Why did you start using a rower--specifically, the C2?

[sekitori]

I’m sure many of you had previously rowed on the water so the change to an indoor rower was a logical one. But I expect that many of us have different reasons.

I was a runner—not an outstanding one, but still fairly decent. I would put in my 25 to 30 miles a week as a matter of routine. In addition, I took a step aerobics class where I was constantly jumping on and off of a 10 inch bench. No problems, I thought. Then one day I happened to look at my left Achilles tendon. Instead of appearing slightly concave or flat, it was convex and slightly swollen. Since I was having no pain, that didn’t bother me very much but because it looked rather strange, I checked with a sports podiatrist to be sure it was okay. It wasn’t. I had an MRI and the diagnosis was Achilles tendinosis. The podiatrist said that if I continued with those weight bearing exercises, the Achilles tendon would eventually rupture, that my ankle would be a in cast for a long time, and my exercise routine would be set back for many months.

He said the best thing I could do was to stop doing my present exercise routine and substitute it with exercise such as swimming or one where I would be seated and the trauma to the tendon greatly decreased.

Since I didn't have regular access to a pool, swimming was not an option. After doing some research, an indoor rower seemed to be the answer and since the C2 had such an outstanding reputation, I bought a model C. I have since changed to a model D. After 17 years, rowing has remained my primary source of aerobic exercise. My Achilles tendon went back to normal not long after I stopped traumatizing it and now even though I’m cleared to run two or three miles a day, I choose to spend my time on the C2 instead.

[gregsmith01748]

I started exercising seriously because I was fat. I used the rower as one flavor of aerobic exercise that was skewed more towards running. After a year of that, I developed osteoarthritis in my knee. After a round of cortisone to reduce inflammation and pain, I decided to get skew more the the rower.

It's now 5 years later, I'm 40 pounds lighter. After two years on the erg, I went and took a learn to row class. Now I have a erg, a boat and I'm racing on the water. And my knee is so much better that I can go for run when I feel like it (which isn't very often).

I view it as the best possible outcome from an osteo-arthritis diagnosis.

[Carl Watts]

Stopped paying for Gym fees by purchasing a brand new Model C in 2000.

Used these at the Gym and from age 40 its just about controlling your weight and maintaining a level of fitness and muscle mass that can carry you through to later life.

The Concept 2 rower performs the core of this with perhaps a few other activities like swimming, cycling or running thrown into the mix its all you need.

Really it was just math that go me started as a about 3 years of gym fees was a new rower which is still going strong to this day.

[btlnorway]

For 4 month ago the local gym started indoor rowing groups. I felt this was something for me compared to spinning and all other gym concepts (yoga, crossfit..)
I bought myself a Modell D with PM5 for a month ago because the gym is 30 minutes driving away from home and I have 2 children (1and 4 years old), so it can be hard to find time to do workouts.
I combine indoor rowing with crosscountryskiing (sometimes skierg) and weigthtraining. That combination is great because you use the opposite muscles in the upperbody on the "drive" and " recovery" when you doublepole (exceps Lats).
I also like the low risk of injury.

[Couch Potato]

Was introduced to the C2 as part of restorative exercise. It amazed me how unfit I felt when getting of after just ten minutes.
Challenged myself to get better:

Have completed 17 million since starting (2002).
At least three full marathons (fastest 2:48:08.2) and countless halfs.
Sub 7 for the 2000 (my original target).
Sub 18' for 5000 (18:04.3 nearly - 4 seconds too slow but beating my buddy at the Cambridge IRC, made up for the tardiness).
BIRC a couple of times just to be part of the event.

Those times are now distant memories and I now use the erg to maintain a modicum of fitness. User of RowPro to row online with others when the day job allows.

Never been on the water!

[jackarabit]

Started 6 May '14. In cardiac rehab PT since March last yr., lot of treadmill and Aerodyne and stationary TT bike simulator (the worst day I ever had I could still spin at 95-100 cadence for 10' but the aerobic capacity was on the floor along with my ticker). Cardiac gym had a model C. I started reading up on the C2 because like so many beginners i couldn't push hard enuf with legs to create resistance. Bought my nearly unused second hand D in July '14; now at 1.5MM meters. Still a slow old fart but weight down 20lbs., resting HR 54 and Max 172, can bite off more of the Bruce protocol than the cardiologist wants to witness. Rowing to stay alive but have immediate goal of 8:33 for 2k which is the average time in my age category. Long term more weight training for increased power and muscular balance. Also hope to build CV endurance at 10K to HM distance. The scenery is boring even on Rowpro but the erg is a better all-round fitness tool than a road bike imo. No traffic jamming and a lot less ride prep, maintenance, and expense. Jack

[Edward4492]

After 10 years, 300 bike races, and too many broken bones I needed a change. Tried crossfit for about six months, but was immediately drawn to the erg. First time on (with what turned out to be some excellent instruction) I pulled a 2:00 500m, rested and pulled 1:45. For my age and weight (57 at the time, 165lbs) not too bad. Over a period of several months drifted away from the crossfit and started to erg more and more. Bought a Model D brand new in October of 2013, went to CRASH B 's in February of 2014 and got a bronze medal (a fair amount of luck went into that one, but it is what it is) and got totally hooked. Have been erging 60 to 90k weekly since then, sitting on a 6:59 2k, got Concept 2 certfied, and I'm coaching and setting up erg classes at the local gym.

You might say I'm hooked!

[Tiptx4]

Well for me it has been 12 plus years since I last rowed. I have been using other exercise equipment through many years as I would rather exercise at home. I heard so many health benefits about rowing and read tons of great reviews about the C2 that I thought better late than never. Treadmills don't really do it for me, hard on my knees.

Ellipticals give you a good workout but they always seem to develop so for of squeak annoying noise out of no where. Got to keep up on the maintenance with them. Not into free weights although I did own a solflex which I thought was pretty cool. Not so much into strength training as I own a Total Gym which is nice but pricey, not worth the money. I thought I would use it more than what I do but I was wrong.

My Nordic track Pro Plus skier some 25 plus years old is my machine I like using as I do get a good workout on it. Years ago those skiers were built to last, now they are junk. So looking for something that has stood the test of time and still going strong as ever. Something that people swear too about being the best at what it's design to do. Most equipment now a days just are not built to last. I did look into the water rowers as they are beautiful but when I heard some stories about people having leaks and cracks in their tanks as I wasn't about to take that chance. I know it's rare but I would be so upset regardless how good the warranty was.

It's strange how rowing just doesn't get the recognition that it should as it may be one form of exercise that people seem to always overlook. I know I did for 12 plus years. I sold some things back then due to a certain situation I was going thru and Wow! Wish I would have kept it now. I'm looking for a way to loose that extra 8-10 lbs within 4-6 months. I wanted something that will give me a total body workout that is easy on my joints. Well after doing some intensive reach on the benefits of rowing and reading reviews I know that the C2 has an outstanding reputation with fantastic customer service that I was looking for.

3 days ago I place my order for the C2 model E as it is soon to arrive. I feel good about my purchase and really looking forward to feeling good again and having more energy. So glad to be coming back.

[bisqeet]

8 years in green, doing stupid stuff (i.e. jumping out of perfectly functioning airplanes) and sillier training that and lots of sports ,bust my knees.
Have no cartridge left on my right, no meniscus on either knee. A mountainbiking accident saw to breaking both my arms, jaw and craving two vertebrae. Apparently I'm 30% disabled.
At any point stopped all high impact activities, concentrating on biking, swimming and weights.
First used the c2 as a warm-up machine for training. Liked it. Liked it a lot.
Bought my model D in August 2015 - should hit 3 million for the season. Considering in summer, hiking, swimming and biking take priority it ain't bad.
This year in even going to try some otw.

Plus side is (at last that is my opinion) I have built up so much muscle on the legs, knees that both knees are stable - I have no problems whatsoever, in fact I started training 1 week after the op.

I rarely have any back problems either. I put it down to the rower.
At 196 105 kilo when I started in Aug.
Now 94kg with 12% body fat.

I owe it mostly to the people here. The Pete Plan crew know who they are, but without their motivation I might have not done so much or so well...

[mwalsh]

As I said in another post, specifically the C2 because it's what you need to use so you can "compete" against others. If it wasn't for that, I might well have chosen the Sole SR500 since I have a Sole F80 treadmill and have been really, really happy with it.

As to jumping out of perfectly fine aeroplanes...my flight instructor said you should never do that, and I've always tried to live by that advice.

[jamesg]

Age 11, I started sculling in a wooden dinghy and skiffs (all prewar and half a ton each) in the West India Docks and off the dock entrance (head-ropes). My father was a river and dock-pilot during the blitz, and kept his boats moored in bomb-craters along the dock quays. Then went to a rowing school in London and paddled in 8s up and down the Thames and Cam until 21.

Stopped until age 62, beset by backache, desks and cars. Was told by Doc to get moving, so did, on erg. 12 Mm since. All aches and pains cured as from day 1. Still none at 75, apart from hip joint wear, one replaced; weight under control.

The C2 show us what we're doing, in numbers, simply, accurately and at low cost. Can even criticize us. Has practically nothing on board to go wrong. Can't fall off it or hit walls, can't run into trees or rocks and break ribs as one does on skis and bikes (my last rib count = 5), or get hit and killed by rabid drivers (1 friend), can't drown. No snow, rain wind or mud. Never broke a rib in 12.000 km. Able within a week to swim a mile; scull, kayak or walk 5-10; ski XC 10-20.

[lindsayh]

35 years in the gym but no real athletic history at all but about 200+ sessions a year so pretty fit/strong.
About 8 years ago there were some multi event competitions in the gym which included 500 and 2k OTE (C2) - one of the instructors had been to Boston
Did about 1:30 500m first real TT then got serious, won some races, set AR and discovered a competitive side that I was unaware of until then.
Average 30-50ks a week - max 80 (280 month once). Have always done some weights circuits.
Since then the training has been very erg focussed especially last 5 years as I have got faster/more serious. Training now a bit limited by OA of the knees but miraculously the erg is very knee friendly and the professionals all say keep doing it.
Looking forward to 65+ later this year! Goals this year sub 6:45 and 1:25 - ya gotta keep dreaming!

[Balkan boy]

For a few years I was using the C2 rower in the gym to complement my running. Those were the Damper 10, 40' per week days. Then I started focusing more on endurance training and drifted more towards the erg. A year ago I badly damaged both wrists in a bike crash. Right at that time I was aiming to peak for a first race. I found that the only equipment I could use with force was the C2. I started reading more about technique and pacing, then I followed the Pete Plan and the Wolverine Plan. I'm currently pretty hooked on it, and it's my main training almost every day.
I'll never be fast on the damn thing, but I like the challenge it offers. When I tell outsiders about erg-ing, I usually open with that you can do 110% efforts without impact and injuries.

[Schooner36]

I am 73, 6'3" and weigh 203#. When I was in my 20's, I dislocated my shoulder several times playing basketball. When I was in my 30's, I got smart enough to stop playing basketball. My shoulder got so bad I couldn't fly fish for any length of time. Two years ago, I had a complete shoulder replacement and 6 months later a knee replacement. I was very diligent about the physical therapy for both of them and regained about full mobility in each joint - both docs said I was in the 95th percentile.

Joined a gym to use their warm pool for the exercises using the water resistance - very easy on the joints. Then I moved to some of the weight machines and used the elliptical for a warm up. A nurse practitioner said I should really do aerobic exercises 5 days a week for 30 minutes. I started dividing my time between the Concept2 and the elliptical and for the last 2 months I find myself just using the rower for about 30 minutes 5 days a week. The shoulder surgeon said the rower was an ideal exercise for the shoulder. I like it because it is a works a lot of muscles as well as providing the aerobics.
I just did a 5K in just under 23 minutes and have been doing 5 - 6 k five days a week so far. I have lost about 5 # in the last two months and would like to loose 5 - 10 more. With my new knee, I don't quite get my shins to vertical yet, but very close. Have been looking at the websites and this forum to figure out the right way to do stuff.

The gym has two Concept2 PM5 machines - sometimes there is a waiting line even at 5AM. The physical trainers that work there seem to like to use the machines with their clients and are enthusiastic and somewhat helpful. They let me know about the flash drive and transferring stuff to my logbook. I think they should have more training - both of them (both females in good shape - one couldn't weigh more than 120) move the damper to 10 for everyone and encourage a high SPM. It would seem like the chain of health clubs would get an expert in to to show the instructors how to do it..
Since I live about a hour south of Boston, there is a good market for used machines, but I hesitate to get one for home - worried that it would sit in the cellar and I might not use it so much. It is fun to go to the gym and see my friends.

I got a kayak last summer for fishing and paddling - and am building an Adirondack Guide boat, that should be great for rowing (and fishing). Think I will go to CRASH-B next year(even possibly enter as long as I don't think I will be last) - and maybe the rowing on the Charles in the fall to watch.

[Ante]

I went to a rowing club at 40 when seriously overweight and undertrained. When the club replaced its model C's, I bought one cheap. Then I discovered this forum as motivator!
My health benefitted greatly
It never bores me
I actually enjoy working on my technique
For the first time I like competition
Family members have started to row as well
It never breaks down, even after years of club use (drop of oil once)
A new handle made the erg feel like new
Working out my whole body is great
And all this while sitting!
Erging helped me keeping up my morale during a low period in life, for which I'm really grateful!