Customer Testimonials
Skip to the different testimonials about: Best Buy, Health, Weight Loss, Low Impact/Rehabilitation and Miscellaneous
Best Buy
John L
I came nowhere near the 10 minute mark in assembling my new Indoor Sport Services, but when it was finished I knew I had a state of the art, low impact, full body aerobic wonder. I have done many hours of research on the internet and my conclusion was that this is THE rower to get. The quality of the product was extremely evident as I assembled it, and my test rows proved that this was not merely an exercise machine, it was a work of art combined with high technology. It is very quiet, and the 1-10 resistance scale was a great feature. I look forward to the day when I hit 1 million meters. This is the Mercedes, Cadillac and Jaguar of ergometers.
Kenneth R.
I purchased an Indoor Rower in February of 1996 and have been rowing since. I picked up the habit when my place of employment installed a gym that included one of your rowers. During lunch I would row for 20 minutes. In less than three months I dropped the 25 pounds the doctor had instructed me to do.
Now I still row on average 5000 metres a day with only an occasional day off. I now follow the EAYW(eat anything you want) diet. As long as I get my 5000 metres or 20 minutes per day I am able to keep the pounds off. I have been maintaining since the middle of 1996.
I just wanted to let you all know that the rower you shipped me is not being used as a laundry table. I enjoy your product. Thanks!
Al D
I have had my rower for just over three years and use it 3-4 times a week for 40 minutes. It continues to work perfectly. I have purchased many toys, cars, bikes, etc over my lifetime, but the Rower has been the most satisfying. I just wish it had not taken me 65 years in to find it. It is truly a well-designed product and I love it!
David Jerome
I'm 53 years old and have been rowing for years (over 10). I love the machine and since I've started keeping a log, I have about 12.8 million metres. About a year ago, I bought a Model D and it has been great. It's much quieter (a big plus at home), and I can move it upstairs/downstairs/outside without much difficulty. The Indoor Rower has been the best single exercise I have experienced. I've just started a second career as a high school teacher and hope that I can still find the time to put in on the machine.
Ed Frey
I'm 55 and started rowing during the 80s when I purchased a new Model B and upgraded to a new Model C which I still row on. I row for fitness and cardio and have never rowed on the water although I think about it once in a while. I would never consider not having a Indoor Sport Services.
Joseph Hays
I first started rowing at the local Nautilus Fitness Center in the late 80s on an old Bally Liferower. In 1989 they purchased a Model B. I started rowing for the aerobic benefit in between lifting sessions. I did this on and off for a couple of years and enjoyed it so much that I purchased one for home in the fall of 1991. I sold that machine last year and purchased a new Model D. I think it is the best overall fitness machine in the world. I've also convinced 5 of my friends over the years to purchase one. I recently passed the 17,000,000 metre mark. My goal for this year is 4 million metres. My personal best was May 2002-May 2003 (3.8 million metres). I dropped off to 2 million last year due to my job but I'm trying to work around it this year. I hope to continue rowing for the rest of my life for the obvious health benefits. I've been very fortunate and have been very healthy my entire life and think this machine is the ticket to staying that way. I appreciate all the great info and motivation provided by the rowing forum.
Antonio Martini
I've known about Indoor Sport Services for I can't remember how long; back in my college days in the 80s, I had a friend who was a varsity rower at Yale. Though I never rowed competitively myself, I became aware back then of the considerable health benefits of regular rowing. A couple of years ago, my wife gave me a Model C for Christmas, probably the best gift I could ever receive, other than a Red Sox World Series win!
John Hrechka
I am 58 and have been retired now for three months. I began my fitness journey running for pleasure, starting with 10 km races, half-marathons and then full marathons, all the while knowing that I yearned for another level of fitness.
I remained unsatisfied with the numerous machines I tried, and then an ad in a running magazine describing the Concept2 Indoor Rower caught my attention. I gave it a try and I knew immediately that this was the way to obtain a complete body workout. I have now been rowing for over ten years on a Indoor Sport Services Model C and it is an integral part of my life.
The web site is excellent, and I am thankful that I have the support of the Indoor Sport Services staff who provide information, advice and support whenever I need it. I have a great workout area in my basement enhanced by the e-Row program on CD, an inspirational rowing poster and of course my rower is the centrepiece.
My immediate goals are to complete the 10 million-metre mark and row a marathon.
Chas Billingsley
I'd like you to know that my Indoor Sport Services is one of the best investments in exercise gear I've ever made.
I got into rowing as a means of cross-training for my other primary sport - marathon canoe racing. My bow paddler, Brian Youngberg, has a Indoor Sport Services he uses for cross-training and once I tried it I had to have one. Since we're both training in the off season with our Concept2s we're looking for a good showing in this year's races
Tony Baglioni
I began rowing during the mid 1980s as an alternative to running. As age and aches curtailed my running, I started rowing more regularly and seriously. I currently row 5-6 days a week and generally row for an hour or so per session. In April, 2003, I rowed my first marathon as part of the challenge. What an exhausting but exhilarating challenge! I've since done more marathons and half-marathons. I take part in every challenge that is posted and find them to be a great source of motivation although I also know that rowing allows me to stay in shape and still eat and drink what I want which is my best motivation. I'm 53 and my GP says I'm in better shape than most of his 35 year old patients. From my perspective, indoor rowing is the best investment of time and money a person could make.
Health
Michael Zimmerman
I started rowing on the C2 in 1985 while at university. I am an air traffic controller, and I find that rowing really helps reduce my stress level, as well as helping me to keep in shape. The online records, rankings and challenges help to keep me motivated. Heading toward the 6 million metre club next!
Richard Melny
In 1994, I visited a close friend, and he had an Indoor Rower. I tried it out, and ordered my own as soon as I returned home. I have been using if ever since. My workout is simple: I row for an hour a day for five days, take one day off, and then start again.
I consider rowing to be an important aspect of management of my diabetes. In addition to helping me control my weight, exercise has a direct effect of lowering blood sugar. This is what has motivated me to keep up my rowing practice for the last 10 years.
Hans Koolhaas
After two severe cancer operations and x-ray treatment I wanted a better condition so I searched for all kind of sports. Before that I liked to run three times a week, but I searched for a more complete way of training. I noticed an advertisement of a Concept2 rowing machine and I also noticed that it was possible to row on-line with other people. I immediately bought the Indoor Sport Services with the PM2+ monitor. It's my best buy of the last few years. I started rowing in January 2000 and I rowed three times a week 6km. It became a habit and I am now a rowing junkie. I row nowadays 10 km a day and when it's not possible to row I miss it. Especially the on-line rowingm which is very nice.
Martine Sauve
I am a 34 years old physical therapist. I started to row about 2 years ago trying to get back in shape after a knee surgery. I was hooked from the beginning. I always did a lot of cardiovascular training but when I sit on the Indoor Sport Services to do my workout I get a feeling of wellness that I have never felt before.
Walter Anthonissen
After 10 years of inactivity and gaining 30kg I started a fitness programme back in 1999 when I turned 40. The only cardio I liked was on the C2. Six months later, after I lost 15kg I went out to buy my own Indoor Sport Services Model C (which I traded in for a Model D last year). Since then I do weight-training and some competetive rowing. I lost a total of 35kg and went from over 40% bodyfat to 13%. I'm 45 now but I feel better than 15 years ago. I owe a lot of this to my Indoor Sport Services and hope I can go on like this for many years to come
Rowing
Bill Chubb
I row with a small club, the Sandy Run Scullers, on the Occoquan Reservoir in Fairfax County, Virginia. I got into erging and rowing, like many adults, as a result of my kids participation in high school rowing. Three of my four kids rowed. One daughter and son-in-law (yes, they met while rowing) have done some coaching, too. With all that going on, it was difficult not to get involved. Rowing and erging have both been a wonderful experience for me and my kids. I didn't start until I was 53, so I'd say it's never too late. Indoor Sport Services makes it very easy to start.
Weight Loss
Geoff Meyer
I started rowing about a year and a half ago when my oldest son talked us into buying a rowing machine for him to train on. His interests went different directions but I started rowing during the colder months when running outside was difficult.
I live in Blue Ash Ohio with my wife and 3 high school age children. My invalid uncle also lives with us and the indoor rower works great in as much as I can get a great workout and still be at home to take care of my uncle.
I love the workout I get on the Concept2 rower. I have lost about 50 lbs since I started my exercise program, with rowing the main component, and I feel great
Carolyn Manning
In June of 1995 I weighed 209 lbs.. My blood pressure was 160/120. I joined a weight-loss group, T.O.P.S. , Take Pounds Off Sensibly. It was three months before I had the courage to go into our Fitness Center in Sun City. I had just got my weight under 200 -- I weighed 192.75.
Our gym had purchased 7 Indoor Rowers and was sponsoring a contest. I joined, and in 2 1/2 weeks , three of us rowed 1,000,000 meters . We became members of the Team Million Club December 20, 1995. We became members of the Team 5 Million Club March 19, 1996. Plus, by March of 1996, I had lost 60.75 lbs. and weighed 130 lbs.. I had rowed my way to heart healthiness and was given a clean bill of health by my physician and taken off blood pressure medication. Though I've personally rowed over 10,000,000 meters by late 1997, it was not documented. Since going online, I' ve rowed close to 3,000,000 meters.
Aamir Sakhia
I joined a gym for the first time in my life about two and a half years ago. Luckily for me the gym had two Concept2 rowing machines. I have been using them regularly and have been working on improving my speed and endurance. The experience has been terrific. I have lost 45 pounds to date and manage row faster and longer every week.
I discovered the website this past year and have found it a great way to stay motivated. My goal is to hit 3M meters by then end of the year.
Joe Williams
I am not a rower but my wife got into rowing about 10 years ago with a Women's Master's Eight at the Prince William Rowing Club. Shortly after she started rowing she also got into coaching and has been a coach at Gar-Field Senior High School (where she is a math teacher) for about the last 5 years. She had mentioned a few times that it would be nice if she had her own erg. Back in October 2003 I needed to lose some weight and I decided to get her an erg and also see if using it would help me lose the weight.
Well she hasn't used it very much, she prefers running and only occasionally uses the erg. I have used it almost daily since we received it and it was major reason that I lost 30 lbs in 3 months and have maintained the weight loss over the last 3 months.
Purchasing the erg was definitely a good investment and the challenges and rewards provided by Indoor Sport Services are an added bonus.
For more Weight Loss testimonials, visit the Weight Loss section of the site.
Low Impact/Rehabilitation
John Osborn
I've been a keen rugby player for Folkestone RFC, (in the south east of England) for the last 17 years but over that time managed to pickup quite a few injuries that have forced me to take unscheduled breaks from training and playing. As I've had particular trouble with my knees I was looking for a way of staying fit that wouldn't cause me more problems. In 1998 I started to regularly use the Concept2 at our local gym and found that the low impact nature of rowing was the perfect way for me to keep my fitness levels up without putting any pressure on my dodgy old knee joints!
Earlier this year I decided to buy a Concept2 Model D and in the last six months have become totally addicted! I use it with Digital Rowing's RowPro software which I find is a great way to stay motivated. It's also a fun way of boring my girlfriend senseless with my split times and heart rate graphs! It was through using the software that I was able to be part of the first ever 24 Hour Internet Relay Row which took place back in April with 13 other RowPro users from all over the world.
Over the years I've competed at a number of races, but this season I'm hoping for the first time to get to the British Championships in Birmingham, the European Championships in Amsterdam and the CRASH-B's in Boston. My personal best over 2,000m is 6.40.7 and my aim is to break 6.40 before the season is over.
Chuck Hood
I'm a soon-to-be 56-year-old corporate attorney who lives and works in New York City. I do most of my rowing at the Equinox health club located across Wall Street from the New York Stock Exchange. As an ex-jock with a bad knee, I've found rowing to be a terrific no-impact exercise for all-around fitness. And the website is a great motivator. I discovered it in June of 2002 and am closing in on the five million metre mark.
Joe Drinon
I am 60 and can no longer run or play basketball because my calves breakdown. Erging does not stress those muscle groups in a damaging manner. My son rowed in high school and suggested I try it. That was 5 years ago. I row about 60km per week along with stretching, yoga and a little resistance training.
I am hooked !
Paul Murray
I became interested rowing because my son rowed in High School. I am a previous runner who now has bad knees and Achiles' from running and found rowing/erging a great alternative exercise that does not bother the knees.
Frank Knight
After 28 years of running everything from short road races to corporate track, my knees were finally telling me to hang up my running shoes. I had a Indoor Sport Services that I brought about six years ago but only used it on really bad weather days in the winter. It just wasn't that comfortable, and I never really learned proper technique. By the end of October 2002, I was feeling overweight and noticably unfit since I hadn't been running. I decided to dust off the erg and give it a serious go. It took a while to find a cushioning system that worked, but I guess you could say my rowing career just took off from there. I found out about the Holiday Challenge for 2002 and jumped right in. That Christmas, I received a PM2+ and have had great fun with online races and even attended the World IRC. In about 14 months I've rowed about 2,750,000 metres and lost 22 pounds. The Indoor Rower is now my primary means of staying fit.
Kathleen Colborn
I was a runner and brought my Indoor Rower to cross-train. However, as running injuries became more numerous and more serious, I had to give it up, and now I only run when I'm away from my Rower. Thanks to Indoor Sport Services, and the online Log Book and Incentives, I feel I have to row 10,000m each and every day! Rowing helps me maintain fitness, and my weight, and it allows me to be injury free! Thank you, Indoor Sport Services, for providing the motivation that I need to continue to log those millions of metres. I am already looking forward to rowing in this year's Holiday Challenge.
Miscellaneous
Jeffrey Russell
I saw the Concept2 Indoor Rower advertised in Runner's World magazine. I thought, wouldn't that be cool. When I looked at the website and saw the brochure, I thought that would be really cool. Upper body, lower body, cardio workout all at the same time. Awesome! My rowing machine arrived on April 8 of this year. I begin immediately. Except for about 6 weeks this summer while on education leave and vacation I have rowed nearly every day and just passed my million meter mark on September 10. The rowing machine gives me the best workout I have ever had and keeps me in great shape for wakeboarding. I like 10,000 metre rows the best!
James Sundheim
I have been an exercise aficionado for years. Back surgery eighteen years ago ended my long distance running career. Through the years I have tried various forms of exercising when not skiing, my favorite sport. My brother got me interested in indoor rowing eighteen months ago and since then it has been a love affair. I like the ability to compete and interact through the internet.
David Merrill
I started rowing on an old machine in my local gym fifteen years ago. Since then it's been sporadic until I bought one a couple years ago. I love the full body workout, as well as the monitor from which I can always create a workout goal and motivation. My time is after 9 pm when the wife and kids are in bed and I can decompress with a row.
Andrew Folpe
I am a 37 year old surgical pathologist with two daughters, 4 and 1 year old. I took up rowing this past October as a form of cross-training for kayaking. It has worked out really well, since I can get in a great workout in less than an hour. Now I'm starting to get a little obsessed with the rowing itself...
Lee Saunders
I have been a keen fitness trainer and "gym rat" for most of my life, but had steered clear of the rowers for some time as I found them intimidating - they are a hard piece of kit when you are vertically challenged! The gym that I had been using locally closed down and there was another one going to open locally in approximately 6 months time so I needed something to maintain my fitness in the interim. I ordered the Concept2 Model D ergo and used it using a heart rate based regime which I am finding helpful to maintain and improve a good fitness base. Now that I have invested time, effort and money into the ergo I find that I don't want to lose the "rowing fitness" that I've acquired! The website and message board is an excellent motivational tool to share training tips and enthusiasm. I'm even thinking of attending competitions in the summer to put names to faces from the message board.
John Courtois
I got interested in rowing with the Indoor Rower in my gym about three years ago. I was rowing twice a week for a couple of months and then quit.I like running and biking and so got back to those activities instead. However, one day I stumbled upon your website. When I saw the different rankings for ages and distances it got me interested in attempting these paces myself. Then I noticed the race calendar section and stared to explore that. I went to view an event and got even more interested in rowing. The next year I competed and found it awesome. I am still training hard for the next one and improving every year. Your website gives a great deal of motivation. I also got other people hooked on it and one of them bought your lastest Indoor Rower.