Concept2 Forum

On May 21 in the NY Times on page 6....

There is a diagram of fitness machines used in 1987 and 2005. I looked at it and thought (*^&&%(*&)*%)(*#$*(^&%T*WYWY!!!!!

What the heck.

There were 17% rowing machines as most popular machines in Gyms and now the rower is not even on the chart! Is the times wrong or is it true. We have to do something about this.

Let's get the W O R D out!!!!


XENO

I searched NYTimes.com and could not find the story. I'd like to see the chart and what it is based upon.

A few things that occur to me:

In 1987 the piston resistance type rowers were, I believe, enjoying their 15 minutes of fitness fame. They are gone now, it seems to me
( However, I do think these were more popular for in-home rather than institutional use.)

Eliptical machines, which I don't believe existed in 1987, are probably the most popular machines now.

Rowers are at a disadvantage popularity-wise, compared to other machines IMO. The others require no technique, hence the rise of elipticals.

Another disadvantage of rowers, while with good technique they can be strengthening, with poor technique they invite injury.

Vis a vis treadmills & elipticals, people already know how to walk. Recumbant bikes, people already know how to sit, and stationary pedaling is close to mindless.

Because rowers "ask more" of users, I think it is a smaller, but much more committed group. While the erging numbers can grow, (as they have since C2 started in a barn,) I wonder how much the percentages against other machines ever will.

Rowing is harder than the other activities, it is difficult to watch TV, and it is hard to keep your ipod headphone cord from getting stuck under the rollers. So I think it is unlikely that rowing will ever be all that popular.

Comparability between machines that allows racing is what makes the C2 unique and unlike any other cardio activity. But other machines will adopt this and some have sort of already (I think there may be a bike trainer than offers racing). Virtual sports will be increasingly popular and while C2 was first on this trend they have done very little to stay in front.

Online rowing with rowpro and/or other options like Supercanoa needs to continue to grow and could use some support by C2.

The article "24 Hour Sweaty People" starts on the front of the May 21 Sunday Styles section, and continues on page 6, where there are two pie charts.

The pie charts are captioned "most popular machines at the gym" and break down as follows:

1987

35% -- stationary bikes
26% -- free weights
17% -- weight machines
17% -- rowing machines
5% -- treadmills

2005

28% -- treadmillls
28% -- free weights
17% -- stationary bikes
17% -- weight machines
10% -- elliptical motion machines

The source of this information is cited at the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, but no indication of how popularity was determined.

The gym I belonged to in the 80s had Liferowers. Liferowers had a video screen where the same landscape & clouds passed by every 500 meters or so, and the machine made an electronic splashing noise each time you pulled.

Hey, I remember those. The gym I belonged to in the early 90s had one. I used to love rowing it against a pace boat because the little helicopter would come by and drop new people into the pace boat. I think my technique was all wrong in those days too. Arms, back, legs. And thought I was doing great if I did a 5K in 30 minutes!

Try this link for the graphic.

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2006/ ... aphic.html

and this one for the article (you may need a user name and pw)
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/21/fashi ... ref=slogin

Keep on rowin', eh.

Jim

The Los Angeles Times had an article in the Health section about 2 weeks ago about how not to use elliptical trainers. It also goes for steppers.

The author tests various equipment and exercise classes, then reports on them.

Lots of folks ride the pedals of the ellipticals and steppers, proven by the up and down motion of their torsos. To get a workout, the user must hold their body steady, and drive the pedals. That's work, like on a rowing erg. In the article, the author reports how much pain he was in all over after this correct use workout on an elliptical trainer. Serves him right

So its easier to cheat on those devices, and talk, and listen to music. Rowers you just can't cheat. Takes all the fun out of being social and pretending to be exercising.

michaelb wrote:Rowing is harder than the other activities, it is difficult to watch TV, and it is hard to keep your ipod headphone cord from getting stuck under the rollers. So I think it is unlikely that rowing will ever be all that popular.

Wireless headphones work for me.