01Chapter 1 · The engine and the erg
Your easy row isn't easy.
- Reel
- The Engine
- Rower
- SkiErg
Transcript
- Your easy row isn't easy.
- Can you talk in full sentences?
- Most of your week should be talkable.
- That's the talk test. It tracks V T one.
- Heart rate zones differ per person.
- Watch the stroke rate too.
- Concept Two suggests twenty-four to twenty-eight for steady work.
- Easy is a skill. Slow down till you can talk.
In short
Your easy row probably isn't easy. Can you still talk in full sentences?
Most of your weekly erg time should be easy enough to talk. That's the talk test.
Research ties it to your first ventilatory threshold, VT1.
Heart rate zones differ from person to person, so there's no single easy number for everyone.
Watch the stroke rate too. Concept2 suggests 24 to 28 for steady work.
Easy is a skill. Slow down until you can talk.
How to run and pace each test, and how to read the result.
See the four engine testsSources
Paper
Persinger R, Foster C et al. (2004) Consistency of the talk test for exercise prescription. Med Sci Sports Exerc 36(9):1632-1636
Paper
Bok D, Rakovac M, Foster C (2022) An examination and critique of subjective methods to determine exercise intensity: the Talk Test, Feeling Scale, and rating of perceived exertion. Sports Med 52(9):2085-2109, doi 10.1007/s40279-022-01690-3, PMID 35507232 (talk test and RPE are valid markers of the ventilatory thresholds; beat 4 only)
Ours
Our coaching line, not a paper: 'Heart rate zones differ per person'
Concept2 / web
Concept2, Rowing stroke rate explained: concept2.com/news/rowing-stroke-rate-explained
Nothing here is medical advice. The tests are maximal efforts: if you have a health condition or any doubt about training this hard, check with a doctor first, and stop if you feel unwell.