Another Slides thread.
Posted: March 2nd, 2007, 1:34 pm
I've read every thread with "slides" in the title going all the way back to the old forum, and I'm leaning toward ordering a set. I'm not quite sold yet.
Here's why I might buy:
- The fun factor. I've upped my volume a lot since Nov, and it turns out that an hour+ a day is a l-o-n-g time for me to commute back and forth on that stupid rail. Slides sound as if they'd add a little fun to the proceedings, which may help me keep up the meters.
- Less stress on the body (especially back), from what I've heard. Not that I have back problems, but god knows I'm not getting any younger. And again, with higher volume, less stress seems like a good plan.
- I've owned my Model C since 1994. Might be time to change things up a bit.
- Higher stroke rates. I wouldn't care about adding a few spm, except that there's a LOT of great potential rowing music that falls just above the current 30spm (120bpm) max I've set for my rowing playlist. That may sound frivolous, but it's not to me.
- Single-leg work. My left leg is significantly weaker than my right (the difference in muscle mass is actually visible), and it sounds as if slides would make it easier for me to work on that imbalance.
Here's why I might not buy:
- Footprint. I have EXACTLY 12' of floorspace... but it sounds as though the slides will actually extend just over 11 feet from the wall, not 12, even allowing 3" of clearance up front in case I bang against the stop. Does that sound right? I could live with that.
- Noise. Do they make much, assuming my technique's good and I don't smack the ends? I row in the lower half of our lofted bedroom, and my husband sleeps just fine through my early-morning workouts. I'm hoping the slides won't change that.
- Carpet. Any problem setting slides up on carpet instead of on bare floor? We have low, dense pile in the erg room.
Thoughts? I'd appreciate any input you've got — except that I could live without a rehash of the slides-do/don't-provide-a-speed-advantage debate. Don't compete, don't care.
Thanks!
Ann
Here's why I might buy:
- The fun factor. I've upped my volume a lot since Nov, and it turns out that an hour+ a day is a l-o-n-g time for me to commute back and forth on that stupid rail. Slides sound as if they'd add a little fun to the proceedings, which may help me keep up the meters.
- Less stress on the body (especially back), from what I've heard. Not that I have back problems, but god knows I'm not getting any younger. And again, with higher volume, less stress seems like a good plan.
- I've owned my Model C since 1994. Might be time to change things up a bit.
- Higher stroke rates. I wouldn't care about adding a few spm, except that there's a LOT of great potential rowing music that falls just above the current 30spm (120bpm) max I've set for my rowing playlist. That may sound frivolous, but it's not to me.
- Single-leg work. My left leg is significantly weaker than my right (the difference in muscle mass is actually visible), and it sounds as if slides would make it easier for me to work on that imbalance.
Here's why I might not buy:
- Footprint. I have EXACTLY 12' of floorspace... but it sounds as though the slides will actually extend just over 11 feet from the wall, not 12, even allowing 3" of clearance up front in case I bang against the stop. Does that sound right? I could live with that.
- Noise. Do they make much, assuming my technique's good and I don't smack the ends? I row in the lower half of our lofted bedroom, and my husband sleeps just fine through my early-morning workouts. I'm hoping the slides won't change that.
- Carpet. Any problem setting slides up on carpet instead of on bare floor? We have low, dense pile in the erg room.
Thoughts? I'd appreciate any input you've got — except that I could live without a rehash of the slides-do/don't-provide-a-speed-advantage debate. Don't compete, don't care.
Thanks!
Ann