If you want a good cardio exercise try rowing machines

Buy used. I got mine for $425 and the computer worked. If you want to upgrade to a computer that has games and memory stuff, that is like $250. They have apps and stuff so you can compete online. It is near impossible to destroy a concept 2 rower provided someone didn't leave it outside to rust up. Even then, I think near everything can be replaced since some rowing teams keep them on the docks and bagged when not in use to prevent condensation to collect on them. But, yeah of all commercial gym equipment that literally can't be destroyed by use, a Concept rower is pretty high up on the list. If you don't got room for it in your house or apartment, bag it and make sure to periodically oil the chain.

I picked one up because I had issues getting comfortable riding my bicycle on a trainer during the winter. A rower though will get you in shape a lot faster than riding on a trainer. Nothing compares to getting your cardio back in shape and leaning and bulking up. People think that cardio means that you will get stupid lean but you can have large muscle mass that is all endurance muscle. Competitive rowers actually have a higher percentage of slow twitch to fast twitch muscle fibers than cyclist. Keep the resistance lower and your cadence up and you should be ok. Just remember that you are mainly pulling with your legs.

My only complaint about the machine is that it is kind of loud. There are magnetic ones and magnetic bike trainers are pretty quiet but I have never tried a magnetic or liquid rower. Get some wireless headsets and setup in front of a tv but a standard concept 2 rower is kind of loud.
yeah they last long I bought a Concept 2 brand new for 900 bucks off Amazon and still have it but I only used it a few times.

The only issue I had with rowing is the form, sometimes Id mess up and get out of rhythm

Im going to start doing it in the afternoon again.
 


Ive got a stationary and recumbent in my gym plus a road bike I but I get alot better workout on this rowing machine. Its a great way to build up your back muscles too look at Jason Stathams rear delts in the Transporter.
You can get a decent one for 300 and concept 2 rowers go into the thousands. When you are done you can fold it up and stick it in a corner.

I bought a concept 2 back in March on Amazon for around 1k. I’ve put 350k meters on it in the last 3 months and went from 205-188 or so while still maintaining strength. I do a lot of slow state 10ks(48-52 min) and HIIT for 2k after lifting weights

Fucking love the rower. Best purchase I have ever made. If I had to stop all other workouts and just do rowing with bodyweight I wouldn’t mind one bit.
 
I only row on 10. Why should I do lower resistance?

Your back. Real water rowing is like a 3 or 4. That is enough to put on muscle. You can row for an hour at real water resistance. At 10, your form is shit and your back is going to tighten and spasm once it can't take it anymore. Your back should be getting better with rowing, not worse.
 
I bought a concept 2 back in March on Amazon for around 1k. I’ve put 350k meters on it in the last 3 months and went from 205-188 or so while still maintaining strength. I do a lot of slow state 10ks(48-52 min) and HIIT for 2k after lifting weights

Fucking love the rower. Best purchase I have ever made. If I had to stop all other workouts and just do rowing with bodyweight I wouldn’t mind one bit.

That Concept is the creme of the crop of rowers, its worth the investment

I bought mine for 900 like 8 or 9 years ago, but I was able to use that Bing cash back or one of those cashback websites when Amazon didn't charge tax for California residents

I clicked the cashback link to Amazon and I got 35 percent Cashback on my purchase, so I got money back and got a huge discount I miss those cash back deals, its hard to find really good coupons online anymore.
 
I've got a kettler coach which ive had for 13 years now. Was $900 or so when i bought it. Still going strong.

When i was training for MX and desert race races id do 2 - 40 minute sessions at 10, (at peak fitness)

Never had issues with spasms or anything, just warm into it.

The kettlers are nice for low resistence squats and the like as well.

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Your back. Real water rowing is like a 3 or 4. That is enough to put on muscle. You can row for an hour at real water resistance. At 10, your form is shit and your back is going to tighten and spasm once it can't take it anymore. Your back should be getting better with rowing, not worse.

I am not trying to put on muscle. I think my form is pretty good at 10 and haven’t felt any discomfort. I’ve tried lower settings but it feels harder to maintain good form with less resistance.
 
I am not trying to put on muscle. I think my form is pretty good at 10 and haven’t felt any discomfort. I’ve tried lower settings but it feels harder to maintain good form with less resistance.

Just don't. Trust me. I have been there. Nothing compares to lose weight and putting on muscle faster than rowing. Row for an hour like 5 days a week and the correct resistance and you'll see results fast. It is like a perfect mix between cardio and resistance.

Just an interesting note, the highest average VO2 recorded test come from rowers. Rowing is the most cardiovascular intensive activity and it doesn't beat up your joints. There are a lot of female cyclist that came over from olympic rowing. They all are strong and great time trialist right off the bat. Former Tour de France winner and track star, Bradley Wiggins, has gotten into rowing and he has been putting up respectable times on concept 2 rowers.
 
Rowing is awesome exercise. The only problem I've ever had from it stems from grip overuse injuries, oddly enough. If you are doing a lot of additional grip-intensive work (deadlifts, cleans, snatches, rock climbing, wakeboarding, or anything else where the muscles in your forearms and/or the tendons in your hands are constantly shortening due to flexion/constantly under stress), then you can do some serious damage to yourself. For most people, this isn't really a concern, but if you are already a serious athlete, this is something worth keeping an eye on.
 
Rowing is awesome exercise. The only problem I've ever had from it stems from grip overuse injuries, oddly enough. If you are doing a lot of additional grip-intensive work (deadlifts, cleans, snatches, rock climbing, wakeboarding, or anything else where the muscles in your forearms and/or the tendons in your hands are constantly shortening due to flexion/constantly under stress), then you can do some serious damage to yourself. For most people, this isn't really a concern, but if you are already a serious athlete, this is something worth keeping an eye on.
I've been having this problem a lot lately. I think it comes mainly from the chin ups and db squats/deads I do often. It comes in to play on pretty much every pulling exercise I can think of. I feel this issue is really holding me back as I have to limit my training when my body feels fine aside from forearms/elbow. Legs I can work around by using lighter weight split squats/goblet squats or leg press at gym. But any suggestions how I can continue hitting my back hard without over training the forearm flexors?
 
Obviously a different exercise tho, but how is it better than say kettlebell swings for example?
 
Rowing is awesome exercise. The only problem I've ever had from it stems from grip overuse injuries, oddly enough. If you are doing a lot of additional grip-intensive work (deadlifts, cleans, snatches, rock climbing, wakeboarding, or anything else where the muscles in your forearms and/or the tendons in your hands are constantly shortening due to flexion/constantly under stress), then you can do some serious damage to yourself. For most people, this isn't really a concern, but if you are already a serious athlete, this is something worth keeping an eye on.
Might be why my two of my fingers are fucked on my right hand. Have been doing a lot of basebat choke attempts and my fingers are pretty wacked out atm.
 
I've been having this problem a lot lately. I think it comes mainly from the chin ups and db squats/deads I do often. It comes in to play on pretty much every pulling exercise I can think of. I feel this issue is really holding me back as I have to limit my training when my body feels fine aside from forearms/elbow. Legs I can work around by using lighter weight split squats/goblet squats or leg press at gym. But any suggestions how I can continue hitting my back hard without over training the forearm flexors?
Yeah, I have some stuff. So the forearms are really funny. Make a tight fist and/or curl your hand down as you would when grabbing something, and you will notice that virtually all of the flexion is happening on the palm-side of the arm. As your forearms develop over time, this asymmetry will lead to a huge strength imbalance, and what will happen is that the muscles on the strong side of the arm will shorten due to the weaker side of the arm being unable to keep pace. So what can we do about it? There are a few options. One of them is to simply change the grip up. Grab a block, door frame, or something that is generally a square corner that is about 3" wide, squeezing tight. Notice how this engages the upper portion of the arm? This is a really good way to prevent that imbalance from happening. If you can, try doing some of your exercises with this grip, which will save your forearms a bit for other exercises where you really need it. If that's too difficult, a good way to target your back is by doing reverse flys with dumbbells, keeping your arms straight. Your ability to lift heavy will be gone, haha. You can also invest in some wrist straps, and those will help save your grip as well. Plus, you won't really need to change up your routine, as they will transfer the weight off your fingers.
 
Obviously a different exercise tho, but how is it better than say kettlebell swings for example?

You should be doing both. Kettlebell swings can get taxing on my lower back when fatigued and I’ve never felt discomfort rowing before.
 
how long is your typical rowing workout?

If I lift weights I do a 2k in 8 minutes or a 5k in about 22 min depending on whether I did squats that day. For my lifting I do PHUL as of now but I switch routines way too often.

If I don’t lift weighs I’ll do a 10k in 48-53 minutes for slow steady state.

Lately I’ve been doing a 5k then 100 burpees then another 5k to change it up and try to accelerate fat loss. Drug representatives in doctors office keep bringing in unhealthy food(Uno’s Today) and it’s making me skip up.
 
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Love the concept 2! I row in the driveway to get some sun while I row.
 
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I used to do an hour on one of those every night on the deck right below the catapult gear on the Stennis. There was a puddle of sweat on the floor when I was done.

Excellent machine.
See I would have just hooked the handle onto the catapult and launched the planes, would have made Admiral in no time.


But seriously, the Concept 2 machines are really nice that's what they have at the gym I go to. Short distances (anything under 1600 meters) aren't as taxing as running the equivalent but for some reason once you get above that 1600 meters it becomes a real task, Have to make sure you keep your lower back engaged and focus the force through the legs I see too many people just try to do it with all arms and hunched over, killing their backs.

If you are on one I'd recommend trying some different things, do it a couple hundred meters doing a bicep curl form for obviously more bicep recruitment, another is the high pull- keep the arms straight and pull directly above your head in an arcing motion this really works the upper back, rear deltoids and traps, another is pull to the sides to activate more obliques.
 
I bought a concept 2 back in March on Amazon for around 1k. I’ve put 350k meters on it in the last 3 months and went from 205-188 or so while still maintaining strength. I do a lot of slow state 10ks(48-52 min) and HIIT for 2k after lifting weights

Fucking love the rower. Best purchase I have ever made. If I had to stop all other workouts and just do rowing with bodyweight I wouldn’t mind one bit.
Did you go with the model "D"?
That's what I think I'm going to get.
 
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