Skip to main content

How to Read the Efficiency Chart (Stroke Rate vs. Pace)

The Efficiency chart (SPM vs Pace) answers a simple question: how much speed are you getting for each stroke you take? Two rowers can hold the same split — but the one doing it at a lower stroke rate is rowing more efficiently.

How to read the chart​

Each dot is one workout:

  • Horizontal axis — your average stroke rate (SPM, strokes per minute)
  • Vertical axis — your average pace per 500m (lower on the chart = faster)

Hover over any dot to see the workout's date, pace, stroke rate, and distance.

What the colors mean​

Dots are color-coded against your personal pace goal, so the chart is unique to you:

  • Green (In Zone) — pace at or faster than your goal
  • Yellow (Near Miss) — within 5 seconds of your goal
  • Orange (Building) — more than 5 seconds over your goal

If you change your pace goal, the whole chart re-shades against the new target.

What patterns to look for​

  • Green dots at lower stroke rates are the gold standard — you're hitting goal pace with relaxed, powerful strokes. That's efficiency.
  • Green dots only at high stroke rates (28+) suggest you're buying speed with turnover rather than power per stroke. Try lower-rate work (18–22 SPM) to build stroke power.
  • A tight cluster means consistent technique. A wide scatter means your stroke changes a lot session to session — worth paying attention to what the green sessions have in common.
  • Dots drifting down-and-left over time is the best trend you can see: faster pace at a lower rate.

Why stroke rate matters​

Rowing faster by simply rating higher is expensive — heart rate climbs and form breaks down. Building more speed per stroke is sustainable. Use this chart to check that your fastest sessions aren't just your most frantic ones.