Indoor rowing has long relied on the 500m split time as its default pacing metric. While useful for race preparation, this metric can be misleading when used as a standalone measure of training intensity or performance. Elite rowers and coaches have increasingly shifted toward watts as the preferred metric—because watts reflect actual power output.
This article outlines the differences between split and watts, and why understanding and training with power is relevant not only to rowers, but also to CrossFit athletes, Hyrox competitors, and anyone pursuing efficient, measurable fitness.
The 500m split shows how long it would take to row 500 metres at your current pace. It’s intuitive and well-suited to fixed-distance targets like the 2K. But it is based on a derived pace calculation—not a direct measure of effort.
More importantly, split time improves exponentially as pace increases. That means a 10-second drop in split at slower speeds may represent a modest increase in output, but the same drop at faster paces requires disproportionately more effort.
This exponential relationship makes it difficult to:
Watts quantify power—the amount of work performed per unit of time. On the rowing machine, it reflects the force you apply through the drive phase of each stroke, captured in a consistent formula regardless of body size or drag factor.
In training terms, watts are:
This is why elite athletes—across rowing, cycling, and endurance sport—train with power. It enables them to control intensity, monitor trends, and make informed adjustments over time.
The chart visualises how watts change in response to shifts in split time. As split decreases (i.e. you row faster), wattage increases sharply. What appears to be a small change in pace often requires a substantial increase in output.
Consider the following:
These are not just numbers—they represent significantly higher physiological demand. The curve illustrates what athletes experience: gains become harder to earn the faster you go.
Split time hides this reality.
It gives the appearance of steady improvement, while actual effort scales exponentially. In contrast, watts provide a direct and honest account of how hard you're working.
Calories/hour, shown as a secondary line in the chart, follow a similar shape because they are calculated from watts. But calories are an estimate based on assumptions (typically an 80kg user) and are less useful for real-time training feedback.
Watts are particularly relevant for those using the erg outside traditional rowing environments.
In CrossFit or Hyrox events, where rowing is a single component of a broader test, athletes benefit from training with watts because it allows them to:
Rather than relying on pacing alone, these users can anchor performance around objective power output, which is transferable across disciplines.
Using watts on the Concept2 is simple. Press the Units button on the PM5 monitor until the display switches to watts. From there, monitor your target ranges and track output over time.
Benefits include:
Training with watts offers a more honest and consistent approach to performance. It removes the ambiguity of pacing metrics and replaces it with clear, comparable data. For elite rowers, it underpins every phase of a training cycle. For recreational users, it turns subjective effort into quantifiable improvement.
Whether you're trying to shave seconds off a 2K, manage pacing during a Hyrox event, or simply train with purpose, watts offer the clarity to improve.
Split time shows how fast you're going.
Watts show how hard you're working.
Elite rowers use watts because it reflects true performance. Fitness-focused users should do the same. If the goal is to train effectively and measure progress reliably, watts provide the most direct path forward.
Switch to watts. Train with purpose.
