I hate rowing and Concept 2

jwint · Post by **jwint** » April 5th, 2008, 12:52 pm

First post so I just want to say that I hate rowing . . . I really despise it. Sitting on an unforgiving seat and pushing back while staring at a stupid screen? Boring. Awful. I'm pretty sure that I could have achieved my level of fitness by just sitting on the couch and thinking about being fit. No one needs to row. Rowing is just another exercise gimmick that will fade soon.

And the Concept 2? Long, gray, picks up dust quickly . . . I can bang it, drop it, subject it to all the abuse possible, not pull maintenance on it and nothing hurts it . . . I really hate that piece of equipment.

Yep, after four or five years rowing on my Concept 2 for 4-5 days a week, never having a problem with the equipment, having lost 50 lbs, feeling better than I ever have, and maintaining great shape by just doing rowing as the central part of my workout, I can honestly say that I really hate rowing and my Concept 2.

I'd love to bitch about rowing and the Concept 2 some more but it's 12:00 AM Saturday . . . time for my long row on the Concept 2.

kirbyt · Post by **kirbyt** » April 5th, 2008, 1:12 pm

I know, I hate it too. Especially when people tell me how fit I look. At an age when I'm supposed to have a nice big belly and wear pants with an elastic waist. Or when I'm coaching my son's U16 basketball team and I'm better at getting into the defensive stance than they are. Embarassing.

Kirby

PaulS · Post by **PaulS** » April 5th, 2008, 7:36 pm

Me Too! But we all have our crosses to bear.

Welcome to the fray!

Kangaroo · Post by **Kangaroo** » April 6th, 2008, 3:20 am

I hate trials.

Stefan · Post by **Stefan** » April 6th, 2008, 4:14 pm

It is tough.
Especially that the heart ticks so slowly nowdays.
And that I now can eat all the food that is bad for me without any problems, so I have to!
And that people sometimes laugh and do not believe me when I say I have kids in University.

And the bloody machine has invided my library as well, NOT stylish!

badocter · Post by **badocter** » April 7th, 2008, 1:19 am

These are the real "before" and "after" pictures that C2 doesn't want you to see:

Roger Bangay:

David Plumb:

Andrew Stanway:

Can a world record and two personal bests at Basingstoke possibly be worth this price?

(photos courtesy of Roger Bangay).

Carl Henrik · Post by **Carl Henrik** » April 7th, 2008, 9:33 am

Rowig...probably the only sport which will make people vomit from just thinking of training again.

For those unfamiliar with the story...
I think what the Sir to be Steven Redgrave said, said it best, when returning to the shore after having won the olympic gold medal in 96. The people and the press probably expecting an excited athlete saying something of how good he feels to be the winner, instead they are faced with:
"If anyone sees me anywhere near a boat ever again they have my permission to shoot me"

badocter · Post by **badocter** » April 7th, 2008, 12:46 pm

Most sports have their roots in military application: running, jumping, fighting, throwing...

Rowing on the other hand was historically a form of capital punishment.

iain · Post by **iain** » April 10th, 2008, 2:42 pm

Why on earth would anyone want to row? This is unnecessary pain in most of the major muscle groups and beginners get blisters too! OTW racing is a sport where in a 4 or greater you can't make the boat go much faster, but can certainly slow it down a lot! In addition, you need to do the same thing over and over, no variation and at exactly the same time as everyone else. Some people talk of the scenery, but all I remember seeing is the blade, water and the back of the person in front. Where's the motivation in that?

Ergs add to the agony by constantly reminding you how fast you are going, add adrenalin and a competitive spirit and this is worse than any coach/trainer screaming at you to go faster, there is no escape!

At the end of it all the vast majority of us merely receive a new number only of interest to each other. For this we risk domestic strife?

No sense to it all at all, SO WHY DO WE LOVE IT SO?

- Iain

Bob S. · Post by **Bob S.** » April 10th, 2008, 3:44 pm

iain wrote:
No sense to it all at all, SO WHY DO WE LOVE IT SO?

- Iain

Speaking strictly for myself, I consider it to be just another example of obsessive/compulsive behavior. But at least it is preferable to my problem with computer solitaire.

Bob S.

PaulS · Post by **PaulS** » April 10th, 2008, 4:14 pm

iain wrote: Ergs add to the agony by constantly reminding you how fast you are going, add adrenalin and a competitive spirit and this is worse than any coach/trainer screaming at you to go faster, there is no escape!

- Iain

You must have the "Warm Fuzzy" version of the PM. Mine constantly reminds me of how SLOW I'm going. Where can I get the "Fast" version?

iain · Post by **iain** » April 11th, 2008, 8:02 am

PaulS wrote:
iain wrote: Ergs add to the agony by constantly reminding you how fast you are going, add adrenalin and a competitive spirit and this is worse than any coach/trainer screaming at you to go faster, there is no escape!

- Iain
You must have the "Warm Fuzzy" version of the PM. Mine constantly reminds me of how SLOW I'm going. Where can I get the "Fast" version?

Not warm and fuzzy, more screaming and pooring cold water on any feeling of achievement. The answer to "How fast am I going?" seems usually to be - "not bad for a swimmer"!

- Iain

igoeja · Post by **igoeja** » April 13th, 2008, 10:46 am

When I first started erging, I was more competitive, rowing crew in a local club, and the approaching the CII was a mixture of dread and ambition. The dread was caused by a mixture of anxiety about performing, and the related feeling of dullness, of not wanting to erg, was a sign of overtraining. But that was 15 to 20 years ago.

Although I only erg three (3) to four (4) times per week, I can honestly say I love it, look forward to it, and can't think of any gym workout I'd like to do more. That said, I still have a faint, lingering sense of dread when I need to test my performance.

Byron Drachman · Post by **Byron Drachman** » April 14th, 2008, 7:46 pm

Here is a link to a nice collection of rowing or erging quotes. My favorite is this one:

"The ergometer simulates the physical demands of rowing, packaging the pains with none of the amenities that make it worthwhile …" -- Stephen Kiesling from The Shell Game

Here is the link:

http://www.ignatiuscrew.com/sicontent/siquotes.asp

SkipChurch · Post by **SkipChurch** » April 16th, 2008, 10:42 am

I'm sitting there at 5:40AM, putting on the damn tape I train with, thinking what in the world possesses me to do this, I should be asleep like any normal person.

I must say that I hate the staring at the ceiling before a bench press more than I hate the rower. It's a near thing though.

Concept2 Forum

I hate rowing and Concept 2

I hate rowing and Concept 2

The "real" before and after pics

All rowing is horrible

Re: All rowing is horrible

Re: All rowing is horrible

Re: All rowing is horrible

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