Erg - Most Underrated Of Cardio Equipment?

[[old] akit110]

Before I bought my erg recently, I did extensive searches on "rowing machine" and C2. Most of what I found in the general health-fitness websites gave the rowing machine a sort of middle of the pack ranking claiming it was effective for upper body but could be monotonous. Several websites mentioned its unpopularity. None hinted at what I found to be the most engaging aspect of erging on the C2.<br /><br />Now after erging regularly for several weeks at home, I feel the erg is probably the most underrated piece of equipment! We all know its practical health benefits, but it is the only piece of equipment that I have ever used where I concentrate rather than disassociate to pass the time. I have <u>never</u> been on a cardio machine (and I think I've tried them all) where I'm spending the duration of a workout just staring at the performance monitor! It's like I am fixated on the 'spm' and 'time/500m' readouts. Combine this with the rhythmic motion and you almost immediately slip into the zone where my mind is only focused on the action of rowing. And all this is without the usual distractions I would use in a gym to help me pass the time like tv, music, people watching, switching machines every 10 minutes etc. And when I get off the machine - even after only 5k - I get the endorphin high that I almost never get from any indoor form of cardio training.<br /><br />Anyway, I am really impressed. I thought I would have to battle monotony each and every workout, but instead it's become the highlight of my day. I can't figure out is if C2 enthusiasts are a unique breed (performance oriented masochists!) or if most people who try the C2 in a gym just never get to the level of comfort with the machine so they can truly reap the benefits.

[[old] grams]

I have found that most C2s in gyms have their dampers set to 10. That makes for a hard short workout, as its difficult to maintain one's energy level at that intensity for more than 5-10 minutes. <br /><br />I prefer a 1/2 hour or longer workout with the damper at 3 or thereabouts.<br /><br />grams

[[old] dadams]

Gotta agree with Grams on this one. <br /><br />And because most people in gyms don't really know how to use the erg, they won't change the damper setting. This results in the time spent being way to hard, and they never come back.<br /><br />Dwayne

[[old] akit110]

<!--QuoteBegin-dadams+Mar 3 2005, 03:15 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(dadams @ Mar 3 2005, 03:15 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Gotta agree with Grams on this one. <br /><br />And because most people in gyms don't really know how to use the erg, they won't change the damper setting. This results in the time spent being way to hard, and they never come back.<br /><br />Dwayne <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Good point. I read one of Ranger's post elsewhere he compared rowing with the damper set at 10 to be like weight-training or shoveling. But at a low damper setting, the sensation was quite different: much more fluid with a dynamic recovery. <br /><br />I remember also setting the damper much higher when I came across the machine in the gym in years past and rowing half-hour pieces at 7 or 8 feeling much more draining and a lot less invigorating. Sort of the difference between using a heavy clunker one-speed bike and a racing bike. It's not immediately intuitive that a higher number wouldn't represent a harder (and therefore presumably better) workout to the average gym member. Especially since almost every other machine works under this assumption.<br /><br />Perhaps C2 needs to put another sticker on their machines with little pictograms that suggest 10 is a heavy row boat and 1 is a light racing shell! <br /><br /><br />

[[old] Carbok]

I can do an hour on an elliptical and am still working up to over 30minutes on my new C2. It seems much harder than a simple elliptical. The bonus is the monitor and the full body workout. You cant get that with an elliptical. Being able to compete against others around the world and have a place to listen to others and post yourself about accomplishments and helpful hints is great. <br /><br />My wife and I were looking at spending about 3k for the elliptical when I saw someone rowing on the Potomac. I decided to check out the indoor rowers and stumbled across the c2. I am so glad I did, I saved over 2k and am getting a much better workout than I ever did on an elliptical.<br />

[[old] runningun]

<!--QuoteBegin-akit110+Mar 3 2005, 03:06 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(akit110 @ Mar 3 2005, 03:06 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-dadams+Mar 3 2005, 03:15 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(dadams @ Mar 3 2005, 03:15 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Gotta agree with Grams on this one. <br /><br />And because most people in gyms don't really know how to use the erg, they won't change the damper setting. This results in the time spent being way to hard, and they never come back.<br /><br />Dwayne <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />G<br />Perhaps C2 needs to put another sticker on their machines with little pictograms that suggest 10 is a heavy row boat and 1 is a light racing shell! <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Now THAT is is REALLY good suggestion; most "tough guys" go right to the setting/weight that they think is for "though guys"!!! C2.. your should really consider a sticker highlighting the racing shell!