# Concept 2 rowing machine



## Northerner (Jun 6, 2016)

Anyone else use one of these, at home or in the gym? I bought one a couple of weeks ago with the money I had saved from not buying alcohol this year. I had a rowing machine before, which was pretty good quality, but actually having now used the concept 2 as a direct comparison they are very different beasts 

One great thing about the Concept 2 is that, because it is the machine used by professionals and gyms around the world you can compare your performances with others around the world. After this morning's near-death experience I find that I am currently ranked 12th in the world for my age range (50-59), weight category (lightweight) and gender!  If I compare against everyone of all ages then I'm 75th!  I think that's pretty good going!  I used to use one of these 10-15 years ago, I might go and dig out my old logbooks and see what my times were back then 

I'd definitely recommend rowing as a form of exercise - exercises all the muscle groups, good aerobic workout and no stress on joints


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## Matt Cycle (Jun 6, 2016)

Well done on that Alan - Rio is not far away now, any wildcard standby places up for grabs in the GB rowing teams?  No, I've not got one or ever really used one - had a go on one but that's about it.  Do you input the data from the machine into a website or does it link automatically via some fancy gizmo?


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## Northerner (Jun 6, 2016)

Matt Cycle said:


> Well done on that Alan - Rio is not far away now, any wildcard standby places up for grabs in the GB rowing teams?  No, I've not got one or ever really used one - had a go on one but that's about it.  Do you input the data from the machine into a website or does it link automatically via some fancy gizmo?


You can download the data to a USB stick  I think there may be other fancy ways with smartphones, but I'm never likely to use them! Trouble with Rio is that they don't have age categories and I'm way past my prime! I've discovered that my time for the standard 2,000m is improving not because I'm particularly good at it, more because once you get past the first 1000m you just want it to all end as quickly as possible!


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## HOBIE (Jun 6, 2016)

Brilliant Northy !   We might see you at the boat race in a couple of yrs !


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## HOBIE (Jun 6, 2016)

Who should we support " Oxy" or "Cambridge"


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## Northerner (Jun 7, 2016)

HOBIE said:


> Who should we support " Oxy" or "Cambridge"


Too elitist for me - Sheffield!


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## Superheavy (Jun 8, 2016)

Good for you mate, mind if I ask how much a beast like that might set someone back? Not that I'll be getting one straight away, my studio flat is crammed enough as it is, but maybe when I get my own house with a few rooms might be worth it.

I usually do 10 mins each time there when I'm at the gym, and usually try and get under 2:25 per 500m, so just over 2000m per stint. For some reason, I always think of the rowing machine as the 'house of pain' of the gym, as you mentioned it works bits that the bike or the treadmill doesn't, which is probably why its the one that hurts the most!


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## Northerner (Jun 8, 2016)

Superheavy said:


> Good for you mate, mind if I ask how much a beast like that might set someone back? Not that I'll be getting one straight away, my studio flat is crammed enough as it is, but maybe when I get my own house with a few rooms might be worth it.
> 
> I usually do 10 mins each time there when I'm at the gym, and usually try and get under 2:25 per 500m, so just over 2000m per stint. For some reason, I always think of the rowing machine as the 'house of pain' of the gym, as you mentioned it works bits that the bike or the treadmill doesn't, which is probably why its the one that hurts the most!


It wasn't cheap - an eye-watering £860  Such high quality though, and should last me for years  Having had a fairly decent one before (a Kettler) I know it is something I will use, plus the money was from not spending it on alcohol since January. I did spend a couple of months agonising over whether to get it though!


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## HOBIE (Jun 8, 2016)

Come Sheffield !  Money well spent in my book


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## Alan.tnh (Jun 8, 2016)

Worth every penny northie, I've used them for years, and you'll get a return if you do sell it on. The reason most people are in pain is poor technique, always get some tuition rather than jump on and go for it.


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## Northerner (Jun 8, 2016)

Alan.tnh said:


> Worth every penny northie, I've used them for years, and you'll get a return if you do sell it on. The reason most people are in pain is poor technique, always get some tuition rather than jump on and go for it.


I think my main problem is that I don't have a lot of upper body strength, although it is improving. I do have good leg strength and endurance and aerobic fitness from the years of running though, so that helps a lot 

Can't believe they have a challenge on the website of doing either a half or full marathon on one, in one session!


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## Alan.tnh (Jun 8, 2016)

You should set up a bleep test, Set it for 500m then 15 second rest, first 500 at say 2.20 or wherever you feel comfy, then you have to keep knocking 2 seconds off every 500 until you fail. great fun.


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## HOBIE (Jun 8, 2016)

When we did Tesco a few years ago. The Tesco staff where ROWING to brazil on machine. World cup was coming up & the very nice staff where raising money for Duk.  That was SUNDERLAND store


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## Marsbar63 (Sep 16, 2016)

Hi @Northerner. Have to admit to being a concept rower addict. Definitely my favourite go to piece of kit in the gym, first really started using them about 25yrs back and been hooked ever since.
Have done countless workouts, 2km sprints, 5k/10k rows, 20k rows to complete million metres gym challenge ( did 337,500m on my own not sure anyone else was overly keen) and personal favourite 4min Tabata workout.
Definitely the best workout in the gym.
Glad to hear you're finding it good, there's not many people who head for the rowers, just the selected few.


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## Owen (Sep 17, 2016)

I was





Northerner said:


> It wasn't cheap - an eye-watering £860  Such high quality though, and should last me for years  Having had a fairly decent one before (a Kettler) I know it is something I will use, plus the money was from not spending it on alcohol since January. I did spend a couple of months agonising over whether to get it though!


Considering one until I noticed the price. Looks like I will have think of something else.


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## Northerner (Sep 17, 2016)

Owen said:


> I was
> Considering one until I noticed the price. Looks like I will have think of something else.


As I mentioned earlier, I have a Kettler Axos rower which was much cheaper but good quality. It works differently to the Concept but still gives a good workout. The only drawback was that the pull cord frayed after a couple of years, but this was replaced free - they actually sent round two engineers to fix it!  I think you need to spend a certain amount on any machine to get the quality - cheap machines are usually very flawed and not up to the job beyond the first couple of months.


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## Daniel Zollinger (Sep 6, 2017)

Marsbar63 said:


> Hi @Northerner. Have to admit to being a concept rower addict. Definitely my favourite rower go to piece of kit in the gym, first really started using them about 25yrs back and been hooked ever since.
> Have done countless workouts, 2km sprints, 5k/10k rows, 20k rows to complete million metres gym challenge ( did 337,500m on my own not sure anyone else was overly keen) and personal favourite 4min Tabata workout.
> Definitely the best workout in the gym.
> Glad to hear you're finding it good, there's not many people who head for the rowers, just the selected few.



It's been my favorite too for all those years. It finally broke out when I put it in the gym for commercial use but it did provide value for money.


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## Copepod (Sep 6, 2017)

Try rowing, canoeing, kayaking, open water swimming (1st part of triathlon), all possible at National Watersports Centre, Holme Pierpoint, Nottingham. My brother in law coaches C1 there (1 person canoe) sprint and longer distances, but not white water.


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## Radders (Sep 6, 2017)

I used to love using these but my knees won't permit it any more. They're better than they were though: for a while I couldn't even get up off the seat!


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## Northerner (Sep 6, 2017)

Radders said:


> I used to love using these but my knees won't permit it any more. They're better than they were though: for a while I couldn't even get up off the seat!


I don't get up, I usually fall off sideways gasping for air!


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