I really like the C2 rowing machine, in fact I'd like to dedicate a couple of months to it to see how I can do - maybe later... But these days its value to me is really as a warm up for the occasional weight session and a way to stretch and use some opposing muscle groups. At 66 I have to be aware of my overall fitness as well as my race times, the C2 does that for me.

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"They know f_ck-all over at Slowtwitch"
- Lionel Sanders

I work FIFO. There is no pool where I work. I use rowing as a swimming substitute. Good cardio work out. I also use pull bands/rope to also stimulate swimming.

Watch some youtube videos to ensure that you use the correct technique. Concept have some podcasts with sessions that you can do.

Ease your way into rowing. I strained my hamstrings by going too hard too soon.

As a former rower, my experience is that Rowing won’t help your run very much. So, personally I would just bike and swim more if you are looking to minimize loss in triathlon speed with less running. Rowing may even help your bike and swim—of course, biking and swimming would help more in those categories. But, if you are looking for general fitness, rowing is great.

There are also threads on this topic. Dev has a long thread on it as he stared rowing...it has lots of good info from former rowers.

I really enjoy it and I think its a much better time investment in the winter to shave off some of the bike hours per week and put that time into the rowing machine, mainly because I think it is a much better full body exercise and I find I can get to a higher percentage of FTP much quicker rowing than biking. I also think it is a much more athletically complex motion than biking indoors.

I barely did any bike and run training for a long time and mainly swam. Then i started using the rowing machine last March 2018, and got a lot of great tips from many of you on ST. I was unable to bike due to a disc injury for a bunch of years but after the rowing machine strengthened my core I have been able to return to biking and jogging (I am not calling what I do running YET as my speed is pretty slow). But without the core strengthening from the rowing machine, I would not be running nor biking again.

It's also been a reallly good compliment for my swim training. I have been swimming ~100km per month for the last 3.5 years. The rowing machine is doing the opposite motion to swimming, so my shoulders generally are taking to the swim volume well and I am doing a lot of back stroke and fly which are harder on the shoulders.