Beating the indoor rowing blues

Get to know Isaac, Melanie, and Ward – three indoor rowers who faced their very own challenges with the rowing machine. Whether it was staying focused, battling boredom, or finding areas to improve their performance, they were looking for a solution. Dive into their stories to discover how the virtual rowing app EXR helped them overcome their struggles.

Isaac: Breaking a world record in virtual worlds

Isaac is an eco-adventurer with an extraordinary passion: breaking records. When the endurance athlete isn’t running the Ironman, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, or swimming the English Channel, he can be found on the rowing machine.

Together with his old school friend and regular gym-goer Jordan, the Brit set the 48-hour tandem lightweight indoor rowing world record.

“Sitting on a rowing machine for 48 hours can seem totally out of reach and also not enjoyable at all. However, it’s all in the mindset. When rowing with EXR, there is plenty of entertainment, especially with the virtual rowing maps offering great visuals to enhance your workout”, explains Isaac. Besides sticking to a strict row-and-recovery schedule, EXR helped them stay sharp during the night shift.

“EXR was helped us stay motivated, and push our limits on the rowing machine. And ultimately, the app was just what we needed to break the world record.” Isaac keeps on striving for superhuman records on the rowing machine. His latest endeavor led him to break the record for a 30-hour continuous indoor row as well.

Melanie: Turning boredom into a passion for rowing

Melanie was a rather reluctant rower. She didn’t enjoy using her indoor rowing machine, but didn’t want it to catch dust. It was hard to motivate herself to strap in and she barely managed to row just a few kilometres.

Rowing was dull, boring, and uninspiring until she discovered EXR.

“EXR has helped me double my indoor rowing training. The app has been so helpful on days when I have lacked the motivation to train alone. I love meeting and training with other people on the virtual waters”, says Melanie.

She now looks forward to rowing and getting fit with friends.

“I really enjoy rowing with EXR, especially for the company of other rowers. I love being able to bump into friends while training, and I really get a buzz when I see the notification that someone has joined my session.”

Melanie’s kilometre counter has gone up by over 300 kilometres already, and indoor rowing has turned into a social happening that brightens her mood.

Ward: From teachers’ lounge to indoor rowing world stage

Ward may be Belgium’s coolest high school teacher. Before and after his lessons, he spends his time rowing on the water or training on the erg.

Ward is a multiple indoor rowing world champion. Especially when preparing for competitions, he seeks to optimize his performance.

“I’m currently training for the 2024 World Rowing Indoor Championships, presented by Concept 2. At this point, my race plan is very data-driven, so it’s important to use a reliable tracking app. With EXR, I get to track and analyse my training in detail which helps me understand my strengths and weaknesses”, explains Ward. After coming in second last year in the Men’s 23-39 2000m event, he is determined to  capture another World Rowing Indoor Championship title.”

“The performance analysis of EXR helps me assess in which shape I will face the competition. This way, I get to push my limits even more and hopefully become World Rowing Indoor Champion again!” With 25 hours of training per week, he’ll be in top condition when competing at the 2024 World Rowing Indoor Championships, presented by Concept 2.

Join EXR for free now.

Copy thanks to Ami Kucharek