At Marathon Consultancy we make a point of being impartial when advising runners on nutritional supplements and equipment.
However, when it comes to cross training there is no better form of exercise to use in conjunction with your running than rowing with the concept 2 rowing ergometer.
Whether you are training for a half or full marathon, or simply like to train using a variety of equipment, rowing is a highly effective form of exercise to take the impact off your knees and ankles, use a wide range of muscles and tax your cardio vascular system.
Although cycling is also a highly effective form of cross training, the action of rowing requires the use of upper body and lower body muscles as well as the stomach, making it a fantastic form of exercise for the whole body.
Concept 2 have been the leading manufacturers of rowing machines for years and the release of their new Model clearly indicates that this trend will certainly continue.
The Concept 2 rowing machine has been used as a training tool not only for Olympic oarsmen but everyday people wanting to improve their fitness. With the help of the attached PM4 performance monitor your work rate, heart rate and performance are all displayed in front of you as you train and saved to help track fitness improvements.
Olympian Oarsman Steve Redgrave may naturally have a biased point of view but his views on the help the Concept 2 gave him during his rowing career and attempt to complete the 2006 London Marathon must surely hold some strength:
"I am aiming to break the world charity fundraising record in the 2006 Flora London Marathon to raise funds for the Steve Redgrave Trust and despite all the pain it has put me through in the past, it's still the Concept 2 Indoor Rower that I find myself turning to. It's the best all-round fitness machine in the world, and suitable for anybody, not just international athletes! Because the machine gives you the best workout around, exercising all the major muscle groups, it's incredibly time efficient, making it possible to have a really good session in just thirty minutes a day. Equally important for me is the fact that it's weight-bearing and impact-free"
Advances in technology have not only helped to improve the functionality of the Concept 2 but also the advent of interactive software called "Row Pro" helping to make your rowing workouts more interactive.
RowPro is breakthrough rowing software for users of Concept2 Indoor Rowers. Using next-generation technologies, RowPro provides a highly realistic on-water rowing simulation in true 3D, tracking each stroke you take on the Indoor Rower in real-time while you row.
To make things really interesting, you can also race up to 7 other rowers over the internet to really spice up your training and competitive instincts.
With so much to gain from using rowing as a form of cross-training, buying or even hiring a Concept 2 is a great choice for anyone serious about fitness. With prices starting from £939 (less than $2000) and monthly hiring rates from just £50 a month, a Concept 2 rowing machine is one piece of equipment you should seriously consider buying.
For more information and testimonials visit www.concept2.co.uk or www.concept2.com
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