Why can't people use the C2 slides in some competitions?

fatgrosshog · Post by **fatgrosshog** » December 20th, 2009, 9:23 pm

I noticed that in many indoor rowing competitions, the C2 slides aren't allowed--why not? (And yes, I'm a beginning rower, so if this is a dumb question, please be polite in your answer.)

badocter · Post by **badocter** » December 20th, 2009, 10:14 pm

On slides, the amount of energy that you must expend to reach a given pace is less. The difference is that the amount of energy expended accelorating your body without slides is greater than the sum of the energies expended accelorating both your body and the erg on slides. ie.,

X^2 > (X/2)^2 + (X/2)^2

A lot of people like the slides, so feel free to use them in normal training, but take them off for time trials.

Rockin Roland · Post by **Rockin Roland** » December 31st, 2009, 11:28 pm

There will come a time when most competitions will be on either slides or a dynamic erg (C2 is still developing its dynamic erg).

As more people become aware of the various issues of using a stationary erg they will change.

It is already compulsory in Australia for all elite rowers and school rowers to do their time trials on C2 slides. Consequently the sale of slides here as well as other branded dynamic ergs have taken off recently. It's only a matter of time before the rest of the world catches up.