row2k Features
Eric Murray's Erg Record
Of Numbers and Physics
How much do sliders help?
January 5, 2016
Vincenzo Triunfo

Yeah, I got this: a look at the physics behind Eric Murray's record 5k erg test.

There are a few basic concepts of physics necessary to understand the difference between the mechanics of a "static" rowing machine (like a Concept2 Model D/E) and one that runs on a slide (or sliders, in the case of the C2).

If you sit on a static erg and push your legs towards the footplate, you move backwards with respect to a fixed point by a distance that is equal to the length of your legs (minus a few inches due to physiology, ergonomic limitations, etc.).

On a dynamic erg, if you sit down and push the legs toward the footstretcher, you move backward by a distance equal to only about 20% compared to the distance on a static erg. The remainder of the movement, or 80%, is made by the erg as it moves away from us.

The Third law of Newton
This movement is the result of the principle of action and reaction, known as the Third law of Newton. The force applied by the legs will similarly act on the mass of the rower as well as on the rowing machine, with the relative proportions of speed and distance based on the differing masses of each object.

In the case of the static erg, we can consider the rowing machine actually connected to the whole planet, so it does not move, because we accept that mass is infinite and the speed of the machine will be zero. Namely: the erg is stopped. In the case of the dynamic erg, the mass of the rowing machine is much lighter (one third), and moves away from the athlete when pressure is applied to the footboards.

In addition to the differences in the relative motions, in the case of a static rowing machine we are performing more work to accelerate the athlete's body weight compared to a dynamic erg (ergometer with floating mass), in which the work is divided between the displacement of the rowing machine and the body of athlete in opposite directions.

A dynamic rowing machine dynamic, such as the C2 Dynamic erg or RowPerfect, tries to simulate the effect of reaction, moving the footstretcher and/or the flywheel. This occurs on an erg placed on sliders as well; by reducing the inertia of the mass we reduce the waste of energy that occurs when we have to move the athlete.

Hoping to have been sufficiently clear, we move on to an example. Thanks to erg tests that NZ Olympic rower Eric Murray performed in 2014 on a static rowing machine (6000 meters in 18:16), and one a C2 on sliders performed in November 2015 (5000 meters in 14:56), we can do a few calculations and apply the theory mentioned above.

Murray has mass "Ma" and is sitting on the rowing machine, which is mass "Me". Initially, the system of athlete and rowing machine are still. Then, by separating its center of mass by a distance "s" (length of the stroke) in a time "t" with a constant acceleration, (using the principle of conservation of momentum and the third law described previously), Murray will have velocity "Va" while the erg has velocity "Ve" (travelling in opposite directions) so that:

Ma * Va = Me * Ve

Considering length traversed s in a time t, with constant acceleration, then:

Va + Ve = s / t

By calculating the total kinetic energy Et system in the final state we have:

E = ½ Ma Va2 + ½ Me Ve2 = ½ Ma Va2 + 1/2 (Ma Va) (s / t - Va) = ½ Ma Va (s / t)

Now we must make the necessary considerations about the difference between dynamic and static. The overall length of the drive phase is shorter on the dynamic, (sd < s) because we do not have any help from inertia to reach the catch position, and the length at the front end is reduced.

On the Dynamic erg or on sliders it will be easier to increase the rate of striking, because you don't need to accelerate the body of the athlete. Furthermore, we can consider the performance of the stroke at the change of rate to be a constant.

With the data found on worldrowing.com that Eric Murray has a weight/mass of 95kg, so Ma = 95 kg. And we know that in 2014 he did 6000 meters with an average rating R = 34 strokes per minute, and time t = 0.885 sec, with distance s = 1 meter.

In case of the static erg, Me is de facto infinite and Ve = 0, so we will have a Va = 1.13 m/s, as result the dissipated kinetic energy will be:

Et = 95 x 1.13 x 1.13 x 0.5 = 61 J/s (joule per stroke)

In case of the dynamic erg or erg on sliders, we have a Me = 26 kg, so in Murray's most recent 5000 meters test:

R = 36 s/min, Me = Ma /3.65 and 0.9

Ve = 3.65 Va

Ve + Va = 1.08

So with the two equations, having considered a stroke length that is 10 cm shorter than that of on a static erg, we have:

Va = 0.23 m/s and Vc = 0.85 m/s

which will give us a value of Dissipated Energy:

Ed = 0.5 * 95 * (12:23) 2 0.5 * 26 * (0.85) ^ 2 = 36.71 J/s (joule per stroke)

The difference between the dynamic test and the static test is 24.29 J/s, where P=Et/t equals a power loss of 26.24 watts. So, the power "wasted" to move the athlete's body mass on the static erg, or 26.24 watts, will actually be actually converted to power on the dynamic erg.

During the test on the static erg we recorded a time of 18:16 for a distance of 6000 meters, which converts to an output of 459.4 watts.

On the Concept2 rowing power P is:

P=2.8*V3

If we consider that the additional 26.24 watts is converted to power by rowing on the dynamic erg; so we will have a higher power output on the slide, or 459.4 + 26.24 = 485.64 Watts, which will allow us to predict a time for a 5000 meters test of 14:56.58, or perfectly in line with the time recorded in the November 2015 test by Murray.

In conclusion, this theory tells us that the 26 watts added by the sliders allowed Murray to lower his time in those 20 seconds, allowing him to break Pinsent's record. But we must add that for these added watts to contribute to an athletes performance it is critical that the athlete has mastered the differing feel of the dynamic erg, the stroke length and the increased number of strokes. The search for efficiency in rowing is a path along which we must consider all the variables, but we'll talk about in a future article.

This article was taken from the website Volevo Essere Un Canottiere ("I wanted to become a rower") and was written by Vincenzo Triunfo.

Vincenzo Triunfo Is a mechanical engineer and rower of the "C.N. Posillipo". He is one of the Directors at "+39 Energy" and he is interested in "Mechanical Efficiency and Renewables" and improvement of environmental performance of several industrial sites. You can contact Vincenzo via Twitter (https://twitter.com/v_triunfo)

Translated from the original Italian by Marco Bovo. The original version of this article can be found here.

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Comments

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Remo
01/11/2016  1:40:46 AM
There is a major mistake in the analysis: Virtually all of the Kinetic Energy of the drive portion of the stroke is recovered over the last half of the stroke and goes directly into moving the erg or the boat. It applies to both static and dynamic ergs. Why and how? The body is slowed by pulling on the erg handle. Have you ever rowed with feet out? At the end of the stroke all body motion has stopped and it is not done (except just a little bit) by the foot stretchers. Ergo, the rowers body motion must have been stopped by the pulling on the erg handle. (This also applies to the moving part a dynamic erg/erg on sliders). If you stop all body motion by using the oar handle, it is the equivalent of an elastic collision and no energy is lost, just converted. As an aside, you are moving faster on the drive than the recovery and this is the portion of the stroke with the highest kinetic energy. ...

There are also 2 minor problems. Some of the kinetic energy associated with the recovery will also not be completely lost. The muscles and tendons can act like springs in certain situations. The slowing of the body cause the muscles in the legs to load up tension. This is not that efficient, but you will get some energy back. (This is sports physiology stuff). Lastly 6k is longer than 5k. The body will put out less power over a longer piece. (A lot of this is because the anaerobic reserves are fixed, but some of it is because you can't quite sustain the same aerobic power over time). ...

Just for the record, I have a mechanical engineering degree from Berkeley


bpickard
01/08/2016  4:51:32 PM
OK, I'm a fossil with my best days as an athlete or coach well behind me, but I have a quibble with this article - and it's the same complaint we used to give Fritz Hagerman when he tested us in 1971 and 1972 on the ancient rowing ergs at Harvard (these machines pre-dated the blue Stanford-Gamut ergs we rowed on later in 1972). Fritz would collect all our scores and our VO2 Max, and our gases in/gases out, and all sorts of other stuff, and then ... nothing useful would emerge. He tested, and we learned nothing useful.

So how is this new information useful to athletes and coaches in training? Is it better to train on a stationary or dynamic erg? Would a Coffey Simulator provide anything different than the hypothetical C2 or RP machines? If the tests and formulae don't help a crew to improve their speed, what good are they?


vivabrazillia
01/06/2016  12:42:18 PM
Although I don't need the data to tell me what I already know and feel in my own ergs it was interesting to read. My own personal experience; I can hold a higher rating / lower splits more easily for every distance (1 minute - 1 hour) on sliders.


Steve Roedde
01/05/2016  6:40:43 PM
I found this post interesting. I have seen similar theoretical explanations before. As with all theories, they should be tested in experiments to see if they are supported by data. The case report of a single rower, doing time trials at two different distances 6 and 5km) one year apart, is hardly more than being of interest. In the case of comparing the true impact of slides on efficiency, one should read the study by Benson et al. It can be reviewed here: http://highperformancerowing.net/journal/2011/11/17/comparison-of-rowing-on-a-concept-2-stationary-and-dynamic-e.html  In this study of both varsity and novice rowers, the maximal oxygen uptake required to row at 2k race pace was HIGHER on the dynamic erg (C2 on slides). There were differences in stroke rate, handle force and other parameters...but one cannot escape the fact that the assertion that doing a tt on sliders is an advantage is, at this time, not supported by evidence. One must conclude that the opinion piece on the physics involved in static vs dynamic rowing, although interesting, is just a theoretical model that does not explain real world conditions. What is required is further experimental study of this question. Preferably using elite rowers experienced with both static and slide use. Until then, the study by Benson is the best we have. The rest...is just opinion.


marcorow
01/08/2016  2:04:37 PM
I partially agree with you. I think that this study is referring only to the "simple" mechanic and it doesn't pretend to be exhaustive. There are many factor to be considering. For younger less expert rowers (like the one in the study that you mentioned) going at higher rate increase significatively the amount of skill necessary and engage much more the brain making it much more difficult, that would partially explain the higher VO2max. I don't think that this give a definitive answer to the questions that we have but explain the mechanical work necessary in both type of devices. I think that the answer as in many things will be:"it depends" :)


vintriu
01/07/2016  8:02:29 AM
I am sure that a single athlete , although the likes of Murray , can not be used for a scientific demonstration , as they are not elite athletes and especially not used to using the slide . As I wrote in the article, the search for efficiency is a long path with many obstacles and question marks . I hope that this article can be the spark for a study on the topic, involving top rower around the world!




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