Getting Started

General Notes

1. Consult your physician! Be sure it is not dangerous for you to undertake a strenuous exercise program.
2. Set the damper between one and four.
3. Stretch before and after your workout.
4. Start a training log. Concept2 provides a free Online Logbook at concept2.com/logbook.
5. Download a How to Use poster for reference.

Damper Settings and Workout Intensity

• The Concept2 flywheel puts YOU in control of the intensity of your workout. The faster the wheel spins the more resistance you will feel, regardless of the damper setting you choose. This is because the fan blades on the flywheel create wind resistance, which increases as the speed of the wheel increases.
• The damper setting is much like the gears on a bicycle. It allows you to choose the gearing or leverage on the wheel which is most comfortable for you, or best simulates the skiing arm speed desired.
• Watch the display of the Performance Monitor. It shows your power output, which is how fast you are going. As your intensity increases, your pace, caloric burn rate, and watt output will all increase.

  Lower Damper Settings: Fast skiing conditions such as flat terrain or fast snow
  Higher Damper Settings: Slower skiing conditions such as uphill terrain or slow snow

• Note: Using a damper setting that is too high can be detrimental to your training program by reducing your output and increasing the risk of injury. We recommend a damper setting of one to four for the best aerobic workout.

Recommended Workouts

For the following workouts, we recommend the following:

Damper setting	1–4
Stroke rating	35–45 strokes per minute (unless otherwise specified)
Warm-up	Ski easily for 5–10 minutes. Take a short break to stretch.
Cool-down	Ski easily for at least five minutes, then get off and stretch.

Endurance

Ski at a steady, moderate pace with a “Power Ten” every 500 meters (Power Ten = ten pulls at higher intensity) for 40–65 minutes.

Short-Rest Intervals

Ski for 45 seconds (or 20 pulls) moderately hard, followed by 15 seconds (or five pulls) easy ski. Make the transitions smooth. Follow this alternating intensity pattern for 20 minutes. Take a break for five minutes at a moderate pace then return to the alternating pattern for another 10-20 minutes.

Power Poppers

Ski 20 seconds hard, 40 seconds easy; repeat for a set of 10. Aim for a stroke rate of 40–50 spm for the 20 second work interval. Do three sets of 10 of these intervals. Start a little easy on the first interval of each set; then go hard for all the rest of them. Five minutes of easy ski for recovery in between sets. Be sure to maintain good technique at the higher intensity.

Pyramid Intervals

Ski a “pyramid” of 1-2-3-4-3-2-1 minute pieces with equal rest time. Maintain good intensity on all these pieces, but especially as you come back down the pyramid.

Benchmark Piece

Try a maximum effort 2000 meter piece to record in the Online Logbook. You can rank this piece to see how your time compares with others in your age group. Suggested warm up: five minutes easy then 10 pulls hard, 10 pulls easy and repeat three times. Then 20 strokes hard, 10 easy and repeat two times.