Concept 2 Experience?

Huckster
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Huckster 4/20/2010 7:15pm
4/20/2010 7:15pm
how are they for guys with bad backs? I have heard conflicting stories. Right now I spin on a Xbike but have been considering a concept 2.
TriRacer27 4/20/2010 7:58pm
4/20/2010 7:58pm
I used to work for Frito Lay and we had a big contest going on Concept 2s. They had 3 machines in the gym and we would go during lunch and do 5000m. My group didn't win but it sure got a bunch of people in shape.

Back then I used to be in really good shape from training for adventure races. I would knock out a 5000m in under 19:30, then go run the mountain bike loop (on the property Cool ) or go play 50 minutes of soccer. Now I wouldn't last 1000m. My best time was 19:09 on the 5000m, but I never beat one of the engineers I worked with who is 55 years old!
tatonka
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tatonka 4/20/2010 9:06pm
4/20/2010 9:06pm
The C2 Rower is a bad ass medieval torture device that you will form a love/hate relationship with! Greg H. is a great resource for workout tips and loves to talk about riding (ask him about riding the sand washes in baja). Both the company and Greg have been huge supporters of our sport and have helped RiderDown.org at Loretta's for the last 3 years.

The bar set up from Man and Machine, LLC is pretty trick also. Pop in a 20 minute MX video and get your HR up for the duration.

Huckster - I've had back issues for years and have now put over a million meters on the C2 rower. It definitely helped and I highly recommend it. On those days when the pain is really bad just get on the rower and do a light session (long enough to get the blood warmed and flowing) and I'd bet you feel better.
Concept2Greg 4/21/2010 8:49am
4/21/2010 8:49am
TriRacer27 wrote:
I used to work for Frito Lay and we had a big contest going on Concept 2s. They had 3 machines in the gym and we...
I used to work for Frito Lay and we had a big contest going on Concept 2s. They had 3 machines in the gym and we would go during lunch and do 5000m. My group didn't win but it sure got a bunch of people in shape.

Back then I used to be in really good shape from training for adventure races. I would knock out a 5000m in under 19:30, then go run the mountain bike loop (on the property Cool ) or go play 50 minutes of soccer. Now I wouldn't last 1000m. My best time was 19:09 on the 5000m, but I never beat one of the engineers I worked with who is 55 years old!
Wait a minute! We have Rowers at Frito Lay? That is awesome. I can see the orange finger prints from the Cheetos on the handles now. If you ever have any questions about rowing as a way to train for Moto feel free to email me. gregh@concept2.com

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jasonward73
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jasonward73 4/21/2010 9:08am
4/21/2010 9:08am Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 10:18pm
I've managed to get my 5000m time down from 28mins to 21:50secs in less than a month. If you really want to feel the burn try 10 reps of the 500m sprints with 1min rests. That is torture!


Jason
grover738
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grover738 4/21/2010 9:16am
4/21/2010 9:16am
Fun Concept2 story - we have a model C at the Anytime Fitness here in town. The gym owner set up a 5000m challenge chart right in front of the machine, so you write your name in, and log in all of your 5000m times. I started off in the upper 19's, everyone else was in the 20-25 range. Then some guy comes and beats my time! So I busted my ass and beat his, he beats mine, etc. I ended up with an 18:37 that he didn't try to top. Took me a few minutes to stand up after that one.

Turns out, he was also a motocrosser, now we're buds. He's a bit faster than me on the track, but I've always got that rowing time to fall back on.

I think a real key to getting a good time is form. Drive with your legs, then lean back, then pull your shoulders back, then pull your arms in. Go on youtube, there are some great videos. Any video suggestions, Greg?

I found that taking long strokes and keeping your RPMs down (I did the 18:37 between 27-30 RPM) really helps. And being tall really helps, I'm 6'2".

Just for reference, the Concept2 website says the record for the 5000m is 14.58.3 and the 500m is 1:13.7 - wow.

1
TriRacer27 4/21/2010 9:24am
4/21/2010 9:24am
grover738 wrote:
Fun Concept2 story - we have a model C at the Anytime Fitness here in town. The gym owner set up a 5000m challenge chart right...
Fun Concept2 story - we have a model C at the Anytime Fitness here in town. The gym owner set up a 5000m challenge chart right in front of the machine, so you write your name in, and log in all of your 5000m times. I started off in the upper 19's, everyone else was in the 20-25 range. Then some guy comes and beats my time! So I busted my ass and beat his, he beats mine, etc. I ended up with an 18:37 that he didn't try to top. Took me a few minutes to stand up after that one.

Turns out, he was also a motocrosser, now we're buds. He's a bit faster than me on the track, but I've always got that rowing time to fall back on.

I think a real key to getting a good time is form. Drive with your legs, then lean back, then pull your shoulders back, then pull your arms in. Go on youtube, there are some great videos. Any video suggestions, Greg?

I found that taking long strokes and keeping your RPMs down (I did the 18:37 between 27-30 RPM) really helps. And being tall really helps, I'm 6'2".

Just for reference, the Concept2 website says the record for the 5000m is 14.58.3 and the 500m is 1:13.7 - wow.

Yeah being tall helps. Everyone that beat me was over 6'2" and I'm 5'10" on a good day with a tail wind. Thats a cool story though. That's similar to what we had except we had time charts all over the office and right in front of the machines. It's really great motivation when you work with the guys on there because you will have all day to either rub it in their faces or to hear the trash talking if you don't win.

People at Frito Lay are competitive SOBs for sure, all type A personalities with a natural gift for talking trash.

I can't even imagine 18:37, much less 14:58!! I could barely walk after getting 19:09. Unfortunately my guy now is all ghetto and has no Concept 2s.
Huckster
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Huckster 4/21/2010 9:36am
4/21/2010 9:36am
tatonka wrote:
The C2 Rower is a bad ass medieval torture device that you will form a love/hate relationship with! Greg H. is a great resource for workout...
The C2 Rower is a bad ass medieval torture device that you will form a love/hate relationship with! Greg H. is a great resource for workout tips and loves to talk about riding (ask him about riding the sand washes in baja). Both the company and Greg have been huge supporters of our sport and have helped RiderDown.org at Loretta's for the last 3 years.

The bar set up from Man and Machine, LLC is pretty trick also. Pop in a 20 minute MX video and get your HR up for the duration.

Huckster - I've had back issues for years and have now put over a million meters on the C2 rower. It definitely helped and I highly recommend it. On those days when the pain is really bad just get on the rower and do a light session (long enough to get the blood warmed and flowing) and I'd bet you feel better.
thanks! I am going to look for one so if anyone knows of any deals out there, please let me know.
grover738
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grover738 4/21/2010 9:38am
4/21/2010 9:38am
Watch eBay, there are always a bunch of 'em on there. Model C's often go for around $500.
Huckster
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Huckster 4/21/2010 9:44am
4/21/2010 9:44am
any model to stay away from or look for?
jasonward73
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jasonward73 4/21/2010 9:47am
4/21/2010 9:47am
You should also check craigslist. They pop up on there occasionally and fortunate for us (not fortunate for Greg) they are not a mainstream piece of equipment so people get stuck with them. You can negotiate the price a hopefully get a steal.
ridge
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ridge 4/21/2010 9:55am
4/21/2010 9:55am
I have one too! I have the E model and it works my ass out without making me sore. Of course I get sore from working out but none of my joints hurt, and as most of you know, my body is pretty jacked up.

I'm busting my ass getting a car ready for the Silver State 300 this weekend so I can't post much, but you can't go wrong with one of these. These rowers take the excuse out of working out. They're fun and good for people who have previous injuries.

BTW, I got one of these because they support our sport.

Chris
Chili
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Chili 4/21/2010 11:01am
4/21/2010 11:01am
Another source depending on where you are in the country is Concept 2 sells off units that are used in some of the indoor competitions. Greg could probably help you out with leads to those.
sdfog1
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sdfog1 4/21/2010 11:41am
4/21/2010 11:41am
I guess I'm doing something slightly wrong. I did the 5000 in 19:54 but my SPM was around 32-33. Should I be doing less SPM and more power every pull?
grover738
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grover738 4/21/2010 12:13pm
4/21/2010 12:13pm
How tall are you? It's easier to keep your SPMs down and still get good times if you're tall since the stroke is naturally longer.

What worked for me (not saying it's "right", I'll leave that to Greg) was reaching way forward before the start of the stroke, and really leaning back at the end of the pull. That lowered my SPMs. I noticed I could keep up a good pace longer if I kept my SPMs down.
jasonward73
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jasonward73 4/21/2010 12:13pm
4/21/2010 12:13pm
sdfog1 wrote:
I guess I'm doing something slightly wrong. I did the 5000 in 19:54 but my SPM was around 32-33. Should I be doing less SPM and...
I guess I'm doing something slightly wrong. I did the 5000 in 19:54 but my SPM was around 32-33. Should I be doing less SPM and more power every pull?
You need to make your strokes as long as possible and pull as hard as you can maintain for 5000m. If your not 6' or taller you'll have to compensate with more SPM. I'm 6'2" so I can essentially cover more ground with a single row vs someone that is 5'6",

That's an impressive time. Was this your fist time on the machine? If so, you're an animal.
sdfog1
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sdfog1 4/21/2010 12:21pm
4/21/2010 12:21pm
sdfog1 wrote:
I guess I'm doing something slightly wrong. I did the 5000 in 19:54 but my SPM was around 32-33. Should I be doing less SPM and...
I guess I'm doing something slightly wrong. I did the 5000 in 19:54 but my SPM was around 32-33. Should I be doing less SPM and more power every pull?
jasonward73 wrote:
You need to make your strokes as long as possible and pull as hard as you can maintain for 5000m. If your not 6' or taller...
You need to make your strokes as long as possible and pull as hard as you can maintain for 5000m. If your not 6' or taller you'll have to compensate with more SPM. I'm 6'2" so I can essentially cover more ground with a single row vs someone that is 5'6",

That's an impressive time. Was this your fist time on the machine? If so, you're an animal.
Well I am 6'2" also, so I guess I need to lean back more at the end of the strokes. Nope, wasn't my first time, I did a 5000 as my first workout on it a week or two ago and got a 23:42. Wasn't happy with that so I tried to improve pretty quickly. The 19:54 was my second 5000 so I was pretty content with my improvement.
rockcrawlerdude 4/21/2010 12:28pm
4/21/2010 12:28pm
i hear they hold clothes real well when you stack them on it Tongue

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sdfog1
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sdfog1 4/21/2010 12:31pm
4/21/2010 12:31pm
grover738 wrote:
How tall are you? It's easier to keep your SPMs down and still get good times if you're tall since the stroke is naturally longer. What...
How tall are you? It's easier to keep your SPMs down and still get good times if you're tall since the stroke is naturally longer.

What worked for me (not saying it's "right", I'll leave that to Greg) was reaching way forward before the start of the stroke, and really leaning back at the end of the pull. That lowered my SPMs. I noticed I could keep up a good pace longer if I kept my SPMs down.
I'm 6'2". Thanks for the info, I'll give it a shot.
LongMX
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LongMX 4/21/2010 1:34pm
4/21/2010 1:34pm
I can't wait to get one. I always hear them talking about it on dmxs.
JSR Racing 4/21/2010 6:08pm
4/21/2010 6:08pm
These rowers are great and I learned of the rowers one day out at Trey Canard's house. He is a believer and is working out religously to keep his fitness excellent. I guess we now know why he can charge forever it seems. I have been trying to get the boy that I help out in amateur motocross to put in the work. He has all the natural talent, but is just lacking in the fitness and strength area. I keep telling him that, if he feels like he is stronger than anyone else on the line he will only move up and truly reach his true potential.
FIREfish148
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FIREfish148 4/21/2010 6:43pm
4/21/2010 6:43pm Edited Date/Time 4/21/2010 6:43pm
They had one of these at my college fitness fair going on today. It seems like a a good machine for interval training esp. Thinking about getting one.
JSR Racing 4/21/2010 7:58pm
4/21/2010 7:58pm
They will get the job done, if you are willing to put in the time.
McCollough_OTHG_834 4/21/2010 8:05pm
4/21/2010 8:05pm
Hamblin mentioned using the rower and swimming. I swam at the collegiate level and am a vet racer now. I have been mixing swimming and P90X lately with good results. Greg at Concept 2 seemed pretty knowledgeable. Does anyone have fitness gains between rowing and swimming. When I swim, I usually do about 3000 yards in about an hour, mostly interval training. It would be nice to have another type of training to mix in for some variety.
SH_105
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SH_105 4/21/2010 8:33pm
4/21/2010 8:33pm
McCollough_OTHG_834 wrote:
Hamblin mentioned using the rower and swimming. I swam at the collegiate level and am a vet racer now. I have been mixing swimming and P90X...
Hamblin mentioned using the rower and swimming. I swam at the collegiate level and am a vet racer now. I have been mixing swimming and P90X lately with good results. Greg at Concept 2 seemed pretty knowledgeable. Does anyone have fitness gains between rowing and swimming. When I swim, I usually do about 3000 yards in about an hour, mostly interval training. It would be nice to have another type of training to mix in for some variety.
I noticed a change from working on the rower to swimming but when I swim I use a foam leg deal so I am only using upper body and usually try to get in around 50-60 laps. The reason I use the foam leg deal is it keeps me squeezing as if I were riding while my arms work and also I cycle a fair bit so it balances out the cardio training I get cycling versus swimming. Hope that helps out boys!!


105
JSR Racing 4/21/2010 8:42pm
4/21/2010 8:42pm
Sean,

Would you be willing to call my boy? He is a top 12 rider at the amateur nationals in the schoolboy2 and B classes. jim.reynolds@cox.com
mxwrench66
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mxwrench66 4/22/2010 3:32am
4/22/2010 3:32am
I just killed myself trying for a 3500 meter time. I finished it at 13:01 with an average of 1:51.7 per 500 m pace. Now i am hurting bad. Quit posting times assholes I never wanted to push that hard!......and yeah being 6' 4 helps a bit!
newmann
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newmann 5/28/2010 7:52pm
5/28/2010 7:52pm
What resistance level are any of you running at for the 500 and 5000 meters? Just got mine last week and getting up and going on it.
mxknowitall
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mxknowitall 5/28/2010 8:04pm
5/28/2010 8:04pm
newmann wrote:
What resistance level are any of you running at for the 500 and 5000 meters? Just got mine last week and getting up and going on...
What resistance level are any of you running at for the 500 and 5000 meters? Just got mine last week and getting up and going on it.
I would think 10.
CRF STUFF
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CRF STUFF 6/23/2010 7:51am
6/23/2010 7:51am Edited Date/Time 6/23/2010 8:15am
I use a Concept when I can't ride my bike due to rain ( which has been quite often this spring here in the Great Northwet!) and was thinking about replacing the small pull bar with a set of ProTapers to try and replicate the riding position. Anyone have experience with this or is it not really applicable in this situation? I know the Concept is more for cardio conditioning, so maybe muscle memory for your riding position doesn't apply?

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