Rowing machine

[Ian Coe]

Once you get form correct it is easily one of the hardest stand alone CV entities I have done (nothing can replace heavy padwork/sparring for me)
I got to in my fitter days 8k averaging 1 min 50.3 s per 500m (the 0.3 really annoys me even now). I mixed it up post that with 1.5k rows averaging sub 1 min 46 per 500 with 10 burpess in between for 4-5 sets. I think it's all in my training log from 2012.

 

[Phlog]

Once you get form correct it is easily one of the hardest stand alone CV entities I have done (nothing can replace heavy padwork/sparring for me)
I got to in my fitter days 8k averaging 1 min 50.3 s per 500m (the 0.3 really annoys me even now). I mixed it up post that with 1.5k rows averaging sub 1 min 46 per 500 with 10 burpess in between for 4-5 sets. I think it's all in my training log from 2012.

Off track I know but agreed that heavy pad work and sparring gets the beat cardio. Fittest I've ever been.

 

[Ian Coe]

Off track I know but agreed that heavy pad work and sparring gets the beat cardio. Fittest I've ever been.

Nothing like someone trying to punch you in the face to keep you active when you just want to lay down and die

 

[JinKazama]

I had no idea that rowing machines were that good

I saw a tnation article recently that held a rather high opinion of the ergo

 

[Ian Coe]

Try and do 3k averaging 1 min 55 per 500m. I usually use resistance 7/8.
I'm just suggesting as I find that is a sufficiently hard tempo for someone who hasn't rowed before with a base fitness.

 

[selfcritical]

The big things with the concept 2 and ergs in general are

1) Little to know eccentric forces, resulting in very little muscular damage unless you are just generating enormous output (tabata type stuff for example)

2) Very low blood pressure and lots of muscles relaxing at once, which means the venous return is very high. This helps a lot with causing left ventricle adaptations

3) Multiple means of objective output, most notable wattage. This means that even without a HR monitor, you can target workouts pretty well. If you use the wattage output AND a HR monitor, you can get super precise.

The disanvantages are that if your form sucks the recovery cost to your lower back can be high, and the upper limit to the resistance isn't particularly high compared to high incline treadmill or a spin bike (which is probably the other most awesome piece of cardio equipment if it has a wattage output)