The five-band rowing model
British Rowing and Concept2 split intensity into five bands keyed to maximum heart rate: Utilization 2 (UT2, 55–70% HRmax), Utilization 1 (UT1, 70–80%), Anaerobic Threshold (AT, 80–85%), Transport (TR, 85–95%) and Anaerobic (AN, above 95%). Each targets a distinct adaptation, from aerobic base to anaerobic power.
UT2 is the bedrock of rowing volume: long, steady, conversational work that builds the aerobic engine a 2,000 m race depends on. UT1 develops upper-aerobic endurance, AT sits at lactate threshold, TR drives VO₂max and oxygen transport, and AN powers starts and sprints.
Relating zones to your 2k split
Because rowers race and train on the erg by pace, it helps to map each band onto your 2,000 m split. UT2 sits roughly 20–30 seconds per 500 m slower than 2k pace, AT about 8–12 seconds per 500 m slower, and TR work runs near 2k pace itself.
Heart rate and split tell the same story from two angles: on a long UT2 row the split is comfortably slow and heart rate stays in the lower bands, while a TR interval pushes both toward race intensity. Using both anchors catches days when heat or fatigue decouples one from the other.
How to distribute training
Elite rowing programs are heavily aerobic: most training time goes to UT2 and UT1, with AT, TR and AN added in smaller, concentrated doses. The high stroke-volume demand of rowing means a strong aerobic base pays off directly over 2k.
Heart rate lags effort by 1–3 minutes and drifts upward over a long piece (cardiac drift), so for short, hard intervals judge intensity by split and rating rather than heart rate, which cannot respond fast enough.
Worked example
For a rower with a maximum heart rate of 190 bpm:
| UT2, Aerobic base (55–70%) | 105–133 bpm |
| UT1, Upper aerobic (70–80%) | 133–152 bpm |
| AT, Threshold (80–85%) | 152–162 bpm |
| TR, Transport / VO₂max (85–95%) | 162–181 bpm |
| AN, Anaerobic (>95%) | ≥ 181 bpm |
Note how narrow the AT band is, only about 10 bpm, so threshold work demands precise pacing.
Frequently asked questions
What does UT2 mean in rowing?
UT2 (Utilization 2) is the lowest training band, about 55–70% of maximum heart rate. It is steady, conversational aerobic work and forms the bulk of rowing volume, building the aerobic engine a 2,000 m race depends on. At a 190 bpm maximum, UT2 runs roughly 105–133 bpm.
How do rowing heart-rate zones relate to my 2k split?
Each band maps onto a 2,000 m split offset. UT2 sits about 20–30 seconds per 500 m slower than 2k pace, AT around 8–12 seconds slower, and TR runs near 2k pace itself. Pairing heart rate with split gives two independent checks on intensity.
How much of my rowing should be UT2?
Most of it. Elite rowing programs spend the bulk of training time in the easy UT2 and UT1 bands, reserving AT, TR and AN for smaller, focused doses. This aerobic-heavy distribution builds the high stroke-volume base that 2,000 m racing rewards.
Why is the AT band so narrow?
Anaerobic Threshold spans just 80–85% of maximum heart rate, about 10 bpm at a 190 bpm maximum. Lactate threshold is a sharp physiological turning point, so the band targeting it is deliberately tight. Small pacing errors can drop you below it or push you into TR.
Should I set rowing zones from heart rate or pace?
Use both. Heart rate anchors steady aerobic work (UT2, UT1) well, while pace and stroke rating are more reliable for short, hard TR and AN intervals where heart rate lags. Cross-referencing your 2k split with these bands catches days when heat or fatigue skews one signal.
Sources
- British Rowing, Training Program & Intensity Bands. The UT2 → AN five-band intensity model and its %HRmax / lactate guidelines.
- Concept2, Training Guide. Heart-rate training bands (UT2, UT1, AT, TR, AN) and their relationship to 2k split.
- Jan Olbrecht, The Science of Winning. Aerobic/anaerobic capacity and power physiology underpinning the rowing and swim band models.