Tous les Entraînements · Ergomètre (Indoor) Sur l'Eau 20 Minutes

Pyramide de Cadence de 20 Minutes (18–26 SPM)

Une pyramide continue de 20 minutes montant de 18 à 26 coups par minute puis redescendant, pour travailler la maîtrise du rythme à l'ergomètre ou sur l'eau.

Volume
20 min
Cadence Cible
18 – 26 SPM
Sec / Coup
3.33s – 2.31s
Zone Cible
UT2 → AT
Télécharger le Classeur Excel (.xlsx) CSV (.csv)
Échauffement & Préparation (10 min) À réaliser avant la Série 1

Échauffement Progressif de 10 Minutes & Calibrage du Rythme

4 min de gamme technique à 18 SPM, 3 min régulières à 20 SPM, puis 3 × 15 coups à 22, 24 et 26 SPM avant d'attaquer la pyramide.

Min 0:00 – 4:00

Pick Drill Progression

Establish clean finish positions and forward body angle before involving the full slide at 18 SPM (3.33s/stroke).

Min 4:00 – 7:00

Steady 20 SPM Rhythm

Lock onto an exact 3.00-second cycle (~0.85s drive, ~2.15s recovery) at UT2 pressure.

Min 7:00 – 10:00

3 × 15-Stroke Rate Touches

Touch 22, 24, and 26 SPM for 15 strokes each so the peak of the pyramid is already dialled in.

Structure de la Séance

Prescription de Cadence & d'Allure par Palier

PalierDurée / Dist.SPM CibleSec / CoupCible Erg (vs 2k)Focus Technique & Bateau
Step 1 · Base Rhythm4 min18 SPM3.33s2k + 18–20sLong front-end reach, patient 1:3 drive-to-recovery ratio
Step 2 · Aerobic Build3 min20 SPM3.00s2k + 15–16sExact 3.0-second cycle; maintain identical pressure per stroke
Step 3 · Firm UT12 min22 SPM2.73s2k + 12–14sQuicker hands away after the release; keep the slide relaxed
Step 4 · Threshold Step1 min24 SPM2.50s2k + 9–10sSharp leg drive at the catch; 2.5 seconds per stroke cycle
Step 5 · Pyramid Peak2 min26 SPM2.31s2k + 6–8sHold length through the peak without rushing the last quarter slide
Step 6 · Controlled Descent3 min22 SPM2.73s2k + 12sSettle the recovery immediately while keeping split faster than Step 3
Step 7 · Long Finish5 min18–20 SPM3.33s–3.00s2k + 16sRestore full boat run and distance per stroke under fatigue
Ergomètre (Indoor)

Exécution à l'Ergomètre (Concept2 / RP3)

  • Set your Concept2 Performance Monitor (PM5) to a single 20:00 countdown, or program 7 Variable Intervals (4:00, 3:00, 2:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 5:00) with 0:00 rest so each step's average split and SPM are logged separately in memory.
  • Use a damper setting of 3.5–5 (Drag Factor 110–125) so you cannot cheat the low-rate steps with heavy flywheel resistance.
  • Challenge yourself to make the descending steps (Step 6 at 22 SPM and Step 7 at 18–20 SPM) 1.0 to 1.5 seconds faster per 500m than the ascending steps at the exact same stroke rate.
Sur l'Eau

Exécution en Bateau sur l'Eau

  • Best performed on a continuous 4.5km to 5.5km stretch of water where the crew can feel hull speed respond to every 2-beat shift.
  • The coxswain (using Strokes Per Minute on Apple Watch) or coach in the launch checks the rate 20 seconds into each step to confirm the crew hit the new cadence cleanly.
  • On the descent from 26 to 22 SPM, call 'Ratio on the slide'—the drive speed stays sharp while the recovery lengthens from 2.31s to 2.73s per stroke.

Allures de Référence & Glisse

Allures Cibles & Distance par Coup (DPS) par Bateau & Ergomètre

Catégorie Bateau / ErgSplit /500m CibleCadenceDistance / Coup (DPS)Temps sur 3 Coups
Men's Open 8+ (On-Water)1:36 → 1:26 /500m18 → 26 SPM14.5m → 11.2m10.00s → 6.92s
Women's Open 8+ / Men's 4x (On-Water)1:46 → 1:35 /500m18 → 26 SPM13.1m → 10.1m10.00s → 6.92s
Single Scull 1x (On-Water)2:04 → 1:51 /500m18 → 26 SPM11.2m → 8.7m10.00s → 6.92s
Men's Club / Varsity Erg (6:20 2k)1:54 → 1:42 /500m18 → 26 SPM12.2m → 9.4m10.00s → 6.92s
Women's Club / Varsity Erg (7:20 2k)2:09 → 1:56 /500m18 → 26 SPM10.8m → 8.3m10.00s → 6.92s

Diagnostic Technique

Défauts de Rythme Fréquents & Corrections Coach

Rate jumps 4 beats instead of 2

Rushing the Last Quarter Slide

Athletes try to raise the rate by pulling themselves up the recovery rails with their hip flexors, checking the boat's forward momentum at the catch.

Consigne Coach / Barreur

“Earn the rate with quicker hands and body preparation out of bow; float into the front stops.”

Split slows down at 26 SPM peak

Shortening the Layback & Catch Length

To hit 26 SPM (2.31s/stroke), rowers clip the last 10cm of compression at the catch and wash out early at the finish.

Consigne Coach / Barreur

“Hold identical horizontal stroke length from 18 to 26 SPM—check the Distance Per Stroke column.”

Cannot drop from 26 to 22 SPM on Step 6

Slowing the Leg Drive Instead of the Slide

Under oxygen debt after the peak, rowers decelerate the handle during the drive instead of buying an extra 0.42s of recovery time.

Consigne Coach / Barreur

“Keep the 26-SPM leg acceleration on the drive, then breathe and glide for two full seconds on the recovery.”

Why Coaches Use the 20-Minute Rate Pyramid

Most rowers find it easy to bring the stroke rate up by rushing the slide forward, and much harder to bring the stroke rate down while keeping horizontal power on the blade.

By stepping through 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 SPM over the first twelve minutes and then descending to 22 and 18–20 SPM over the final eight minutes without stopping, this session teaches athletes what a two-beat shift actually feels like in seconds per stroke:

  • 18 SPM (3.33s / stroke): ~0.88s drive + 2.45s recovery (Ratio 1 : 2.8)
  • 20 SPM (3.00s / stroke): ~0.85s drive + 2.15s recovery (Ratio 1 : 2.5)
  • 22 SPM (2.73s / stroke): ~0.82s drive + 1.91s recovery (Ratio 1 : 2.3)
  • 24 SPM (2.50s / stroke): ~0.79s drive + 1.71s recovery (Ratio 1 : 2.2)
  • 26 SPM (2.31s / stroke): ~0.76s drive + 1.55s recovery (Ratio 1 : 2.0)

Notice that across the entire pyramid from 18 to 26 SPM, the drive phase only shortens by ~0.12 seconds, whereas the recovery phase shortens by 0.90 seconds. That is the central technical lesson of the pyramid: cadence changes happen almost entirely in how briskly you release the water, swing the body over, and control the slide—never by lunging at the catch.

How to Score the Descent (Step 6 vs. Step 3)

When you review your session in the downloadable Excel workbook (.xlsx) or on your printed clipboard sheet, compare Step 3 (2 min @ 22 SPM) against Step 6 (3 min @ 22 SPM):

  1. Rate Accuracy: Did you settle all the way down to 22.0 SPM (2.73s/stroke), or did you hang at 23.5 SPM after coming off the 26 SPM peak?
  2. Distance Per Stroke (DPS): With your physiology fully warmed up and potentiated from the 26 SPM peak, your split in Step 6 should be 1.0 to 1.5 seconds faster per 500m at the exact same 22.0 SPM cadence—meaning every stroke moves the boat 0.20m to 0.35m farther through the water.

4-Week Progression Plan

  • Week 1: 1 × 20-Minute Rate Pyramid (18–26 SPM), focusing on hitting every rate target within ±0.5 SPM.
  • Week 2: 2 × 16-Minute Rate Pyramids (3'-2'-2'-2'-2'-2'-3' @ 18-20-22-24-26-22-18 SPM) with 4:00 active rest between pyramids.
  • Week 3: Shift the entire pyramid up by 2 beats (20 → 22 → 24 → 26 → 28 → 24 → 20 SPM) for mid-season threshold development.
  • Week 4: Re-test the original 20-Minute Rate Pyramid (18–26 SPM) and compare your average Distance Per Stroke at each step in the Master Workout Logbook.

Questions fréquentes sur la Pyramide de 20 Minutes

Questions? Contact support

Why is the descent (26 back down to 18 SPM) the hardest part of a rate pyramid?
When heart rate and ventilation are elevated after the 26 SPM peak, athletes instinctively rush the recovery slide to match their breathing cadence. Dropping back to 22 SPM (2.73s per stroke) and 18–20 SPM (3.00–3.33s per stroke) forces you to decouple leg drive speed from slide recovery speed.
Can beginners do this 20-minute rate pyramid?
Yes. Because the highest rate is 26 SPM—and only lasts 2 minutes—it is one of the safest and most effective sessions for learning how stroke rate, seconds per stroke, and 500m split interact.
How should a coach time each step with Strokes Per Minute?
Take a 3-stroke reading 20 seconds into each new step (once the transition has settled) and a second reading with 30 seconds remaining in the step. On iPad, the Past Rates column shows immediately whether the crew held the step or drifted upward.
What should my average 500m split be for the whole 20 minutes?
Your overall 20-minute average split should land around 2k + 13 to 15 seconds (roughly UT1/AT border intensity), with the descending steps 1 to 2 seconds faster per 500m than the ascending steps at the same rate.

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