Perhaps the single greatest frustration for rowing coaches the world over is the disconnect between what athletes feel on the water and what they feel on the ergo. The latter is a powerful, highly effective training tool, ideal for pounding winter miles and developing inherent tolerance to pain and high-intensity rhythmic work. But when you set out on the water, the difference in feel between a static ergo and a moving, gliding shell underneath you is profound.
Bridging that gap, and creating an undeniable link between the technical work done on a rowing machine and the implementation of this on the water, is surely a priority piece for schools, clubs and universities, not to mention national training squads. And if someone were to crack the code and invent an apparatus that practically integrated the dynamic of both on-water and off-water work, surely we’d be flocking to buy it?
In short, this is the work that RP3 and Jan Lammers have dedicated themselves to over the past 15 years. To create a piece of training kit that can simulate the unique sensation of rowing a boat whilst also providing the ideal conditions for long-distance, ground training that develops lactate endurance and cardiovascular fitness. Through various guises and models, they’ve gathered feedback, monitored athletes, curated developments and aggressively researched the necessary environment for land training. And they’re ready to show you what they’ve got for it.
The next step in land training is here. Launching at the National Schools’ Regatta, at the spiritual home of GB Rowing, will be the product of years of collated feedback and effort to produce an improved, honed version of the model that RowPerfect have pursued for decades.
Fundamentally, the Model T is designed to shift the weight of the rower underneath them so as to best replicate the feel of a boat. The machine itself has been built from scratch and only the flywheel and software remain from the Model S. Jan and his team looked at the S and, based on discussions with customers, believed it to be slightly unstable with the sideways flywheel and fixed monitor. Like weight lifting, your feet should be spread so as to balance the load and Jan believes that an ergo is essentially horizontal weight-lifting. For that reason, RP3 have also widened the base of the T to best support distribution. In addition, for those coaches who love static ergoes, the T has a ‘static mode’ that you can switch to for certain tests.
They’ve worked to improve the drive feel through the stroke, so an athlete can stay more connected and track the dynamic of their output. The rear leg of the machine is also loaded with a gas spring – the last physical forces that enter the spine of an athlete are replicated here by the natural swing and bounce of the T. It’s much simpler to highlight bad technique and give reflective feedback via the T’s array of software tools. Like the S, you can use the RP3 app and a tablet or phone as your monitor, but as the Model T also has a fixed monitor with six data and force curves as standard.
For those with an eye for aesthetics, the aluminium powder coat can be painted to suit the customer’s boat club preferences if 20 or more machines are purchased. Although RP3 have always produced machines for the rowing market, Jan is also targeting the general fitness community with the Model T as more people favour the ergo for light/general work-outs and prevention of injury through correct application of weight and power is front of mind.
RP3 have partnered with leading athletes and clubs for years. Mahe Drysdale, two-times Olympic champion and long-time user of the RP3, has tried the machine and likes it. The German Men’s Eight are looking to purchase and the University of Washington, arguably the world-leading collegiate program, are also in discussions to purchase a batch of machines. All of this interest before the T is formally launched into the relevant markets.
At the National Schools’ Regatta this weekend, RP3 will be retailing and the Model T will be available to test and try. Don’t take our word for it – sample the new machine and get a sense for yourself of why the world’s best athletes continue to apply and use this rowing machine to harness and develop their technique.
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