ERGfit Indoor Rowing

10/10/2026

https://australianmastersgames.com/games/

Save the dates… 13-20 November 2027

The 2027 Australian Masters Games will take place from 13 - 20 November 2027 in Newcastle/Central Coast, NSW.

07/10/2026

Which demands more discipline in ocean rowing: making miles when conditions allow, or stopping when you still feel capable of pushing on? 🚣

Dave “Dinger” Bell has landed in Kilifi, Kenya, after 327 days rowing solo and unsupported across the Pacific and Indian oceans. The former Royal Marine covered more than 15,000 nautical miles. 🪖

Yet he identified eight weeks without rowing in the South Pacific, waiting to avoid cyclone season in the Coral Sea, as his biggest challenge. 💨

“I was too quick so I had to slow down,” he said.

Torres Strait later demanded 16-hour rowing days for 10 days. The same crossing required both prolonged restraint and sustained physical effort.🥵

Currents and weather also forced him to abandon Mauritius and add another 1,000 miles to reach Kenya. His planned finish had to change.🇰🇪

What would you find hardest to manage: the waiting, the workload, or changing your destination after months at sea? 🌊

04/10/2026

DAMPER SETTING vs. DRAG FACTOR 🚣

These are NOT the same thing.

The damper setting is the lever on the side of the flywheel: 1–10.

The drag factor is the actual number the monitor calculates based on how quickly the flywheel slows down between strokes.

For most HYROX athletes, we can probably leave the conversation at damper setting.

But if you’re a competitive rower—or really want to understand the machine—you need to go a little deeper.

Why?

Because every erg is different.

A damper setting of 5 on one machine may not feel the same as 5 on another. Dust, airflow, machine age and maintenance can all change the relationship between damper setting and drag factor.

That’s why competitive rowers pay attention to drag factor.

But here’s the part I really want athletes to understand:

Higher drag does NOT automatically mean more power.

Your goal is to find the drag factor that allows you to establish a strong connection at the catch, accelerate the flywheel effectively and continue producing power for the entire piece.

Listen to the machine.

If the drag is too light for the way you row, you may feel like you’re missing the front end of the stroke. You drive, but you don’t immediately feel that solid connection—and you don’t hear that strong flywheel “ROAR” as you accelerate it.

Go too heavy and you’ll notice something completely different.

The flywheel slows significantly during the recovery. Every catch feels like you’re trying to restart the machine. It becomes harder to accelerate, your legs fatigue faster, and eventually your technique can start to break down.

The goal isn’t to make the erg feel as heavy as possible.

The goal is to find the setting where YOU can produce the most effective power—and sustain it for the duration of the piece.

For many athletes, a good starting point is somewhere around:

Damper: 4–6

Then adjust based on the athlete, the distance, stroke rate, technique and how well they connect to the machine.

Don’t just set the damper to 10 because you think harder = faster.

Find the drag. Find the connection. Then make the flywheel ROAR.

03/10/2026

There are four ways to row a stroke. Chances are, you have never heard of three of them.

Dr. Valery Kleshnev's biomechanics research breaks elite rowing technique into four recognizable styles:

1. The Rosenberg style leans hard forward at the catch, then drives the legs without much trunk involvement.

2. The Adam style keeps the trunk more upright and uses long, simultaneous leg and trunk work.

3. The DDR style opens the back first, then brings the legs through together.

4. The Ivanov style sequences everything—legs first, trunk after—in a clean order.

None of them is universally correct. Different bodies and different strengths suit different styles.

The point is not to copy one exactly. It is to know which one your body is already closest to.

Which style do you think you row? Tag your coach and ask them. 👇

30/09/2026

The SkiErg Sprints are coming! Ski your fastest 1,000m effort between Nov 12-15 to see where you stack up world wide. We have a free 6 week training plan including ErgData links to program the workout directly to your PM5. It's a 2 day a week program, making it great for someone looking to take a crack at the 1000m effort. The plan kicks off this week and you can find it here: https://www.concept2.com/training/plans/1000m-skierg-race-6-week

28/09/2026

📅 Save the Date!
The 2027 Great Barrier Reef Masters Games is locked in: 23 – 27 June 2027 🏊‍♂️⚽🏐🏃‍♀️

We’re bigger than ever—five days of competition, camaraderie and fun in tropical Cairns. 🌴☀️

Follow us and mark your calendars now! ✨

24/09/2026

ERGfit CLOSED on Friday 25th September

15/09/2026

Get your team ready, the Concept2 Fall Team Challenge starts tomorrow! 🍁

You and your team will Erg as many meters as possible from September 15 to October 15. This challenge is a great way to kickstart going into the colder months. For full details, head here: https://log.concept2.com/challenges/ftc

03/09/2026

🏆 IT’S OFFICIAL! 🌎🚣‍♀️

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Maria Strong has broken a WORLD RECORD in indoor rowing for the second time in just TWO MONTHS! 🤯🔥

Maria has set a new Concept2 World Record in the Women’s 55–59 PR3 (PD) 2,000m category, finishing in an incredible 8:14.6! 💪👏

To break one world record is an incredible achievement… but to do it twice in two months is something truly extraordinary. 🌟

A HUGE shout-out to Maria for her dedication, determination, hard work and never-give-up attitude. You are an absolute inspiration! ❤️

From everyone at ERGfit — CONGRATULATIONS MARIA! 🥳🏆🌎

WORLD RECORD #2 — DONE! 💥

🏆🚣‍♀️🔥