Asensei

[shocks_]

I have been using the app off and on for 6 months. I have paid for the Eric Murray program.

The app has great potential, its not bad but the content is definitely lacking. I feel like a beta tester ! There are no programs really it's just a mish mash of rows with no real structure behind them. They have just integrated HR monitoring and in short order, I expect the HR data to be used. My honest opinion is they don't really have much of a product yet. It has huge potential and I hope they get the investment they need to develop the app properly. I suspect there won't be a product that most people will be interested in for at least 12 months. I will be delighted if I get this wrong and its quicker!

[asensei]

Good afternoon - it's Steven here, CEO of asensei.

I hope everyone is well in these crazy times. Apologies to miss this thread, but let me respond to multiple questions/comments.

Let me preface with; we're very driven by community feedback (and that includes many of you) and will continue to embrace it going forward. So I'll share where are are today, but I'll also share where we're going.

ONE TRAINER versus ALL TRAINERS

When we launched asensei, it was our intent that you would purchase coaching programs from different publishers. So Shane Farmer and Dark Horse Rowing would be one publisher, Eric Murray might be another publisher, etc. We wanted to be the place where coaches could create, publish and build a business creating connected coaching products on the asensei platform. We called this our "Amazon" model, akin to people being able to self-publish books on Amazon Kindle. We also considered that you wouldn't want to pay $30-40 a month for coaches that you didn't want bundled in with the coaches that you did, and so priced asensei to allow you to build out your own "channels" if you like, with there always being free content available.

However, we're learning that many of you would much rather pay a single subscription for a la carte access to whatever content you want. I think we've all been conditioned by Netflix, and so we call this the "Netflix model". We're working to address this, and to be open, the challenges are more on how we make sure we're solving challenges for coaches/publishers rather than for users/athletes, and still making this a marketplace that works for coaches and athletes.

So today; you can choose to purchase either Eric Murray's (RE)WARD program or the DARK HORSE ROWING program with Shane Farmer, and you can choose to have one of them or both of them.

PROGRAMS VERSUS WORKOUTS

I noticed shocks_ mention "There are no programs really, it's just a mish mash of rows". This highlights an opportunity for us to improve communications. We support both:

Shane's DARK HORSE ROWING subscription currently includes a carefully designed 8-week cycle. You can choose to do erg only (2 erg workouts a week), erg and strength training (2 erg workouts, 2 strength/bodyweight workouts) or erg, strength and mobility (2 erg, 2 strength and 1 mobility workout). The program is designed around 8 phases, with you cycling back to the first phase after the eigth. As asensei continuously sets your targets and goals based on previous performances, the DARK HORSE ROWING program progresses at your pace.

Eric's (RE)WARD subscription currently contains a single 6-week program called (RE)COMMIT that takes you to a 2k test every 6 weeks. It's designed to be 2-3 sessions a week spread over 6 weeks.

Additionally, Eric just created recently a set of workouts named after famous places he has raced; he introduces each of the workouts and then gets right into it. These aren't intended to be lessons or builds towards goals per se, but supplemental workouts with Eric narrating as you go.

For both programs, when you subscribe you are given a PDF workbook and wallplanner to help plan out these workouts, but each builds into the next in a very programmatic way. We are doing more to guide you from one workout to the next.

Then, included with both subscriptions are a series of ABOVE + BEYOND workouts. These workouts have less coaching/instruction and are just a collection of individual workouts, some interval, some steady state, some HIIT, some longer and some shorter, that you can hop on the erg and do at your leisure. These workouts have no instruction, and are opportunities for you to instead just knock out some extra workouts when you don't want to go through a coached session.

COMING SOON

We just wrapped filming with British Rowing and some of the Team GB athletes, and will be releasing the first of our British Rowing workouts in the very near future. Similarly, we filmed workouts with Johan Quie, a San Francisco rowing studio coach. If Johan hadn't have wiped himself out in a bike accident we'd have released these workouts sooner, but he's back to fighting fit (and was due to race again at the Crew Classic) and we'll be pushing his workouts imminently.

WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER?

Our subscriptions have proven confusing, and we've learned that customers want to just pay a single subscription so that asensei becomes their "Netflix for Coaching". We're working towards that model for you.

If there are particular coaches, programs, goals you'd like to see programs for, please let us know. Shane has a plethora of programs from 500m to 2k tests, marathon rows. Eric spits out program ideas faster than we can film him, and we've got his home studio setup so he can create content quicker than we can publish it.

So let us know what you want, and feel free to reach out at support@asensei.com -- as I really don't want to hijaack the forum here.

Apologies again that I didn't see this thread until now.

Safe practice.

Steven

[Mrhelichopper]

Thanks for the comprehensive post Steven, and well done on creating a nice app.

My only request is that if you change to a “Netflix” model, something I personally support, you allow existing subscribers to move to the new model at reasonable cost.

Great to read that you have more workouts on the way, keep up the good work.

[RAUK]

Great app so far. Very helpful to have the ceo of Asensei set out the pricing structure here. I just hope that the Netflix model is rolled out fully. I just bought the ‘Murray’ programme and look forward to the Team GB content being available via that subscription.

[Ian-Humphreys]

Hi, I have been using the app since November 2019. I am a complete beginner to rowing, overweight and not very fit. I have found the app very helpful as it has coached me how to row technically and as you row it learns how you are performing and gives you challenges. On my own in the garage this is very useful as I would not have every believed I could do what I am doing now.

I have done a few ranked workouts via the erg app to see where I am - 5k and 10k. I am improving all the time.

I am in my 4th cycle of Eric reCommit program and I am continuing to get better and the system is pushing me forward. Hoping to get below 8 mins for 2k shortly. I did come from a very low base. I supplement with other sessions from below depending how I am feeling each day.

I signed up to the reCommit program and have access to the following (Gold Membership)
reCommit 6 week program - 14 workouts
Eric Murray Above and Beyond 13 workouts
Above and Beyond 5 min quickies 10 workouts
Above and Beyond 10 mins 10 workouts
Above and Beyond 15 mins 10 workouts
Above and Beyond Ladders 10 workouts
Sweat, Smile, Sculpt - 2 works out more to come (beta)

For me, especially in this Covid world, the app, C2 and the coaching are invaluable. Plenty to choose from and for me I need this motivation and target setting to get me through the sessions. Happy to answer any questions

[mitchel674]

I'm really enjoying the workouts with coach Johan. Very well done with an excellent warm-up.

My only gripe with the app is that there is no way to dial up or down the intensity of the workouts. I just finished a 12 week marathon training plan. Lots of really long, low intensity rows. With the marathon complete, I'm back at it with Asensei and the targeted pace from the app is just too high. It's frustrating to see that I cannot meet those targets and the app is admonishing me to row faster, etc...

[warnie]

I tried Asensei back last year when it was free, enjoyed it but I was disappointed there was no integration with the C2 log (understand that's now fixed which is an excellent move) but for me the memberships were too expensive for what they offered, especially as rowing is a second sport for me. On top of other monthly memberships I couldn't justify it unfortunately.

If the pricing model changes in the future I'd definitely take another look and see what's on offer and weigh up the costs. Watch a lot of Shane Farmer's videos on youtube - some excellent material. Good luck with the app moving forward.

[mitchel674]

I tried Asensei back last year when it was free, enjoyed it but I was disappointed there was no integration with the C2 log (understand that's now fixed which is an excellent move) but for me the memberships were too expensive for what they offered, especially as rowing is a second sport for me. On top of other monthly memberships I couldn't justify it unfortunately.

If the pricing model changes in the future I'd definitely take another look and see what's on offer and weigh up the costs. Watch a lot of Shane Farmer's videos on youtube - some excellent material. Good luck with the app moving forward.

Asensei does integrate with the C2 logbook at this time. It even comes with a description of the workout. Pretty good but no other details regarding the rows.

[brookwaters]

Would be ok with paying a lifetime membership as apposed to monthly...

[Mortie31]

There are literally dozens of follow along workouts on YouTube, is the coaching and technique assistance worth the subscription?

[robby]

There are literally dozens of follow along workouts on YouTube, is the coaching and technique assistance worth the subscription?

For me it was, but more importantly, the integration with and real-time goal-setting and feedback from the C2 is a big differentiator compared to watching Youtube videos.

[wryly coyote]

There are literally dozens of follow along workouts on YouTube, is the coaching and technique assistance worth the subscription?

For me it was, but more importantly, the integration with and real-time goal-setting and feedback from the C2 is a big differentiator compared to watching Youtube videos.

What feedback do you get? I did the practice workout and it tells you to row faster if you are behind the pace or slow down if you are ahead...but that's obvious from the numbers.

[mitchel674]

There are literally dozens of follow along workouts on YouTube, is the coaching and technique assistance worth the subscription?

For me it was, but more importantly, the integration with and real-time goal-setting and feedback from the C2 is a big differentiator compared to watching Youtube videos.

What feedback do you get? I did the practice workout and it tells you to row faster if you are behind the pace or slow down if you are ahead...but that's obvious from the numbers.

But still that data is better than just watching a workout on Youtube and having no PM5 data guiding you. I find the Asensei input helpful when doing some of the ladder or pyramid workouts. The app keeps me at the proper rating. My biggest issue with Asensei is the inability to adjust the pace it requires me to hit. I think it would be nice if we could select from three levels of intensity. Not every workout has to be a PB!

[andrescarazo]

The question that I would like to be answered is if after I pay the $150 or $75, if you take advantage of the Black Friday deal, for the 1 year subscription, do I have to pay extra for the different programs i.e. Eric, Murray’s , Shane Farmer’s or Johan Quine’s programs. Do the $150 includes access to any of those programs?

[Jesscambridge]

The question that I would like to be answered is if after I pay the $150 or $75, if you take advantage of the Black Friday deal, for the 1 year subscription, do I have to pay extra for the different programs i.e. Eric, Murray’s , Shane Farmer’s or Johan Quine’s programs. Do the $150 includes access to any of those programs?

Everything is included in the subscription. One price and you can see all the programs and workouts AFAIK. I’m relatively new to asensei but have tried workouts from several. I mostly do RECOMMIT with Eric Murray.