Low Stroke Rate Training

Long duration training at low stroke rates was popularised by the East German rowers in the 1970s. But what pressure should it be performed at, and is it always superior to rowing for long durations at faster rates?

Possibly the advantage of low stroke rate training is that you can get the same neuro-muscular stimulus as you would get from rowing at race pace while not stressing the cardio-vascular system to the same extent. This would suggest that you should work at the pace that, at a lower stroke rate, say 16spm, would produce the same work per stroke as occurs during racing at, say, 32spm.  I estimate that travelling at ‘Easy’ Pace and Stroke Rate 24 results in medium pressure per stroke. At 20spm the same Pace or boat speed results in Firm pressure - 80% of that in a race, and at 16spm the same pace requires  Hard pressure  - 100% of the average work per stroke of a 2k race.

But what about other components of fitness? Some research has indicated that rowing for long durations at faster stroke rates has a greater effect on the development of Maximum Oxygen Uptake. So maybe we need to do both.