During your RowStudio workout you look at your display and in the middle a number is staring back at you: The Watts. But what is a Watt and how should you use it to determine your performance?

Simply put, a Watt is a measure of work output over time (joules/second). In fact, it is the same measurement used for lightbulbs in your home. The number of Watts displayed on your machine reflects the amount of work the machine receives from you on every stroke. The more effort you put into the drive, the more power output, or Watts, you will be able to achieve.

There are three factors that should be considered when determining how many Watts you should aim to generate: your fitness/strength level, your rowing technique and your height/weight.

Increasing any of these factors will help achieve a higher Watt output. That means that taller and, to a degree, heavier rowers will have an easier time producing more power or Watts during a training session. However, if you don’t have those ‘natural’ factors on your side, don’t despair. Bettering your technique and improving your strength and fitness level will result in higher Watt output. Here’s a very general rule of thumb:

Average woman (165cm/65kg)

• Aerobic rowing: 100-150 Watts
• Sprint rowing: 200-250 Watts

Average man (180cm/85kg)

• Aerobic rowing: 150-200 Watts
• Sprint rowing: 300-350 Watts

But remember, the important thing is to improve on YOUR personal best.

Here is a challenge for your next class: Take your highest watt score from the dashboard and during a sprint effort in the next class, try to add 5 watts per stroke for 5 strokes!

Enjoy and power up!