Newbie - maybie!

[newbluesfan]

Hi

I am thinking about getting some rowing exercise to complement the huge amount of swimming that I do each week (about 18-22k per week - 5 sessions).

A C2 would seem to be a possibility - but the thought of staring at the walls in my garage/spare room are making me have second thoughts.

Are there any swimmers out there using C2s - with any comments about twinning these two activities together?

Generally to everyone - do the same walls start to drive you mad or do you have a secret tactic that keeps you focussed? (do people watch tv or listen to music - what works best?

Hope this newbie - maybie ramble makes sense to someone


many thanks in advance

Dave


(55y - never rowed - except on a rowing boat on the Norfolk Broads )

[badocter]

I am not a swimmer, but here's my two bits for what its worth.

I have my back yard to look out over. Most of the time I am fixated on the pace and stroke rate, and if it is a online race, then the position of the other participants comes into play, especially if we are close

Being involved in a team also helps the motivation and I do a fair number of online/offline challenges. c2ctc.com is my favorite - today is the last day of the 5k challenge, the 30' challenge starts tomorrow.

[Widgeon]

I row in front of the TV. Often watching shows with my family. I also watch professional conferences, so can get my CME credits taken care of and exercise at the same time. If I am really trying to focus on split times, interval work, etc. I will row without anything on the tube. For long aerobic stuff, TV or stereo does help the time go by more effortlessly, though I will find myself going anaerobic during the more exciting action scenes!

Pam

[PJM]

I have a great TV in my home gym and my erg is directly in front of the TV..I also have access to videos so my rows are never boring.Then I switch to music occasionally and have a head set in my reach at all times.I could not row to silence or to 4 walls..just couldn't do it.But that is me

Pat

[igoeja]

I ran into someone erging, doing 500M repeats alternating with weight training. I was impressed/curious, since he seemed to have significant power. Upon investigation, I found he was a master level swimmer, who had done a 6:15 2K @ the Crash-B's a few years ago.

On a physiological level, elite rowers and swimmer share a high mitochondrial density and increased capilarization. Not sure that rowing would benefit your swimming, but there are some related characteristics.

[igoeja]

Although there are many things used to stay motivated, teams, friends, clubs, etc, since I only row on an erg by myself, the best support comes from my iPod, with relevant motivating tunes.

[newbluesfan]

Thanks all for your posts.

I am definitely going to put my order in for an E model and maybe an MP3 player too

I am so impressed by how chirpy you all are and that it doesn't have to be solitary confinement either.

I have good long distance swimming stamina - so hopefully that will help with the C2.

Do i have to have a computer close by my C2 to do all the things you guys are doing?

A great forum too - many thanks

Dave

[Citroen]

I am definitely going to put my order in for an E model ...

Er, why not a model D, model Es are primarily designed for commercial gyms where the rowers normally get beaten to death, don't get maintained and are frequently hidden at the back so no one can find them.

Do i have to have a computer close by my C2 to do all the things you guys are doing?

If you have a rower at home, it would be outright stupidity not to hook it up to your computer/laptop and use RowPro for online racing. You'll have spent a fortune (over £1000 in the UK) so not spending $99 (~£50) for a RowPro licence wouldn't make sense.

The computer has to be within 5 metres of the computer (due to the restricted length of a USB cable).

A great forum too - many thanks

There's another great forum at http://concept2.co.uk/forum

[MikeH]

but the thought of staring at the walls in my garage/spare room are making me have second thoughts.

As a former competitive swimmer, let me assure you that staring at a PM is a heck of a lot more interesting than staring at the neverending line at the bottom of the pool!

Mike

[newbluesfan]

I am definitely going to put my order in for an E model ...

Er, why not a model D, model Es are primarily designed for commercial gyms where the rowers normally get beaten to death, don't get maintained and are frequently hidden at the back so no one can find them.

Do i have to have a computer close by my C2 to do all the things you guys are doing?

If you have a rower at home, it would be outright stupidity not to hook it up to your computer/laptop and use RowPro for online racing. You'll have spent a fortune (over £1000 in the UK) so not spending $99 (~£50) for a RowPro licence wouldn't make sense.

The computer has to be within 5 metres of the computer (due to the restricted length of a USB cable).

A great forum too - many thanks

There's another great forum at http://concept2.co.uk/forum

Citroen

- the E model being higher off the ground attracted me - and only a bit more expensive than the D? Also resale values might be better in the longer term?
- Rowpro is now on my list
- I shall try to get the rower within 5m too!!
- sorry didn't realise there was a UK site too


MikeH

- I love staring at the black line and I hope to be equally enamoured with a PM, eventually


Dave

[Citroen]

Citroen

- the E model being higher off the ground attracted me - and only a bit more expensive than the D? Also resale values might be better in the longer term?
- Rowpro is now on my list
- I shall try to get the rower within 5m too!!
- sorry didn't realise there was a UK site too

It's not a problem being on both forums. The UK one gets a lot more traffic.

You're not far from me. I live in Kempshott and use the Centre Gym in Basingstoke. I run a 2500m and short course 300m & 100m competition in Basingstoke near Easter. http://rowing.dyn-o-saur.com

If you row an all out hard 2K, it's a long way to fall from a model E onto the floor. Also I don't like the position of the fixed monitor arm. The resale value may be higher, but the demand for a model E is lower.
Take a look at http://www.concept2.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=7 for the second hand marketplace on the UK forum.

[newbluesfan]

I run a 2500m and short course 300m & 100m competition in Basingstoke near Easter. http://rowing.dyn-o-saur.com

I had better get practising then - only 10 months to go! (2.5k - I'm NO sprinter!)

- on my new E - I plan to have the garage wall on one side and my golden retriever lying on the other side - that should be a soft enough landing

- I wasn't sure on E or D but sent my order off just before you reposted.

Dave

.

[ckaiserca]

- on my new E - I plan to have the garage wall on one side and my golden retriever lying on the other side - that should be a soft enough landing
.

A golden retriever? LUXURY! I only have a chihuahua to pad my landings!

[newbluesfan]

Yes - Model E up and running in the garage

positives

nice and easy to pop into the garage for a 5/10 min row
very comfortable seat
2k times coming down nicely especially after having had another look at the proper rowing technique CDROM - not as easy or intuitive as I had thought, for a non rower!
great entering times on the rankings - very motivating for me at this early stage
my swimming has sharpened up already
golden retriever is much more comfortable with 'hissing sid' in the garage - he looked at it very suspiciously to start with!

negatives

my soft swimmers hands are getting very sore - as fast as the callouses harden the water softens them up again - i am trying hooking my fingers on the handle but it is not as easy when pushing it for a fast time
still need a way of linking my pc up to the model E (pc in an unheated garage??) and then linking that to the internet - is it worth it though - do people really race each other online?

Dave

[sledgehammer]

1. There is a lot of racing online. Come join us. See: http://tinyurl.com/6k2kek

2. I you are a swimmer, you might be inspired by watching DVD of elite level swimmers at Olympics, World Championships, etc.

I have a few DVD's of rowing Olyimpics and World Championships. I put them on the TV. I crank the music loud, and then I pretend I'm in the action.

Also works for me with DVD's of soccer and hockey games.