Walk past the cardio zone upstairs at Hammer’s Gym and you will see a tall, narrow machine with two handles hanging from a flywheel. It is the Concept2 SkiErg, and it is one of the most effective and most underused pieces of equipment in the building. The SkiErg benefits go well beyond cross-country ski training: it delivers a full-body, low-impact workout that burns serious energy, builds upper-body and core power, and suits everyone from beginners to elite fighters.
Here are five reasons to add it to your routine, plus a few simple workouts to get you started.
What is a SkiErg?
The SkiErg replicates the double-pole motion of Nordic skiing. You stand facing the machine, reach up to grab the handles, then drive them down and back past your hips in one powerful motion, hinging at the hips and bending your knees as you pull. The flywheel provides the resistance and a performance monitor tracks your distance, pace, calories and watts. It uses the same monitor and flywheel technology as the Concept2 rower, which is why the two machines are so often trained together.
The 5 biggest SkiErg benefits
1. A true full-body workout
Each pull works your lats, shoulders, triceps and core on the way down, and your glutes, hamstrings and quads as you hinge and extend. Few cardio machines involve this much muscle at once, which is exactly why it burns so many calories in a short time. It is a low-impact, high-output exercise suitable for all ages and abilities, and you are in complete control of the effort: pull harder and the flywheel spins faster, creating more resistance.
2. Low impact and joint friendly
Unlike running or jumping, there is no pounding through your knees, hips or ankles. That makes the SkiErg a smart option for anyone carrying a lower-body niggle, coming back from injury or simply wanting a hard cardio session without the wear and tear. Because you can kneel or sit while using it, athletes with leg injuries can keep training their upper body and cardio fitness at normal intensity, and it is a superb tool for adaptive athletes.
3. Measurable, comparable results
The performance monitor gives you instant feedback on every pull and a summary at the end of your session. Because it self-calibrates, your 500-metre time today is directly comparable to your time next month, which makes it easy to track progress and set targets. The free Concept2 online logbook lets you store your results and rank yourself against skiers worldwide if you enjoy a little competition.
4. Builds power for martial arts and sport
The downward drive of the SkiErg is a hip hinge combined with a powerful pull, very similar to the movement patterns in grappling, clinch work and throwing. Fighters and team-sport athletes use it to build upper-body and core power alongside their conditioning. It complements weight training for martial arts and pairs perfectly with the Muay Thai, boxing and BJJ classes at Hammer’s.
5. The perfect partner to rowing
If you already use the Concept2 rower, the SkiErg gives you the same high-quality, impact-free workout with an opposite movement pattern: the rower pulls toward you with a leg drive, the SkiErg pulls down with a hip hinge. Alternating between the two adds variety, balances your training and keeps your sessions fresh.
Three SkiErg workouts to try
- Beginner: 5 rounds of 1 minute steady skiing, 1 minute rest. Focus on smooth technique and a full hip hinge.
- Intervals: 8 rounds of 30 seconds hard, 30 seconds easy. Aim to hold the same pace on every hard interval.
- Calorie challenge: 50 calories for time. Note your time, and try to beat it next week.
For technique, start with your arms overhead and body tall, drive the handles down with your lats and core while hinging at the hips, finish with the handles past your hips, then return to the top with control. Let your legs share the work; it is not an arms-only exercise.
Where to find the SkiErg at Hammer’s Gym
Our Concept2 SkiErg is located upstairs in the cardio zone at Hammer’s Gym, Nunawading, alongside our rowers, bikes and treadmills. It is a great addition to any warm-up, finisher or conditioning session, and it works beautifully in hybrid workouts like our 500 calorie workout.
Not sure how to use it? Ask any of our staff for a quick demonstration, or book a session with one of our personal trainers to build it into your program. If you are not a member yet, grab a free one-day trial and come and experience the SkiErg benefits for yourself. We are minutes from Mitcham, Blackburn, Box Hill and Doncaster.