5K Row

Workout 20 January 2010:

Row 5K

Results: 22'02, damper 5
Previous best: 20'44, damper 6 (13 Jan 08)

I haven't done a 5K run or row in awhile, so I finally broke down and did a much-hated endurance workout. My time was actually significantly better than I was expecting since my goal was to finish in less than 25 minutes. With a bit of work, it's entirely possible that I will get back down to the 20-minute range later this year.

Contrary to popular belief, that lever (aka the "damper") on the side of the rower that adjusts from 1-10 does not actually affect the "difficulty" of the rower. You do not get a better workout, nor are you more of a badass, for rowing on a setting of 10 compared to, say, a setting of 4.

In very simple but not wholly accurate terms, the damper setting affects the strength needed to row a certain distance. On a damper setting of 1, there's little resistance when pulling the chain, but you also travel a shorter distance with each stroke. On a setting of 10, it takes a significantly higher amount of strength to pull the chain, but you travel a longer distance with each stroke. Most people row with the best efficiency at a damper setting of 4-6. Bad things happen over a setting of 7 with little benefit to the average person. I personally prefer rowing at a setting of 5-6.