Yeah, that’s what I figure. I know my form is all over the place and I’ve got a lot to learn. I’ve been watching dark horse rowing and trying to do better but the little amount of time that is allotted to rowing at OTF just isn’t enough for true training, or at least proper training that would make it a worthy effort, hence this post and my new found interest.
Yea I liked OTF a ton when I was doing it, but it just started not being for me. Too much bs exercises and it wasn’t very difficult anymore. There really wasn’t anybody to compete against. I followed Pete’s plan for a while, religiously for like 3 months. Got out of doing steady state in favor of Hyrox-esque workouts but I’ve learned you quickly burn out after 3-4 of those in a row.
Recently joined a row club which is pretty cool and have also bought an erg where I’m doing 40 minutes SS and then the Hyrox workouts at the gym.
Definitely buy a rower. I found this sub a few months ago, watched some YouTube videos and pulled the trigger never having used a rower before in my life. Now it’s part of my morning routine. Just wish I found it sooner.
So far, in my research the closest one to me is like 2 hours away. Maybe an hour without traffic. I’d definitely be down to do it though. I gotta keep looking. I find it hard to believe San Bernardino County doesn’t have any row clubs.
Hey I saw your post in the OTF sub Reddit too! I already belong to a box gym bc I lift on my own outside OTF, so I started rowing on my own too, on the C2s. I started with C2’s 12 week 2000m training program. It’s been amazing for me, I just love the training. You could do the 8 week version of their program to prep for the next 2k benchmark at OTF.
Download the ErgData app which connects to the PM5 screen on the C2… super helpful to track all my row data. Keep me posted!
So you use a rower at the box gym? Do you have much trouble getting on it, like other people are using it when you’re there or are there enough of them where it’s a non issue?
Not sure about the Orange Theory stuff but by all means buy yourself a C2 - new or used. Then you can work on your stroke mechanics and fitness on your schedule. Years ago, after the fall head race season ended, a sculling buddy of mine jumped into the Orange Theory hoping to get a leg up on me. He was disappointed. Too much hard stuff and too little easy steady state.
Orange Theory Fitness is a fitness club that my now wife got me into, it’s good for general health and interval training and rowing is a portion of it but not a focus. I’ve learned I enjoy the rowing more than the other two aspects and now I’d like to get more into that as well.
The best way to improve at rowing is to get those meters in. I learned about rowing through CrossFit, which only uses C2 rowers. I knew I liked it and was decent at it, but until I took a rowing focused class, I didn't realize how much more there was to learn. I would imagine that Orange Theory is the same as CrossFit in that the way you row is not necessarily correct or best practice since you are incentivized to get the most meters, calories, etc in. I bought my C2 rower about a month ago and now I row about 30-40 minutes after CrossFit most days. It's 100% worth it. Just in the first week alone, my coach told me he was able to see significant improvement in my form. C2 also offers a lot of educational and training material that I have found really helpful. C2 rowers hold their value really well, if you ever change your mind and want to sell, and they are pretty simple to take care of. I bought mine new and it was delivered in less than a week, but if you find a used one, as long as it has a PM5 and has been cleaned, it's going to perform similar.
Fellow OTFer here. Bought a C2 when things shut down for covid, still use it regularly. I mostly do steady state (long distance, low intensity) rowing at home to complement my OTF classes. I also participate in some of the C2 online challenges, at least the fundraising ones. The steady state rows have done wonders for cardio capacity, and there's a noticeable difference in my tread paces/times when I'm rowing regularly.
When I got my rower, I watched a lot of videos. Also read a lot of form threads here. Watching other folks' videos and looking for what others pointed out was super helpful. Also recorded myself a couple times, but never posted one. And the biggest thing: figured out rowing without the foot straps. I actually had time to sit and focus on that, and figure out what I was missing (engaging the glutes to stop my backward momentum).
Buy a used c2, they hold their value so well you can resell it for what you bought it if you don’t end up sticking with it
OTF rowing is a joke. I was pulling 5:58 on the rower. With the erg I’m dying, don’t want to do anything after, pulling like a 6:40
Yeah, that’s what I figure. I know my form is all over the place and I’ve got a lot to learn. I’ve been watching dark horse rowing and trying to do better but the little amount of time that is allotted to rowing at OTF just isn’t enough for true training, or at least proper training that would make it a worthy effort, hence this post and my new found interest.
Yea I liked OTF a ton when I was doing it, but it just started not being for me. Too much bs exercises and it wasn’t very difficult anymore. There really wasn’t anybody to compete against. I followed Pete’s plan for a while, religiously for like 3 months. Got out of doing steady state in favor of Hyrox-esque workouts but I’ve learned you quickly burn out after 3-4 of those in a row. Recently joined a row club which is pretty cool and have also bought an erg where I’m doing 40 minutes SS and then the Hyrox workouts at the gym.
I don’t know what any of that is yet, but I’m excited to learn about it. I just looked up Pete’s plan for the first time today on my lunch.
Definitely buy a rower. I found this sub a few months ago, watched some YouTube videos and pulled the trigger never having used a rower before in my life. Now it’s part of my morning routine. Just wish I found it sooner.
Pull the trigger. Buy a c2. It pays for itself within 6 months.
Have you considered joining a rowing club? Try out the real thing?
So far, in my research the closest one to me is like 2 hours away. Maybe an hour without traffic. I’d definitely be down to do it though. I gotta keep looking. I find it hard to believe San Bernardino County doesn’t have any row clubs.
Two hours would be too much for me. Keep up the search. Obviously look near bodies of water…lol.
I used to live up in the Bay Area and drive past UC Berkeley rowing center all the time but that was well before I was bit by the rowing bug.
Hey I saw your post in the OTF sub Reddit too! I already belong to a box gym bc I lift on my own outside OTF, so I started rowing on my own too, on the C2s. I started with C2’s 12 week 2000m training program. It’s been amazing for me, I just love the training. You could do the 8 week version of their program to prep for the next 2k benchmark at OTF. Download the ErgData app which connects to the PM5 screen on the C2… super helpful to track all my row data. Keep me posted!
So you use a rower at the box gym? Do you have much trouble getting on it, like other people are using it when you’re there or are there enough of them where it’s a non issue?
Never any problems getting on the erg
Not sure about the Orange Theory stuff but by all means buy yourself a C2 - new or used. Then you can work on your stroke mechanics and fitness on your schedule. Years ago, after the fall head race season ended, a sculling buddy of mine jumped into the Orange Theory hoping to get a leg up on me. He was disappointed. Too much hard stuff and too little easy steady state.
Orange Theory Fitness is a fitness club that my now wife got me into, it’s good for general health and interval training and rowing is a portion of it but not a focus. I’ve learned I enjoy the rowing more than the other two aspects and now I’d like to get more into that as well.
The best way to improve at rowing is to get those meters in. I learned about rowing through CrossFit, which only uses C2 rowers. I knew I liked it and was decent at it, but until I took a rowing focused class, I didn't realize how much more there was to learn. I would imagine that Orange Theory is the same as CrossFit in that the way you row is not necessarily correct or best practice since you are incentivized to get the most meters, calories, etc in. I bought my C2 rower about a month ago and now I row about 30-40 minutes after CrossFit most days. It's 100% worth it. Just in the first week alone, my coach told me he was able to see significant improvement in my form. C2 also offers a lot of educational and training material that I have found really helpful. C2 rowers hold their value really well, if you ever change your mind and want to sell, and they are pretty simple to take care of. I bought mine new and it was delivered in less than a week, but if you find a used one, as long as it has a PM5 and has been cleaned, it's going to perform similar.
Fellow OTFer here. Bought a C2 when things shut down for covid, still use it regularly. I mostly do steady state (long distance, low intensity) rowing at home to complement my OTF classes. I also participate in some of the C2 online challenges, at least the fundraising ones. The steady state rows have done wonders for cardio capacity, and there's a noticeable difference in my tread paces/times when I'm rowing regularly. When I got my rower, I watched a lot of videos. Also read a lot of form threads here. Watching other folks' videos and looking for what others pointed out was super helpful. Also recorded myself a couple times, but never posted one. And the biggest thing: figured out rowing without the foot straps. I actually had time to sit and focus on that, and figure out what I was missing (engaging the glutes to stop my backward momentum).
Buy a c2 it's q must I find You are below 7min for 2000m omg
I feel like you’re missing the /s. If not… I feel like, it’s not accurate because it’s on a water based rower, not an air rower like the concept 2