Concept2 indoor rowing

5k will do you good. 10k is really good effort. 20k takes some mental instability!

A good target is 20 mins for a 5k, then to be up there with the average club rower you would be looking at 18 mins or less.

2k's you want to be under 7 to be comparable to an average club rower - 8 mins is a good first target.
 
PhilthyPhil said:
I believe in competition you can use any resistance you want because the distance you go with each stroke will vary accordingly. If you are strong you will get better times from using a high resistance though. Rowers tend to use 3-4 which is equivalent to a DF of 134 as gives the same resistance you would feel in a boat. Basicly just go for whatever you feel most comfortable with or gives you the best times.
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Big 'ahhhh'... I did wonder how they ensured people were on a level ground but that makes sense.

5k must be a killer! 3500 metres was intense and yesterday (was a bit tired and ended up getting into the gym late, about 8pm) I only managed 2k/8mins before giving up.

I notice some people using what look like rowing gloves, with a single pad to wrap round the handles - where's good to get those?

EDIT: Adam - 6:40 for 2k? That is pretty damn fast. Is that on level 5 for you? I do notice that some people are whizzing backwards and forwards and others go for the longer, more powerful strokes. I think I'm somewhere in the middle.
 
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dont use gloves! you'll be fine without.

6:40 isnt that fast - specially for my build (6'2" - 82kg). Really i should be doing 6:30 's. 6:36.7 is my pb. Thats at about rate 31 with long strokes.
 
Well it's a damn sight faster than me and I'm not hugely smaller than you - 6'0" and 78kgs!

Must try harder - only thing with the rowing machines where I go is that it's right in front of all the bikes, in front of a mirror, and it just feels like everybody is watching you. I hate that. :p
 
If you want to improve your times it will help to make sure that you have good technique to get the most power from your legs. This will also help to prevent injury as it is very common to see non-rowers using ergos in gyms over-reaching at the catch and/or leaning back too far at the finish which is probably the reason so many people get back problems. Have a look here for a guide to British indoor rowing technique.
 
I often find that my technique seems better when I dont think about it, and when I do, particularly when I get tired I tend to start yanking the handles rather than puling through smoothly.

I've seen these guides before, there's one up at the gym, but it's hard to pin point the part where the arms are taking over from the legs.

When you're pulling, in the drive phase, do you basically lock your arms, pull with your legs and then near the end of the reach of your leg start pulling with your arms?
 
Adam W said:
lower the resistance - honestly its not good on 10.
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thought this waas worth looking at:

Resistance on the Indoor Rower is adjusted by means of a damper lever on the side of the flywheel. Offering a wide range of resistance the damper lever increases or decreases the amount of air flow into the flywheel. The greater the airflow (damper setting 10), the greater the resistance and vice versa. Unfortunately some people confuse the damper settings with the value of the workout or their own fitness level. Here we try to dispel some of these misconceptions.

Myth: Rowing with more resistance will give a better workout.
Fact: The resistance setting is not a measure of your workout quality or quantity.
The settings 1-10 on the Indoor Rower are not work level settings or fitness level settings. The intensity of your workout is controlled by how hard you pull on the handle and is calculated and displayed by the electronic monitor as you row. Your accomplishment is indicated by the monitor, not the setting of the wind damper. As your fitness level and rowing skill improves you will be able to achieve better scores... i.e. faster pace, higher watt output, or greater rate of calorie consumption... regardless of the damper setting in which you choose to row. Think of the Indoor Rower as your boat. If you row at low intensity you can row for a long time. To make the boat go faster you pull harder; and if you try to make the boat go very fast you will be exhausted in a short time. Air resistance on the flywheel fan works just like the water resistance on a boat.

Now that you are thinking in terms of a boat on the water, let's examine the effect of the damper settings 1-10. In the lower numbers 1-4 the feel of the Indoor Rower is like a sleek racing shell. In the higher numbers 6-10 the feel is like a big, slow rowing boat. Either boat can be rowed hard; and as you try to make either boat go fast, you will need to apply more force. Making the sleek boat go fast requires you to apply your force more quickly; and when trying to make the big boat go fast you will feel a high force but at a slower speed of application.
 
Invasion said:
How long is a typical work out on one of these machines ? I know that might sound a stupid question like how long is a bit of string, but just wondered how long you guys do in a session?
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Well when I was rowing for Uni I did 2hrs a day on a concept2, for just under 2 years.
 
platypus said:
Well when I was rowing for Uni I did 2hrs a day on a concept2, for just under 2 years.
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2 hours was that in one session? or divided up ie Morning and afternoon?

I go out every day on a my bike and ride 20 miles in about 1 15mins, I think that is an average of around 14 mph how do you think I would fair on the concept 2 ?
 
My feet keep coming out of the stirrups which constantly loosens the straps, I'm sure it's down to my poor technique, anyone know what it might be?:)
 
Invasion said:
How far have you to go until you get her ?
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Well, technically I could afford her now :P

However, I was strict, and opened a spare savings account into which I deposit £250/month, specifically for my boat, and its currently at £3,000. I could syphon in more cash from other accounts, but it was a strict goal I set myself, and I'm aiming for a carbon S1, with a set of Croker Smoothies, and a roof rack, totalling about £4,500. So I'm close :)
 
Well done I wish I had the will power to save like that..best way to do it thats for sure, and the satisfaction you will have when you go and collect her!

look forward to seeing some pictures when you do !

Regards
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Thought this may interest people concept rent machines as well, and if you decide to buy you get back half each months rental.

may be a good choice to make sure the machine is for you before spending out all that cash.
 
Whats wrong with a Horizon Oxford 2 CS Air Rower :confused: i mean surely if you just want it to get fit and lose some weight that would do the job wouldn't it?
 
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