Concept2 Forum

My indoor rower (Concept 2 Model D) tends to slide backwards during a training session, such as a 5K. The rower is placed on an indoor rower floor mat, bought from Concept 2. Thus, I have to stop during the training session to move the rower forwards. I guess this is related to poor rowing technique? What could I do to prevent the rower from sliding?

Yes generally poor technique but they still tend to move at very fast paces and ratings.

Mine sits on garage carpet (glued to the concrete floor) which I think must be about the best option short of bolting it to the floor. It never moves.

Romerat wrote: ↑

April 5th, 2021, 4:42 pm

I guess this is related to poor rowing technique?

One easy check is to see if you can row sub-max efforts strapless. If you can't, and keep wanting to slide of the back of the rail, that's certainly a sign that your technique could use some improvements.

However, if all else fails, it won't hurt to try some high-friction stuff between the rower and the mat. I've found that non-slip tool box liner (I got some ages ago from Harbor Freight) can help.

https://www.toolsource.com/misc-c-318/n ... 58420.html

Put some weight plates or dumbbells at each end of the machine.

Romerat wrote: ↑

April 5th, 2021, 4:42 pm

I guess this is related to poor rowing technique? What could I do to prevent the rower from sliding?

It's due to inertial forces, and means you are pulling the machine towards you at the finish. This happens at high ratings, over 30.

If you row at low rating with a long fast stroke, the machine is more likely to move away from you, due to the leg thrust at the catch. It'll stop when you reach the nearest wall.

Try moving it around on a slippery floor without getting off, you'll soon see what we can do using inertia. C2 also sells slides, which let the machine move freely like a boat on water.

High ratings with a strong leg pull in the recovery are often linked to high drag with a slow short pull. According to size, age and sex, the best drag factor will be somewhere between 100 and 130. This will let you pull a fast stroke, full length, with plenty of force, as to standard rowing style, with plenty of time for the recovery.

The PM tells us what we are doing in terms of rating and Power (in watts). Try working at about 2W/kg (referred to a "fit" weight) at ratings 18 to 23. This is the UT2-UT1 training range when rowing.

Romerat wrote: ↑

April 5th, 2021, 4:42 pm

My indoor rower (Concept 2 Model D) tends to slide backwards during a training session, such as a 5K. The rower is placed on an indoor rower floor mat, bought from Concept 2. Thus, I have to stop during the training session to move the rower forwards. I guess this is related to poor rowing technique? What could I do to prevent the rower from sliding?

I have got a C2 mat and it was fine for a while, and suddenly it started slipping. I now use three pieces of cut up yoga mat, only under the feet, and it's now not an issue. Using any type of non slip flooring solution will also work, or some bags of stone / gravel if you don't have weight plates.

Use an anti-slip mat under the rear legs

My erg has started slipping about in sprints. I've tried weighing it down but I don't have enough kg's. The C2 mat has become shiny and hard where the feet have been and it now has little purchase.

I guess I could buy another for £42 from C2 ....any other cheaper options?

Adding kg's (mass) is not the solution. If you put, say, 20 kg on top of the monorail above the rear legs and push the erg from the side, you will find that you only need a fraction of the gravity force (20*g) to move the erg. That is because the friction coefficient of the legs on most smooth surfaces is quite low.

Now put anti-slip mats under both rear legs and you suddenly find that the friction coefficient increases by a factor of, maybe, 10. It will cost only a few bucks.

It's similar to pulling the brakes on a bicycle wheel. You go from a friction coefficient in the order of 0.004 without brakes (the rolling resistance of a tire) to a friction coefficient of 0.5-1.0 with brakes.

winniewinser wrote: ↑

May 14th, 2021, 3:35 pm

I guess I could buy another for £42 from C2 ....any other cheaper options?

How about less than a fiver?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/3M-1900S50-Val ... B006MKBVNM

Two turns round the front foot, half twist so it's sticky side out, two more turns and tear off.
Same on the other front foot.

Place erg on mat, floor, or wherever. Stand on the front end to stick it down.

Job's a good 'un.

winniewinser wrote: ↑

May 14th, 2021, 3:35 pm

My erg has started slipping about in sprints. I've tried weighing it down but I don't have enough kg's. The C2 mat has become shiny and hard where the feet have been and it now has little purchase.

I guess I could buy another for £42 from C2 ....any other cheaper options?

Put a weight plate on the floor at each end of the machine, rather than putting the weight plate on the machine's foot.

Citroen wrote: ↑

May 14th, 2021, 6:47 pm

winniewinser wrote: ↑

May 14th, 2021, 3:35 pm

I guess I could buy another for £42 from C2 ....any other cheaper options?

How about less than a fiver?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/3M-1900S50-Val ... B006MKBVNM

Two turns round the front foot, half twist so it's sticky side out, two more turns and tear off.
Same on the other front foot.

Place erg on mat, floor, or wherever. Stand on the front end to stick it down.

Job's a good 'un.

That I have....will give it a go

ampire wrote: ↑

May 14th, 2021, 9:12 pm

Put a weight plate on the floor at each end of the machine, rather than putting the weight plate on the machine's foot.

I've only got 4x5kg plates so limited on those options. I'll try with what I have.

Mainly a problem when starting hard pieces or sprinting as I say.

I moved the erg off the C2 mat and onto the carpet after wiping the feet....seems a lot better.

I think the mat is just old and gets shiny and hard where the feet were sitting.

Have a similar issue with the tail foot of the rower shifting leftward on the slides, probably some force asymmetry but it can get cockeyed a bit. I ended up using a pair of u-bolts to clamp the rear foot to the back slide.

ampire wrote: ↑

May 16th, 2021, 10:32 am

Have a similar issue with the tail foot of the rower shifting leftward on the slides, probably some force asymmetry but it can get cockeyed a bit. I ended up using a pair of u-bolts to clamp the rear foot to the back slide.

I'd check the alignment of the slides. I use a taut string running from the far end to the other far end to make sure they are perfectly aligned. This also prevents slight binding of the rollers, which can cause wear. I've been using slides for years and never had that problem, shouldn't have to clamp the erg to the slides.