Free Spirits Rowing

JonT wrote: ↑Mon Feb 08, 2021 8:29 pm

Wolfmiester wrote:Hey, nice and busy!
JT, low rate works! I've downloaded Ergzone, but can't yet connect the PM5 to it

To connect to PM5 just set the PM5 to “Connect” mode, start a predefined workout in Ergzone and click on “Scan for PM5” at the bottom of the screen. It will take over the PM5 at that point so make sure any other things you want to do on it (eg connect heart monitor, check DF) have already been done.

The scan button is at the bottom of the screenshot below.

Ah, cheers Jon. So Ergzone differs from Ergdata in that it has predefined workouts. We can't track our own workouts on it?

I split this topic out of Pete Plan.

Yes you can set up your own workouts. Just click the + on the home screen and define the workout. The screenshot that I put in my post was from my 2k warm up workout. Workouts are a lot easier to define than on the PM5 and once you have defined them they will always be there, together with the history of when you last rowed that workout, and you can also add "tags" to workout so that you can easily find a group of them again. So, really useful for Pete Plan and CTC for example.

The one thing that is a bit odd about the workout definition is that target pace is defined relative to your 1k, 2k, 5k. This takes a bit of getting used to, but is ok when you have got your head around it. You set these times from the home screen by pressing the gear icon. This is also where you define your HR Max and resting HR, and you C2 log details - unlike ErgData, ErgZone will send your sessions to C2 without you having to sync them yourself.

There is also a whole library of other workouts provided by various groups.

I hardly ever "Just Row" on the C2, so this approach works well for me.

It's certainly much preferable to programming the PM5.

One idiosyncrasy is the need to vary the time per interval by a second in order to reset the pace boat (i.e. wanting variable rate intervals rather than each being the same). Foxed me for a while until I found that out.

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I love using ergzone. Great to preprogram the session. If you do like a just row option then have a long row in your app and just stop when you have had enough. Great if you start out to do a HM and decide 60min was enough .

They are really quick to answer questions on facebook as well. A paid subscription is also starting if you have more than one person in a group/team etc who want to use the same session

Does anyone happen to know whether the following issue is Ergzone or Strava related?

When the pace is calculated, Strava seemingly accounts for the total workout time but looses the rest distances. I'd rather it just gave an accurate 'active' average so I can track progress.



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This is a Strava issue Ian. It's a strange thing for them to do, but as you suggest they seem to take the total elapsed time and total meters (including those from rests) and use those to calculate overall pace. This happens if you are using ErgZone or ErgData. Rowing is the poor cousin in Strava I'm afraid. That's also the case with Garmin where the most interesting data is derived purely from running and cycling, pretty much completely ignoring rowing for things like VO2 max and training status.

Strava did this with a weights workout as well that was interrupted by a phone call for 30 min. Strava decided it was my longest weights session

Has anyone tried using "Undefined rest" in ErgZone? I tried it yesterday with a Rowalong session and the PM5 just went straight into the next interval without entering a rest and prompting for the normal button push to start the next interval.

I will experiment and see if it was me that had set things up incorrectly, but I wondered if anyone had had success or issues with this.

Jon

I lack the discipline to have an undefined rest so haven't used this function yet, but I'll have a play with it tomorrow morning to see what results I get.

Hi Jon, if it helps I completed a very simple test for undefined rest and had the expected "press to start next interval" button each time.

No targets (spm or pace) and it was time based.



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Thanks for taking a look Ian. I suspect user error. I'll have another go at it and see if it works this time. The only time I use Undefined Rest is on the Rowalong sessions where it helps to keep in sync with John, though I never try to match him stroke for stroke anyway, so I guess it isn,t that important. Little things not working irk me a lot more than they should

I've done a few more sessions with Undefined Rests and they have worked just fine. So I must have set up something wrong in the session where I ended up with no rest

Jon

Just to let you know Jon. Due to this thread I've persisted with ErgZone. I'm now using it more than ergdata

I'm a convert too. I now use Ergzone for any session which I need to pre-define and only use Ergdata for "just row" session or a quick 2k warm up ahead of a structured session/workout.

Having experienced yet another Ergzone crash and loss of session, I wondered what kit people are using and how stable they're finding the software lately?

iPhone XR. PM5. Garmin Fenix 5 watch. Wahoo tickr chest band.

I’ve never had it crash on me.


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JonT wrote:iPhone XR. PM5. Garmin Fenix 5 watch. Wahoo tickr chest band.

I’ve never had it crash on me.


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Thanks Jon - concept themselves say a Bluetooth conflict, but I can't get to the bottom of it .....

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Ian Bee wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 6:25 am Having experienced yet another Ergzone crash and loss of session, I wondered what kit people are using and how stable they're finding the software lately?

I've had a few crashes workouts while using Ergzone recently on both rower & bike-erg
Bluetooth drops out and sometimes returns but sometimes not

Well, got to the bottom of it.

The HRM I'm using is (allegedly) ANT+ compatible but (on contact with the manufacturer) it turns out that this does not include Concept 2 products. Live and learn.

This *might* shed light on other product issues - pure ANT+ devices Vs devices which have Bluetooth and ANT+ - where the device attempts to randomly shift between the two connections causing havoc.

Have to say, Concept and the people behind Ergzone were very helpful......


Very tempted to create a group in Ergzone. If there's any interest, happy to facilitate as there's a couple of extra features which get unlocked. I'll get more details if there's enough interest

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I’d join the group Ian.

Ok - if it's just @JonT and me it's a simple license which can be extended if anyone else becomes keen. I'll get to this "soon".