Row Pro: Meters Versus Calories

With two WODs this week including the concept of "rowing for calories" I thought it appropriate to re-share this article from the CrossFit Journal titled "Row Pro: Meters Vs. Calories" (click here for the entire free article).

Too lazy to read that much material?  Then read this quick blog from Shane Farmer of Invictus/Dark Horse Rowing which briefly covers some of the same principles.   Here's an excerpt:

The first question to answer is whether or not we row differently for calories versus other units. And the answer is no.

The most important part of rowing is that you are efficient and that you are able to connect to the machine. Speed comes from your ability to connect to the machine and not from any gimmick or change in technique. What you should strive for is to optimize your connection to the machine which will allow you to apply as much force, acceleration, and distance as possible...

... When the monitor is measuring for calories what it is actually measuring is calories per hour which correlates to power output which is measured in Watts.

Watts and calories per hour are related in a linear fashion meaning they move together. So when you row for calories you are rowing for power output.

If you wanted to move twice as fast as you were currently rowing, it would require eight times as much energy when rowing for watts or calories. This isn’t meant to scare you but to help you understand the relationship of what is required to go faster.

What this means is that to go that much faster there is an exponential increase in output needed, which reduces both time and the distance necessary to accomplish the required calories.

This concept also works in reverse though. So if you row too slowly, you are punished with an exponentially increasing amount of time and distance.

I like to simplify it all and think of it this way - when rowing for calories you're rewarded exponentially for going faster  

WOD For 10-19-17:

In Teams of THREE Athletes, 8 Rounds For Time:

20/15 Calorie Row

10 Burpees

All three athletes must complete eight full rounds (for a total sum of 24 rounds), with only one person working at a time. This is a "you go, then I go, then she goes" format. Each round is a sprint.