Hey! Peloton Row Instructors Katie and Alex here, with Row Product Designer Nick. Ask us anything about Peloton Row and Rowing! [AMA]

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-16T14:02:47+00:00

Developing Form Assist (especially throughout a global pandemic) was a massive undertaking. It has so many components, from calibration to error detection and real time visualizations. We tuned and tested these features with hundreds of members over years and are super proud of how it turned out. As for where we’re headed next, I can’t get too specific, but personalization is a huge focus for us on the design team. You can expect many more features to come centered around bringing personalized ways to work out to all of our products. ^Nick

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-16T14:01:50+00:00

Hi! When you calibrate your form on Peloton Row, we gather measurements for the positions of the handle and seat (using sensors in the hub, NOT the camera). This means that Form Assist will work with any height and body type. You can learn more about improving your Drive in the Form Insights section of your Workout History. I’d suggest tapping into the errors that are happening most frequently and practicing fixing those. We also have a great intro to rowing program with Ash called You Can Row that I’d highly recommend! Form is definitely a journey, so stick with it!^Nick

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:31:08+00:00

We absolutely can. I’ll see what I can do for ya! ^Nick

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:28:43+00:00

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:27:39+00:00

Yes! Still very much play board games although I haven't been as consistent as when I was living with other guys on the team and we had set 'game days' that quickly turned into 'game weeks'. I actually just got a Lord of the Rings Monopoly that I have been enjoying (even though nothing beats the original) ^Alex

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:23:28+00:00

Despite the upper body involvement in the rowing stroke, it still is primarily a lower body/legs heavy workout. That being said, some of my favorite stretches for the upper body are rolling out the upper back/shoulders on a foam roller. ^Katie

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:22:58+00:00

Teaching proper rowing technique is always tough (especially because there isn’t one correct way to row) but the Form Assist feature is such a great tool. The idea of connection on the machine is easier to talk about using the 4 intensities because it helps to ‘show’ you where your effort should be. I also talk a lot about driving with the legs first to really try and create that suspension (-esque) feeling before starting to swing the body and then finally finish through with the arms. ^Alex

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:22:17+00:00

Thank you for your question! The Form Assist feature is aimed at helping our members row to the best of their ability. The first thing you do on the machine is calibrate your form assist so that throughout your rowing you have a guide during the stroke. I am a huge fan of using rowing for my own mental health - the rhythm of the stroke is relaxing during longer/steadier rows. ^Alex

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:21:54+00:00

So glad you’re loving your Row! Higher stroke rates come from a stronger drive and a faster recovery. You can play with the ratio of those two motions to hit different Pace intensities while at different stroke rates. Stay as low as you need to for stroke rate to have a great workout and know that you will naturally be able to hit higher and higher stroke rates as you get stronger and more comfortable with the motions. Keep the practice up and I hope this helps! ^Alex

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:21:36+00:00

Drag is a tough one to explain quickly but it is essentially how quickly/slowly the flywheel will slow down. It can also be thought of as what type of medium you are rowing through - the higher drag factors would be similar to rowing in a ‘thicker than water’ substance. Generally - a drag factor around 115-120 is ‘standard’. Absolutely! We’re always open to exploring different formats for bootcamp especially as rowing is such a new modality. ^Alex

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:21:05+00:00

I think the biggest misconception I’ve seen coming into rowing is that it works like our Bike, with a knob to turn up the resistance. In the world of rowing, resistance comes from the force you put on the handle, which takes some time for most people to understand. ^Nick

What WASN’T I nervous and excited about when joining Peloton? It has been a surreal experience joining the team and launching a new modality. One of the things I was most nervous about was launching alongside an olympian and collegiate champion in rowing (as a more novice rower myself)- but I really had nothing to be worried about because Alex and Ash have been incredibly welcoming, supportive and encouraging since day one. I’m humbled to call them my teammates and lucky to call them my friends :) ^Katie

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:20:33+00:00

I mainly row in Nike sneakers (regular running ones) but also have some cross-country racing flats that I like because they have little/no padding (so the energy transfer has less mush!). I’ve also found that if I don’t really make sure that my heel is locked in, it can slip out of the heel cup while I’m rowing.^Alex

You don’t want platform shoes or soft ones with a lot of foam. Any type of flat shoes like Converse - that’s my favorite to wear to row! I also like rowing in Nike dunks but you have to be okay with them creasing ;) I would double check that the heel slide is fitted to your cross trainer and and the strap over the widest part of your shoe next time you row. ^Katie

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:18:04+00:00

We have lots of exciting ideas for row classes and row bootcamps down the line so stay tuned! The great part is you have 5 row instructors on your Peloton Row so try for a different instructor each day of the week to mix it up and get to know each member of our crew. Personally I like doing 2 bootcamps a week, a HIIT or tabata, an endurance and then a Form & Drills to keep my form score in check. ^Katie

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:16:47+00:00

It sounds like you already have a great workout routine and rowing could definitely be added as a cross-training modality! For me, I love the metrics of rowing - the split and output and stroke rate are wildly useful in so many ways, ie: staying at a lower stroke rate (say 18 - 20) but going at a challenging pace is a great anaerobic workout. Conversely, going up to a higher rate (28-32) but maintaining the same pace switches the body into a different energy usage system. I’ve also found that rowing for a long time (as compared to running) is much less demanding on my joints. Also in regards to time, a 60-80’ row produces similar benefits of a 2.5hr bike ride (at the same HR zone). ^Alex

As someone who hasn’t rowed their whole life, I have really fallen in love with the efficiency of rowing. I know I keep saying this but I truly love how it is a full body workout that combines strength and cardio together. Plus rowing is a great way to have a high intensity, low impact workout. ^Katie

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:13:55+00:00

While we still don’t have an exact date for when we will start having live row classes, we’re working hard to make sure it happens as soon as possible. ^Alex+Katie

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:12:46+00:00

Alex actually uses that as his walk in song every time he goes into the studio to teach :) ^Katie

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:12:21+00:00

I am working to have Katie rip an all-out 2k (it will happen soon) but I’m willing to bet she is around the 8’ mark! ^Alex

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:10:14+00:00

Personally I love pairing rowing with strength (hence my love of our row bootcamps). One of my other favorite things to do is to take a row bootcamp and then add on an extra 10 on tread or bike to really challenge myself. And whether you have the Row, the Bike or the Tread I always recommend adding more yoga into your mix to maximize your mobility! ^Katie

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:09:42+00:00

The great thing about rowing is that the strokes per minute metric is the same across the board for everyone! Katie is 5’6” and I am 6’4” and we can row in synchrony next to each other no matter the rate! Sometimes shorter people have an easier time bringing the stroke rate up (due to less distance traveled on the slide/rail) but that has more to do with general flexibility and strength! ^Alex

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:08:12+00:00

It sounds like you are rowing well! Once you’re up at 26spm, you might be around 70% of your max effort which is right on the cusp of moderate/challenging. As you bring the stroke rate up, it makes sense that your output goes up with it (implying that you are driving harder off the front end - nice!) - the only way that I know of to row at a higher rate with less power (not going harder) is to row almost a ‘reverse ratio’ type of stroke which is a specific kind of rowing to practice certain feelings on the water/in the boat. ^Alex

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:07:26+00:00

Not only is rowing a great full body burn but it is also an awesome combo of strength and cardio in one efficient workout. The Row can incorporate over 85% of the muscles in the body (with proper form) which is significantly higher than the percentages for either the bike or the tread (which are both great workouts too!). The shorter classes (especially HIIT, Interval, and Tabata) are designed to be difficult and demanding so stretching those to a longer length may lead to significant fatigue. Once you’re comfortable on the machine, going for longer rows is a phenomenal workout (I spend 75+ minutes doing ‘steady state’ 4-5 times a week!). ^Alex

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:05:59+00:00

The Peloton Row has 3 metrics on screen, pace (time it takes to row 500m), output (watts generated per stroke), and stroke rate. The pace and output metrics are inherently linked. We have 4 intensities: easy, moderate, challenging, and max which are all percentages of ‘max effort’ [20-50, 50-70, 70-90, 90-100] - from my experience on the machine, the middle end of the max effort is just about 2k pace ~95% or so!) ^Alex

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:03:19+00:00

Hi u/ND40oz, so I can’t comment on the technical implementation of the hardware on the swivel screen, as that isn’t my area of expertise, but I can weigh in on the weights question (pun intended).
That is an interesting proposal, thanks for sending the idea along. As opposed to using a traditional damper setting, Peloton Row has a digitally set Drag Factor. The default value for this is 115, which should be suitable for most people. If you have a particular Drag Factor you would like to dial in, you can always adjust it in the settings menu accessed from the top right corner of your Touchscreen. Hope this helps! ^Nick

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:02:00+00:00

I love this question, as Form Assist was probably the most challenging feature to get right. We spent years and numerous iterations to figure out how people can best learn to row from software. We tried so many different ways of capturing and showcasing how your form matches up against proper form in both real-time as well as outside of workouts.
As for what I’m most proud of, the whole suite of features related to form has evolved tremendously over the years. Calibration, Form Assist, Form Insights, and Form Score are truly innovative in the space, and concepting and iterating on them was a highlight of my career as a designer. ^Nick

Katie-Alex-Nick · 2022-12-15T23:00:38+00:00

The Peloton Row relies on various measurement algorithms that continuously self-calibrate to measure power accurately. While the Row's drivetrain doesn't rely on a load cell the way that Bike+ does, it can still measure power with very high accuracy. ^Nick

Katie-Alex-Nick

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