Rowing machine advice:
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Even at the lower price ($945) the pay back period for owning is over 3.5 years.
If you factor in the cost of traveling to and from the gym (unless you're lucky enough to have one in walking distance) the pay back is less and at the end of it you still own a machine that will give you decades of service. Granted that many people don't have the space and a gym will provide access to other equipment.
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So much great information! Thank you all.
I'm talking about remodeling the basement so the gym area is a whole room not a corner. I just cant do gyms I'm too self conscious and I hate driving. So as I plan my remodel I'll look at saving aside a grand for the c2. Thanks all.3 -
I dont enjoy gyms ... historically I have found if I have to drive there... I just wont.
Probably true for a lot of people - if I don't choose a gym that's roughly on the way between work and home, then I typically won't go either. If you're not in an area with lots of gyms, I can imagine it might be difficult to find a convenient one that keeps a rowing machine in decently maintained order. I can attest that the 2 rowers in my gym (LA Fitness) seemed to be in pretty abysmal shape with 1 generally out of order (although they're upstairs in the hampster wheel area, so I've only seen them a few times).0 -
MikePfirrman wrote: »I use, and like, the Concept 2 (C2) at my gym Since my gym cost is about $22 per month and the machine, on Amazon, is $945-1,160, I'll continue to use the gym equipment, it costs less.
The issue with that is you're dependent on your gym to maintain and even know how to maintain one. I recently was house hunting in AZ and looked at an LA Fitness where one C2 had a seat on backwards! I took the front desk back and showed them. This could really hurt someone's sit bones/tail bone.
The one gym I belonged to asked me how to maintain them. I was happy to assist to ensure that it was running well. It doesn't take much but I'd say 50% of them are broken in gyms. I will say my local LA Fitness fixed their one C2 after several of us complained when the inner workings broke, likely because they never lubed it.
The other issue is that the gym won't take kindly to me hooking up all my various fun apps/software to their rowers.
I so agree with this, all of this. I'm lucky that the gym I go to is pretty good about responding when I tell them something isn't functioning well, but they also just don't do basic maintenance on the C2s. I also suspect that they wouldn't want me to hook up things to their rowing machines and, sadly, none of them have PM5 monitors so I can't do it over bluetooth. That said, I might just buy the android kit and see what they do. I suspect there's an 80% chance that they just wouldn't notice.
Because I know you are into Watts training, I'd consider getting the cradle and a C2 plug attachment. The cradle is portable. It just sits atop the PM3 or PM4 or whatever they have and then one end plugs into your phone and the other in the rower. They might notice your phone is interactive with the rower but ErgData wouldn't change any setting or create any issues for the gym. The only issue you might run into is making sure that the firmware is updated on the rower at the gym. If it needs updated, I've known tons of people that update with a flash drive and the gym staff doesn't have a clue.2 -
So much great information! Thank you all.
I'm talking about remodeling the basement so the gym area is a whole room not a corner. I just cant do gyms I'm too self conscious and I hate driving. So as I plan my remodel I'll look at saving aside a grand for the c2. Thanks all.
By the way, there are quite a few climbers on the C2 Forums. Climbers tend to do really well on the rower. Just assuming from your profile pic that you climb often.1 -
I also fell in love using the rowing machine in college (rec had 3-4 c2 rowers tucked in a corner) so much so that I purchased one of my own a few years ago. I probably don't use it as much as I should, or envisioned when I purchased but I'm always happy I have it when I do use it. The research I did before purchasing agreed with what others have said in that the choice for purchase is a Concept2 (which is what I have, got it from amazon, positive experience all-around). If you feel like exercising some patience, it's probably worth checking whatever used platforms are available to you locally (craigslist, FB marketplace, LetItGo, etc.) and you may be able to save some cash on one that someone is looking to part with.0
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MikePfirrman wrote: »
By the way, there are quite a few climbers on the C2 Forums. Climbers tend to do really well on the rower. Just assuming from your profile pic that you climb often.
I used to. Haven't in a number of years.
Once upon a time I was very athletic ... cross country and swim team ... boxed in a league ... and yes, climbing...
But that was a. ... LONG ... time ago.1 -
Here is my gym space .. it is due for a total remodel ... but I do believe there is room for the rowing machine as it is a very long narrow space:
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MikePfirrman wrote: »MikePfirrman wrote: »I use, and like, the Concept 2 (C2) at my gym Since my gym cost is about $22 per month and the machine, on Amazon, is $945-1,160, I'll continue to use the gym equipment, it costs less.
The issue with that is you're dependent on your gym to maintain and even know how to maintain one. I recently was house hunting in AZ and looked at an LA Fitness where one C2 had a seat on backwards! I took the front desk back and showed them. This could really hurt someone's sit bones/tail bone.
The one gym I belonged to asked me how to maintain them. I was happy to assist to ensure that it was running well. It doesn't take much but I'd say 50% of them are broken in gyms. I will say my local LA Fitness fixed their one C2 after several of us complained when the inner workings broke, likely because they never lubed it.
The other issue is that the gym won't take kindly to me hooking up all my various fun apps/software to their rowers.
I so agree with this, all of this. I'm lucky that the gym I go to is pretty good about responding when I tell them something isn't functioning well, but they also just don't do basic maintenance on the C2s. I also suspect that they wouldn't want me to hook up things to their rowing machines and, sadly, none of them have PM5 monitors so I can't do it over bluetooth. That said, I might just buy the android kit and see what they do. I suspect there's an 80% chance that they just wouldn't notice.
Because I know you are into Watts training, I'd consider getting the cradle and a C2 plug attachment. The cradle is portable. It just sits atop the PM3 or PM4 or whatever they have and then one end plugs into your phone and the other in the rower. They might notice your phone is interactive with the rower but ErgData wouldn't change any setting or create any issues for the gym. The only issue you might run into is making sure that the firmware is updated on the rower at the gym. If it needs updated, I've known tons of people that update with a flash drive and the gym staff doesn't have a clue.
Thanks for the advice, especially about how easy it is to update the firmware. I'll have to remind myself to check what edition the firmware is tomorrow when I workout. I'll probably order the kit this afternoon. Worse comes to worse I'm out $10 plus shipping.0 -
Here is my gym space .. it is due for a total remodel ... but I do believe there is room for the rowing machine as it is a very long narrow space:
(photo snipped to reply)
Happily, a Concept 2 is a long, narrow machine. Model D is 96" x 24" overall, and you need enough width to comfortably let your elbows come out to your sides at the finish of the stroke without feeling like something is going to hit you, and (especially if you're taller) enough space at your back that you don't feel like you'll hit something in the layback of the finish. C2 recommends a 9'x4' operating space. (The Dynamic is a little smaller, 7.5'x4' recommended operating space.)
The machine can be set upright on one end if you have enough ceiling height, but Concept 2 recommends you not store it that way. I believe the issue is stability (in case of vibrations & such, you don't want that big ol' sucker falling on you!), so securing it upright could be an option. Also, they come apart into 2 pieces, and go back together, pretty quickly (probably under a minute, once the process is familiar), so you could take it apart between sessions if absolutely necessary.
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I've got two bad knees - scheduled for a double knee replacement Jan 9th
Rowing got me thru last winter and was instrumental in my 100lb + weight loss.
One thing I will say..... if you do get one.............. Watch ALL of the Concept 2's "How to row properly" videos !!!!
Seriously...... incorrect rowing technique is a recipe for disaster and injury.
Start off slow..... and concentrate on good form not speed.2 -
bikecheryl wrote: »I've got two bad knees - scheduled for a double knee replacement Jan 9th
Rowing got me thru last winter and was instrumental in my 100lb + weight loss.
One thing I will say..... if you do get one.............. Watch ALL of the Concept 2's "How to row properly" videos !!!!
Seriously...... incorrect rowing technique is a recipe for disaster and injury.
Start off slow..... and concentrate on good form not speed.
And don't do like apparently everybody else in my gym does - every time I get on the rower, the resistance is set to 10. Every. Single. Time.2 -
bikecheryl wrote: »I've got two bad knees - scheduled for a double knee replacement Jan 9th
Rowing got me thru last winter and was instrumental in my 100lb + weight loss.
One thing I will say..... if you do get one.............. Watch ALL of the Concept 2's "How to row properly" videos !!!!
Seriously...... incorrect rowing technique is a recipe for disaster and injury.
Start off slow..... and concentrate on good form not speed.
And don't do like apparently everybody else in my gym does - every time I get on the rower, the resistance is set to 10. Every. Single. Time.
"But if you don't row on 10, how do you get any gainz, bruh?" - someone at your gym, probably3 -
bikecheryl wrote: »I've got two bad knees - scheduled for a double knee replacement Jan 9th
Rowing got me thru last winter and was instrumental in my 100lb + weight loss.
One thing I will say..... if you do get one.............. Watch ALL of the Concept 2's "How to row properly" videos !!!!
Seriously...... incorrect rowing technique is a recipe for disaster and injury.
Start off slow..... and concentrate on good form not speed.
And don't do like apparently everybody else in my gym does - every time I get on the rower, the resistance is set to 10. Every. Single. Time.
Damper set on 10, monitor set on calories, you see them flying up and down the slide at 30+spm, popping their hands up to miss their knees, and the memory's full of < 5' pieces at 3:00+ splits. SMH. There is no workout to speak of there.
I'm not really trying to be Judgy McJudgerson here, but I hate seeing people use the machine in a way that's potentially risky (to back, for example) or putting a lot of energy into doing something but getting no workout out of it. I feel bad for them.
But, it would be inappropriate to intervene, unless they give me a conversational on-ramp to do so. (I have told the Fitness Director at my Y about concerns about how some of my fellow seniors machine row, partly out of concern that some trainer(s) might be teaching them to do things that are risky to their backs.) I'll take any appropriate opportunity to offer anyone tips/help (and have the coaching education in my background to make that not a completely arrogant thing to offer).4 -
bikecheryl wrote: »I've got two bad knees - scheduled for a double knee replacement Jan 9th
Rowing got me thru last winter and was instrumental in my 100lb + weight loss.
One thing I will say..... if you do get one.............. Watch ALL of the Concept 2's "How to row properly" videos !!!!
Seriously...... incorrect rowing technique is a recipe for disaster and injury.
Start off slow..... and concentrate on good form not speed.
And don't do like apparently everybody else in my gym does - every time I get on the rower, the resistance is set to 10. Every. Single. Time.
"But if you don't row on 10, how do you get any gainz, bruh?" - someone at your gym, probably
My favorite of all time was a YouTube video of a World Indoor Record and, of course, the top commenter noticed that the Damper was on 5 and had to say, "well, that one doesn't count because he wasn't on 10...".2 -
BrianSharpe wrote: »Even at the lower price ($945) the pay back period for owning is over 3.5 years.
If you factor in the cost of traveling to and from the gym (unless you're lucky enough to have one in walking distance) the pay back is less and at the end of it you still own a machine that will give you decades of service. Granted that many people don't have the space and a gym will provide access to other equipment.
More than offsets the 15 minute drive. Especially considering I'm not outfitting a full gym; rowing machine, dumbbells, barbells, bench, squat cage et.al.0 -
I use people rowing with poor technique as a lesson to try, really hard, to only pay attention to my workout and/or what I'm listening to. It still annoys me, to say the least and I'm especially unimpressed when a personal trainer is working with their client and watching said client row with poor technique.
I might just email them and suggest that they put a diagram of how to use the machines on the wall (the two ski ergs have stickers showing how to and not to use them). I'm sure a minority of people would read it, but the personal trainers might.1
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