RowPro: Low user numbers.

[euronthomas]

I have returned to the rower following a good few mo the off and love rowing online. I used to arrange a regular after work 5k and attendance was good with at least 7-8+ rowing. I've started arranging this spit again over the last week and I've had one join me on one session which is disappointing. I've noticed that less people seem to be rowing online with RowPro, are people rowing elsewhere online??? Are they using different software??? Where has everybody gone??? I'm in the UK by the way.

Euron.

[jackarabit]

I am very new to Oarbits online rowing but see your sessions listed in live, finished, scheduled. I'll check if I can do your rows. It appears that 4-5 partipating is about the largest turnout to be expected at present. Jack

[ericallenboyd]

Depending on the time I might join but I do see sessions throughout the week as well. I always check the oarbits app to see what is available in advance and plan my session around that.

[Hillclimber]

I too have been disappointed in the volume of and attendance at scheduled rows on RP. I do know the GenFit 30:00 at 19:00 GMT is fairly popular.
On the other hand, my primary use of RP is the report views of my individual sessions. I find them easier to analyze than raw erg data - which may be because I do not own MS excel on my personal PC, so cannot develop those cool excel graphics at the click of a mouse

Damien

[euronthomas]

Thanks for the replies. I did get 4 for a5k on Tuesday which was better, but still not neat the 10+ I used to get. Please feel free to join me as I much prefer rowing with others than alone. I usually do 5k but will start to do 30 mins sessions too and have one set up up for 1730 tomorrow usually rowing at 1730-1745. Cheers. Euron.

[Carl Watts]

The 19:00GMT row is the most popular, numbers are unfortunately quite seasonal and also the daylight savings time shift which is not aligned with the UK stuffs up the attendance for my 04:30GMT scheduled rows.

If I was you, just schedule rows up to a week in advance and other tend to join. The problem is there is no consistency and people come and go and what used to be a well supported row just collapses.

These days I could also row the 19:00GMT but its early morning and I just cannot row at pace at this time of the day after falling out of bed, When I did row sometimes we had to set-up a second heat so I tried to split the field into sub 2min and over 2min pace.

You have the numbers in the UK to fill the lanes if its a popular time slot, other time zones like the USA have a huge number of rowers. We pretty much have to make do with New Zealand and Australia.

There is not another package like RowPro for Online rowing, the problem is 90% of people that have it DONT row Online. Digital rowing should change the software to have only online rowing, even if your just rowing on your own that's fine. Its not like everyone doesn't have an internet connection these days.

The hardware and technology now exists for RowPro to really take off, with the PM5 and Bluetooth, RowPro now needs to also move to an App so it can include all the potential Gym users. I would take a guess that the potential number of RowPro users could triple at least. You would have people at the Gym setting up a row with the person beside them and then others from around the world could join, at this point RowPro would hit critical mass and really take off.

[Rowan McSheen]

"Digital rowing should change the software to have only online rowing, even if your just rowing on your own that's fine. Its not like everyone doesn't have an internet connection these days."

Erm, no thanks. I'm one of the 90% who use RowPro but don't row online. I have no intention of rowing online. I row when I want to, all by myself, doing my own thing. You chaps can carry on, pay no attention to me. I don't want to join in and I would object to having no option but to be online when rowing, on grounds of privacy and computer security. It's nothing personal, I don't hate you all, honest, but I just like to go my own way and not be beholden to anyone else.

And I'm way too slow anyway

[Carl Watts]

And I'm way too slow anyway

That's the problem with people, speed has nothing to do with it for a 30 minute row, you all start and finish together and its not a race anyway, in fact its never a race you may see the occasional person post a row that's a PB attempt. If you say its a race nobody turns up.

I presume your just kidding about the security, so you don't use the internet at all then ? privacy just makes me laugh, people post their whole lives on Facebook but will not use their real name in a Forum or even on RowPro.

Online should be the default, jump on set-up a quick row or see who is online to row with. You can still set-up a set row for others to join and you can already make that "Private" if you don't want anyone else to join, all the options are still there the same the only difference is your online.

[Rowan McSheen]

No, I disagree.

Doesn't matter that it's not a race. And it's not "a problem with people". I row to my own pace (or heart rate) without reference to anyone else's. What is the point of me being visible online to others? I'm only going to ignore you as I do my own thing and in fact I actively don't want you around. If I did, I'd join in your session.

I can assure you that I do not live my life on Faecesbook! The privacy aspect is that I want to control when my laptop is online. If a prog doesn't need to be online, it shouldn't be. I might want to hook my laptop to a machine at the gym or at the club, anywhere away from home. If I understand you correctly, to do that I would need to have it logged onto whatever network is available. But what if there isn't one?

Rowing online should be optional. And the fact that 90% of us don't row online indicates that most RP users are perfectly happy as they are. Compel them and they'll probably drift away.

I do agree with what you say on another thread, though. C2 and RowPro should arrange for a full copy of the software to be included in the price of a new erg.

[hjs]

No, I disagree.

Doesn't matter that it's not a race. And it's not "a problem with people". I row to my own pace (or heart rate) without reference to anyone else's. What is the point of me being visible online to others? I'm only going to ignore you as I do my own thing and in fact I actively don't want you around. If I did, I'd join in your session.

I can assure you that I do not live my life on Faecesbook! The privacy aspect is that I want to control when my laptop is online. If a prog doesn't need to be online, it shouldn't be. I might want to hook my laptop to a machine at the gym or at the club, anywhere away from home. If I understand you correctly, to do that I would need to have it logged onto whatever network is available. But what if there isn't one?

Rowing online should be optional. And the fact that 90% of us don't row online indicates that most RP users are perfectly happy as they are. Compel them and they'll probably drift away.

I do agree with what you say on another thread, though. C2 and RowPro should arrange for a full copy of the software to be included in the price of a new erg.

Indeed, the only reason I would row online would be to race. I have zero interest in seeing others, it ads nothing to my training. It only complicates things, you are forced to to train on a fixed time. Can,t do interval stuff in meters.

[ericallenboyd]

I row online sometimes to break it up and this is mainly to do a distance I am going to do anyway that day. I do row by myself mainly though as the pete plan intervals cannot be done online. The rowpro software does work well though in my opinion for almost all workouts as long as you know how to plan then out in their custom session area.

[Bob S.]

The rowpro software does work well though in my opinion for almost all workouts as long as you know how to plan then out in their custom session area.

It seems to be fine for just about everything but mixed intervals. Even for those it works OK except for mixed time and distance. However, that is an important one, since a lot of programs call for distance pieces and time rests. The one thing that I liked about it was that a lot of different workout programs could be stored and retrieved easily, in contrast to the C2 monitors.

I have never felt any need to row indoors with others for just exercise. With a wide range of abilities, most of the boat symbols would be off the screen for a good part of the workout, so what is the point? In the gym where I go for occasional treadmill and resistance workouts, there is some social interaction, chatting between sets, but, for the most part, we are all just doing our own things. There are a few that work in small groups, just 2 or 3 together, and they are all the young folks - teens or early 20's.

[Carl Watts]

I suspect the move to Apps may require you to be online or at least have an internet connection for the licencing to be even able to use it.

Software I was selling a couple of years ago now all moved to you having to have an internet connection to use it, its the way the licence worked. As soon as you have some sort of timed licence like a month or a year is the only way to verify it as current. Sooner or later its going to move this way.

Interesting replies however, but for me its as much social as it is a form of exercise. "Doing my own thing" in isolation was just not working and I also have a couple of mates that row so when Mark and Tony join in as well it makes it so much better and the 30min just fly's by.

Still think the biggest problem for most people is the mental issue surrounding the fact that everyone can see your result. This somehow adds pressure and performance anxiety which I still even see with my friends. If they are tired or getting over the flu which forces them to row slow they refuse to row online as they simply cannot be seen to row slower than 2:00 pace. Cool downs are even a problem online, just cannot bring themselves to be seen to be rowing too slow.

The psychological side of Online rowing was not even something I considered, the online function was the ONLY reason I bough RowPro, without that I see it as a complete waste of time and would never have purchased it.

Fortunately for me there is a small but tight knit online community that is really on a whole different level, for example we actually rowed live online last week at the funeral service for Ellen (known as LN online). 30 plus people turned up online from all over the world and we did some 10minute heats to pay our last respects.

[hjs]

Still think the biggest problem for most people is the mental issue surrounding the fact that everyone can see your result. This somehow adds pressure and performance anxiety which I still even see with my friends. If they are tired or getting over the flu which forces them to row slow they refuse to row online as they simply cannot be seen to row slower than 2:00 pace. Cool downs are even a problem online, just cannot bring themselves to be seen to be rowing too slow.

The psychological side of Online rowing was not even something I considered, the online function was the ONLY reason I bough RowPro, without that I see it as a complete waste of time and would never have purchased it.

Fortunately for me there is a small but tight knit online community that is really on a whole different level, for example we actually rowed live online last week at the funeral service for Ellen (known as LN online). 30 plus people turned up online from all over the world and we did some 10minute heats to pay our last respects.

I get the social point, although for me thats very relevant, the older I get, the more trainingpartners fall away and the more trouble and injuries bother me, leaving not much room to train with others.

The second point indeed, rowpro leads to racing and if your are not feeling overly well racing is pretty pointless. My sessions are often very boring and paced in advanced, so no racing element to be found anywhere.

In the future I think the ergo will be linked to the internet wireless. If you could log in or something to a online site that would proberly boosd online rowing.

[jackarabit]

Hjs writes:

In the future I think the ergo will be linked to the internet wireless. If you could log in or something to a online site that would proberly boosd online rowing.

Oarbits, the online server or commo hub or whatever part of RP is a barebones Internet site with auto login, schedules of rows and results, and scrolling chat pre/post row. The fault is not in our technology, but in ourselves, that we are apparently underutilizers. Only 24 hrs in a day.

I'm curious if the BORC is still held using RP? Anyone know?