New athletes who try rowing, skiing or riding often wonder how their personal successes stack up against certain benchmarks. Of course, what is “good” for one athlete may not be comparable to another, whether based on gender, age, general fitness or experience. Individuals have their own goals and frames of reference. Still, the Concept2 Rankings can help. Continue Reading ›
We’re many months into the COVID-19 pandemic, which mean some of our early fitness goals may be fading. It can be hard to stay motivated while working out at home. Here are 7 ways to jumpstart your fitness as winter approaches: Continue Reading ›
Whether you’re new to Concept2 or trying to get back in shape, sometimes "Just Row", "Just Bike" and "Just Ski" doesn’t cut it. You want to be faster, feel stronger, and be healthier, but you feel like you’re just going in slow circles. This is where setting clear goals can be helpful and motivating. Continue Reading ›
Are you just starting out on your Concept2 machine and not knowing where to begin? While there’s a wealth of information on getting set up, training and staying motivated available on our website, we understand that you may be excited to get just right to it. What should your first few workouts look like? Let us point you in the right direction! Continue Reading ›
A home gym can be your own fitness oasis. Whether it is in the corner of your basement, a spare bedroom, converted office or in your living room, a home gym offers convenience and can be an affordable alternative to gym membership fees. Concept2 ergs all offer great value, both in terms of being efficient workouts and reasonably priced. Continue Reading ›
Whether you row, ski or ride, there are a few things we recommend to stash in your gym bag other than the usual workout outfit and toiletries. Here’s a few of our favorites: Continue Reading ›
Just getting started on the SkiErg? Thinking of trying the SkiErg World Sprints?
Now is the perfect time to get started!
This training program is aimed for those who have done very little hard work (if any) on the SkiErg. The plan suggests 2-3 SkiErg sessions per week Continue Reading ›
Concept2 generally recommends a damper setting on the indoor rower between three and five. Damper Setting is not resistance. The damper controls the air flow into the flywheel. It affects the feel of the stroke, but does not directly determine the resistance—which is generated by the speed of the rotating flywheel. A setting of “10” is not “better” nor indicating strength or speed. In fact, we asked some of our favorite Olympians and coaches what damper setting they use and why. The answers and their reasoning, below, may surprise you.
The athletes we interviewed prefer to adjust their indoor rowers to a specific drag factor instead of to a damper setting. Drag factor is recalulated on every run-down of the flywheel and takes local conditions into account. Indoor rowers adjusted to the same drag factors will feel similar, regardless of what damper setting is used to achieve that drag. It is important to note that the Performance Monitor self-calibrates, so regardless of damper setting or changing conditions, your true effort is measured. Here's how to Display Drag Factor on your Performance Monitor. Continue Reading ›