Skierg 3 1/2 month field report.

[sometimesnothin]

Brief history - 3 years and 6 million meters on a model C, top 2K time of 6:43.1, top 5K 17:54.8, 60 minutes 15,949. All of those were in 2004. Birth of first son ended competitive phase, birth of second son knocked me off the erg altogether. Second son turned 3 and I bought a skierg. I averaged about 38 K a week on the model C, am doing 20K a week on the skierg. (4 times 5K) It's not much, but it's what I have time for as my wife and I have tag team work schedules. So far so great. I've read some complaints about the machine, but I love it. It's on my back porch, and I don't have to worry about my crazy monkey sons cracking their heads on the rail of my model C. It works perfectly for someone like me who has very little time, and it is a nice change from the rowing machine. My 5K time has come down nicely to 20:53.8. I would guess there is a 15 to 20 second pace difference between the two machines as others have mentioned, it's a little hard to say though as my best rowing times came after about 8 months. I can't really speak to what it does for weight loss, as I've always been around 6'3" 190. It has however definitely slowed gravity's affect on my middle aged (46) body. One drawback is there are not as many people posting times so the competitive aspect is not as much fun. I've never been on skis in my life, so I have no idea how much it approximates the real thing. All is can say is that it's a great overall machine for staying in shape in the middle of a crazy busy life. It has also done wonders for my lower back pain, I'm guessing by strengthening my core. Highly recommended by someone who is almost as addicted to it as he once was to the erg.

[NELSON]

Ditto, on thinking this is a great addition to the C2 family. But, it is definitely a big boy machine. I have recorded times for all the ranked pieces from the 500M to 10000M, trying to get a feel for my 500M pace over distance/time. The 500M sprint is a killer for me, it takes almost 125M to get to the pace I feel I should be at, sub 2:00. I just don't have the bulk and/or power to get there as quickly as I can on the rower. We have a guy in our club (a real set of bellows for lungs) , 6'2/ 240, 50-59age grouping, who does a 5000m at a pace of 1:58(not exact), (this is in Denver,CO with a altitude effect that will make you cry for your MAMA), my 500M pace is 1:56.9. Man, that puts it in perspective.
No question, I am more of a distance man. My 500M pace time differential starts to go down after the 2000M as compared to the difference between the 500M vs 1000M. I can get into a good groove & stay there on a long distance, over 500M. Still, it just kills my quads & lungs, my SPM is 42-55, way high.
But, it is all good.

[sometimesnothin]

I completely agree about it being a big boy's machine. My 5K rate is around 28spm until the last 500 or so, and it's fairly easy to keep a 2:05 or 6 pace. I haven't tried a 500 yet, the distance strikes me as a little odd for this machine. My 1K pace is around 1:55, spm is around 37. Like the erg, I'm sure the guys who are pulling the crazy low times combine big V02 max and big power.

[Aiouqes70]

Hello,

I know it's been awhile since your posts -- so maybe it's a good time to ask if you still have the same (or even better?) opinion of the SklErg?

I also have had some back problems, to the point that my doc has told me to back waaay off on the C2 rower and on OTW rowing (I rowed 2 years in college, before the C2 was invented). I have rowed over 7 M meters in about 3 1/2 years and am (was?) fairly competitive for an old guy: 10k PR = 38:20; 30 min PR = 7.8-something K; 500m PR = 1:32 -- although I can't get a decent 2k time to save my life.

Anyway, I recently drove 75 miles to try the nearest SkiErg, and made the trip worthwhile by skiing 6k. It was tough! I did it in 500m pieces, mostly, with a couple of 1000's thrown in. I did not notice any back issues. Was it my imagination, or could it actually have been helping my back?

So, now I'm considering the purchase. Has the SkiErg performed as you expected? And, does your back like it better than the rower?

Thanks!

[mberry]

Sometimesnothing [still equals nothing?]

Just a comment on the skierg. I find that it can irritate disks in my lower back if I do too much [and I mean more than 10 minutes in any particular set]. I do my rowing and erging in 10 minute sets, but if I do too many e.g. more than an hour, I end up with a couple of hot spots. I do have a dodgy back. Rowing does not seem to hurt it much.

Regards
Martin