Contemplating buying one.
It would be to complement smart bike (plus a TRX suspension trainer, kettlebells and couple of other bits and bobs).
A couple of recent ongoing health concerns (of the need to halt my age related fitness descent and a few skeletal issues) has made me have a rethink of my habits and I think a 'home gym' focussing on cardio, core and a bit of strength and conditioning is probably a useful tool. Oh, and like most blokes, the solution to a problem = need to spend money on a toy narrative is strong!
Got some at work recently I've played with them and from that short use they seem good. My hips will never manage a seated rowing machine. Ergoski seems quite a nice complement to a static bike. And they are pretty space efficient.
Any thoughts from regular users?
If you've had a go on one then you have as much idea about them as I do from occasional use at a gym as a warm up exercise. Personally I can't imagine spending enough time on one to come close to justifying the cost. Do you think you will?
Do you think you will?
I guess that's the challenge. An hour or so a week (maybe a specific session of 30-40 mins plus 10 mins a few times a week as part of a broader session). plus roughly the same for my wife....
I can imagine, I think, using it as much as a rowing machine would be used....but then again, a lot of concept row machines gather a lot of dust.
Mate has one (might be had now), cost a small fortune, looked good but I don't think it got much use. He did kit out his home gym with quite a few units so suspect it was just rolled into the overall price at time of purchase and build.
I had one, it didn't take long to get bored of it, luckily for me that was at the height of the covid sports equipment shortages so I managed to sell it for a small profit. I wouldn't recommend it unless you already had a fairly well equipped gym and this was an extra, certainly not as a main block of your training, it's ok as part of a circuit, if you have enough equipment for a really varied circuit, but that doesn't sound like your set-up.
Hmmm
I had one, it didn't take long to get bored
Are you the sort of person who'd probably get bored on a rowing machine too, or did you find it boring compared even to one of those?
that doesn't sound like your set-up.
Not really. I probably should have said I do also cross country ski and whilst an ergoski does not do a brilliant simulation of all of cross country skiing's muscle use there is some relatively good sport specific exercise that 'might' make it more useful to me than most.
I might be clutching at straws.....
Use a bungee cord and see how you get on. If the habit sticks then invest in the real deal?
Are you the sort of person who'd probably get bored on a rowing machine too, or did you find it boring compared even to one of those?
I am and of the cardio type equipment I use for warm ups or am forced to use because I sign up for classes to make me do the miserable stuff I don't want to do I would put the skiErg at the fan bike end of the scale for miserableness. I'd much rather the rower or bike if it's anything over 5 mins. It is largely a personal preference thing but many of my gym mates do share the same pecking order for these devices.
In the gym I go to, they sit in the circuit training area, rather than cardio area with the lines or rowers and cross trainers.
Never seen anyone do more than 5-10 minutes on one, I haven’t either. They are pretty brutal if used properly.
It is often my go to for a warm up, but anything longer than a few minutes I much prefer the rower.
If you're doing circuits or intervals then the ski erg is great to quickly jump on and off and mix with other exercises.
TLDR - great for circuits, tedious for longer cardio work
I'm with all the above - there's one at my local gym and I only ever really use it (or see it being used) when an instructor includes it in a circuits session.
I am considering buying it for home gym but I am cross-country skier and also ski on roller skis during summer season. Think I would use it combination with Wattbike sessions and/or running.
By the way, there is pretty good gym warm-up on Menachem Brodies book “Strength training for cycling performance” - cardio as warm-up is not really needed on most days. The idea is to do quick foam-rolling on whole body, the short breath exercise and then set of some dynamic movements before lifting.
It's great to mix in with a wattbike or circuit. Gives me a nice feeling of opening out my back and shoulders. I wouldn't use one on its own, but it's great as part of a setup.