Rowing Machine Recommendations

[Speaks]

Used a concept 2 and much prefer my Ergata

 

[JS.Fletch5]

I found a used Concept2 on Facebook marketplace. Love that thing. By far my favorite cardio device I’ve ever tried for either fast, hard sessions or long slow ones. I feel like I can alternate my effort a lot better than the assault bike I had.

 

[ShowMeState]

The best rower out there and if you eventually decide you don't want it you can get most every dollar back when you sell it.

https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/concept2-rowerg

This. I have owned my concept 2 for many years. Been to hell and back. Works flawlessly. Caveat Emptor: It is a present-day torture device.

 

[thomasnh]

This. I have owned my concept 2 for many years. Been to hell and back. Works flawlessly. Caveat Emptor: It is a present-day torture device.

I love my Concept 2 rower, but the assault bike is the true devil in the corner!

 

[ShowMeState]

I love my Concept 2 rower, but the assault bike is the true devil in the corner!

You make a very valid point! They are certainly instruments of 21st century torture. I've come so close to buying an assault bike, but limited space in my home gym has kept me with a treadmill and rower. I think I am going to add a smaller spin bike though.

 

[thomasnh]

Assault bike rower and a handful of kettle bells is about all i need for the home gym set up. I really enjoy using the sky erg at the gym as well.

 

[wowzers]

I can't believe nobody has yet mentioned the best reason to choose a Concept2 rower over all the others. It's because just in case, on the off chance, you happen to break a world indoor rowing record, it won't count if it didn't happen on a Concept2 rower. Now wouldn't it suck if you broke a World Record and then found out it didn't count??? I couldn't even think about buying any other rower...

Funny seeing this as a coworker has one and we were discussing what a real competitive time is for 2km and he's talking about how he got humbled compared to the women's crossfit times. I ended up buying a water rower and the first time on it I'm going all out and clock 5:32 for 2km. Then the other day I jump on it and I ended up at 5:23 and took a picture at 5:27. I'm not in that good of shape anymore so I think how it measures distance has got to be off.

 

[MuleyFever]

Another happy Concept 2 owner. Although I have something going on that causes a lot of pain on my right hip/bottom of pelvis after about 15min of rowing. I need to try a thicker seat pad. I really like rowing though as its such a full body exercise.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I actually got to try a water rower the other day, I forget the brand but it was a high end expensive one. It looked cool and if that’s all you had, you’d be fine but after doing a workout on it, there’s no way I’d pick one over a c2, it just seemed more like something rich older women would use rather than a piece of hardcore equipment. To each their own but at this point, I’ve tried a lot of the rowers the claim to compete with c2 and they just don’t. Fancy wooden water rowers, one of the rowers my co worker has is all futuristic and hooked up to the internet and again, it’s neat and you could get/stay in shape with it but no chance I’d pick it over a c2.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Another happy Concept 2 owner. Although I have something going on that causes a lot of pain on my right hip/bottom of pelvis after about 15min of rowing. I need to try a thicker seat pad. I really like rowing though as its such a full body exercise.

I got some seat pad from Norway or some weird place. For a long time I had that cheap foam stick on pad that concept sells but I switched to the new pad a few years ago when I really started racking up the volume on the thing, it’s been a good purchase.

It’s this one, it was recommended by my buddy who competes at indoor rowing and CrossFit.

https://citius-remex.com/

 

[Kingthing0307]

Another vote for Concept 2.

 

[wowzers]

I’m about to hit 6 million meters on my c2. I get on it at least 3 days a week but usually shoot for 50k/week.

I’ve had several stretches over the past few years where I was doing fairly high volume rowing. At one point I was doing close to 100k/week on it. I’d do it in the mornings and most evenings.

Right now I’m focusing on kettlebell stuff so I just row like 10k tempo, 3x5k easy and then one day will be a 2k warmup then 6-10x500s all out. For a 3 day/week routine.

What are you shooting for time wise with those three workouts? I’m trying to use mine three days a week too and just rowing is kind of boring so I like the idea of a couple different workouts on it.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

What are you shooting for time wise with those three workouts? I’m trying to use mine three days a week too and just rowing is kind of boring so I like the idea of a couple different workouts on it.

Well my volume will change throughout the year depending on goals but I like to keep a pretty basic outline, one day is longer, one day is an easy day and one day is an interval workout.

For example, right now I’m more focused on kettlebell and pull ups so my volume is fairly low ~35-40k/week (could be as high as 70-80k/week but that takes more than 3 workouts).

So this week is as follows
-Wednesday 3x5k all sub 20 min
-Friday 10k easy (43min)
-Saturday 8k easy warmup, 6x500 starting at 1:53 and negative splitting so the last one is like 1:43.

I guess I typed all that and didn’t really answer your question, an easy 10k would be like sub 45m. A hard/tempo 5k will end up sub 40m

An easy 5k recovery row might be like 22m while a fast one could be ~ 19m

When I do interval workouts, I like to do negative splits so I like to start hard but not so hard that I can’t someone faster and faster.

 

[wowzers]

That’s perfect. I’m also alternating kettlebell workouts in between. Thanks!