A Family That Ergs Together

For some, exercise is associated with punishment, pain or something that isn’t very fun. But for the Kings, movement is simply part of daily life and something they believe is fun. It's woven into mornings, weekends, and even friendly sibling rivalry. With a RowErg and SkiErg at the center of their home training, this Father (Bill), Mother (Suzanne), Daughter (Chera), and Son (Archer) have built more than fitness. They’ve built a family tradition and culture. 

Over 20 years ago Bill King brought home a Concept2 indoor RowErg when he first started doing CrossFit. While it was used off and on, Bill really started using his trusty Model D in 2020 during the pandemic and there was not much else going on. He says, “I saw a YouTube video of some guy rowing 30 min a day for 30 days. I decided to start Jan 1 and did that too. Then I kept going and rowed a ton for 3 months straight. That and some other changes lead me to lose a bunch of weight. I went from about 220 lb to 170 lbs. I took up running from that point and used the rower as a cross-training tool.” 

Both Chera and Archer started using the RowErg at an early age after watching their dad use the machine. Nothing structured at first, just curiosity and imitation. Bill believes the secret to getting kids involved in fitness is simple: lead by example. "Kids are usually interested in what their parents are doing, not what they’re being told to do. They see me getting up early or making time to train, and over time it just becomes normal, that’s just what you do.”  

They soon purchased a SkiErg that Chera and Archer really took to and then in 2023, they each set up their own ErgData accounts and began tracking their meters more intentionally for the Concept2 Kids’ Distance Club. They quickly started racking up meters with pins, certificates, and milestones as motivation. 

Outside of their passion for the RowErg and SkiErg, they both have followed in their dad's footsteps by taking up running. They've completed numerous 5k and 10k races and even earned several age group awards. Archer also enjoys playing basketball to mix things up. 

But it didn’t stop there. 

When they learned about the Concept2 marathon, half marathon and century pins, those longer distances suddenly felt both possible and exciting. Chera says, “I became interested in trying longer distances because of the pins, and just overall it’s a huge accomplishment.” Archer also had a similar experience, “When I learned about the marathon and century pins, I wanted to do them.” 

The 2025 Holiday Challenge was their third time completing it as a family, with Mom Suzanne also joining in on the fun. But this wasn’t the only fun the family had over the holiday season. With time off from school during the holiday break, Archer and Chera spent some serious time on the Ergs. Chera, 11, completed both a half marathon and marathon on the RowErg. Archer, 15, completed 100k on the SkiErg in an impressive 10 hours, 58 minutes and 24.3 seconds, setting a U19 solo world record in the process. Archer said, “I went for longer distance runs a few weeks before the attempt to make sure I was ready... I saw that I would be the first U19 athlete and Canadian to finish one. I thought I’d be done a little faster than I did. I want to try it again.” 

Each family member has their own reason for climbing back on the erg. For BIll, “It fits really well with running. It’s low impact, so I can get a solid workout without the pounding. It lets me add aerobic work with a much lower risk of injury. I also like the strength side (legs, core, back) it really benefits my running.” For Archer and Chera, it’s often about the incentives and pins. Chera says, “The challenges like the Holiday Challenge encourage me to erg more often. Or sometimes someone else in my family got a pin, which I now also want to own.” 

When it comes to their favorite workouts, the answers might surprise you. For Chera and Archer, both love the challenge of a half marathon or marathon effort. Chera says, “Chasing that rewarding post finish feeling is what I love.” For Bill, it’s longer steady sets of 5,000–10,000 meters at Zone 2 pace, plus the occasional VO₂ max session (4 minutes hard, 4 minutes easy x 4). 

So, what are the goals for 2026? The goals keep growing, even when some have already accomplished world records. For Archer, he hopes to become the first U19 athlete to hit 1 million meters on both the RowErg and SkiErg in 2026. He also wants to look into becoming a Concept2 Certified RowErg Instructor. For Bill, he wants to do another full marathon on the RowErg and surpass 5 million total lifetime meters in his Concept2 Online Logbook. For Chera and Suzanne, they are keeping it simple: be more consistent with the RowErg and SkiErg. 

For families wondering how to introduce fitness to their kids to the Erg, the King’s story offers a powerful reminder: keep it low key, keep it simple, and lead by example. When training is visible, consistent, and celebrated, not forced, kids become curious. Curiosity turns into participation. Participation turns into pride. And sometimes, it turns into marathon pins and 100k world record certificates hanging proudly on the wall. 

At Concept2, we love seeing meters bring families together. Whether it’s chasing a World Record, earning a first Kids Distance Club certificate, or simply building healthy habits at home, every stroke counts, especially when you’re doing it together.