Strapless Bests?

[[old] GutBustin']

Hi - I believe it was PaulS who initially suggested the 10 metres per stroke strapless, but if it was someone else, I apologise. Full credit and thanks to the idea, as I love it. Anyway, I am really enjoying how disciplined it is making my pacing. I am still a very out of shape guy, but I find it curious that my personal best for 5k has now been done strapless, and by a long shot, and I think I could easily beat my 2k doing it strapless now. So, just curious what rates people row at strapless, and how far they take it? ie, I could see myself pushing my strapless to 11 metres per stroke, and even 12 or 13 to vary up training, improve my drive, and eventually be pulling sub 2:00 splits for longer periods of time strapless. My drag is on the low side too hovering between 90-115 depending on the day. <br /><br />So, any strapless PBs to share?

[[old] michaelb]

My understanding is that these are training tools, and not necessarily race strategies. But how we train affects how we race. Sort of the opposite of your question, but I did a 10k PB last year after rowing strapless for about a year. Out of habit for a race, I strapped in, and found I was very uncomfortable strapped in rowing that distance, and wished I hadn't. For my 10k race this year, I rowed "straps loose" which is going to be my race plan for long distances, 10k and up. For 5k and shorter races, I am probably faster strapped in, and particularly when you are really pushing and really tired, being able to cheat on the recovery may help down the stretch.<br /><br />I also usually row 10mps in training. I don't lock myself into this for racing either, but I find that many of my races end up near those rates and paces. Particularly in the longer races, when I am struggling to hold on in the middle, I focus on rowing long and relaxed staying at 10mps, and that can really help.<br /><br />For online racing, the standard warm down is a 2k "race" in which the goal is to finish as close to 9:00 as possible. In the last race, for variety, we decided to do it "blind" meaning we were all supposed to cover the monitors so we couldn't see how fast or far we had gone. I had never rowed blind before, and as I was doing the row, decided to close my eyes too, never having rowed with my eyes closed either. I counted 200 strokes, figuring at 10mps that would be a 2k. I ended up finishing in 9:02. I was shocked by how close I was, and watched the other blind rowers row for another minute not knowing they had finished. When I checked my distance per stroke in RP: 10.0 meters.

[[old] Bill]

Hello,<br /><br />My 2k is strapped in at the annual meeting in Melbourne<br /><br />The rest are all strapless<br /><br />Just did 10k 39:39.1 - found it slightly easier to row at 26-27 spm so that would be approx 9m per stroke and deliberately trading rate for pace.<br /><br /><br />Bill

[[old] FrankJ]

While I do most of my rowing strapless and have done my half marathon and marathon PBs strapless, I still strap in to race from a 10K on down. I can rate higher with straps and sometimes need to do that in the last 500 meters of a race or to put a surge on at an opportune time in the race. For a non-racing PB attempt I tend to run a very even and relatively slow SR so I don't use straps. I can row comfortably up to about 30 SR without straps and beyond that feel better with straps. One big exception is when I'm on slides I don't use straps and it's easy to do 50+ SR.<br /><br />Frank

[[old] John Rupp]

I did my half marathon and marathon PB's without straps.<br /><br />And once did a max velocity test at 1:33 pace without straps.

[[old] Citroen]

<!--QuoteBegin-GutBustin'+Aug 9 2005, 02:22 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(GutBustin' @ Aug 9 2005, 02:22 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->So, any strapless PBs to share? <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />IIRC. three of my PBs are strapless: 30', 10K and 60'<br /><br />I'm doing a FM on 10th Sept - I might do that strapless.<br />

[[old] DavidA]

All of my PBs are done strapless, except for the 2 km. (Not that my PBs are so great, but I do pretty much all of my rowing strapless.)<br /><br />David<br />

[[old] GutBustin']

20:22 for 5k<br /><br />That was HARD work for me.

[[old] Sir Pirate]

I have done a 2000m in 6:39.1 strapless late last year, sub 18:00 5000m (can't remember the extact time) also a sub 80 min HM at 24spm straplees too.<br /><br />I could find the extact times if you are interested <br /><br />Sir Pirate

[[old] Shepherd]

Juuust finished 5k at 19:40.3 at 24SPM. I almost barfed.

[[old] GutBustin']

I appreciate the responses people gave. Michael, that's impressive 10.0 metres a stroke! A stroke-perfect performance! Classical music reference.<br />Pirate, I find it hard to imagine what a 6:39 strapless 2k would have looked like. If you look at my PB for 2k you may understand why. How high are people's stroke rates strapless? Pirate, can you rip off high strokes per minute strapless?<br /><br />I just finished 30 minutes strapless 10m per stroke with 7240 metres, and I was happy with that! So I understand that you guys are out of my league. Respect. <br /><br />I strapped in the other day just for fun and WHAT a feeling! Vroooooooooom! So I'm going to stick with strapless for a lot longer to try and improve technique and what not before strapping in at some point and trying to demolish some of my PBs.<br /><br />

[[old] Sir Pirate]

<!--QuoteBegin-GutBustin'+Aug 16 2005, 07:45 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(GutBustin' @ Aug 16 2005, 07:45 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Pirate, can you rip off high strokes per minute strapless? </td></tr></table><br /><br />Hi GutBustin. The 6:39 strapless was rowed at 28spm, I can row a higher rate strapless but it is not a pretty sight to see I can only get down to around 1:26-1:27/500m split for a few strokes strapless.<br /><br />20/24spm is fine to row without straps for me.<br /><br />Sir Pirate

[[old] Normsthename]

I have been converted to strapless rowing, being very new to rowing, I seem to find a nice rhythm when rowing strapless, then it all goes to pieces when I strap in!<br /><br />Is there any information on the PM3 to tell you Strokes per metre?<br />Someone said RP shows this, so if it does, I might hookup the Laptop up tonight <br />Only have 8 goes left on the evaluation, and my brother will want the business Laptop back when he returns from holiday <br /><br />Andy<br />