Rowing

How do you get the best time for a 200-meter pull on a Concept2 rowing machine?

C2 master instructor Bruce Kocher teaches a group of athletes at CrossFit New England how to get the lowest time for the sprint distance, covering topics such as torso angle, damper settings and the all-important start.

“More is not better,” Kocher says of the oft-misunderstood damper. “Elite rowers row at five and below. Many train at zero… Continue Reading

In the final part of our rowing series with former Olympic coach Chris Wilson of Concept2, Jon Gilson of Again Faster learns that drills can be frustrating because they force an issue. Drills spotlight problems and must be done perfectly to increase effectiveness.

Chris instructs Jon to hit different stroke rates at maximum power while implementing everything he has learned in previous lessons. Jon soon runs into problems because the… Continue Reading

“We’re going into battle,” Bruce Kocher of Concept 2 tells Todd Widman. Todd’s challenge is to row 500 meters in less than 1:20. Bruce warns: “This is maybe one of the toughest things you are going to do athletically. So get nasty with it. You’ve got the training. You’re plenty fit.”

In this video by Again Faster the story begins on the first day of a Level 1 cert at CrossFit New England. Todd sat down to pull a 200… Continue Reading

In the third of four Concept 2 rowing lessons with former Olympic coach Chris Wilson, Jon Gilson of Again Faster learns about the importance of the preparation phase of the stroke sequence.

The preparation phase begins as soon as the previous stroke is completed. Avoid the common beginner’s mistake of releasing the seat too soon and having the knees come up. Take the time to set up the proper sequence so the… Continue Reading

The complex relationship between power output and stroke rate is poorly understood by many athletes new to the Concept 2 rower, the company’s co-founder tells Jon Gilson of Again Faster in the second part of our three part series. Peter Dreissgacker takes Jon through a drill used to acquaint athletes with the machine. Going faster doesn’t always mean going harder. And rowing many strokes doesn’t necessarily… Continue Reading

In this video, Jon Gilson of Again Faster “graduates” from indoor rowing on the Concept2 erg to rowing on the water in a one-man scull at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center in Vermont. Jon’s instructor is Judy Geer, a veteran coach and three-time Olympian.

Judy notes some similarities and some differences in comparing the scull to the erg. The body mechanics and coordination are quite similar… Continue Reading

Maintaining pressure on the foot stretcher of the Concept2 erg with the upper portion of the foot is crucial, Jon Gilson of Again Faster learns in part two of our five-part series on how to row faster.

Moving the feet from side to side or up and down results in lost power, wasted energy and slower times. There are only two places the work is transferred from the body to the C2 erg: the handle and foot… Continue Reading

As our rowing series continues, Jon Gilson of Again Faster gets the first of three explanations on how to maximize the training capacity of the C2 rower from a man who ought to know: Peter Dreissigacker, the co-founder of Concept 2.

Jon learns that there are different ways of creating power on the erg. Sometimes just pulling faster isn’t the best approach. Peter demonstrates the concept by putting Jon… Continue Reading