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The Concept2 App Compared with Alternative Apps
The Concept2 just might be the most revolutionary rowing machine ever made, and it has a lot of analytical capabilities.
You can find out how many miles/meters you’ve rowed, your average resistance level, calories burned, and tons of other information. But the best rowing machines allow you to get connect to great apps.
But is the Concept2 app the best way to do that? We’ve made a list of Concept2-friendly apps that you can use, connect with your rowing machine, and retain more data or show trending progress in different ways. It all depends on how you
6 Concept 2 Apps for The Best Home Rowing Machine: The Concept2 Model D Indoor Rower
1. LiveRowing
Ever wonder what happens when you’re on the rower? Exactly what goes on?
While LiveRowing doesn’t tell you all the info, they give you enough to make your own deliberations. LiveRowing offers some of the most intuitive app design so the info is easy to grab, and it’s among the quickest to connect.
Concept2 actually endorses this app as one of their favorite third-party apps for their rowing machines. LiveRowing includes social options so that you can compare your data against your friends if you wish, or a rowing club for that matter.
Overall, the analytics and data capturing methods are the best, and easiest to use. At the end of the day, this shouldn’t be a difficult addition to your fitness repertoire.
2. PerfPRO Studio
This stand-alone app works well with the Concept2 by giving you different indoor rowing techniques and information on form, keeping you completely upright and burning the most amount of calories at any given time while you’re rowing.
You’ll be able to exercise extreme flexibility in your rowing techniques and patterns, which diversifies your workout and keeps on you like a trainer would.
Mix up trainer types, utilize group settings, and retain tons of data to be able to review it later. While PerfPRO Studio isn’t going to build your graphs for you, they are going to give you all the information necessary to build this all on your own.
3. BoatCoach
As if you were actually rowing a boat outside, BoatCoach gives you real-time information as you row.
Out of all the apps, I would say this one has the most intuitive design that really gives you a lot to work with. It’s easy to use, light in terms of design, and doesn’t require a lot of storage space on your phone.
In their interface, you can access the wizard tool, which gives you the ability to customize absolutely everything. Built-in graphs and trending information make it easy to track your progress.
BoatCoach offers a good amount of data retention so that you can store what you do, and review it later. If you’re building your own workout plan, you’re going to need all this information.
4. Erg IQ
This app is specifically designed to help you connect your Garmin Connect IQ to your Concept2.
Garmin is known for having some of the best data watches out there, tracking information from your mileage to heart rate and then some. It’s a safe bet to assume they know how to collect proper data.
Erg IQ does a decent enough job at transmitting information between Garmin and your Concept2, but that’s about it. It’s nothing overly fancy, just a useful app/tool that gives you the options that should have come standard in Garmin in the first place.
5. Row Forge
Developed by Dr. Kenneth Jay, an Exercise Physiologist, Row Forge was designed exclusively for the Concept2, which is believed to be the most effective and useful indoor rowing machine on the market today.
This app automatically programs your PM5 monitor, which helps pull data from the screen as it happens in real time. This builds graphs and information for you that you can use to track your progress from last time to the present day, and holds onto it for a while with you.
6.Arsenei
Available exclusively on iOS, Arsenei gives you unique analytical data that surveys everything you do on your Concept2, from mileage to resistance levels (when applicable), and factors it all into your report.
The report includes a good amount of information that can help you improve in rowing, but can also hinder you at the same time. There isn’t a whole lot to do with the info in terms of exporting. It doesn’t retain the information for very long, so you have to keep your eye on everything and record it manually.
I put this at the bottom of the list because not only is it iOS exclusive, but it just doesn’t offer the same benefits as the others on this list.
Why Do You Need an Alternative to the Concept 2 Apps?
The stock Concept2 app just isn’t that good. I believe that Concept2 focused exclusively on the build of their rowing machine and their screen as well, but left the app to other people to use.
Just like how Apple makes the App Store, but they don’t put every single app in it. They know that other people can do a good amount of work with their own apps.
However, the screen on the Concept2 still gives you the data you need to thrive and track your progress from the beginning to the end. There’s no data retention like most apps offer, but you’re still able to do the math yourself.
Concept2 With a Twist
All of these apps we’ve listed have been stated by Concept2 to be compatible with their best-selling rowing machine.
If you want a little something extra that can do the legwork for you, Concept2 has no issue with you using third-party apps – their focus is on keeping the machines effective and beneficial for your health more than anything else.
