HI guys, wondering if anyone has every given thought to or tried setting up the C2 on an incline, so as to add to the work performed by the leg muscles and lessening the intentional low-friction effect built into the machine. Obviously the machine is built for rowing first, so this would obviously be a setup only for the cardio/workout/weight loss crowd.
Oddly, when the weather is clement, I bike outdoors, to the tune of 40 miles daily. But I cannot stand stationary bikes, and I think the rower gives a much more balances full-body workout, so on inclement days (and most of the winter) I go inside and use the C2. I use wrist weights to increase the upper body workout, and was looking for something similar to increase muscle resistance for the legs, and thought this might be a decent solutions.
I use the machine in a gym now; I guess I'd have to buy my own if I wanted to do this. I don't think the gym would take too kindly to me propping up back of their machine on a few of their mats or steppers... I've been wanting to get my own anyway; something just seems wrong to me that I have to drive to a gym in order to burn calories- road time which could better be spent burning calories....
buckyswider wrote:HI guys, wondering if anyone has every given thought to or tried setting up the C2 on an incline, so as to add to the work performed by the leg muscles and lessening the intentional low-friction effect built into the machine. Obviously the machine is built for rowing first, so this would obviously be a setup only for the cardio/workout/weight loss crowd.
Oddly, when the weather is clement, I bike outdoors, to the tune of 40 miles daily. But I cannot stand stationary bikes, and I think the rower gives a much more balances full-body workout, so on inclement days (and most of the winter) I go inside and use the C2. I use wrist weights to increase the upper body workout, and was looking for something similar to increase muscle resistance for the legs, and thought this might be a decent solutions.
I use the machine in a gym now; I guess I'd have to buy my own if I wanted to do this. I don't think the gym would take too kindly to me propping up back of their machine on a few of their mats or steppers... I've been wanting to get my own anyway; something just seems wrong to me that I have to drive to a gym in order to burn calories- road time which could better be spent burning calories....
Thanks!
The C2 is primarily a cardio-vascular exercise device. It is not a substitute for regular resistance training like wight lifting. However, since you can apply a wide range of resistance in the use of machine, it can provide that function to some extent. There is no need to use additional weights or to tilt the rail. Just apply a harder push with the legs. Row at a more intense (i.e. lower) pace. Some might advocate using a higher damping factor, but with proper technique it should not be necessary. Think of the start of the drive as being like a leap into the air from a squatting position.
I've watched an rowing instructional video from Flywheel Fitness(Austin Tx) where she has the rower elevated but she only does it to demonstrate how to use the legs when rowing.
enrage wrote:I've watched an rowing instructional video from Flywheel Fitness(Austin Tx) where she has the rower elevated but she only does it to demonstrate how to use the legs when rowing.
I have used the C2 with the rear legs on a bench, but not to increase the workout for the legs. Instead, I use an inclined ergo to encourage rowers to control the movement of the seat on the slide during the recovery. Without control the rower crashes down the slope into frontstops - a fault that many junior newcomers have in a boat. If they row inclined at low stroke rates (14-16 SPM), they naturally slow the seat during the recovery.
If you want a good "power" workout try the following exercise with the ergo flat on the floor (you only need a medium drag factor, e.g. 120-130):
Do not have a break between segments.
Row for 10 minutes at 24 SPM, using a pace that you could easily maintain for 40 minutes.
Row for 4 minutes at 22 SPM whilst maintaining the same pace as used in the previous step.
Row for 4 minutes at 20 SPM whilst maintaining the same pace.
Row for 4 minutes at 18 SPM whilst maintaining the same pace.
Row for 2 minutes at 16 SPM whilst maintaining the same pace.
Row for 2 minutes at 14 SPM whilst maintaining the same pace.
By the time you get to the lower stroke rates you should be finding it quite hard on the legs. With any low rate/high power exercises you must use good technique (early, strong leg drive and good sequencing of the stroke), and protect your back by ensuring that the core muscles remain powerfully engaged - especially at the catch and the finish. If you are pulling hard with your arms you are doing it wrong - rowing is a pushing sport.
You can tinker with the pace, segment duration, and segment durations to achieve the effects that you are after, but the 24 SPM part should seem easy, or otherwise the low SPM segments will be unfeasibly difficult - and hazardous for your back.
BTW, I bought myself a C2 five years ago and stopped my gym membership at the same time. The cancelled subs paid for thee C2 within 2 years. Also, had I not used the ergo as much as I had intended, I could have recouped 75% of the purchase price, thus minimising the risk of an expensive mistake. As it has turned out, I continue to use it regularly, and iit has been my most cost-effective buy ever. Plus, I am not connstrained by gym opening times, and don't have to consider travellinng time. Fantastic buy - go for it.
Thanks everybody, sorry for the tardy. I thought I had email notifications set up, but apparently not...
Seems like I have a lot to learn about the machine. I'm not a rower- just using the C2 as my main exercise machine. Bob S, seems like you've hit on exactly what I'm trying to do- make it a substitute/augmentation for weight machines. I do 80+ minutes daily on the machine; if I could have this time be both my aerobic and resistance, it sure would be cool. Not really sure if it's doable; that's why I'm humbly asking.
I've actually never set the PM3 to anything but "calories" mode- I'll have to figure out how to maintain 'pace' while decreasing SPM. My 'benchmark' pace used to be 750 cal/hour; then I came to this site and learned to proper "quick" return technique and I now shoot for 850-950 cal/hour. That technique also allows me to maintain a straight line- before that (don't laugh!) I rowed with my hands straddling one leg in order to minimize the amount of hand/knee collisions.
So then I was off reading a thread about the calories calculation, and about how the C2 doesn't need body weight to determine calories since body weight is not used as workout ballast, as it is with steppers and ellipticals...so I started figuring...maybe we *can* figure out how to use one's body weight to increase the resistance workout for the legs? I'd already been using wrist weights (up to 3.5 lbs per side, which I can maintain for about 20 minutes, then I do the rest with the 2 pounders). Judging by the pain in my arms, these are giving some semblance of a decent resistance workout for my arms. Since the weather got cold, and I've stopped bike riding for the season (but for the occasional decent day), I've noticed my legs muscles losing some of their firmness. Trying to maintain that the simplest way possible so I'm ready to hit the trail hard in the spring again...
I will do some experimenting with a lower pace. Seems sort of counterintuitive to me that this is more intense, but I Do Not Know What I Do Not Know.
So then I was off reading a thread about the calories calculation, and about how the C2 doesn't need body weight to determine calories since body weight is not used as workout ballast, as it is with steppers and ellipticals.
The number of calories, as displayed on the C2 monitors is a really arbitrary value (and the distance as well). Years ago, I was very puzzled that the Calories/hour displayed did not match the watts value, even though by definition they are supposed to be directly proportional. Eventually, I found out that C2 arbitrarily adds in 300 Cal/hr to account for the extra work done accelerating and decelerating your body up and down the slide. Your weight would, of course, make a difference here, but the 300Cal/hr was based on some arbitrary standard - something like 180#. The distance is also arbitrary. Obviously the machine doesn't go anywhere and, although the wheel spins, the distance is not based on the number of turns that the wheel has made. It is based on the amount of work put into making the wheel spin - with the assumption that 4 times that amount of work would make a 4x (guessing there - it might have been a 4+ or a 4-) rowing shell go that distance.
The best way to make the legs work hard is to do exactly that; and on the erg it's done by taking full length strokes at low rating and high Watts. Try 200W at 20, and adjust to suit yourself.
You can incline the slide, but it won't have much effect. Our seat travel is about 50cm (20") so even at a very risky 45 degrees the lift would be only 30cm or so. Better to climb stairs or lift a feather from the ground to the ceiling say 20 times a minute for a half hour.
Bucky, I'm a cyclist too, the best way to keep the legs for cycling is to get an indoor trainer for that. The top being a comp-trainer, it's the Concept 2 of the cycling world. I love my rowing, in the off season I use it to maintain weight and cardio, in cycling season I do it just because I love it.
I've been wanting to get my own anyway; something just seems wrong to me that I have to drive to a gym in order to burn calories- road time which could better be spent burning calories....
