Getting The Most Out Of The PM5

All three Concept2 ergs use the same PM5 Performance Monitor.  It’s the brains behind the ergs--and it’s worth getting to know what it can do for you.  

Auto Mode

While the PM5 is a powerful tool, it can also be used in a very simple automatic mode if you prefer not to push buttons.  Just start rowing, or skiing, or biking, and it will spring to life automatically and give you instant feedback on your time, pace, power output and approximate calorie burn.  It will also automatically save your workout to Memory, so that you can review it later if you wish. And it will automatically turn off after two minutes of inactivity.

Choose Your Display

The PM5 offers 5 choices of display, and you can switch between them before, during, or after your workout by simply pressing the “Display” button. Here’s a quick summary of the display options:

• All Data: this screen shows the most data: your current pace, time, distance, average pace, stroke rate (SPM). It will also show your heart rate if you are using a compatible HR monitor.
• Force Curve: This shows a plot of your power application during the stroke. It can be a helpful tool for improving your technique.
• Paceboat: you can set the speed of a paceboat (or paceskiier, or pacerider) who will join you for your workout!
• Bar Chart: this is a running plot of your pace over time, which makes it easy to see trends in your effort.
• Large Print: this display offers the key workout data in larger format for improved visibility.

Next time you’re on your erg, push the display button as often as you like.  Get to know the different displays!

What To Watch

With so much data to choose from, what should one watch, and how is it helpful?

• Pace: If you are interested in knowing how fast you are going, and want to watch for improvement in that area, you should keep an eye on the Pace display. If you prefer other units than time per 500 meters, you can view the watts (power) you are producing, or the approximate rate at which you are burning Calories.
• Elapsed Time or Distance:  It’s also helpful to know how long you have been erging, and how much distance you have covered.

Choose Your Units

As with the display, you can change between different units at any time before, during or after your workout.  Just push the “Units” button. Choose between:

• Pace: Pace is expressed as time per 500 meters (or per 1000m on the BikeErg). The smaller the number, the faster you are going (it’s taking you less time to cover the 500m).
• Watts: The PM5 will display your current power output in watts, as well as your average watts for the workout. The higher the watts, the faster you are going.
• Calories:  The PM5 will show you your current Calorie burn rate, as well as the total Calories you have burned so far in your workout. These Calorie readings are an estimate, since exact Calorie burn rate varies from person to person.

And remember, you can change the units at any time. For example, you can watch pace all the way through your workout, and then switch to calories afterward to see how many your burned.

What's An Erg, And What Can It Do For Me?

(and what does the PM5 have to do with it?)

The word ergometer means a machine that measures work. The PM5 is what makes our machines ergs, because on every stroke or pull, it calculates the work that was done.  The PM5 self-calibrates on every rundown on both the RowErg and the SkiErg.  On the BikeErg, the user helps with periodic calibration. This calibration means that you can compare your results from one erg to another, one location to another--all conditions are taken into account by the calibration. This means that PM5 data is repeatable, and comparable--meaning that it can be compared.

This repeatability benefits the user, because it means you can track your progress from one workout to the next. If you see an improvement, it is truly an improvement--not just a fluctuation due to the weather, the temperature, the altitude. This is also why indoor races can be held on Concept2 ergs, and records can be set, and compared anywhere in the world.

Choosing And Setting Up Workuts

The PM5 can manage your workouts for you. You can set up a wide range of workout types and the PM5 will keep track of time and distance and numbers of intervals--while also displaying instant feedback on your performance.  You can do workouts for a pre-set time or distance as well as intervals

Here are some examples of workouts you can set up on the PM5, and the benefits they offer you.

• Pre-Set distance workout:  The advantage of a pre-set distance workout is that the PM5 will count down the meters until you are done.  Somehow this makes it harder to quit early, or decide to go a shorter distance! By setting the distance before you start, you’ve made your commitment. In addition, when you do this workout a second time, your goal can be to beat your first time. It’s great incentive!
• Pre-Set timed workout:  Decide on the time you want to row, and then set the PM5.  It will count down the time until you are done.  As with pre-set distance, once you set up the workout, you are committed.  Each time you do this workout, your goal can be to row more meters than you did the previous time.
• Interval workouts use alternating periods of work and rest to allow you to reach higher intensities than you generally would in a long steady workout.  Research shows intervals to be very effective as a training tool for all ages. They can also make for a time-efficient workout. The work interval can be specified in either time or distance, as can the rest.  Rest is usually taken as slow, easy erging, but one may also choose to get off the erg if desired.