Testimonials

Paul says most of his training for Paris was done on Model C Indoor Rowers at Elkhart YMCA where he is member and instructor of rowing classes twice a week . The Elkhart YMCA supported Paul's efforts by promoting articles in the local newspaper about his achievements in rowing. The Elkhart Y also supports the Indiana Indoor Rowing Championships in Elkhart by loaning their rowing machines to be used as warmup machines.

Back in the fall of 03 I started the indoor rowing program at our Y, after I received my certification from Chris Ives and the Rowing Institute.

I began the program with 6 ergs, two nights a week for 45 minutes. I also had numerous, free 2 hour indoor rowing clinics that i believe sparked the interest.

The program has grown, we now have 9 ergs with hopes of 3 more. I teach 3 classes and there is a new instructor who has river rowing experience teaching one.

This March, the "Central Bucks Family YMCA Crew Team" traveled to Villanova University to row in an indoor competition. 8 members went with our team shirts and for many, their first race. They all did great. 2 weeks ago most of them went to another local race and they all improved their race times. The youngest team member is myself at 42. This group of detected members have been coming to class almost 2 nights a week, some come on their own. They love the class because we have lots of fun and we get a real good workout. Most of them say they would never work as hard or as long by themselves. We joke about how this class could be on TV as a weekly sitcom. Lots of laughing and many people have made good friends. I know I have! I look forward to "work", when I show up to "teach" the class.

The class also participates in most of the Concept 2 Challenges. In fact, we are now getting ourselves ready for the April challenge. I teach 2 back to back classes on Friday night, so we decided this would be a good night to have the event for Half marathon rows!

I have been a YMCA trainer for 17 years, and in my experience i believe this program has brought much to our members. Some say they have come to the Y off and on, and this is the only program that has kept them coming. I am amazed at the diversity in ages that have stuck to it. These members are to be applauded for their dedication and commitment to their health. I am so lucky to have met them all, and I truly love being part of the Crew experience. As a Fitness Trainer, i have notice many more members rowing for their workout. I believe the interest in our Y has grown because of the program, plus the knowledge i gained when i went for my certification. I tell most of them that it is a love hate relationship with the erg. Mostly i love it. I personally have trained on the erg for about 14 years, and have raced many times. I tell the new people my experience. That is, as a marathon runner, i train less running distance and train on the erg and come race day I can run the distance. I have done 10 marathons and the erg is one of my training tools. I have a new upcoming event, I have stepped, I guess into the world of Tri's, and did my first half-ironman triathlon last August. As a non-swimmer the erg helped me gain the upper body strength, and will truly help me in the next big event. I am entered into a full ironman tri this July. Ironman USA, Lake Placid. I tell all of my Tri friends they should train the erg, they laugh and say its to hard!

I am grateful to Concept 2 for all their support, the supportive tools, their staff, and encouragement. I have enjoyed watching you grow, and the indoor rowing world grow. I believe it will only continue.

Chris Robicheau has been the Fitness Director for the YMCA in Fredericton, Canada, since 1998. He first became interested in rowing when he saw some of his members rowing - a lot -- and heard about the Concept2 challenges from them. In fact, one of his members rowed one million meters in 30 days! Chris went on to organize an indoor rowing race in the fall of 2001in partnership with Saint John's YMCA and, as a result, is now working with Concept2 to design some special Y - only events and challenges for the future.

Initially, the rower was a piece of equipment that was under utilized in our very busy Wellness Centre. We felt it necessary to increase the use of the rower and the Concept2 challenges were the first step toward that end. The challenges were received so well that we had to buy an additional rower - people still stand in line to use them.

Most importantly, our members are having a lot of fun and are highly motivated to achieve the goal of the challenges. Not only that, but several non-rowers have told me that seeing everyone pull for our Y has inspired them to do more and they even cheer on participants who are completing their events.

We took it a step further and organized a 2000 meter Indoor Rowing Competition. Members from our facility, the Saint John YMCA, and the community at large came to participate and it was a very exciting event. Between our two facilities, we now hold three competitions a year, and will probably add more as other YMCAs in our area jump on board.

The West Side YMCA in New York City has one of the longest-standing indoor rowing programs in the country. In fact, it could probably be called the place where it all started. In 1996, as Concept2 began to strengthen its support for health clubs and other group fitness facilities, Chris Ives became Concept2's first Master Instructor. Since he had been training himself at the West Side Y, he chose to start his first program there, and it's been going strong ever since.

The idea of the rowing class was an attempt to create what most college and national team rowers do when they're unable to get on the water: train together on the rowing machines. My feeling was that by pulling the rowing machines out of the corner and leading a group through some workouts, you could have a pretty exciting class. I made a proposal to a very skeptical Y and, after some convincing, launched "OarRowBics." It has become everything I thought it could be, and the Y has been really pleased to be making better use of their machines.

One of the best things about the class is the wide range of fitness levels and ages that are able to come together and row as a unified group. The nature of the machine's resistance (air) is such that each participant can pull as hard or as easy as they wish, while staying in synch with the rest of the class.

In so many ways, I think the rowing class embodies the "Mind, Body, and Spirit" motto of the Y. The class is very much like a team, with all participants empowered by their newfound knowledge of how to row effectively and flow together as group, much like on-the-water rowing teams. The camaraderie that results is one of the most satisfying aspects of the class.

My hope is that other Y's will pick up on this idea of group rowing and we can begin to have a network of rowing classes across the nation.