Slides, Why Not?

[jliddil]

So put aside the cost and space (not an issue for me) and the fact that you can't "race" using slides. Never mind that slides make it feel more like OTW. I'm using the erg to stay fit.

Since it seems it is easier on the back and at least based on what some folks say here it helps get one away from bad form (i.e anchor hauling), I don't seem to see any reason not to use them since I'm not going to sell my year old Model D to get a Dynamic

[Bob S.]

So put aside the cost and space (not an issue for me) and the fact that you can't "race" using slides. Never mind that slides make it feel more like OTW. I'm using the erg to stay fit.

Since it seems it is easier on the back and at least based on what some folks say here it helps get one away from bad form (i.e anchor hauling), I don't seem to see any reason not to use them since I'm not going to sell my year old Model D to get a Dynamic

Works for me as well - but it took a couple of years or more of them sitting in a corner before I took the time to seriously learn to use them properly. Slow learner, I guess. I did take the suggestion, from Down Under, to shim up the outer ends on the slides. That plus a little shortening of a couple of the slide bungees eliminated a problem I had of banging the ends at very low rates, like 10 and 12 spm. I almost never row at 10, but use 12 every day for the first and last 2' segments of my 10' wakeup row, for the beginning of most warm ups and for just about all cool downs. (Note: 10spm is the minimum that the PM3 will register.)

Bob S.

[jliddil]

I got my slides today. All I can say is I should have done this a year ago. I can much more easily. Almost immediately I got over my anchor hauling and really learned to use my legs. I can row 5-10 seconds faster/500M without working hard. I'm hooked. It took me all of a few minutes to figure out how not to bang. Of course my wife was like WTF are those for? Well you see dear.....

[Cyclist2]

Me too! I've been using mine for almost a month and it makes it much more pleasant (if an hour on the erg can be considered "pleasant"). I have my other erg on the floor in the garage and will use it for intervals when I'm doing weight workouts (sort of like Cross Fit), but the majority of my rowing will be on the slides. My back and fingers (fewer blisters!!) are thanking me every time!

[luckylindy]

I got my slides today. All I can say is I should have done this a year ago. I can much more easily. Almost immediately I got over my anchor hauling and really learned to use my legs.

What is "anchor hauling"?

[jliddil]

I got my slides today. All I can say is I should have done this a year ago. I can much more easily. Almost immediately I got over my anchor hauling and really learned to use my legs.

What is "anchor hauling"?

Using your arms and back vs using your legs as I understand it. Watch some OTW (on the water footage) and you see them really utilizing their legs. The tendency on the erg (at least for me) is to use my arms/back too much despite working on fast arms away, straight arms on the drive as shown in the video on the C2 site. Watch the intrepid trolls videos or some of the youtube Crash B stuff. As Mike Van has pointed out bad technique and just hauling can get you good times on the erg. But this won't work on the water, apparently. I'll trust him since he has way more experience (mine is zero).

On the slides you have to use your legs and us proper pushing form, otherwise you bang against the end stops. It was easy for me to experience this. I got on and immediately shot back and forward banging into both ends. Once I relaxed and used my legs I floated right in the middle of the slides. Personally I never understood the concept until today. I know sort of a vague description but you really do need to experience it.

[mikvan52]

We're a "2 sets of slides" family... AND we're lucky to have enough room to use them set up side by side...
Very relaxing! and fun...

Ever try the 2x set-up? Now that's a challenge for your concentration... Particularly if you're in the "bow seat"!

[jliddil]

We're a "2 sets of slides" family... AND we're lucky to have enough room to use them set up side by side...
Very relaxing! and fun...

Ever try the 2x set-up? Now that's a challenge for your concentration... Particularly if you're in the "bow seat"!

Well my wife ain't going for that. But she did ask why are there tow sets of racks on the slides. Then I began to talk about multiple ergs and she glazed right over.

So is my anchor hauling description about right?

[luckylindy]

I got my slides today. All I can say is I should have done this a year ago. I can much more easily. Almost immediately I got over my anchor hauling and really learned to use my legs.

What is "anchor hauling"?

Using your arms and back vs using your legs as I understand it. Watch some OTW (on the water footage) and you see them really utilizing their legs. The tendency on the erg (at least for me) is to use my arms/back too much despite working on fast arms away, straight arms on the drive as shown in the video on the C2 site. Watch the intrepid trolls videos or some of the youtube Crash B stuff. As Mike Van has pointed out bad technique and just hauling can get you good times on the erg. But this won't work on the water, apparently. I'll trust him since he has way more experience (mine is zero).

On the slides you have to use your legs and us proper pushing form, otherwise you bang against the end stops. It was easy for me to experience this. I got on and immediately shot back and forward banging into both ends. Once I relaxed and used my legs I floated right in the middle of the slides. Personally I never understood the concept until today. I know sort of a vague description but you really do need to experience it.

That makes sense ... I wonder if the term comes from row boating (where you're using mostly arms, and basically haul around a huge anchor, the boat, where ever you go). Luckily my arms are still too weak to "haul anchor" ... give me a few weeks

[chgoss]

I tried C2's new dynamic erg at the HOCR last week, man I sure liked it.. It's a completely different motion, no anchor hauling tolerated It's amazing the reduction in force on your back.
http://concept2.com/us/indoorrowers/dynamic_home.asp

Only thing is, they still cant seem to produce a comfortable seat!!! what the heck?

[ausrwr]

We're a "2 sets of slides" family... AND we're lucky to have enough room to use them set up side by side...
Very relaxing! and fun...

Ever try the 2x set-up? Now that's a challenge for your concentration... Particularly if you're in the "bow seat"!

We got up to a 7x a few years ago, which was all the room our club had! It was incredible, final minute or so of a 7*8 mins session (so everyone got to "stroke") always seemed to crank up to an r50 or so...

[NavigationHazard]

Cheers -- there's actually a recurrent erg race on slides: the Euro Slide Open, in Copenhagen. This year's incarnation will be on 11/27 -- see http://www.ergometertider.dk/info.php?regatta=sl2010 (in Danish).

The 2009 version featured some rather studly participants and what must have been a >lot< of good-natured fun over 500m and 1k distances. Here's the winning open men's 4-slide lineup:

Danmarks Rocenter 2
Thomas Larsen
Mads Reinholdt Rasmussen
Henrik Stephansen
Steffen Bonde Jensen

(See http://www.ergometertider.dk/result.php?loeb=2120)

The Open evidently concluded with a 500m 8-slide sprint. This lineup somehow finished second (1:25.0):

Danmarks Rocenter
Thomas Larsen
Mads Reinholdt Rasmussen
Henrik Stephansen
Steffen Bonde Jensen
Christian Noll Nielsen
Sophus Johannesen
Hans Christian Sørensen
Martin Batenburg

(http://www.ergometertider.dk/result.php?loeb=2125)

Somewhere I've got some video of Mads and Henrik et al. on slides from the 2009 Open. If I can find it (it's on a semi-funct laptop) I'll post it....

[jliddil]

We're a "2 sets of slides" family... AND we're lucky to have enough room to use them set up side by side...
Very relaxing! and fun...

Ever try the 2x set-up? Now that's a challenge for your concentration... Particularly if you're in the "bow seat"!

We got up to a 7x a few years ago, which was all the room our club had! It was incredible, final minute or so of a 7*8 mins session (so everyone got to "stroke") always seemed to crank up to an r50 or so...

Well I guess with that many folks, speed, mass and inertia you better keep up or just go along for a ride. Push me-Pull you.

[Atorrante]

Works for me as well - but it took a couple of years or more of them sitting in a corner before I took the time to seriously learn to use them properly.


Bob S.

This is true to me but in re to the plain erg. I have been rowing for years without slides, and don't see the need for them. I use the erg to stay fit and at 53 y.o. it has provide me a perfect machine for it. I, like the most of indoor rowers, if learn to use a plain ergo properly, will never have to use slides or buy a dynamic ergo, unless want to do it for other reasons.

[Rockin Roland]

I, like the most of indoor rowers, if learn to use a plain ergo properly, will never have to use slides or buy a dynamic ergo, unless want to do it for other reasons.

That is until you do youself an injury.
Try using some slides for a few months then go back to using a stationary erg. The first thing that you'll notice when you get back on the stationary erg is how hard it is on your body. The constant stop & start motion of moving your body mass from a fixed object eventually takes its toll on your body.

Furthermore, the movement of rowing on slides is far more enjoyavble to do than that of a fixed erg (even if you have no intention of rowing in a boat). Hence you don't need as much motivation to jump on an erg with slides as you do with a fixed erg.