Concept2 Forum

OKAY, I KNOW IT'S TV, I KNOW IT'S "MADE FOR TV", ETC, ETC. ETC., BUT GIVEN THE MECHANICS REQUIRED TO EVEN REMOTELY USE A ROWING MACHINE PROPERLY DOES ANYONE THINK THAT IT WAS RATHER SLIPHSOD THE WAY THEY THREW THOSE CONTESTANTS ON THOSE ERGS AND LET THEM GO?
I KNOW THERE WAS NO EXPECTATION OF ANY GREAT LENGTH OF TIME BEING ACHIEVED, BUT AS WE ALL KNOW IT TAKES LITTLE TIME TO HURT YOURSELF WHEN ROWING INCORRECTLY. I CRINGE ON A DAILY BASIS JUST LOOKING AT MOST OF THE PEOPLE AT MY GYM WHO GET ON AND DO WHATEVER THEY CALL THEMSELVES DOING, BECAUSE IT DEFINITELY IS NOT ROWING, AND IT LOOKS PAINFUL.

I KNOW THAT TIME DOES NOT ALLOW FOR A FULL ON PREPARATION ON HOW TO DO IT CORRECTLY, BUT GIVEN THEIR SITUATIONS AND PHYSICALITY, THAT WAS RATHER FRIGHTENING TO WATCH. OPINIONS? I KNOW THEY DOG THEM OUT IN THE GYM (SOMEWHAT), BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T FUDGE WHAT''S GOING ON WHEN YOU'RE ROWING. OK - ALL WE KNOW IS WHAT WE SAW. I'M JUST SAYING.......

Greg from C2 explains the situation on this thread.
http://www.c2forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=8754
Bottom line, initially the producers of the show would not let him show the contestants how to row properly and later only after a lot of begging on the part of our friends at C2 were the basics things like leg drive reviewed with them. Their show, their rules.

Thanks for the heads up. Found the thread and was glad to see that I was not alone in my opinion. Was hospitalized all week so I didn't see the show until yesterday, so whereas it's old news for most, I just saw it. Anyway, The Biggest Loser should be ashamed of themselves. It is irresponsible of them to think that they could just throw those people on the ergs without a drop of training. I know that a lot of people won't go near the ergs because they're intimidated, and if you watch something like that, with those contestants rowing so haphazardly, like they're about to keel over, it doesn't inspire you to run out and take up rowing.