Hello - Rower Choice

[ccpt2kiddo]

HI - been looking at the Concept 2 rowers and I am not sure which model to go with and if a rower would even be good for me.

I'm an overweight 48 year old man - 235lbs on a good day.

I suffer from the following : plantar fasciitis and the occasional sciatica pain - both vary based upon my activity levels.

I have an office job so I am not up on my feet that often during the day.

My goal along with changing my eating habits is to lose at least the 35lbs and I've heard from reading that some folks used the rower.

I have a treadmill and find with my feet I cannot use it that often and only on really nice days with not too much heat I do ride my bike... usually around 16 to 20 miles in a given ride.

Looking for opinions about rower use with my sort of issues?

Also, if choosing a rower is there any benefit with going with the model E vs. D. Price seems to vary by about $230
I understand E is taller by 6" and has some different build like aluminum vs welded steel

I am leaning towards model E but not sure if the $230 is worth it or not.

[jamesg]

The E is higher off the ground.

20 - 30 minutes aboard a day can be a life changer. Take it easy to start with while you learn to row, but keep at it.

[Citroen]

The model E is designed for folks who would struggle to get down low enough to sit on a model D.

The frame is more sturdy (think Hummer vs F150).
The monitor arm is fixed (so you can lean on it).
The seat is 15cm higher off the floor.

Most of the rest of the machine is identical to a model D.

[Anth_F]

I own an E model, but would have settled for a C or D model regardless. Just happened to come across a good deal on a used E at the time.

Tbh, if you don't have problems to get down low and back up then a D model would be fine for you imo.

A D model is not exactly going to fall to pieces on you at any time

[Ombrax]

"Tbh, if you don't have problems to get down low and back up then a D model would be fine for you imo."

^^^^ I agree that this is the key issue.

If it's easier for you to down and up from a higher position then consider the E. Otherwise, there's no reason to not get the D.

Good luck getting back into shape. You'll find that if you're willing to put as little as 20-30 minutes 3-4 times a week into rowing, and if you push yourself the progress will be unmistakable and will motivate you to try even harder.

[Dangerscouse]

Having used both the Model D is my preference and I don't think a Model E is worth the extra money unless you really need it to be higher.

[ccpt2kiddo]

This is all good to know and I also found a gym nearby in a different town that has model D. So I am going there at the end of the month to try it out.

If I like it and can navigate it I plan on buying one the first week in September.

Sounds like the D model is just as sturdy as the E model.

[Ombrax]

If I like it and can navigate it

As far as navigating the various menus on the PM (Performance Monitor) that can be as simple or as complicated as you like. You can just sit down and start to row, or you can choose pre-programmed workouts, or program your own. For a test drive I think just rowing is good enough.

One thing you may want to investigate is the Drag Factor. When you first sit down on the rower the damper lever will likely be slammed to 10. Practically no one who really knows what he or she is doing rows with a lever at 10 unless they're doing very hard sprints. Take it down to around 5. For a well-maintained rower that will be a DF of around 110-120. If it's a dirty rower then having the lever at 5 it might be a DF well below that. To see what the DF really is for that lever position see the instructions or the link below.

See this link for information about the DF: https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/ ... etting-101


Link with more info on using the PM: https://www.concept2.com/service/monito ... how-to-use

Viewing Drag Factor

Drag factor is a measure of fan load. The Performance Monitor self-calibrates by recalculating the drag factor on every pull, so you get a true measure of your effort regardless of the damper setting or changing conditions. You can adjust the drag factor by moving the damper lever on the flywheel. (Learn more about damper setting and drag factor)

To view drag factor on the PM:

On the Main Menu, select More Options.
Select Display Drag Factor.
Begin rowing or skiing. The PM will display the drag factor after a few seconds.

A brand new indoor rower will have a drag factor of about 90–100 at a damper setting of 1 and about 210–220 at a damper setting of 10.

[johnlvs2run]

I suffer from the following : plantar fasciitis and the occasional sciatica pain - both vary based upon my activity levels.
I have an office job so I am not up on my feet that often during the day.

I stopped using the C2 rowing machines because of the sitting down type of exercise, which doesn't help at all
when you're already sitting all day. Instead of doing a sitting down exercise, I highly recommend looking at the Skierg.

Due to knee, leg and hip pain, I got a Skierg a year ago, and gradually built up to using it every day.
The Skierg is the best exercise machine that I've ever used. Perhaps you can try one when you visit the gym.

[ccpt2kiddo]

Thanks for the information about the PM5 set up and also about the SkiErg.

With respect to the rower and for that matter any exercise equipment that has a digital display... how accurate if anything is the display relative to calories burned?

[johnlvs2run]

With respect to the rower and for that matter any exercise equipment that has a digital display... how accurate if anything is the display relative to calories burned?

As far as I know, none of the exercise machines are accurate as to calories burned. However, the Pm5 calorie display is consistent and reliable. Plus, I do know of people who use it, so you could certainly use it from day to day in that manner.

[Citroen]

Thanks for the information about the PM5 set up and also about the SkiErg.

With respect to the rower and for that matter any exercise equipment that has a digital display... how accurate if anything is the display relative to calories burned?

It has the same level of effectiveness as 220-age for heart rate. As in none at all.
http://eodg.atm.ox.ac.uk/user/dudhia/ro ... #section11
It will give you an entirely, consistent and accurate result based on its, somewhat, flawed mathematics.

[hjs]

Thanks for the information about the PM5 set up and also about the SkiErg.

With respect to the rower and for that matter any exercise equipment that has a digital display... how accurate if anything is the display relative to calories burned?

Forget that anyway. The only way to get fitter and weigh less is food, food, food... sure exercise is important but if you do so for burning energy you won,t get far.

Re model E or D. E is higher and thats horrible when you are tired. You want the ground nearby in that situation. Almost never an E is better. D can also be stored much easier, by putting it in two.

Skierg is fine, but does not work the legs much, its mostly upperbody. Unless you are sprinting.

Skierg is more back friendly though. Tough on the shoulders though.

[ccpt2kiddo]

Thanks for the information about the PM5 set up and also about the SkiErg.

With respect to the rower and for that matter any exercise equipment that has a digital display... how accurate if anything is the display relative to calories burned?

Forget that anyway. The only way to get fitter and weigh less is food, food, food... sure exercise is important but if you do so for burning energy you won,t get far.

What do you mean by "The only way to get fitter and weigh less is food, food, food..." ?

I always thought the only way to loose weight is to have a calorie deficit.

[Allan Olesen]

What do you mean by "The only way to get fitter and weigh less is food, food, food..." ?

I always thought the only way to loose weight is to have a calorie deficit.

The point is that a calorie deficit of a given size will usually require a rather small reduction of food intake, but it will require an enormous increase of activity.

My daily calorie consumption without counting training is around 2000 kcal. I train quite a lot, so I get on average an additional 600 kcal from training. So if I eat somewhere around 2600 kcal a day, I am in balance.

Let us say that I want to create a daily 300 kcal deficit. I can achieve that by eating 12% less. Or I can achieve it by training 50% more.

There is good reason behind the old saying: "You can't outrun your diet." It is almost impossible to make up for overconsumption of food by exercising more.