Recording workouts on gym Concept2

[Floridave]

I'm brand new to rowing and Concept 2 and we just got a Concept 2 Model 3 with PM4 at my employers wellness center. Did my first rowing workout on Friday.

I'm wondering what is the best way, or is there an easy way to record my workout electronically on a somewhat public Concept 2? It it not connected to a computer, just the standalone machine. It would have to be something I, ( or other employees) could use without impacting others.

Would the iphone kit work for that? so anyone could use it as normal, but those of that that want to link with iphone could do so easily and quickly? or are there other/better options to capture this information?

I use Garmin and Strava to track all my running/cycling/swimming/kayaking and would like to keep these rowing workouts in a similar fashion.

Thank you!

[Bob S.]

On the C2 website, go to indoor rowers, accessories, logcard. $6.50 plus shipping.

Bob S.

[Bob S.]

Added note: One should have been packed with the rower. Who has it? It can be used for more than one person, but a new one is fairly cheap.

Bob S.

[Khakikat]

The card will expand the number of workouts the machine remembers.
For me the beauty of the card, when traveling and using various rowers (they are called Ergs by some people) is that I don't have to write down the info. I take the card home and use my card reader and it speedily uploads to my online logbook on this website.

Now, here is my trick for quickly recording workouts if I forget my card and on PM2's (the older version without a card reader).
I just use my iPhone and snap a pictue of the screens.
I take the summary screen and then a pic of each 500m split.
I then use the spreadsheet from openoffice.org (because it can add intervals so easily, time is tricky on spreadsheets).
Apple's Numbers and Googledocs spreadsheet were frustrating to average time as an interval.
Openoffice just did it, easy as could be, allowing me to calculate my averages that the PM2 didn't provide.

So, it depends on how crazy quantitative you want to be.
Or how much money you want to spend ($40 card reader).

Summary: begin by using your phone and manually record it in the concept2 online logbook
See if you are hungry for more data.
You can also buy a polar H7 heart monitor.
The card captures both heart rate (HR) and strokes per minute (SPM) but does not upload this to the concept logbook.
I use the polar app to measure my heart rate at the gym.

Good luck to you.

[fishbust1]

Definitely get a card and the Athena card reader.

Then you can create a backup file on your pc, can upload your data and "rank" your best times online with your piers to see where you fit for your age group and see how you improve over time. It is a good motivator to see yourself moving up the list (and a challenge to work hard trying to move up that list!).

And if your pc crashes, your data is still on the C2 log site.

Good to track your lifetime miles! May as well get credit for all the meter's, make it to a million one day!

[gregsmith01748]

The other option is to get ErgData. If you have an iPhone or android phone, you buy a connection kit for 40 or 10 dollars respectively, and you can log you workouts directly to the phone and c2 website. It also gives you cool stats like drive length.

I think it's a better deal than log card and reader (and it works with the new pm5). If you already have a compatible phone.

[jackarabit]

To add to Greg's reply re: ErgData, upload of workout to C2 is simpler and faster than upload by card and card reader. I'm not a data and graph junkie but I like to keep the splits and HR for a piece without manual spreadsheet entry or resort to digital snapshots except as a last resort. Erg Data retains this data for each piece. Finally, if you have an iPad, you have an illuminated midsize monitor with visibility superior to that of either the phone or the PM. I have a booklight on my PM3 and a cardreader on an old PC but I like the ease of use of ErgData. Jack

[Bob S.]

Finally, if you have an iPad, you have an illuminated midsize monitor with visibility superior to that of either the phone or the PM. I have a booklight on my PM3 and a cardreader on an old PC but I like the ease of use of ErgData. Jack

What do you use to support the pad? I was considering the purchase of some sort of tripod head designed for pads.

Bob S.

[jackarabit]

Bob, search for thread "Mount for iPad or external monitor" from 1 Aug. Pix of my lashup in third post down and explanation of parts sourcing and attachment. Not directly applicable to use on a gym rower so trust the OP won't mind. I got the HR sender for Polar analog standard from C2 recently so the HR watch is gone from the rower handle. Jack

[fishbust1]

I am now using the iphone erg data, went that way for an experiment.

It seems better in a couple of ways than the card.
You have a brightly lit color display to read (not being a fan of the pm3 dark screen) and you can synch/upload your data automatically.

Will keep the card system of course, for backup and other users.
Also, the card would be better for using machines outside of the home, put it in the wallet and go, instead of carrying the cable and phone mount around.

If you have an iphone 5, you will need to purchase an adapter separately to use ergdata. The C2 cable is 30 pin for iPhone 4.

[wilyliam]

Yup - if it's a new PM4, iPhone kit works perfectly.