Concept2 Forum

I have a question about optimizing times by adjusting the damper setting. I'm not new to the erg. I've used it for years as a supplement to other workouts, mainly the bike and weights. It has finally sunk in that the erg is my best bet for long term fitness.

Despite advice I've seen and heard elsewhere to keep the damper between 3-5, I find that I can't go fast unless the damper is set above 8. My admittedly modest PB 2K time (8:41.3) was set with a damper setting of 10. Although I focus on 10K, my goal 2K time is 7:30. I don't foresee reaching this with a low damper setting.

Can someone explain to me what is going on? Am I ok with a heavy damper setting?

My vitals: M36yo, 6'2", 230lbs

Thanks.

Chris,

From what I hear, performance at a certain damper setting is related to both familiarity with that setting and personal preference usually influenced by body composition and strengths. I think somebody of your size may indeed tend toward a higher damper setting, whereas a 5'10 150lb lightweight may tend toward a lower damper setting. The stereotype is that the big heavyweights often opt for a lower stroke rating but more power per stroke, whereas lightweights may tend towards a more endurance-based approach with higher stroke ratings but less power per stroke.

I believe the generic response to your question would be to use whatever setting "feels comfortable." I personally prefer a higher damper setting, e.g. 6-8 or so. However, I did row for some six months at about 4 and still did fine and continued to make progress.

Even though I'm not sure how much of an impact it would have, I'd imagine that if you set a time you want to make and just row at a lower damper setting, then you'd be getting more of an aerobic workout because you'd need higher strokes per minute. At a higher damper, you'd be applying more power per stroke, and hence be getting more of an "aerobic/strength" workout. It is common for rowers to use a high damper setting, e.g., 10, to try to build strength per stroke.

Phil

Phil -

Thanks for the reply to a question that I'm sure has been asked frequently over the years.

You've confirmed what I thought was happening. My goal is indeed aerobic/strength training so I'll begin experimenting with stroke rate and damper setting.

I do worry about wrist and elbow strain with the heavy damper so perhaps I'll bring it down a bit and up the stroke rate.

Actually the biggest strain is on your back, which is another good reason to keep the damper lower rather than higher. If you do want to get down from the setting you're currently using try sneaking up on it slowly - move down to 7.75 for a couple of weeks or more, then 7.5, and so on.

There is nothing wrong with a high damper setting per se, but a failure to be able to achieve power at low settings demonstrates a much slower stroke than normal. Rapid progress can be made by improving technique to drive quicker. See my post at http://www.concept2.co.uk/forum/viewtop ... 8&start=30.

I believe the back can cope with higher damper settings if core strength and stability is worked on.

Regards

Iain

Check the drag factor. If the machine is dirty then then resistance might be low even with a high damper setting. Do a search on the forum or concept2.com for the type of machine you are using.

That said your times are slow for someone your size and age. Unless you are very overweight or are very out of shape, I'd bet that your technique could use a lot of improvement.

So check the drag factor to make sure the erg is OK. Then emphasis your technique. People with bad technique often choose high damper settings. Improve your technique the lower damper settings will feel much better and actually harder.

In the rankings a significant portion of the of women in their 60s under 135 lbs are faster then youy. Given that you say you have some history of exercise and if you are relatively healthy, then the most likely reason for that is technique. I would not be surprised if you dropped a minute off your 2K just from technique changes.

I'm sure a lot of people have seen this but I found it useful to better understand the role of the damper and how to perhaps test to see what setting works best:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=v0x8q6OFrHY

Dale