First Day Rower

[Zeeter]

I wanted a rower last year, but no stores carry any decent ones. Needing instant gratifications, I chose an elliptical, instead. That machine is currently in the basement being used as a clothes rack. Not sure why I never took to it.

This year I have more patience and ordered a model D on Sunday. Shockingly (and great for C2) it will arrive in mere hours from now! I am very excited about this. The choice came down to the waterrower or the concept 2. I think the kicker for me was the PM5 and the community. They both get great reviews, but the Concept 2 just seems to have a lot more people using them.

I am 48 years old, 6', and weigh 240. Sadly, most of that extra weight is not muscle mass. I do not expect that I will be ripped anytime soon, or even ever. My goal at this point is to get down to my fighting weight of 190. Or maybe 200 with that extra 10 lbs as muscle.

I have seen the videos and read a lot of advice on using the rower. It is not easy, but I hope to start slow and build up. What I haven't been able to find are targets for someone my age. Most that I've seen are for people who are generally in decent shape and younger.

Also, the nomenclature. What the heck is an "erg"?

[Bob S.]

Also, the nomenclature. What the heck is an "erg"?

Short for the original name, Concept 2 Rowing Ergometer, now called the Concept 2 Indoor Rower. It is also used as a verb: to erg is to use an erg and erg users are sometimes called ergers.

[Zeeter]

Also, the nomenclature. What the heck is an "erg"?

Short for the original name, Concept 2 Rowing Ergometer, now called the Concept 2 Indoor Rower. It is also used as a verb: to erg is to use an erg and erg users are sometimes called ergers.

Aha! Now the challenge question when I signed up makes sense: "Does an erg float?"

Thanks Bob

[lindsayh]

A lot of the acronyms and the like are just above here

http://www.c2forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=110942

A few hours spent reading in the training threads for "newbie" topics will give you a huge start.
Good luck - it is a great machine
(and don't forget the importance of diet in all this)

[Zeeter]

It just arrived. I broke a sweat just unpacking it. Lord help me when I start using it. But I'm excited. Going to take it slow and read/watch the training materials.

[jackarabit]

The ergometer (measurer of work from the Greek) is a venerable device whch measures human work done to a flywheel which resists rotation under the influence of frictional, magnetic, hydrodynamic or aerodynamc braking. It predates the C2 rower by at least 150 years. See also dynamometer.

[Carl Watts]

Like any piece of static exercise equipment, long term motivation is the problem.

Doesn't matter if its a water rower or a Concept 2 or just something cheap, in 6 months they all turn into a cloths rack for most people and not long after that they come up for sale.

The big difference with the Concept 2 is you can get online and row with others using RowPro.

This is my seventh season rowing and have never looked back, RowPro is what has made the difference for me.

[jamesg]

I am 48 years old, 6', and weigh 240.

Ideal for the erg. Day one of your new life: 100-48 = 52y, so you've plenty of time to enjoy yourself.

[Zeeter]

I did 6000 meters last night, which I thought was pretty good for a first time. Concentrated on form mostly so my times were awful. That's probably to be expected.

My legs didn't feel it too much. In fact, when pushing off with my legs I felt almost no resistance. I'm a little concerned about that. Most muscles, from my arms and upper back down to my butt are pretty tight today but my legs really feel fine. There must be something wrong in my form.

[hjs]

I did 6000 meters last night, which I thought was pretty good for a first time. Concentrated on form mostly so my times were awful. That's probably to be expected.

My legs didn't feel it too much. In fact, when pushing off with my legs I felt almost no resistance. I'm a little concerned about that. Most muscles, from my arms and upper back down to my butt are pretty tight today but my legs really feel fine. There must be something wrong in my form.

The erg does not make you work. You yourself do that. To get the legs working you need to push faster. If you feel your upperbody, that either is relative less strong or you use it to much.

[jamesg]

when pushing off with my legs I felt almost no resistance

The harder you pull, the more you accelerate the flywheel and the more resistance you'll feel: it's equal to your pull.

[Bob S.]

The big difference with the Concept 2 is you can get online and row with others using RowPro.

Another is that the C2 can still get a good price when it is no longer needed as a clothes rack.

[Bob S.]

My legs didn't feel it too much. In fact, when pushing off with my legs I felt almost no resistance.

You need to push hard with your legs right from the catch, almost as if you were leaping into the air. However, make sure that the handle is moving just as much as the seat. One common error is to allow the torso to swing a bit of forward at the start of the drive, which results in the loss of some of that drive by the strong muscles of the legs. Another problem is starting the arms too soon. Your elbows should not start to bend until your legs are just about straight. It generally takes a clear side-view video to catch these flaws. It is not easy to observe them in the middle of the action.

[Tiptx4]

I have had mine for 4 days now as I can remember the day it arrived, I was so excited when that brown truck showed up in my driveway. I'm not out breaking any records as I'm 60 years old and very new to rowing but I absolutely love this machine. In the 4 days I have rowed over 37,000 meters which isn't much by many standards on here but the main thing is that it is going to be getting used an awful lot.

[lindsayh]

I have had mine for 4 days now as I can remember the day it arrived, I was so excited when that brown truck showed up in my driveway. I'm not out breaking any records as I'm 60 years old and very new to rowing but I absolutely love this machine. In the 4 days I have rowed over 37,000 meters which isn't much by many standards on here but the main thing is that it is going to be getting used an awful lot.

One of the great things about indoor rowing is that people in their 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s can get to competing and indeed breaking records even if late starters. You will have a great time improving rapidly in the next year or so.