ANY WANTS TO LOOSE WEIGHT GET FIT USE TOTAL BODY WORKOUT ON A INDOOR ROWER LOW IMPACT IDEAL FOR ANY WEIGHT ANY AGE GROUP TRUST ME

I like the concept 2 but only do about 3000m a session on it. How long/far do you do on it??

HI PAUL LAST YEAR I TRAINED FOR 6 HARD MONTHS STARTING 15 MINS TO START AND EVERY DAY TRAINED ADDING 5 MINS EVERY WEEK SO BY THE END OF THE IST MONTH UP TO 30 MINS ASESSION ABOUT 3000 TO 3500 METERS I THEN DOWNLOADED THE MARATHON 42.195 METERS FROM CONCEPT2 OVER NEXT 5 OR SO MONTHS RANGED FROM 5000 TO MAX OF 32000 METERS TRUST ME ITS MORE MENTAL TRAINING THAN PHYSICAL OCT 07 3HOURS II 53 .1 WAS MY TIME AND POSTED IT ON THE SITE FOR UK AND WORLD RANKINGS THE WEBSITE FOR C2 ROWERS IS VERY GOOD AND I BELIEVE THE C2 ROWER BEST ITEM IN THE GYM NOW I NEED TO BUILD BACK UP AND GET RID OF THE XMAS PUDD SO DO 5000 PER SESSION BUT ITS NOT EASY CNCEPT2 HAVE A MONTHLY CHALLENGE THIS MONTH ITS 4 MINUTES ENTER ITS WELL WORTH IT //

I was wondering what the difference was between the more expensive rowing machines like the Concept 2 and the cheaper ones.

It's the rowing motion that burns the calories so as long as you have a machine which allows you do so what can a £1000 machine offer fitness wise?

Cripes that's some going Paul, I know a guy at our Gym who does 12,000m but that's stunning stuff! Am in Gym again on Friday so think am going to go for 3500 and keep building it up 500 a week until I'm doing half an hours worth I think.

Just my views: The Concept 2 is a great bit of equipment, it is the universal standard in the rowing world and all the indoor championships are held on them. They are very smooth, accurate and reliable. I've never really tried other rowing machines so can't say what they are like

I've rowed in my college 1st VIII and used to have to do hour long sessions every week (normally clocking up near to 15000m) as well as the horror that is 20-20-20...

20-20-20:
Firstly, before you can do the 20-20-20 you need to do a 20 minute test on the rowing machine as fast as you can and record the average split (the time /500m). Add 3 seconds to this time and write it down somewhere. You need only do this the once (best not to do it on the same day as the 20-20-20)

Now for a rather intense workout, do 20minutes on the rowing machine at this new split, then go for a 20minute run before sitting back on the rowing machine for 20 minutes trying to match the split you got in the first 20. Trust me, its hard, but it gets you fit very quickly, and hopefully you will find you go quicker and farther each session you do it (although I wouldn't recommend more than once a week).

Otherwise my main tip for the rowing machine is to make sure you hands are past your knees before you let your knees rise when moving to the front, it is very common to lift your hands (and the handle) over your knees, whereas this is just a waste of energy so try not to.

hi to everyone in the rowing forum glad im not on my own 15000 in 1 hour is very good during my training i manage about i4000 ahour just joined the 2 million meters concept c2 club I hope to try 5x 5000 meters a week so hopefully by the end of 08 Ican be in the 3 million c2 club on c2 website thers a guy at 86 in the 30 MILLION CLUB im 54 so hopefully 1 million a year takes me to 30million okay its a long term goal but by 86years old id just make it ////// 20 20 20 sounds a good challenge the c2 is a grand but i chose one at age 5o instead of a laptop and never regretted it as they say practice makes perfect form is i agree important by for now paul m

Concept II is the best rowing machine on the market. I have used mine for 6 years now (since a knee op & advice to avoid impact training) & it's still as good as new. I am also big at 6ft 4ins at 17st 9lb & it copes with my size without any problems
I'm on the post xmas blitz starting at 20-25 mins a day & hoping to build up to 40 mins by March. I do about 5000 in around 18 mins trying to keep between 1.45 & 1.50 per 500 mtrs.
One way of keeping the motivation is to do interval training eg 1min 30 steady then 30 secs flat out for a total of 20 mins. Another good change is to test yourself each week on a 2000mtr time trail. Keep a record of your results & watch the improvement

I am trying to get back into good level of fitness, and now going to gym 4 times each week. Currently do 2 sessions per week on rower, then either straight onto cross trainer or tread mill for 15 mins run. I find the rower really challenging mentally, and need some mind over matter techniques on how to keep my self going, as I find it really difficult to keep motivated on it. I did not realise what a good overall fitness could be achieved on the rower so I will start going on it 4 times per week. My efforts sound really puny compared with what you guys do. I do four lots of 500 meters and have to try and beat my personal best each set. My weight goal is to lose half a stone, which would be my perfect weight, and to get fairly fit / toned so that I am can start rock climbing in the summer.

I wondered if I could ask a question about outdoor rowing - I briefly rowed at Uni but was put-off by the early starts and the intense training regimes.
Are all rowing clubs this full-on, or will some let you join if you only want to row once or twice a week?

I find the concept machine excellent. Compared to the cheaper machines it is far steadier and easy to get a good rythm. I am over 60 and do cross country running but pick up niggerly leg injuries. I have never been injured when rowing. I do 28 mins and row 5500 meters. I do a gentle 5 mins warm up reaching 500 metres in 2mins 40. I then go up and down from this point spending 30 secs at each reduction of 10 secs until I am doing 500 meters in just under 2 mins. I usually hit the under 2 mins 5 times. I then slow down gradually over a 5 min period. You can tailor it to suit. I have no idea if its the right way but it suits me. You use about 75% of the calories compared to a cross country run

Like Judy I too did not realise that rowing was so good for overall fitness so have decided to focus more on this at gym. At mo I tend to use the rower to loosen up and warm down at the end of the session. My only problem with rowing machines is that after about 15min my bum starts to go numb! Any tips?

Hi I am just about to start back at the gym and will be using the Concept 2. One problem I did find when exercising on the rower was that once I got into the swing of it the muscles in my feet were really painful - although everywhere else was fine for much longer - Do you think this means my technique is wrong or with practise will these muscle pains lessen? Thanks.

I love the rower at the gym. It is my favourite piece of equipment. Yes@numb bottom though. I try and move it about a bit if I go for longer than five minutes. The only problem with the rower is that I found my shoulders were getting bigger and bigger. I think I probably started at too high a level (I am on level 10). I think what I should have been doing is going for a much lower level but faster to avoid the shoulder build up and to burn more calories. Big shoulders isn't a problem for you 6 foot tall men but I am only 5 feet tall so not a good look. At my next gym session I am going to reduce the level to about 5 and see if I can row a lot faster.

When rowing the power needs to be driven from your legs - sounds as though you pulling through the arms. The arms should only be used for about 10% of the power.

Level 10 is way to high. On the machines you can set a drag factor - around 20 is normal. I find this is roughly level 4.

Getting the correct technique can dramatically improve your scores and stop injuries. Look at the Concept 2 rowing pages on line for correct technique. It's well worth getting it right.

You can vary workouts by doing 1 min hard and then 1 min rest, testing yourself for a 2km or 5km workouts.

Good advice, thanks! When I next go to the gym I need to get one of the trainers to look at my technique in order that I get it right. I am pulling more through the arms and not the legs.

hi its great to hear all your in put trust me visit concept 2 website you can even download a training manual there is a shop and loads of advice you can buy aseat cushion designed for the rower when i did my marathon on the rower i used mine plus I bought a thin soft cushion as well Ialso advise a good stetching programe also on their website you can purchase alog card for around 4 or 5 quid records all your rows and can act as a motivation also why not enter your records on their website towards your ist million meters long term goals WILL keep you interested also each month thro the year there is a challenge jan 08 is 4 minutes sue technique is vital I rarly use level 10 each level is for a different reason all in concepts free download also a tip is watch a good rower and ask advice most are only too pleased to help mind you I could do with some pilates advice or help

I have to agree that if your bum is getting numb you may want to use a cushion. There is one here on Godfrey (a well-respected rowing supplier):
http://www.godfrey.co.uk/productviewer.php?selprod uct=81&Submit=Go
However shop around as I am sure you can get them cheaper thatn that.
I never use level 10 unless I am building high endurance where my gym instructor makes me do it simply to build up to lactic acid in my arms... Settings 4-5 is usually best, these most accurately describe what you would feel in a boat.
Just to respond to Kate's question - I row at both Uni and Home and Uni is by far the more intensive. I would say that every rowing club has a range of members and they would be more than happy to have you row even just once a week. They realise everyone has busy schedules and can't dedicate too much time, so you can get as far involved as you wish... Most training would tend to be at weekends too...
And yes, I hate the early mornings too! Although seeing the sun rise from a boat can be quite stunning....

Oh, and if people go onto:
http://www.ara-rowing.org/render.aspx?siteID=1&nav IDs=1,141,142
You can find your nearest club. If you enjoy the concept2 in the gym then give the real thing a go! Its a great way to meet friends and more fun than sitting on a rowing machine in the gym!

that's really useful, thanks David

I bought myself a secondhand Model D on Ebay. Joined one of the online clubs on the Concept2 US site and am slowly working my way up the ranks. Today is the end of week 1 of a 16 weeks interactive weight loss programme (downloaded from the UK site), six days a week and already I am noticing a difference in my endurance.

I am 61 years old and after smoking for 45 years finally put the fags down last August. Despite maintaining a stable weight and never having to worry about what I ate, I have since then put on around 14 lbs, most of it around my waist which is about right I suppose for a post-menopausal woman - very irritating though. So obviously I am now taking in more calories than I need. I walk the dog five mornings a week and have upped that to very brisk but I am not going to start counting calories - cannot be bothered. And I love cooking and am not going into my twilight years depriving myself of food.

What I will do, reluctantly, is ditch the whites: bread, sugar, some pasta, don't have a sweet tooth (thank you cigarettes), see how it goes with this and the rowing and adjust as necessary at the end of 16 weeks. But the great advantage is having the machine in my studio, otherwise my enthusiasm would dim if I had to slog down to a gym every day.

I have the damper set on 3, the drag around 100, strokes per minute around 21-23. I'm not going for speed as much as fitness and weight loss. I need to strengthen my back muscles in order to help with the very lax stomach ones and so I row strapless. I have an extra seat pad - in an emergency bubble wrap (small bubbles) can be made into a pad.

I try not to watch the numbers, sometimes I close my eyes and row concentrating on the smoothness, like a giant rubber band - Zen rowing!
I've just started wearing a heart monitor, that's going to prove very entertaining I think.

Oops, sorry, didn't realise this was a men only group. I will fold up my tent and steal silently away.

Just wanted to reiterate about getting the technique right - it's very easy on a Concept II (and presumably any other ergo, but I only have experience of CII) to get the technique slightly wrong. This can lead to really quite bad back problems among other things - in my case this happened because I am pretty flexible and was basically over-reaching at the catch (when you're at the front of the slide). I would also suggest that folk often tend to go for a higher rating when they'd be better off doing longer sessions at say 20 strokes/min and really moving 'the boat' rather than going for speed on the slide...

Just my 2p worth