski erg that would be greatly appreciated.
Officially on the to do list now!
I love you Matt. You explain things so well and always give great training advice. Was awesome to see you win on TV. I was wondering for 500m sprint for police test should I set try to get that 150 range? Thank you.
Thanks - I appreciate the kind words. I would do exactly what you said UNLESS you have better stamina than you do strength... in which case I would trend closer towards 135.
@@TrainFTW Tried this today at my gym, the drag factor was barely moving above 100 range unless I cranked it all the way to 10. 5 was 95, then I cranked it to 8 and still only got it to show 100. I cranked it to 10 and it only showed 120. Is that normal or is there something off with the machine? I've tried sprinting with it on 10 for 500m but end up killing my legs.
@@arkangel06 So, I can't really answer this question for you, but the drag factor can be affected by the cleanliness of the fan cover and the maintenance of the chain and flywheel. Was it an older machine?
@@TrainFTW Got to try out the ones I'll be using for my test and realized the ones in my gym are definitely old and not working properly. The only thing is for the test it has to stay on 5.5, I checked out the drag and it was about 125 there. Was able to do 500m without trying at 1:40. Got about 4.5 and weeks to keep improving.
@@arkangel06 The air intakes/blowouts are probably very dusty and don't allow enough air inside the flywheel...
I have an excellent rower, but it is not a Concept. I just keep everything clean of dust, chain oiled, rollers immaculate. Currently use it at L3 for all distances. As my conditioning improves, I hope to work to L4 this year.
Hahaha, no fool like an old fool. I’m glad I came across you. Thanks Matt❗️I’m looking for considered advice.
I’m 66, always rowed my 10k plus in 1 hour, and always at damper setting 10.
Having watched the video and listening to what Matt has said, I’m trying to calculate what the best damper setting for a 10K row should be? I don’t break the row until I have completed the 1 hour/10k. I’d appreciate a pointer or two. Thanks in advance ❗️
I think we describe it in the video based on drag factor. The other variable is your stamina vs power… which is your strong suit. If you’re rowing 10k’s your stamina should be great! What SPM do you row comfortably at?
@@TrainFTWHi Matt, really appreciate this. I used to do indoor rowing marathon’s. When I was in my 40’s. Longest was 3 hours. 10 min. Non stop. By the end I had blisters on my butt.
So 60/90 min I can handle and feel good about it. I have always rowed at damper setting 10. Hence when I came across your talk on it, by chance, my ears pricked up. Now I’m wondering if I should have rowed between 6/7 as per your advice. I’m going to do a 60 min session tomorrow, for the first time ever with the damper setting at 7.
I never check my monitor during my rows. I’m plugged into my music, mainly euphoria trance, and change my rowing speed according to track tempo. I also row with my eyes closed. That way I don’t get distracted.
Ah man, this is so helpful. I’ve been rowing 5ks at 10 setting too, and really struggling to get it under 20 mins, will be giving it a go with these recommendations now!
let us know how it goes.
Super helpful! I’ve been cranking on 10 at all times ha. Does this apply to the bike Erg as well?
Bike Erg is a little different. We can do a video on that one also.....
Please do!
As someone who is 320lbs i can tell you in my experience the lower the damper setting the more joint pain i get. On a 5 i tend to almost throw myself and pull on my hip flexors at the end of my stroke and im very very sore after getting off the machine.
The 10 i can hit my target heart rate and i dont get this pain. Just did 10 miles tonight!
That makes a lot of since and a small person would feel the opposite. Without having more information I'm guessing you're a stronger rower than most (verses someone with a faster cadence). However it might not be a bad idea to do a few workouts at a shorter distance on a 7-ish and build-up the tissue resistance.
I may have an unusual question,
what about when the row fan and the chain are dirty, basically the catch feels different on a regular 6 ". It's like something is missing" That's why I put it on an 8 instead of that, and it gives me the same feeling, splits of a 5,5 to 6 Clean/new rower
Does that make sense to you?
Yes it does and that's why the rowers have a way to celebrate the damper, altitude and dirt play a big part. Use the damper settings to find the setting for each distance on each machine.
I’m new to the concept too. On your self selected fan setting of five. How much power are you making or how many whites are you making say for a 2 km distance? So using your self selected fan setting of five and its equivalent drag factor how many watts? I’m just trying to make a sense of this because the machine I use at the YMCA. I have been able to make very few watts with the fan setting at around three or four. I moved it up today to what I think was an eight and I saw more power over the 1500 pieces. My drag factor was 170. 5:32
I would need to test that out. A drag factor of 170 is too high for a concept 2 machine, though I can't speak for other brands.
I never knew any of this because the Apple Fitness + fails to mention any of this. I did a 2k on the rower on a 10 and finished with 1950 in those 8 minutes. What are your thoughts and suggestions?
Most people don't have enough stamina to row at a damper of 10 for that duration. Try using this method to set your damper appropriately to get more meters in 8:00
I apologize in advance if this is a stupid question: I used to lift hard but over the past year, I've become addicted to rowing on an erg. Due to my gym rat background, I always placed the damper at 10 and have been rowing 10k 6 days a week for nearly six months. My best time was 38:38 at the 10 setting. I noticed on the Concept 2 site that when they show what constitutes 'beginner, intermediate, and elite' they don't show what the damper is set at. So if I can row 10k at 38:38, how much time do you think would be shaved off if it was at a 6 or 7? And shouldn't they show was the damper is set at; it seems to me that there's a big difference between rowing at a 10 and rowing at a 1 but Concept 2 makes no distinction.
I would start with checking the drag factor and using the recommended damper as a guide post. If you're very strong and can pull/drive consistently at a slow/moderate SPM, you'll probably have results like you have now. Maybe if you are able to manage similar wattage per stroke at a higher stroke rate and lower damper, you might go faster. Maybe you're just an anaomly and can row at a 10 for 10k.
Wow thanks for the advice, i just tried this machine today and had it set to 10 on the dampener unknowingly. I was testing my time for 100m and got (1:20-500m ,, 16.4-100m ) do you know if my time would've been any different if it was set to a different damp level? Also what damper level do they use for the world record attempts? Thank you, this machine is no joke
For 100m? 10 for sure
Do these same guidelines or drag settings apply to women or would the drag factor need to be different to be most efficient?
Hi Susan, yes they apply to women. Each person will be able to pull based on their power so great guidelines for all!
So what setting would I use if I wanted to start training for endurance,stamina, aerobic capacity?
It definitely depends on duration/distance that you're rowing. If you are a stronger individual working on row stamina at 2K+ (7:30+), choosing a damper that corresponds with 105-120 drag factor is best and keep the SPM at 28-32.
Between 4-5 is what the rowers use, as this is the closest to resembling the drag actual water creates
Thank you for your reply
Thanks been doing 7.5 for 6.5k and felt ok but taking 30 mins or so and gets tough
Thanks. Im wondering how you came up with these ranges though?
Hey Chirs - I little bit of a hard question and it comes from an accumulation of years of continuing educaton/experience. However, primarily Concept2 and rowing technique coaching courses. - Best
@@TrainFTW are these the default settings for professionals? When i google the average time for 1000m row, the damper settings are never mentioned
@@PC-ds6zk do you mean professional crossfitters or professional rowers
When you said damper 7.5, did you mean to slide it to the middle of the number 7? Since I thought concept 2 rower only has whole number damper? Thanks.
just go half way between 7-8.
Is there a way to find drag factor on a rower other than the C2
Hey Jake - We are not familiar with all other rowers. I would have to assume yes, but would defer to the manual for each machine.
What setting should you use if the goal is 30 min of rowing with the focus on calorie burning?
A drag factor of 105-120... a damper that feels right while being in that range.
You mentioned 5 for long durations may i ask how long that would be?
2K+ but more importantly check the damper as each "machine" is different due to elevation and debris in the fly wheel.
Can you compare a 2km time done on setting 1 and 10 in a competitive sense?
It would be fun to do a video on this. However here is the basics, damper of 1-10 is a difference related to muscle endurance. More resistance, quicker time to fatigue and lowered efficiency. Less resistance, longer time to fatigue and better efficiency, it's about finding the balance and understanding where you need to be in a 2K for your best time, long before competition. Likely that is not a 10 or a 1. Side note even the professional rowers don't use a 10 on a 2K.
Thank you for replying 🙏
The 1 and 10 were merely extreme examples. I'm still not sure, if I can compare my 2k time with someone else, if we use different resistance levels?
@@clownhustler5815 agree 1-10 are the extreme, but there are a lot of people with the mindset more is better (higher is better). And well we all know better is better. For comparison the goal would be that both athletes have found their optimal damper and then it is a true athletic comparison as opposed to it being about the resistance.
@@TrainFTW perfect, that clears it up!
I have to go 1km at 3:15, but if I don't set the resistance to 10, the average speed of 500m cannot be 1:37, but can't I still set it to 10?
(Dreg Pector 195)
I’m korean
You can, but I doubt you'll be able to maintain 1:37/500m for 1000m at a damper of 10. It would be like trying to deadlift a total volume of 10,000lbs using 500lbs, instead of 250lbs.
Does a higher drag factor give you greater distance per pull?
Yes but it requires more power, thus fatigues quicker.
Why would you not want to use a lower dampener when you are towing 2k for speed?
Too low and you won't have enough power (wattage), too high and you don't have speed, so an optimal balance for the 2K distance is what we are looking for to garner the best time for each athlete.
Now talk about cadence. I'm 6' 2" 240lbs. I get tired quickly if I move quickly. Slower cadence (around 21) with more powerful strokes seems to work best for me. I get a second or two of rest between each stroke. I feel like if I let the wheel spin down for a second, my stroke is more productive. Any validity to that?
Yes absolutely- being a more powerful athlete lends itself to having more powerful strokes vs fast stroked. But it really depends on your goals. Additionally it’s important to note that unless you push the cadence you won’t feel productive at a faster cadence. So pushing for a 23-24 might be very productive in your training. Slowly building the cadence, that with already being powerful, you’d be unstoppable!
@@TrainFTW My goal is 7min 2K. I'm also 53 years old so time is working against me. My current PR is 7:36.
Is there a standardized damper setting for competitions?
No because it would be specific to the event, distances, intervals, etc.
@@TrainFTW does that mean "yes the damper is set based on the event parameters to the same setting for each rower?"
It would seem very illegitimate if the rowers were set to different daper settings in an event.
The distance is still the distance. If a competition set all dampers identical it would be giving unfair advantage to certain athletes depending on their strengths relative to the distances. The damper only allows people to optimize their output for a specific distance. The athletes that train smarter and know their dampers for optimizing their outputs will know what damper to use at different distances. This is the same as understanding pacing in biking or running event. There is no unfair advantage because all athletes have ability to use what is best for them at that distance.
Think of the damper like you think of gears on a bike. Noone regulates what gears to use on a bike race, because it's different for each athlete (at least slightly).
Does computer know about damper position?
It doesn't give you recommendations.
I was wondering why my time was so long for a 1000m compared to average people. I did 1000m on damper setting 10 in 4 min 50 seconds
Rowing through peanut butter will do that. ;)
I don't understand any of this. I'm legally blind, so I can't see the screen on my rower. I set the damper high an do interval training; I CAN see my smartwatch, which I use to keep track of the length of the intervals and if how long I row. I use the machine to train strength endurance, and that's it.
I don’t really understand how this explains anything. You didn’t explain what the significance of drag factor is. Why do you want a drag factor of 120-135 for example when doing 500m -2k?
You can think of the drag factor like you would think of weights or even distances in running. You wouldn't use your 1RM deadlift weight for 50 reps and you wouldn't full out expect yourself to sprint a 5K run. Drag factor works in the same way, but isn't as intuitive. There are optimal resistances for specific distances in rowing. This video is not meant to be all inclusive as a pro rower would be better at that. Just some helpful tips. Thanks for your comment.
@@TrainFTW thanks for taking the time to reply, that’s helpful
Wtf dude. What formula are you using!
You'll have to clarify the question