Erg Calculator
Concept2 rowing ergometer — convert pace /500m ↔ watts ↔ calories, using the official PM monitor formulas.
Pace / watts / calories reference
| Watts | Pace /500m | kcal/hr |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 4:01.0 | 386 |
| 50 | 3:11.3 | 472 |
| 75 | 2:47.1 | 558 |
| 100 | 2:31.8 | 644 |
| 125 | 2:20.9 | 730 |
| 150 | 2:12.6 | 816 |
| 175 | 2:06.0 | 902 |
| 200 | 2:00.5 | 988 |
| 225 | 1:55.9 | 1074 |
| 250 | 1:51.9 | 1160 |
| 275 | 1:48.4 | 1246 |
| 300 | 1:45.3 | 1332 |
| 325 | 1:42.5 | 1419 |
| 350 | 1:40.0 | 1505 |
| 375 | 1:37.7 | 1591 |
| 400 | 1:35.6 | 1677 |
| 425 | 1:33.7 | 1763 |
| 450 | 1:32.0 | 1849 |
| 475 | 1:30.3 | 1935 |
| 500 | 1:28.8 | 2021 |
| 525 | 1:27.4 | 2107 |
| 550 | 1:26.0 | 2193 |
| 575 | 1:24.7 | 2279 |
| 600 | 1:23.6 | 2365 |
FAQ
How do you convert Concept2 pace to watts?
Watts = 2.8 x (500 / pace in seconds)^3. For example, a 2:00/500m split (120 seconds) gives 2.8 x (500/120)^3 = 202.5 W. The relationship is cubic: halving your split needs eight times the power.
How does the Concept2 monitor calculate calories?
Calories per hour = 4 x 0.8604 x watts + 300. At 202.5 W (a 2:00/500m split) that is about 997 kcal/hr, or 33.2 kcal per 500m split. The x4 reflects an assumed 25% human mechanical efficiency, 0.8604 converts watts to kcal/hr, and the +300 kcal/hr is Concept2's fixed allowance for moving your body mass on the slide. It is a monitor estimate, not a lab measurement.
What pace do I need for a target wattage?
Pace in seconds = 500 / (watts / 2.8)^(1/3). For example, 200 W needs a 2:00.5/500m split. Enter any wattage in the Watts tab above to get its split.
How many calories does a 2000m row at 2:00 pace burn?
A 2:00/500m pace is 202.5 W, which the monitor rates at about 997 kcal/hr. 2000m at that pace takes 8:00, so about 997 x 8/60 = 132.9 kcal total on the monitor.
Why does a small pace change need so much more power?
Air resistance on the flywheel grows with the cube of pace. Going from a 2:00 to a 1:52.5 split (120 s to 112.5 s) raises power from 202.5 W to 245.8 W - about 22% more watts for a 6% faster split.
Watts = 2.8 × (500 / pace in seconds)3 · Pace = 500 / (watts / 2.8)1/3 · kcal/hr = 4 × 0.8604 × watts + 300.
Calorie figures follow the Concept2 PM3/PM4/PM5 monitor convention (25% efficiency assumption plus a fixed 300 kcal/hr allowance). They are an estimate for comparing workouts, not a medical measurement.
Free tool by NRTechStudio