Erg pace calculator: split ↔ watts
Enter a split (time per 500 m) to get watts, or watts to get a split. The calculator uses the formula Concept2 uses on its PM5 monitor, so the numbers match what you see on a Concept2 rower. It also shows calories per hour and how long 2K, 5K and longer pieces take at that pace.
- Split /500 m
- 2:00.0
- Watts
- 203
- Calories/hour (PM display)
- 996
Finish time at this pace
| Distance | Time |
|---|---|
| 500 m | 2:00.0 |
| 1,000 m | 4:00.0 |
| 2,000 m | 8:00.0 |
| 5,000 m | 20:00.0 |
| 6,000 m | 24:00.0 |
| 10,000 m | 40:00.0 |
The formulas
Pace to watts. Concept2's watts calculator gives watts = 2.80 / pace³, where pace is in seconds per meter. Turning that around, pace = ∛(2.80 / watts), and the split is that pace times 500.
Calories. Concept2's monitor manual gives Calories/hour = (4 × watts / 1.1639) + 300, based on a 175 lb (79.5 kg) rower. Its calorie calculator adjusts for body weight: true Calories/hour = PM Calories/hour − 300 + 1.714 × weight in lb.
Split, watts and 2K time reference
Computed with the formulas above. The calorie column is the monitor figure for a 175 lb rower.
| Split /500 m | Watts | Calories/hour | 2K time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:30.0 | 480 | 1,950 | 6:00.0 |
| 1:35.0 | 408 | 1,703 | 6:20.0 |
| 1:40.0 | 350 | 1,503 | 6:40.0 |
| 1:45.0 | 302 | 1,339 | 7:00.0 |
| 1:50.0 | 263 | 1,204 | 7:20.0 |
| 1:55.0 | 230 | 1,091 | 7:40.0 |
| 2:00.0 | 203 | 996 | 8:00.0 |
| 2:05.0 | 179 | 916 | 8:20.0 |
| 2:10.0 | 159 | 847 | 8:40.0 |
| 2:15.0 | 142 | 789 | 9:00.0 |
| 2:20.0 | 128 | 738 | 9:20.0 |
| 2:30.0 | 104 | 656 | 10:00.0 |
Using it in training
Watts are the better way to set intensity because they scale in a straight line: 70% of your 2K power is a meaningful number, while 70% of a split is not. Turn your 2K into training paces with the rowing training zones calculator, see how your times compare in our erg benchmarks by age and level, or pick a plan from how to improve your erg time.
Frequently asked questions
›How do you convert a rowing split to watts?
Concept2 publishes the formula watts = 2.80 / pace³, where pace is seconds per meter. Divide your 500 m split in seconds by 500 to get seconds per meter, cube it, and divide 2.80 by the result. A 2:00 split is 0.24 s/m, which works out to about 203 watts.
›Why does going a little faster take so many more watts?
Power rises with the cube of speed. Dropping your split from 2:00 to 1:50 is about 8% faster but takes about 30% more power (203 W to 263 W).
›Are the calorie numbers accurate?
They match what a Concept2 monitor shows, which assumes a 175 lb rower. Enter your body weight and the calculator applies Concept2's own adjustment. Both are estimates; your actual burn depends on fitness and efficiency.
›Does this work for other rowing machines?
The formula is Concept2's, so the results match Concept2 RowErg monitors. Other brands calculate pace and watts their own way, so the same effort can show a different split on a WaterRower, Hydrow or budget magnetic rower.