@@MarkLewisfitnessi just started rowing today and looked videos on youtubes. I think i can beat the 500M in 1:25. I've been cycling for over a year now. I will say its hard a hell to row.
Proud to say my late father (one of the most humble and softly spoken blokes) had a 2 km PB of 6:40... at the age of 62! He used to race at the British Indoor champs and Redgrave and Pinsent would put on a bit of an exhibition race t the end (with Pinsent ending up with his usual faint in the last stroke 😂). Dad would turn a horrid shade of grey in the last 200m but absolutely loved his ergo.
@@ithinkthereforeitalk935 to be honest, it’s been 15 years so I couldn’t remember (surf boat rower/ life saver) but I remember the pain of sitting on ergo’s and lung busting races. Maybe I’ll have to join a gym and give it a go now.
@@supernoodles908 Agree but the 500m sprint was a pretty pointless challenge. I think I did it once for a laugh flat out, and 1 set of 6x500m with 30sec off sprint training (which is surprisingly harder than it seems on paper)
Who remembers that documentary filmed in the lead up to Steve Redgrave's final Olympics, showing them training on the Concept 2 rowers? They were literally PASSING OUT from exhaustion and falling off the rower, and I remember thinking you can't possibly work any harder than that.
Looked Nick Riding up after watching this... what an absolute unit. Dude is on another level. And I love that he did the 24hr Deadlift record to raise money for a suicide prevention charity. It would have been cool to see his peak and average Wattage/power output from that row. Probably massive. He'd probably do well with hill-climb cycling as well.
As a 56 year old Cornish pilot gig rower, I’m stoked that I can still beat that erg challenge. To be fair though, it takes a lot of time on an erg to get efficient and also endurance fit. I’m not surprised many of the fit gym guys failed, as it’s not something they particularly train for. It’s all about the repetition and building the engine. Great video 👍
ikr. Just stumbled on this video. Is he a rower? or just a sports guy in general? That kneel afterwards makes my legs fucking hurt too. Paddle it out, or at least lay on your back and air bicycle. Do SOMETHING!
It was on this very challenge against 18 year olds a year ago I got a herniated disc which needed surgery later on...for the record I won...as a 48 year old and clocked a 1:25 on the 500m. Short term win and still in recovery
Good work, you may have already had a slipped disk, I've had one for 50 years but haven't been hospitalized for it yet but if I did what you did I probably would. That's how I got it in the first place (showing off my youthful strength)
Understand. Very BAD challenge. Lots of rowing form is to get lower back in a safe position. These guys had no training. What will they do next -- have random people do heavy squats without knowing safe form?
Not to say it isn't entirely true, but sure you herniated the disc on THAT CHALLENGE ALONE and not during your whole life and this was the straw that broke the literal back.
I love this. Spent a decade enjoying the C2 and at 6’7”, 230lbs, I only wish I’d found this sport when I was younger. Thanks for spreading the rowing love!
5:48 will always blow my mind. My fastest ever was 6:13 and it nearly killed me. Even the thought of going sub 6:10 seems too far fetched. However, I take my hat off to anyone who sincerely attempts the 2k test. Just doing it is no joke. As for the people who attempted Mark's test - they could definitely add many valuable metres to their distance if they'd been taught proper technique and rating. Great work! Finally, I hate to say it but it looked like that boat crash at the end of the vid involved my old rowing club, City of Cambridge (blue, yellow and claret colours), during the Bumps! 😄
So my college never did "test pieces" in the traditional 2k sense. We did weekly 5ks in the fall and weekly 1500s in the spring. So I just sat down a hair out of practice (i had my last race 2 weeks ago and had 2 busy weeks when I got back home) and pulled 6:49.3 for my first 2k (rate 30). For reference, my best 1500 was rate 30 at a split of 1:38.2... I hate that I don't have time to keep my conditioning up...
6:13 was my fastest ever 2k as well, my senior year of college. I was lightweight so did it at about 165lbs (74kg). Took me 12 years of training 30+ hours a week to hit that score. And the actual piece legitimately almost killed me. My heart rate hit 218bpm in the sprint and stayed above 200 for about 15 minutes after I stopped. It stayed above 180 for about an hour. I passed out for a few minutes then threw up for about an hour. I was horribly ill for about 3 days following the effort. It was my last ever 2k, and I knew it was the last one, so I did not hold anything back whatsoever. I’d never do that again, but I regret absolutely nothing. It felt amazing to really see what I was capable of in that way, my target for that piece was a 6:16 so it was a surprise 5 second PR.
As a short (for a rower) 6'2", my PB in college was 6:28 for 2,000 meters, a 1:37 split. A month later I was cut for being one of the slowest guys on Cal Crew. We had 5 future Olympians on that team.
I hope as you age you will really appreciate your ability. That is a great performance. That there are a few people in the world that can do better doesn’t reflect on the fact that a sub 6:30 is exceptional. Well done.
Those splits are brutal. My pb for 500 is 1:45. I've been able to get to 0:57 for the split display, but only for about 100-110m, then I hit the wall, cramped, fell off, had a heart attack, blacked out, and died. Those sets were all over 2:45 after those attempts because I was DONE and could barely move, let alone get the catch, bend my legs, or breathe. I had to get pulled off the concept 2 by friends all 3 times I've done it. Now I train the 4 minute max effort, but would get absolutely wrecked by cardiodolphin in meters if he did it.
Hey Mark, I was really inspired to dedicate more time to fitness after watching one of your videos in 2022. Thanks so much for the inspiration, much love from the USA.
technique is a big issue. you're supposed to use your legs to do the bulk of the power and then follow through with your arms at the end. most people who don't row use their arms before their legs are even straight, and end up not only with shorter strokes, but wasted energy, as straight arms don't require energy to pull. By overlapping those phases you are almost like tapping your brakes while pressing the accelerator.
Honestly, my favorite part is listening to you get back at the rowing technique experts from the comments before they get their chance. It's funny as hell. On an unrelated note, nice video!
Yes Mark! Gotta get that duck pond podium in there, always makes me smile. Another brilliantly entertaining video. Looks like some real interesting characters train at your local gym!
Mark time to do that "above average guy does coaching". Subtle insults and backhanded compliments the whole time. Love your stuff. It does inspire me to keep going and be above average in things i'm good at. Rollerblading and snow skiing. Maybe endurance but I need to go some comps. I said i wasn't going to do any. But you said do it, so i think i will. I'm my start of running just a year ago. I said no races as they cost money. I'll just do my own timed runs. I think apes have a hierarchy for a reason. We do and it's just on the social medias.
The concept 2 is one of the best machines for cross training. We have used them for wrestling for years. The dead lift champion was terrifying in both his dead lifting and his rowing.
Back when I worked somewhere with a gym (20 years or so) the Concept 2 was the unloved bit of kit you could always get on. That and a StairMaster. I used to alternate between the two. Being a distance guy, I would aim for 5K at under 2 minutes per 500m. After a while, I could do that in 1:50. I don't think I got under 1:40 for a sprint finish and doubt I would have been much under that for a 500m sprint. 1:24 is way fast. Well done.
I used to row for under 16's double scull. Now in my 40's and currently awaiting a water rower to arrive, life caught up with me and i got way to far overweight (115kg 182cm) i cant wait to get back into it even if its just doing it on my kitchen floor
Bought my Concept 2 in 1987, use it 5-6 times a week and can't live without it. As a collage rower, rowing can help change peoples lives in a serious way. Once seriously engaged in the sport you will make friends and never look back! You will also look SUPER GREAT!
Rowing is HARD. We have a danish champ called Eskild Ebbesen and he is a machine in all endurance sports. The carryover from rowing to other sports is great
He’s a freak. His breathing rate when he set the world record would be considered hyperventilating for almost anyone else. How he maintained that is beyond me.
I loved watching this. We have a challenge board at our Gym for this. I was currently leading but have been knock of the top step with someone doing a 1:28. I'm 120Kg 32%bf and can do 500m in 1:32.3 so watching these fitter people and a different techniques makes me feel if I can get my body weight under 100Kg I should smash this. Thanks for sharing :)
Semi-regular indoor rower here, and I managed 1:36.3 back in 2020, aged 51, and then nearly threw up ! 100m I could do at 1:25 pace. Very impressive by everyone there, pacing the 500 right is tough
Great video, Mark. I’ve watched a couple of your rowing videos, now, and appreciated the split approach. I’m re-training after retiring from hockey due to proximal hamstring tendonopathy (I’m also 52 years old, which doesn’t help 😂), and had decided to take up rowing, starting indoors, and then moving, eventually, outdoors. Your videos are great, and have been a real inspiration - massive thanks and respect for the hard work!
This is a fun challenge - quite a few of those taking part would have seen improvements purely from technique, which is rarely corrected (I've often seen PTs showing bad technique as well). The 500m is the only distance I've never taken seriously - seeing that chap doing that pace after the deadlifts correlates nicely with my belief that a strong deadlift will usually result in a fast pace over a shorter distance rowing (fella should try the 100m, which Shaw *doesn't* hold the record in, despite the claims that he did once hold it - current record is a barely believable 1:02 average!!!)
Mad to think Redgrave did it while having diabetes and colitis at the same time aswell. Absolute hero and an inspiration. Nick was an absolute beast on there too
Mark if you wanted to get your own rowing quicker you could consider moving your hands away faster at the end of your stroke and leaning forward before you break your legs and move forward. PBS 6m07 and 16m22 for 5k.... a very long time ago and we are pretty much the same size and shape - well.. in your previous life - Love your channel - keep it up I love watching your videos - I think you are awesome (in a manly appropriate way)
Gave this a go this morning, was thinking I would smash it and was nowhere near it. Really pushed and was getting 1:44 at best 😅 much harder than it looks
I have a new benchmark for the rower! 2 months ago I was at 294lbs 5'11". I have a very lazy workout with no more than 15-20 minutes not including stretching. I get to the gym 4 days a week at most. I am down to 265 and just hit the rower yesterday. I am in my 50's. My work out is about 6 min sprint on stationary bike, two sets of 10 flights of stairs, and now 10 min of rowing. I spend 5 min stretching prior and another 5 min stretching post workout.
In the 90s my work at the time (Lombard) sponsored the Redgrave Olympic 4 . They had a celebration event after Sydney 2000 which featured a a little 90 sec ergo test competition for staff. James Cracknell made it and set a distance way 500m. I wasnt cardio fit then but managed to win it (Id rowed in my teens and have a frame like yours) probably 490m. I just remember it feeling really easy for the first 30 , the middle 30 getting harder and the oblivion pain of 60 secs to 90 secs. You and Karen showed some human suffering but the 2 lads that seemed barely out of breath and stood up quickly 😮😮😮.
Love the rowing machine, usually it's part of the warm up and feel like am dieing sub 8min/ 2000m😁 at 6'6 its feels one of the few machine that fits (is gym equipment getting smaller?). Unfortunaly a few discs went at easter and took out a nerve when they flounced off but physio says its ok to start training again. Challange accepted, it may take a while you old before photo could be me.
I took a lot from the previous video and have started including 2k row splits as a way to track progression in fitness. Along way off the times seen here but gotta start somewhere
I would love to see your heart rate data there next to distance and time. You make it look easy, until it is over and then it is obvious how hard you worked to go that distance.
I took up dragon bost racing in my late 40s in the UAE and loved it and ended up paddling with a Filipino crew who are amazing at the sport. We had 20 paddling in the boat and the memories of the 2k races is making me sweat just thinking about. Such a hard distance to do flat out and in time with the rest of the crew. Great video this.
I'm impressed with myself. Two full knee replacements and a shoulder replacement and I'm only 20 seconds off at age 62. I'll take that and 39 mins for 10km. Great vid. Always good to pull to chest with a good lean back.
Super fun and easy going video. Impressive to see the ability of the best of the best in relation to everyday gym goers, which apparently include world record holders and other olympic athletes as well. what a gym 😂
Used to love the rower back in my gymbro days. Always at the end of the visit though as the physical and mental distress of trying to beat your best 2K time always just ends you. Never known a feeling like it, lactic acid building up everywhere, your lungs bursting...
Es que no saben la tecnica aun jjjj. Competir ante remeros como Pertti Karppinen, Eric Murray, Matthew Pinsent es como saltar y clavar la pelota en un aro a 3.5 M de altura al estilo de Michael Jordan o Lebron James, o simplemente hacer 20 ataques de voleibol como Wilfredo Leon o Mirella Luis. El Remo es un deporte muy sacrificado, pasas horas de tu vida solo en un bote sin hablar, debes completar horas de carreras y ejercicios con pesas para desarrollar la resistencia a la fuerza, te aislas de la familia y tus amigos cercanos, se llenan tus manos y pies de callos por el repetitivo entrenamiento, aun asi amo este hermoso deporte. Muy interesante este video. Gracias por crear algo asi para la familia del Remo internacional.
About 30 years ago, I got roped into a rowing challenge. I was reasonably fit at the time but I had only used the rowing machine a couple of times. I managed 7:11 for the 2000 M but after I didn't have enough energy left to undo the foot straps 🤣
Do swimming. Do an fing triathalon Mark. We know you think you hate it & won't but the journey would be hilarious and your big frame would help you be good (as it will for rowing ).
My gym, Orange Theory, puts in a good amount of focus on rowing. I hit 1:18.54 for my last 500m challenge, my best so far, and I collapsed afterwards. Got blown away by my buddy in class though, who put up a 1:12! I cannot come anywhere close to sustaining that for 2000m though; my best there is a 6:25.
@@RogueCylon i suspect he isn't using a Concept 2 machine considering his buddy somehow nearly got the 500m world record in a gym where rowing is nowhere near the focus.
Great idea for a video. There's a reason Nick was so good - he basically deadlifted each stroke, and then pulled into a finish. (See, see, I didn't comment on the bad technique!)
As someone who has only rowed machines and in general boats I have always been curious if these "bad" techniques actually work in the water or do they just work on machines. I see people rowing on machines and it looks so awful in form but their numbers are still good and it baffles me.
@@NONO-hz4voUsually most bad techniques don’t work in the boat. Especially those people who don’t use their backs or hips to lean any, your back is forced to lean back on the boat at backstop, and it’s just wasting a lot of energy if you try to resist it.
as an ex/current rower, if a few of the guys just did a proper race start they would have hit 500 for sure, getting up to speed takes a few strokes and so many of them were within 3 strokes of 500m! (1 stroke ~10-15m at that pace)
Love this vid. At my peak my best was 1:27 for 500m. But that was before I was diagnosed with asthma. Died on my arse at the time. Wish I knew what I could have done then!
As a former Major University ahem best in country rower no one EVER explained that first part of what indicated speed. Ours were literally made of wood and when the new ones with screens showed up with no explanation....20 of them, all I could do was blow gumbo wondering where the cool old ones went.
Yes!!!😂 In college we affectionately called our boat "the ark" 😂 😑 I was the tallest on the team and when we had to run with it over our heads.... OMG Sooooo heavy😑😂😂Good Times though😊 and the socks... I got tired of getting bitched out at the gym because I never wore shoes just socks when rowing I finally bought my own erg to use at home. 😂♥️♥️
This was less of "Can you row this time?" and more of "Can you flop around fast enough for this time?" Some didnt use their legs, some didnt use their core, almost all bent their arms on the catch. There was so much power left on the table, I think even a quick form explanation would have completely pushed some of the people over. Good show!
I saw the start of this video and thought "this is going to be a duck-pond-clip"-video given that nobody was beating your time, and I was not disappointed. Edit: I just finished it and while it wasn't for the reason I originally suspected, I appreciate it as always.
Rower in the comments here, not talking about poor technique but talking about the guy who almost held under 1:20 for a little more than 500 meters without formal preparation is bonkers
Mark , on an ergo for Max speed remember its legs arms in out quick then legs bend back to start. You are lifting the recovery arms over your vent legs. Also exaggerate the front strike drive by getting your bottom to touch your ankles. You can row at 1:15 for 500m?
What is the resistance for this? Is it easier or harder to roll it at less resistance? Do you get less distance on the machine? I want to try this at the gym but I don't know how to do it properly.
The resistance is more like a gear on a bicycle. So there really isn’t a “best setting” or “easier”. Lot of people at the gym pit it to 10 because they feel macho. Typically that is silly because the actual Olympic rowers have resistance on water that matches around i5-6 on a clean machine. The real measure is drag factor which is comparable between machines. Lever position necessarily isn’t comparable value. That being said… on an all out sprint, especially strong people, can benefit from higher resistance. You need quite good and brisk technique to put a lot of power at the flywheel at sprint speed. With less than ideal technique higher resistance and brute force can be beneficial. I think I did my best 500m at lever position of 8-9. Will check the drag factor in a second.
Ok, checked from my log, my drag factor (google it) was 190. So quite high considering 125-135 is on the water “equivalent” for males (depending on sources). But i haven’t really done it many enough times to know what truly would be ideal for me. Just one* 500m trial past several years so you might want a second opinion 😂. *My PB 1.29.9, 213lb male, 46yo.
It's taken me 3 months to get from 2:00 to 1:35, but I'm almost 50 and was abysmal shape when I started. But you know what? I keep getting faster every week. The erg makes you WORK.
www.cardiodolphin.com for all your merch needs #exercisewithaporpoise 😂
The shopping site doesn't like my United States address :(
@@Some-Guy- uk only I’m afraid. It’s a non profit exercise so can’t afford to ship overseas as it would cost us too much :(
dang! I promised I'd buy some, but US based. Can't wait for the next time I'm in London.
@@MarkLewisfitnessi just started rowing today and looked videos on youtubes. I think i can beat the 500M in 1:25. I've been cycling for over a year now. I will say its hard a hell to row.
Proud to say my late father (one of the most humble and softly spoken blokes) had a 2 km PB of 6:40... at the age of 62! He used to race at the British Indoor champs and Redgrave and Pinsent would put on a bit of an exhibition race t the end (with Pinsent ending up with his usual faint in the last stroke 😂). Dad would turn a horrid shade of grey in the last 200m but absolutely loved his ergo.
That is absolutely crazy, what a beast
As an ex rower, many people don’t realise how much of a beast the ergo can be, it’s pretty evil 😂
What's your result then, that's the only thing that really matters! Did you beat it or Mark left you in the dust?
@@ithinkthereforeitalk935 to be honest, it’s been 15 years so I couldn’t remember (surf boat rower/ life saver) but I remember the pain of sitting on ergo’s and lung busting races. Maybe I’ll have to join a gym and give it a go now.
Especially without proper technique.
@@ithinkthereforeitalk935yeah as a rower, I can pretty comfortably beat that. Definitely can't keep that pace for a 2k lol
@@supernoodles908 Agree but the 500m sprint was a pretty pointless challenge. I think I did it once for a laugh flat out, and 1 set of 6x500m with 30sec off sprint training (which is surprisingly harder than it seems on paper)
Who remembers that documentary filmed in the lead up to Steve Redgrave's final Olympics, showing them training on the Concept 2 rowers? They were literally PASSING OUT from exhaustion and falling off the rower, and I remember thinking you can't possibly work any harder than that.
I rowed with Nick for a short time at Leeds rowing club. I recognised him in the thumbnail and knew he’d absolutely smash it. Absolute beast
Looks like he lives in Reading now, glad to see my town hold the record.
Looked Nick Riding up after watching this... what an absolute unit. Dude is on another level. And I love that he did the 24hr Deadlift record to raise money for a suicide prevention charity.
It would have been cool to see his peak and average Wattage/power output from that row. Probably massive. He'd probably do well with hill-climb cycling as well.
Leeds rowing club baby! Greetings from Las Vegas
I currently row for the juniors at Leeds Rowing club
You can tell Nick is a rower.
As a rower sat on my sofa watching this. My HR and adrenaline levels immediately spiked as soon as I saw the splits and the countdown haha
Lmao the last 2k I ever did was the most painful experience of my life
Lmao not wrong mate. As a rower also sat on my couch, my fit bit thought I had started my own 2k test for a moment there.
The weak legs at the end of Mark's 500m, I could feel it through my screen
I’m sitting on mine.
As a 56 year old Cornish pilot gig rower, I’m stoked that I can still beat that erg challenge. To be fair though, it takes a lot of time on an erg to get efficient and also endurance fit. I’m not surprised many of the fit gym guys failed, as it’s not something they particularly train for. It’s all about the repetition and building the engine. Great video 👍
"You warmed up for four seconds, that's a cardio workout for a Gymshark athlete!"
basically an ironman if you hit 10 secs 😂
Nothing screams "Athlete" until you don the GymShark gear LOL!
@@MarkLewisfitnessexcept for Fergus Crawley☝🏻
Very funny....
😂😂😂😂
As a rower, watching their form, kills me.
ikr. Just stumbled on this video. Is he a rower? or just a sports guy in general?
That kneel afterwards makes my legs fucking hurt too. Paddle it out, or at least lay on your back and air bicycle. Do SOMETHING!
It was on this very challenge against 18 year olds a year ago I got a herniated disc which needed surgery later on...for the record I won...as a 48 year old and clocked a 1:25 on the 500m. Short term win and still in recovery
Worth it though. That's pub-lore story fodder for years yet surely?
that IS impressive. well done! hope you get better soon.
Good work, you may have already had a slipped disk, I've had one for 50 years but haven't been hospitalized for it yet but if I did what you did I probably would. That's how I got it in the first place (showing off my youthful strength)
Understand. Very BAD challenge. Lots of rowing form is to get lower back in a safe position. These guys had no training. What will they do next -- have random people do heavy squats without knowing safe form?
Not to say it isn't entirely true, but sure you herniated the disc on THAT CHALLENGE ALONE and not during your whole life and this was the straw that broke the literal back.
I love this. Spent a decade enjoying the C2 and at 6’7”, 230lbs, I only wish I’d found this sport when I was younger. Thanks for spreading the rowing love!
5:48 will always blow my mind. My fastest ever was 6:13 and it nearly killed me. Even the thought of going sub 6:10 seems too far fetched. However, I take my hat off to anyone who sincerely attempts the 2k test. Just doing it is no joke.
As for the people who attempted Mark's test - they could definitely add many valuable metres to their distance if they'd been taught proper technique and rating. Great work!
Finally, I hate to say it but it looked like that boat crash at the end of the vid involved my old rowing club, City of Cambridge (blue, yellow and claret colours), during the Bumps! 😄
Honestly a sub 7:00 2k is pretty impressive. Sub 6:30 is In the elite range
So my college never did "test pieces" in the traditional 2k sense. We did weekly 5ks in the fall and weekly 1500s in the spring. So I just sat down a hair out of practice (i had my last race 2 weeks ago and had 2 busy weeks when I got back home) and pulled 6:49.3 for my first 2k (rate 30). For reference, my best 1500 was rate 30 at a split of 1:38.2... I hate that I don't have time to keep my conditioning up...
Rowing was our school sport and I still like a bit of Concept 2. The handles going up and down like a tart's knickers freaks me out. 🙄
6:13 was my fastest ever 2k as well, my senior year of college. I was lightweight so did it at about 165lbs (74kg). Took me 12 years of training 30+ hours a week to hit that score. And the actual piece legitimately almost killed me. My heart rate hit 218bpm in the sprint and stayed above 200 for about 15 minutes after I stopped. It stayed above 180 for about an hour. I passed out for a few minutes then threw up for about an hour. I was horribly ill for about 3 days following the effort. It was my last ever 2k, and I knew it was the last one, so I did not hold anything back whatsoever. I’d never do that again, but I regret absolutely nothing. It felt amazing to really see what I was capable of in that way, my target for that piece was a 6:16 so it was a surprise 5 second PR.
Love these challenges. Average person has no concept of how fast the top performers are until they try it out themselves.
I think that the average person do understand that top performing rowers are out of there league, why wouldnt they?
To be fair some of these guy were pretty close off the cuff. Not too shabby at all.
@@jagaloon216 for 500 metres yeah, they'd be dead (as would I) trying to hold that pace for a 2k
As a short (for a rower) 6'2", my PB in college was 6:28 for 2,000 meters, a 1:37 split.
A month later I was cut for being one of the slowest guys on Cal Crew.
We had 5 future Olympians on that team.
I hope as you age you will really appreciate your ability. That is a great performance. That there are a few people in the world that can do better doesn’t reflect on the fact that a sub 6:30 is exceptional. Well done.
This Sun I am going for a 5k pb (after totally giving up on running ). You are the reason , you planted the seed.
Glad to help 😂
Get to it tomorrow
I did it ! 28min 5k to 25 now. Age 50 6 4 16 st
Those splits are brutal. My pb for 500 is 1:45. I've been able to get to 0:57 for the split display, but only for about 100-110m, then I hit the wall, cramped, fell off, had a heart attack, blacked out, and died. Those sets were all over 2:45 after those attempts because I was DONE and could barely move, let alone get the catch, bend my legs, or breathe. I had to get pulled off the concept 2 by friends all 3 times I've done it. Now I train the 4 minute max effort, but would get absolutely wrecked by cardiodolphin in meters if he did it.
Hey Mark, I was really inspired to dedicate more time to fitness after watching one of your videos in 2022. Thanks so much for the inspiration, much love from the USA.
A lot of it is to do with technique. Non rowers use their arms (rather than their legs) too much.
technique is a big issue. you're supposed to use your legs to do the bulk of the power and then follow through with your arms at the end. most people who don't row use their arms before their legs are even straight, and end up not only with shorter strokes, but wasted energy, as straight arms don't require energy to pull. By overlapping those phases you are almost like tapping your brakes while pressing the accelerator.
I thought your hips do the bulk of the work? As you hinge between 11 & 1
I'm no rower (I'm a cyclist). Last year I rowed for the first time and did it in 1:42 and for someone who was 53, I thought it was quite good.
Honestly, my favorite part is listening to you get back at the rowing technique experts from the comments before they get their chance. It's funny as hell. On an unrelated note, nice video!
you gotta sort those boys out quick 😂
One of the few cardio machines where 500m all out feels like it could literally make my heart explode
The echo bike is "fun" too 😅 go for a 1 minute max cal ...🤢
A 500m dash can do that to ya too, but the pain in your legs will distract you :)
0:10 - letting go of handle.....that would cost you 30 burpees on my watch. Geez.
There are interesting rowing techniques in this video 😂
My thoughts as well. George was the first a acceptable technic at all
😂exactly
British sense of humour at it's finest! Loved it! Cheers for involving people into your challenges. Good work mate!
I am loving these 'crowd challenge' videos, very well-done!
Yes Mark! Gotta get that duck pond podium in there, always makes me smile. Another brilliantly entertaining video. Looks like some real interesting characters train at your local gym!
Nice mix of people! And me 😂
Mark time to do that "above average guy does coaching". Subtle insults and backhanded compliments the whole time.
Love your stuff. It does inspire me to keep going and be above average in things i'm good at. Rollerblading and snow skiing. Maybe endurance but I need to go some comps. I said i wasn't going to do any. But you said do it, so i think i will. I'm my start of running just a year ago. I said no races as they cost money. I'll just do my own timed runs. I think apes have a hierarchy for a reason. We do and it's just on the social medias.
While at home during Covid, I rowed 1,000,000m. Took me 84hrs over 83 days. My best 500m was only 1:30. I can confirm, this is hard!
You stayed locked in your home because the government told you XD
Impressive rowing through, 12000m/day for nearly three months.
Did you loose any weight or gain any muscle. And do you still do rowing.
@@silvermediastudioSuch a dumb comment...Slow clap for the brave freethinking hero over here...yawn.
@@rickywinthrop How many times did you repeat the phrase "pandemic of the unvaccinated"? Do you still believe it came from bat soup at a market? 😂
@@rickywinthrop don't feed him 😉
The concept 2 is one of the best machines for cross training. We have used them for wrestling for years. The dead lift champion was terrifying in both his dead lifting and his rowing.
Back when I worked somewhere with a gym (20 years or so) the Concept 2 was the unloved bit of kit you could always get on. That and a StairMaster. I used to alternate between the two. Being a distance guy, I would aim for 5K at under 2 minutes per 500m. After a while, I could do that in 1:50. I don't think I got under 1:40 for a sprint finish and doubt I would have been much under that for a 500m sprint. 1:24 is way fast. Well done.
I used to row for under 16's double scull. Now in my 40's and currently awaiting a water rower to arrive, life caught up with me and i got way to far overweight (115kg 182cm) i cant wait to get back into it even if its just doing it on my kitchen floor
what level or setting did you use on the fan side...1 thru 10 ?
Bought my Concept 2 in 1987, use it 5-6 times a week and can't live without it. As a collage rower, rowing can help change peoples lives in a serious way. Once seriously engaged in the sport you will make friends and never look back! You will also look SUPER
GREAT!
...that duck pond podium NEVER gets old 👍👍👍👍.....
Entertained, again. 👍🌞👍.
Rowing is HARD. We have a danish champ called Eskild Ebbesen and he is a machine in all endurance sports. The carryover from rowing to other sports is great
He’s a freak. His breathing rate when he set the world record would be considered hyperventilating for almost anyone else. How he maintained that is beyond me.
I loved watching this. We have a challenge board at our Gym for this. I was currently leading but have been knock of the top step with someone doing a 1:28. I'm 120Kg 32%bf and can do 500m in 1:32.3 so watching these fitter people and a different techniques makes me feel if I can get my body weight under 100Kg I should smash this. Thanks for sharing :)
The thing is a lot of your wattage comes purely from your bodyweight.
Semi-regular indoor rower here, and I managed 1:36.3 back in 2020, aged 51, and then nearly threw up ! 100m I could do at 1:25 pace.
Very impressive by everyone there, pacing the 500 right is tough
The form & technique on show here is unreal. That will have a big effect on their performances.
Great video, Mark. I’ve watched a couple of your rowing videos, now, and appreciated the split approach. I’m re-training after retiring from hockey due to proximal hamstring tendonopathy (I’m also 52 years old, which doesn’t help 😂), and had decided to take up rowing, starting indoors, and then moving, eventually, outdoors. Your videos are great, and have been a real inspiration - massive thanks and respect for the hard work!
This is a fun challenge - quite a few of those taking part would have seen improvements purely from technique, which is rarely corrected (I've often seen PTs showing bad technique as well). The 500m is the only distance I've never taken seriously - seeing that chap doing that pace after the deadlifts correlates nicely with my belief that a strong deadlift will usually result in a fast pace over a shorter distance rowing (fella should try the 100m, which Shaw *doesn't* hold the record in, despite the claims that he did once hold it - current record is a barely believable 1:02 average!!!)
Mad to think Redgrave did it while having diabetes and colitis at the same time aswell. Absolute hero and an inspiration. Nick was an absolute beast on there too
Out of all ur videos- these ones are the best! Love these
Love the interactions Mark and Jen with the others ,who all appear to be above average great content 👍🏻
10:21 Mark goes all Gordon Ramsey!! 😂😂
Yeah reminded me of ‘Englandshire’ ‘blokes’ from the Forces.
Steve Redgrave was incredible. His fitness increased right into his 40s
And T1 diabetes to manage too…wow
Brilliant video Mark! Love this as a concept, also like how you backed up it first then asked others to follow!
Mark if you wanted to get your own rowing quicker you could consider moving your hands away faster at the end of your stroke and leaning forward before you break your legs and move forward. PBS 6m07 and 16m22 for 5k.... a very long time ago and we are pretty much the same size and shape - well.. in your previous life - Love your channel - keep it up I love watching your videos - I think you are awesome (in a manly appropriate way)
My rowing is epic and will never change 😂
Gave this a go this morning, was thinking I would smash it and was nowhere near it. Really pushed and was getting 1:44 at best 😅 much harder than it looks
I have a new benchmark for the rower!
2 months ago I was at 294lbs 5'11". I have a very lazy workout with no more than 15-20 minutes not including stretching. I get to the gym 4 days a week at most. I am down to 265 and just hit the rower yesterday. I am in my 50's.
My work out is about 6 min sprint on stationary bike, two sets of 10 flights of stairs, and now 10 min of rowing. I spend 5 min stretching prior and another 5 min stretching post workout.
Duck pond comment, never gets old...🤣🤣.
Proper rowing at the start, well done. Good effort from everyone.
In the 90s my work at the time (Lombard) sponsored the Redgrave Olympic 4 . They had a celebration event after Sydney 2000 which featured a a little 90 sec ergo test competition for staff. James Cracknell made it and set a distance way 500m. I wasnt cardio fit then but managed to win it (Id rowed in my teens and have a frame like yours) probably 490m.
I just remember it feeling really easy for the first 30 , the middle 30 getting harder and the oblivion pain of 60 secs to 90 secs. You and Karen showed some human suffering but the 2 lads that seemed barely out of breath and stood up quickly 😮😮😮.
Looks like you have had a bit of a serious upgrade on your gym - good mix of people and some real quality individuals clearly. Good video as always.
This is worth watching for the variation in techniques at the very least. Do another episode at my gym CrossFit Reading just round the corner 🤩
Love the rowing machine, usually it's part of the warm up and feel like am dieing sub 8min/ 2000m😁 at 6'6 its feels one of the few machine that fits (is gym equipment getting smaller?). Unfortunaly a few discs went at easter and took out a nerve when they flounced off but physio says its ok to start training again. Challange accepted, it may take a while you old before photo could be me.
I took a lot from the previous video and have started including 2k row splits as a way to track progression in fitness. Along way off the times seen here but gotta start somewhere
I would love to see your heart rate data there next to distance and time. You make it look easy, until it is over and then it is obvious how hard you worked to go that distance.
Watched since the beginning and this made me subscribe at the full membership, great content from a nearly 50yr old.
Dang mark. I haven't watched your videos in a few months tbh, but been around since 4.5k followers. You've blown up! Congrats and great video.
I took up dragon bost racing in my late 40s in the UAE and loved it and ended up paddling with a Filipino crew who are amazing at the sport. We had 20 paddling in the boat and the memories of the 2k races is making me sweat just thinking about. Such a hard distance to do flat out and in time with the rest of the crew. Great video this.
I'm impressed with myself. Two full knee replacements and a shoulder replacement and I'm only 20 seconds off at age 62. I'll take that and 39 mins for 10km. Great vid. Always good to pull to chest with a good lean back.
What level do you have the rowing machine at? Is it 10 resistance?
Cool and very entertaining and wholesome video. Good fight!
Super fun and easy going video. Impressive to see the ability of the best of the best in relation to everyday gym goers, which apparently include world record holders and other olympic athletes as well. what a gym 😂
Used to love the rower back in my gymbro days. Always at the end of the visit though as the physical and mental distress of trying to beat your best 2K time always just ends you. Never known a feeling like it, lactic acid building up everywhere, your lungs bursting...
A good friends of mine started rowing a couple months ago and he got 1:27 for 500m in indoor championships. He’s 14…
Es que no saben la tecnica aun jjjj. Competir ante remeros como Pertti Karppinen, Eric Murray, Matthew Pinsent es como saltar y clavar la pelota en un aro a 3.5 M de altura al estilo de Michael Jordan o Lebron James, o simplemente hacer 20 ataques de voleibol como Wilfredo Leon o Mirella Luis. El Remo es un deporte muy sacrificado, pasas horas de tu vida solo en un bote sin hablar, debes completar horas de carreras y ejercicios con pesas para desarrollar la resistencia a la fuerza, te aislas de la familia y tus amigos cercanos, se llenan tus manos y pies de callos por el repetitivo entrenamiento, aun asi amo este hermoso deporte.
Muy interesante este video.
Gracias por crear algo asi para la familia del Remo internacional.
What damper setting do you use?
Any tips for staying on the seat better? I never actually fall off but i have to slow my rythem down because I'm half off it.
I'm an ex-coxswain. We'd have monthly erg competitions. Usually, the guys would crawl off the machine, over to the trash can, and throw up. Brutal!
30 years and it’s still rapid. But amazing how two people in your gym were able to do it over the 500!
About 30 years ago, I got roped into a rowing challenge. I was reasonably fit at the time but I had only used the rowing machine a couple of times. I managed 7:11 for the 2000 M but after I didn't have enough energy left to undo the foot straps 🤣
Do swimming. Do an fing triathalon Mark. We know you think you hate it & won't but the journey would be hilarious and your big frame would help you be good (as it will for rowing ).
dont like swimming
Love it! 20 years ago I managed a 1:33.0 500m and a low pull of 1:22. No chance I could do either these days! 🤣
As ab ex professional rower, I felt it at 2:25
Simple, tough, whole body...Great work mate👊
Not sure why but the explosion effects made me laugh! 😂
good - took me ages 😂
My gym, Orange Theory, puts in a good amount of focus on rowing. I hit 1:18.54 for my last 500m challenge, my best so far, and I collapsed afterwards. Got blown away by my buddy in class though, who put up a 1:12! I cannot come anywhere close to sustaining that for 2000m though; my best there is a 6:25.
6:25 is outstanding.
@@RogueCylon i suspect he isn't using a Concept 2 machine considering his buddy somehow nearly got the 500m world record in a gym where rowing is nowhere near the focus.
@@duckmucker100%. Correct.
Water rowers, like those used at OT, do not put up times comparable to a C2. If it were true, we’d all be headed to Paris rn.
Great idea for a video. There's a reason Nick was so good - he basically deadlifted each stroke, and then pulled into a finish. (See, see, I didn't comment on the bad technique!)
As someone who has only rowed machines and in general boats I have always been curious if these "bad" techniques actually work in the water or do they just work on machines.
I see people rowing on machines and it looks so awful in form but their numbers are still good and it baffles me.
@@NONO-hz4voUsually most bad techniques don’t work in the boat. Especially those people who don’t use their backs or hips to lean any, your back is forced to lean back on the boat at backstop, and it’s just wasting a lot of energy if you try to resist it.
as an ex/current rower, if a few of the guys just did a proper race start they would have hit 500 for sure, getting up to speed takes a few strokes and so many of them were within 3 strokes of 500m! (1 stroke ~10-15m at that pace)
Love this vid. At my peak my best was 1:27 for 500m. But that was before I was diagnosed with asthma. Died on my arse at the time. Wish I knew what I could have done then!
Great challenge. Really highlights how impressive elite 2k times are.
As a former Major University ahem best in country rower no one EVER explained that first part of what indicated speed. Ours were literally made of wood and when the new ones with screens showed up with no explanation....20 of them, all I could do was blow gumbo wondering where the cool old ones went.
Rowers wear socks? Oh yea for four years I forgot I had to wear socks.
Rowers not brightest bulbs I just replied to my own comment
Rowers not brightest bulbs I just replied to my own comment
Yes!!!😂 In college we affectionately called our boat "the ark" 😂 😑 I was the tallest on the team and when we had to run with it over our heads.... OMG Sooooo heavy😑😂😂Good Times though😊 and the socks... I got tired of getting bitched out at the gym because I never wore shoes just socks when rowing I finally bought my own erg to use at home. 😂♥️♥️
The duck pond gets me every time.
Big deadlifts and being tall definitely help. Technique is massive as well. I'm a 1.26 , 500m but then I am 63, 1m 95 and 120kg.
Go on you beast tim Clarke up the lads
Fantastic time!
This was less of "Can you row this time?" and more of "Can you flop around fast enough for this time?" Some didnt use their legs, some didnt use their core, almost all bent their arms on the catch. There was so much power left on the table, I think even a quick form explanation would have completely pushed some of the people over. Good show!
I saw the start of this video and thought "this is going to be a duck-pond-clip"-video given that nobody was beating your time, and I was not disappointed. Edit: I just finished it and while it wasn't for the reason I originally suspected, I appreciate it as always.
Great video and loving the positivity at the end.
Yep, scooping chickens is a real warm up.
1:49 at 5’8”, 47 year old. It hurt!!!!
I so love your videos Mark. Goodness! Funny, entertaining and oddly educational hehe
Rower in the comments here, not talking about poor technique but talking about the guy who almost held under 1:20 for a little more than 500 meters without formal preparation is bonkers
that deadlifter has outrageous strength endurance
You are awesome - my favourite video of your's yet
Mark , on an ergo for Max speed remember its legs arms in out quick then legs bend back to start. You are lifting the recovery arms over your vent legs. Also exaggerate the front strike drive by getting your bottom to touch your ankles. You can row at 1:15 for 500m?
But I like how I row just fine 👍🏼
What is the resistance for this? Is it easier or harder to roll it at less resistance? Do you get less distance on the machine? I want to try this at the gym but I don't know how to do it properly.
The resistance is more like a gear on a bicycle. So there really isn’t a “best setting” or “easier”. Lot of people at the gym pit it to 10 because they feel macho. Typically that is silly because the actual Olympic rowers have resistance on water that matches around i5-6 on a clean machine. The real measure is drag factor which is comparable between machines. Lever position necessarily isn’t comparable value.
That being said… on an all out sprint, especially strong people, can benefit from higher resistance. You need quite good and brisk technique to put a lot of power at the flywheel at sprint speed. With less than ideal technique higher resistance and brute force can be beneficial.
I think I did my best 500m at lever position of 8-9. Will check the drag factor in a second.
Ok, checked from my log, my drag factor (google it) was 190. So quite high considering 125-135 is on the water “equivalent” for males (depending on sources). But i haven’t really done it many enough times to know what truly would be ideal for me. Just one* 500m trial past several years so you might want a second opinion 😂.
*My PB 1.29.9, 213lb male, 46yo.
Never say to a woman you look worn out. They take it as the equivalent of you saying you look like shit. Learnt this the hard way. 😢😢😢😢
It's taken me 3 months to get from 2:00 to 1:35, but I'm almost 50 and was abysmal shape when I started. But you know what? I keep getting faster every week. The erg makes you WORK.
Bear in mind the actual 2k record pace is still a lot faster
I love people who know how to row. its so beautiful!