Together with the accompanying software on floppy disk, the system provides the user with unprecedented possibilities for optimizing training and improving technique. The real-time display of each stroke rowed, both numerical and graphical, helps to improve technique, to monitor progress and to motivate the user. The graphical window displays two selected variables as a function of a third. The numerical window has 8 display fields. The shape of this force-length curve depends on the technique, and gives a clear insight in the coordination of legs, back and arms during the stroke.
Immediate feedback is essential to change the coordination pattern.
For each stroke, the rower can then see the difference between his actual stroke profile and the target. This makes the learning process very efficient, allowing the rower to rapidly acquire a technical improvement. In addition to the standard information, such as time, stroke rate, power and energy dissipated, the RowPerfect system shows the estimated 500-meter time, corrected for weight and boat type. These readings are, therefore, fair for both light- and heavyweights. For the calculation of the boat speed and of the distance covered, the weight of the oarsman or the oarswoman is fed into the computer.