The Concept 2, Simply The Best Rowing Machine In The World!
U.S. Marines, Extreme Athletes…. Even Astronauts Use The Concept 2!!!
CONCEPT2 IS BUILT MARINE TOUGH…
Before I write about my 2nd segment on my 8-Part series. I wanted to discuss how great the Concept 2 Rowing machine really is considering that the second person I will be writing about has the current World Record for a 2000 meter race on the Concept 2. Rob Waddell (2000 Olympic Gold medalist in the single sculls and current Overall World Champion Record Holder for having the FASTEST time EVER for a 2,000 meter race on a Concept 2 Rowing Machine… 5:36). No matter what anyone says, the fact is every single Olympic/National Rowing Team around the World uses the Concept 2 rowing machine for endurance training and physical testing. It is by far the best and most reliable rowing machine on the market. Here are a few other programs and organizations besides the rowing world that use the Concept 2.
US Marines Utilize Indoor Rower as Part of “Combat Conditioning” Program
Burlington, VT ―
The Marine Corps War Fighting Laboratory (MCWL) has partnered with Concept2 to put its Marines to the ultimate fitness test. Captain Justin Jordan from MCWL is currently working with Marines from Camp Lejeune, NC, to test a new form of fitness training called “Combat Conditioning.” To help determine which fitness program is the most effective training tool, the Marines are using the Concept2 Indoor Rower.
“Performance on the Concept2 Indoor Rower will give a strong indication of a Marine’s physical preparedness,” said Captain Jordan. “By comparing scores on the rower before and after a Marine goes through our conditioning programs, we can test the effectiveness of each regimen.” Traditionally, athletic testing is assessed by a regimen of running, sit-ups, and pull-ups.
The use of the Concept2 Indoor Rower is appealing for two key reasons: it offers users accurate and instantaneous information about performance through a state-of-the-art Performance Monitor, and it also measures upper body endurance, an integral aspect of Marine fitness. “Indoor rowing acts as both a cardio and strength-training exercise in one,” said Concept2 co- founder Peter Dreissigacker. “We’ve seen everyone from the most physically fit athletes in the world to senior citizens fall in love with our rowing workout.”
To establish each Marine’s anaerobic and aerobic capabilities, Captain Jordan had them row distances of 500 meters, 2000 meters, and 5000 meters. Marines were then divided into two test groups: the first training with traditional calisthenics as a control group, the second training with the new combat conditioning program. Both groups will be retested on the rower at the end of the test period to gauge the effectiveness of each program.
At the end of the initial testing session, some Marines were so impressed with Concept2 that a number of participants inquired about purchasing an indoor rower for their own fitness regimens. Many of the Marines were excited about the rowers and were hoping the machines would be used in their new training program. To their dismay, but to preserve the integrity of the test data, the Marines participating in the training have been restricted from using the rowers until the second testing session in November.
You don’t have to join the Marines to get the benefits of Concept2. The company offers two indoor rowers ― the Model D and the Model E ― through their website. The rowers can also be found at most health clubs.
WORLD’S TOP EXTREME ATHELETES TRAIN WITH CONCEPT2
In a just a few short years, the Concept2 rower has become one of the most popular pieces of training equipment in the motocross industry. Perfect for the motocross or action sports athlete.
Travis Pastrana, Ricky Carmichael and Chuck Liddell Turn to Indoor Rower!!
Some of the world’s top extreme athletes have a secret weapon: their Concept2 Indoor Rowers.
Travis Pastrana, the first freestyle Motocross athlete to perform a double back-flip in competition, has offered his friends and fellow riders $1,000 if they can beat him in a 500-meter indoor rowing race. So far, no one has.
Ricky Carmichael, the most celebrated and successful Motocross racer in the sport’s history, has used the Concept2 indoor rower for years to stay in optimal shape. Carmichael recently capped off his storied career with a MotoX Gold at this year’s X Games in Los Angeles, California. Top Motocross training facilities, such as Millsaps Training Facility in Cairo, Georgia and Xtreme Team Green in Pilot Point, Texas, include the Concept2 indoor rower in their training rooms.
But Motocross champs aren’t the only ones using Concept2 to get a leg up on the competition. Chuck “Iceman” Liddell, the Ultimate Fighting Championship contestant, admits that his Concept2 indoor rower is the one thing in the world he fears. A major portion of Liddell’s training regimen is an exercise he calls R+R: he rows on his Concept2, then wrestles with his opponents…after that he gets back on the indoor rower for more. It’s the perfect way for Liddell to prepare for the intensity of the fighting ring.
While Motocross and Ultimate Fighting are vastly different sports, they both require strength and agility. That’s why rowing is the perfect training solution. It builds strength rather than bulk, allowing you to stay limber and ready for any challenge. Athletes are calling this fitness trend “weight-based progressive workouts,” and Concept2 is at the center of the action. “Indoor rowing is a true full-body workout that pushes your strength and cardio endurance with every stroke,” says the company’s co-founder, Dick Dreissigacker. “Our state-of-the-art Performance Monitor tells you exactly how hard and fast you’re rowing that very second.”
How the Motocross Professionals Train using the Concept 2 Rowing Machine!
THE ASTRONAUT’S SPACE AGE WORKOUT
Researchers at the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) have discovered what Concept2 has known for years: The Concept2 Indoor Rower is the best way to exercise your entire body and stay heart-healthy…in the universe.
Staying fit when you’re galaxies away hinges on keeping your entire body in top form. That’s why the team at NSBRI set out to develop a fitness regimen that would counteract the physical changes caused by microgravity ― the state of weightlessness astronauts experience during their travels. Decades of research on athletes and performance revealed that astronauts needed a workout that kept blood pumping and maintained bone and muscle strength. Rowing was the perfect solution.
“We choose indoor rowing for several reasons,” Dr. Benjamin Levine told Space Daily. “It uses a large muscle mass, it is non-impact so there are low chances for injury, and astronauts could use similar equipment in space.” What’s more, rowing combines static and dynamic exercise, which improves heart function. The heart works 15–20 percent less during weightlessness than it does here on Earth.
Dr. Levine, who leads the NSBRI team, explains that dynamic and endurance exercise is necessary to engage the large muscle groups of the body. Whereas swimming, running and cycling do work these muscles, rowing is the only activity that exerts muscles through strength training and contracts muscles through sustained effort.
You don’t have to be on the next mission to Saturn to get a space age workout, though. Concept2 offers two indoor rowers ― the Model D and the Model E ― through their website. Their rowers can also be found in major gyms and rowing clubs.
The astronaut’s workout can easily be simulated on Earth. Start with what they call a “base- training session” by rowing at a moderate pace. You should be able to talk with a training buddy during this stage. To work your body more, try rowing at a faster pace. Astronauts call this “threshold training” because it trains you at your maximum sustainable effort. End your workout with a real push, rowing hard for one to three minutes for “interval training” and capping off with a “recovery session” ― rowing one final long distance at a lower intensity.
Dick and Peter Dreissigacker founded Concept2 in 1976. Fresh from Olympic training, the two brothers designed and manufactured carbon fiber racing oars, and went on to create the world’s first wind-resistance indoor rower. Dreissigacker Racing Oars are now used by more than 80 percent of the rowing community. The Concept2 Indoor Rower has been redesigned and upgraded four times since the Model A was introduced in 1981. For more information about Concept2, visit the concept2 website.
Tags: Chuck Liddell, Concept2, Extreme Athletes, indoor rowing, Ricky Carmichael, Rob Waddell, Travis Pastrana, U.S. Marines
