I am not a professional rower or an athlete. I got my rower to build fitness and endurance. The rowing on the Internet part intrigued me (www.erow.com). It is even more fun that I thought it would be. Having other people to row with makes me "finish the course" and the other more "serious" rowers are kind to the newbies.... I think they are desperate to have more female rowers...

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I also have a Proform Cross trainer that I like and a Cybex programmable treadmill and a Lifecycle.

This is the best workout machine a person can ever have. I'm not just a consumer that bought this machine looking for weight loss, I am a rower. And if anyone can tell you, its me, this machine is the lynch pin for racing fitness needed for a rower like myself to achieve victory on the water. It is a necessity for all rowers and the sport. However, it can help anyone. The rowing machine is the best, yes the BEST, workout machine ever invented because it works absolutely every major muscle group in your body. When performed correctly, the rowing stroke will work every muscle effectively. At the catch and through the drive, the abdominals are used to keep straight form, the back, quads, bisepts, and even calves are used to apply power. When on the recovery, the pectoral, tricept, and calf muscles are exercized. This machine builds and tones muscle as well as provides an advanced cardio workout. I will not lie, this machine hurts. It may be the most painful experience one has even undergone, but it will transform you into a better person physically and mentally. Why mentally? Mentally because it challenges one to reach beyond themself to do better. As on the water, in the rowing shell, life's lessons are discovered on the erg.

excellent product, excellent company. bought my erg direct from manufacturer over the internet. excellent total body workout as warmup to free weights and for conditioning. I am primarly a cyclist but stationary bikes are too boring. I also paddle a whitewater kayak so the concept 2 conditions my legs and arms at the same time. after using it over the winter my first bike ride was almost as fast as a mid season ride and my arms are nicely conditioned from 15k rows. probably the best indoor exercise equipment I have ever used. I bought an optional seat pad ($2.50) to make it a bit more comfortable. Concept 2 "e-row" software is nothing special and not worth paying extra for the monitor that allows you to download your data unless you are the anal retentive type. However, I do strongly recommend using a heart rate monitor as it does make the training time more effective. company news letters keep you informed of the large community of concept 2 rowers and the many competitions available.

Customer Service

great, but nothing has worn out in 2 years

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other products don,t have the quality or established track record.

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Excellent machine, total workout - legs, upper body and aerobic all at once. I like to do a 10,000 meter workout, takes about 45 minutes on the highest resistance. Seems to be the best available cross training for when I can''t go outside to mountain bike or x-country ski. Also, I like to alternate my grip on the bar, 50% palms down and 50% palms up to work more muscles in the arms, shoulders and back. Remember to sit straight up. I occasionally see rowers in the gym using poor posture and probably damaging their spines.

Customer Service

Haven''t had to use it yet, but they send me newsletters regularly.

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Cardio glide. It''s good, but not built strong enough for intense workouts.

Now I can have a good solid workout regardless of weather or time of day which is something I have been missing. The Concept2 rower is a real convenience. It is so quiet you can hardly tell it is being used if you are in the next room.

Spent about 30 minutes setting it up when it arrived. Could have done it in 5 minutes if I had wanted to. Disassembly and assembly for storage, if you want to or have to, takes no more than 30 seconds.

The machine is solidly built and should last a long, long time. Even though the footprint is amazingly narrow it is solid as a rock, not moving at all when in use, but light enough to easily move.

Concept2 also included in their literature recommended workouts, stretching exercises, and supplementary exercises to augment the rower.

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Have looked at other brands in stores, but they looked and felt cheap. Some even rocked as you used them making you feel like you had to do a balancing act rather than concentrating on your workout.

Only rowing in a boat is better!
The Concept II forms the backbone of land-training for 99% of rowers. Its advantages include a reasonably realistic rowing action (compared to those useless contraptions with television screens you see in some gyms), variable damper settings to vary training intensity, and a monitor that tells you how you're doing.
I've been rowing for 7 years and believe me, this thing is the business.
A word of warning: Learn to use it properly. I've seen too many uncoordinated people abusing these things in gyms. Get someone who knows to show you how to use it.
The concept II is cheaper than many other machines and built like a brick privy, so the money will be well spent. Better still buy two so you can train with a partner, because training alone is boring.

Customer Service

Concept II have a great web site and will send you a copy of their training manual for a small fee. It is worth it.

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I'm not sure if their was a warning in the instruction manual, but I was so excited when this came that I unloaded it directly from my flatbed right into the water and it just sank! Took me quite some time to haul it back out of the water and dry it off. And I must say, I did get quite a workout out from that process, so i guess, mission accomplished.

Customer Service

Very helpfull in pointing out this is not for competitive rowing IN the water.

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Norelco 5000 Beard Trimmer

For anyone looking for a great aerobic workout, this is it! Couldn't be happier with the machine. You can row as hard or easy as you like. Concept 2 offers a great website you can check out for more info. I suggest purchasing the heart monitor too if you don't already have one...nice to see how your cardio system is performing. The performance monitor that comes with the unit is the best I've seen and is taylored specifically for use with the rower. All info on the display is directly relevant to your workout. It's important to use proper form & Concept 2 provides a free video to help you achieve this. Take time getting used to the unit and your form to avoid lower back pain-the result of bad form! Also, your butt might hurt if you row for long periods. Concept 2 offers an inexpensive pad that works great! Check out their website for more info. This rower is worth every penny!

Customer Service

Couldn't be better. Great Company!

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Nordic Trak Pro. Piston Rowers.