I am about to jump

[Leslie]

. . . someone please tell me this is a really good investment and that I should buy this rower instead of going on a vacation next month. Or am I crazy to spend more than a grand on a piece of exercise equipment? Will I have remorse? I do use my equipment, so it won't be draped with clothing.

[slwiser]

It is the best piece of equipment I can image...but it does take work don't kid yourself if you may think otherwise.

[jliddil]

Buy it. Get a Model D with a PM4. Next budget for a cheap laptop and get Rowpro for online rowing.

Some might say wait to buy a Rowperfect or the C2 Dynamic Erg (see blog) that will be out soon. I don't regret my purchase at all and I own a Lifecycle and Elliptical Trainer and I use the erg much more.

Low maintenance and built like a tank.

[gregsmith01748]

Over the past 20 years I have owned a stationary bike, treadmill, and an elliptical, all of which I used sporadically, and then stopped. Basically, they never seemed to work as well as the ones at the gym. Last Christmas, my wife bought me a model D, and my experience with it is totally different. It works great, it is solidly built, and is absolutely consistent with the other C2 machines that I have used in other places.

But the biggest reason that I think the C2 is a good investment is the online tools to track progress and communicate with other users. It has kept me engaged and helped me transition from "rowing for weight loss" to "training".

I have never used rowPro, but I hear lots of people rave about it.

But I must admit, a vacation does sound nice too.

[Bob S.]

Low maintenance and built like a tank.

I suppose that compared to a lot of exercise equipment, you could say that. But have you ever used its predecessor, the Model B? It makes the newer models look as fragile as porcelain.

Bob S.

[jliddil]

Low maintenance and built like a tank.

I suppose that compared to a lot of exercise equipment, you could say that. But have you ever used its predecessor, the Model B? It makes the newer models look as fragile as porcelain.

Bob S.

Yeah, used Model B years ago. And yes it was built very solidly. All metal and wood.

[Leslie]

Thank you for your comments and opinions on the matter.

I have a weight set which I use sporadically and I currently have a treadmill. It's a very large, extremely heavy commercial type machine and cost over two grand when it was new ten years ago. I've logged quite a few miles and it's dying. Lately, I find it very boring to use, and I don't like trying to read or watch television while I'm exercising. It seems counter-productive -- this idea of distracting myself, instead of engaging in and enjoying a workout.

I recently finished two years of cardio kickboxing with weight training through a martial arts dojo as I grew tired of it as well. The one thing I did enjoy was the competition factor where we would have test days to see if we could get through an entire boxing match (punching a bag for an hour is brutal). I liked having evidence of my improvement beyond my only other benchmark which I called, "no longer throwing up in the parking lot after a workout."

I have used rowers in the past and they were by far my favorite machine. I loved racing the guy on the screen.

So I was looking for an equipment I could use indoors, which would be low impact (I'm fat as hell), that would work more of my body, especially my back and that would last. The most important thing I was looking for was something more than exercise -- recreation. I am tired of exercise that feels like slavery, that is boring and makes me think that I must force myself to endure it. I am not speaking about the physical exertion, or psyching yourself up to workout, but the mental wherewithal to overcome the sheer tediousness of repetitive exercise. I believe exercising should also be fun, exciting, competitive and keep you engaged.

That is why I hit on rowing. I had no idea the sheer sophistication of the computer program behind it until I hit upon a C2 machine. Why in the heck aren't we doing this with EVERY piece of gym equipment?

I'm going to take the plunge and order a machine.

[Bob S.]

I have used rowers in the past and they were by far my favorite machine. I loved racing the guy on the screen.
I'm going to take the plunge and order a machine.

A while back, a new C2 came with a trial period of RowPro. It probably still does. That gives you the opportunity to race against a competitor: virtual, live, or yourself, racing against the other guy(s) on your computer screen. The C2 monitor has a mini version of this (but not the ability to show live competition except when wired to other C2s at a racing event). However it is rather rudimentary and quite small. I think that you would find it worthwhile to take advantage of the free trial period to check out RowPro.

Bob S.