# Rowing Machines?



## cosmicbike (22 Dec 2016)

Thinking I'd like to work the upper bit , rowing machine seems like an idea? Anybody else use one?


----------



## Drago (22 Dec 2016)

Yes. Yes I do.


----------



## Yellow Saddle (22 Dec 2016)

Yes. There is only one brand to get. Concept II.

I say this for several reasons:
1) It is the industry standard. If you travel, you will find these everywhere. If you want to resell, the brand speaks for itself.
2) Participate in international competitions and rankings from your home gym. The units can be calibrated, so like rows against like.
3) The models only change once every 20 years or so. Concept II doesn't chase fads and fashions.
4) Older models can be upgraded by adding some of the later features, notably software etc.
5) Works with standard Polar heart rate belts.
6) Log card which you can use anywhere and it still tallies your logs.
7) Super robust design. 
8) It breaks in two for better storage.

Don't bother with models that don't use a chain and fan. Those with gas lifter resistance are rubbish.


----------



## vickster (22 Dec 2016)

I've used one in the past, it's the one bit of gym equipment I quite enjoy, great all over workout. Concept II as suggested

Unfortunately my buggered knee doesn't like hyperflexion so I can't really push it as much these days


----------



## Dogtrousers (22 Dec 2016)

Like @vickster it's the one bit of gym equipment that I could ever get interested in. It was my mainstay during my rehab period of rebuilding fitness and muscle. I don't attend a gym with one any more, but it's really good. The ones in my gym were all Concept II.


----------



## vickster (22 Dec 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> Like @vickster it's the one bit of gym equipment that I could ever get interested in. It was my mainstay during my rehab period of rebuilding fitness and muscle. I don't attend a gym with one any more, but it's really good. The ones in my gym were all Concept II.


I do use a recumbent bike and crosstrainer too depending on which injuries I'm nursing! Upright exercise bike at home.

The stepper was also a serious workout, knackering! I personally find any sort of weights/resistance work very dull!


----------



## Dayvo (22 Dec 2016)

Both my brother and sister are regular users of rowing machines.

My brother has the Concept II and my sister uses a water rowing machine (not sure which model) and get on very well with them.

http://7-min.com/best-water-rowing-machine-reviews/
http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers


----------



## numbnuts (22 Dec 2016)

A long time ago and I got the T-shirt






0ne million meters


----------



## Dayvo (22 Dec 2016)

Which one are you? Standing up or sitting down? 

That's impressive, NN. 621 miles. How long did it take?


----------



## jefmcg (22 Dec 2016)

While a rowing is more of a whole body workout than cycling, if you are doing it right most of the work is from your lower body and your core. It's not an upper body workout. If you want to redress the balance, a couple of kettle balls might be a better investment.

Acknowledging yellow saddle's remarks, you can also look at the Water Rower, which uses a container of water instead of a flywheel to replicate rowing on water. It's advantages are aesthetic - I prefer the wood to the industrial look of a concept II, YMMV - and also the sound of water sloshing is more pleasant to me than the wirr of a chain and flywheel. These are the only two brands to buy.

Honestly, most rowers I know find ergos incredibly boring, and it's really hard to do anything else while doing it. Bluetooth headphones help, of course. Spend some time on one in a gym to make sure you can stand it.


----------



## Racing roadkill (22 Dec 2016)

I bought one of these from John Lewis. It's a brilliant bit of kit, and helped immensely when I knackered my shoulder on a pedestrian in March.


----------



## Drago (22 Dec 2016)

And when I'm warmed up on the rower I do bent rows with 80-100kg, two or three sets, eight or ten reps. Keep those last wide and the back/chest above 50", just how the chicks like it.


----------



## numbnuts (22 Dec 2016)

Dayvo said:


> Which one are you? Standing up or sitting down?
> 
> That's impressive, NN. 621 miles. How long did it take?


It's done over a period of weeks you just have to log your mileage with Concept 2
http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/motivation/million-meter-club
Did another ½ marathon - 21.0975 kilometres in 01:45:23 I was 8th in the UK for my age group (55)


----------



## screenman (22 Dec 2016)

Most of me likes a rowing machine, my knee's though do not.


----------



## T4tomo (22 Dec 2016)

Drago said:


> And when I'm warmed up on the rower I do bent rows with 80-100kg, two or three sets, eight or ten reps. Keep those last wide and the back/chest above 50", just how the chicks like it.


is that so they can nest on you and lay eggs?


----------



## Dayvo (22 Dec 2016)

screenman said:


> Most of me likes a rowing machine, my knee's though do not.



No excuses now, then!

https://www.google.no/search?q=kaya...ved=0ahUKEwjR0q6YwIjRAhVHhywKHT0CBKgQ_AUIBigB


----------



## PK99 (22 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> View attachment 155007
> 
> 
> I bought one of these from John Lewis. It's a brilliant bit of kit, and helped immensely when I knackered my shoulder on a pedestrian in March.



I had one of those for a few years - until I discovered cycling - having been a rower, it was the closest feel to being on the water, far more responsive to effort applied than the concept.

Worth noting that while the rowing machine is a good way of maintaining fitness or rehabbing after injury, rowers also spend many hours in the gym pushing lumps of iron around and not just to maximise power output. I recall Steve Redgrave pointing out onetime that while Rowing & Ergo do great things for Cardio, upper body, legs and back they do bugger all for front/core strength and without doing specific work on that he would fold up like a piece of soggy cardboard. Given the essential role core stability plays in cycling, don't rely solely on the Ergo when rehabbing or overwintering in the gym - core exercises are essential.


----------



## screenman (22 Dec 2016)

Dayvo said:


> No excuses now, then!
> 
> https://www.google.no/search?q=kaya...ved=0ahUKEwjR0q6YwIjRAhVHhywKHT0CBKgQ_AUIBigB



Funny you should show that, I do kayaking normally only a couple of hours a week and you may be suprised how much the knee's come in to play.


----------



## Stephenite (22 Dec 2016)

Recently, I've been working in one place and on a course in "Personal Development" (don't ask) at another. In the basement of the building in which i do the course there is a gym with a Concept 2 rower. Brilliant! I sneak away 10 min before lunch, put on the headphones, and bang out a quick 5k. Return to my desk with a baguette, a couple of boiled eggs, and a warm glow. Nobody is any the wiser!

...but, seriously... The Concept 2 is a great piece of kit. I've been looking at buying one but they cost about a grand. That's just about a grand more than i can afford right now.


----------



## Bonefish Blues (22 Dec 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> View attachment 155007
> 
> 
> I bought one of these from John Lewis. It's a brilliant bit of kit, and helped immensely when I knackered my shoulder on a pedestrian in March.


Indeed. A very good alternative to the C2. My choice also.


----------



## Trickedem (28 Dec 2016)

Another thing to bear in mind is that Concept2 rowing machines really hold their value.


----------



## bikeman66 (28 Dec 2016)

cosmicbike said:


> Thinking I'd like to work the upper bit , rowing machine seems like an idea? Anybody else use one?


As a rowing coach, I would mostly agree with the comments made regarding the Concept II rowing machine. It is the standard issue ergo out there for a reason I guess, and for "gym" rowers it works fine. For actual rowers, looking to improve technique, the Oartec Slider comes up trumps, mainly because it seriously punishes you for poor technique, whereas the Concept II won't so much.

I have a Concept II Model D, which, in my opinion is the best yet. The monitor is the important thing. They're a fairly expensive component, so I would advise keeping the monitor in a warm, dry environment if you end up getting a Concept II. Our gym at the rowing club suffers from condensation and our monitors suffered badly before we learnt to take the off the machines and store them in the club room.

Whatever rowing machine you decide to buy, I would really advise looking at YouTube video's to show you the correct technique. The British Rowing website will probably have expert technique video's in their free area. It is very easy to damage your lower back if your technique is poor.

Concept II do factory refurbished machines at fairly good prices, and I believe you can still rent them too. Having said that, eBay is usually awash with Concept II's.


----------



## Dogtrousers (29 Dec 2016)

On the subject of technique, (and bear in mind I'm not only an idiot but also an ignoramus) I noticed that a lot of people do a weird thing keeping their hands behind their knees and then having to lift their hands up & over their bent knees. It looked very weird and wrong. I had a bit of tuition from the regular gym staff when I started my rehab so fortunately never picked up that habit.


----------



## Dayvo (29 Dec 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> On the subject of technique, (and bear in mind I'm not only an idiot but also an ignoramus) I noticed that a lot of people do a weird thing keeping their hands behind their knees and then having to lift their hands up & over their bent knees. It looked very weird and wrong. I had a bit of tuition from the regular gym staff when I started my rehab so fortunately never picked up that habit.



At a guess, from a non-rower, I assume it helps raise the blades clear of the water. 

Or maybe not.


----------



## PK99 (29 Dec 2016)

Dayvo said:


> At a guess, from a non-rower, I assume it helps raise the blades clear of the water.
> 
> Or maybe not.



Follow the technique of the famous German oarsman, Hans Bodyslide.

At backstops, lead away with the hands, (Hands)
When arms are fully extended lean the body forward , do not bend the knees yet (Body)
When you feel the tightness behind the knee, begin to bend the knees and allow the seat to come forward all the way to front stops (Slide)
At the catch, lean back and drive with the legs, finally pulling with the arms.
From the catch (placing the blade in the water) to the finish (when the blade is lifted from the water) is one smooth, accelerating effort.

In real rowing, the hands lift slightly at front stops, to place the blade in the water. Through the drive the hands stay level. At full leg extension the arms take over. At backstops the hands drop to raise the blade clear of the water. In the recovery, (Hans Bodyslide) the hands again stay level.

On the ergo there is no need to drop/raise the hands in the same way, but you can always spot a real rower as they keep that aspect of technique.

Key errors most gym ergo users show are:

1. Bum shoving - at the start of the stroke, pushing the seat back before taking the catch and then yanking the "oar" using the lower back muscles WRONG AND DANGEROUS

2. Bending the knees first from back stops forcing the hands to do an up and down over the knees
WRONG and in a real boat would have it rocking all over the place. The hands should be moving in one plane both on the stroke and on the recovery.

Gym staff generally have no idea of how to row or use the ergo correctly.

See: (which both show a slightly different catch sequence than I was taught 40 years ago..)

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...FFC7C90056269FBD871BFFC7C90056269FB&FORM=VIRE

or

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...269FBD871BFFC7C90056269FB&fsscr=0&FORM=VDQVAP


----------



## Dogtrousers (29 Dec 2016)

PK99 said:


> Key errors most gym ergo users show are:
> [...]
> 
> 2. Bending the knees first from back stops *forcing the hands to do an up and down over the knees
> WRONG *and in a real boat would have it rocking all over the place. The hands should be moving in one plane both on the stroke and on the recovery.


Well, whaddya know. I was right, for once 

And it looks like the gym person who instructed me _*did*_ have a clue. (Actually I know her well, and that doesn't surprise me at all)


----------



## ufkacbln (29 Dec 2016)

This Rowbike.....


----------



## bikeman66 (29 Dec 2016)

PK99 said:


> Follow the technique of the famous German oarsman, Hans Bodyslide.
> 
> At backstops, lead away with the hands, (Hands)
> When arms are fully extended lean the body forward , do not bend the knees yet (Body)
> ...


100%


----------



## Yorksman (30 Dec 2016)

cosmicbike said:


> Thinking I'd like to work the upper bit , rowing machine seems like an idea? Anybody else use one?



I use an Infiniti rower. It's similar to the Concept which I used to use many years ago. Be careful and use it correctly. many people hurt their lower back because they use that area to help them pull. Have a look at some videos on correct rowing position. They are great fun when using them for an different type of exercise.







It's very tough and completely stable. Resistance settings (via electro magnets) are adjustible on the computer and the slider can be raised vertically for easier storage.


----------

