rowing to kayak machine

I have a concept II rowing machine and was looking to buy the vermont waterways kayak adpater for it. I was curios as to how the vermont waterways adapter changes the concept II flywheel in order to produce a kayak paddling motion while offering resistance. If the flywheel rotates only 1 way how can the user paddle on both sides???

not to answer your questioni
I don’t have personal experience with the VWW adapter, although I do use a C2 rower quite often. I looked into this subject quite a bit awhile ago, and got the general impression that it wasn’t that great of an adapter. It’s also wildly overpriced, and I don’t think they have updated it in several years. I’ve heard excellent things about the Speedstroke and have tried it a couple of times- very nice feel. It’s pricy, but probably the gold standard. The PaddleOne K is also highly regarded- doesn’t have a monitor, but a nice feel (I have used the canoe model- very good).



FWIW- I ultimately decided that just rowing was such an excellent form of crosstraining, that I would just concentrate on that, and leave the paddling for the water. Saves on repetitive injuries and single sport boredom.



andrew

New Concept II owner and kayaker

– Last Updated: Mar-23-06 9:08 AM EST –

http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=advice&tid=405510

Alfope and others gave me info about Concept II and I own one now. I ahve used it all winter, doing generally about 3000m/15 minutes daily (if I go longer every single day, a) my butt hurts and b) I grow tired of it -- the key for me, I have found , is the every single day, unfailing dedication in small doses)... anyhow, I paddled my first long kayak for 2006, over four hours of straight paddling, and know that I am stronger than I would be without the Concept II winter program. One could argue that the muscles used are different than kayaking (CII = upper and lower back, legs, etc), but I would suggest to you that there is plenty of overlap of conditioned muscles, and the aerobic benefit clearly carries over to everything from rowing to climbing up the stairs. I honestly feel that my lower back is stronger, and thus my kayaking is improved.

Not an answer to your question, and for that I apologize (there is some mention of this subject in the archived post I linked at the top)... but basically, I am agreeing with alfope. Foget the adapter and row row row (at least 15 minutes every single day). :)

love the kayakpro.
The computer is a wonderful motivator but crosstraing is good to rest shoulder kayak muscles to avoid overuse.

Flywheel direction
Like the rower unit itself, when you are in ‘paddle’ mode with a converted unit, you are still doing the same ‘pull’ motion with the ‘paddle’ attached to the cord, the flywheel is doing exactly the same with the paddle ‘pull’ as with the rower ‘pull’, it has no need to change direction as you percieved. I used to use a Concept II rower religiously for an hour a day some years back and believe me, I was never as fast in a canoe or a kayak as I was back then. Really quite a dramatic increase in paddling endurance and strength.

An hour a day!
I’m not worthy. I’m not worthy.

Paddle unit
When I got my Concept2 I looked at the paddle unit to adapt to it. I am no expert but it seemed to me that you would lose some of benifit of the rowing motion by sitting in a stationary position as you do in paddling, thus making the machine less effective than it is in rowing. Just a guess on my part.

rower on Concept II
I had the Concept II, and rather than replace it bought the attachment. It is well made and reasonably easy to install. It is not all that easy to go back and forth between rowing and paddling, so I just stick to paddling. The feel is good, and it is great training. The only problem is that resistance is much higher than you get paddling at a touring pace, especially at GP cadence. Hence, the paddling experience is also distance. Am 57 and reasonably fit, and usually run for 30 minutes on an elipitical trainer and paddle for 30 minutes on the rower. Very useful to maintain fitness in the winter–could do intervals, but don’t. If I were starting from scratch, I’d get a dedicated kayak device, but this is a good alternative for someone with a Concept II.