Concept2 StrengthErg Review: Day 1, 30 Days and 8 Months Later
By Mike, PhD, Professor of Exercise Science and NSCA Strength and Conditioning Coach, Hybrid Resistance.
Disclosure: I bought this StrengthErg with my own money. Concept2 later sent me foot straps and a SkiErg. Links in this article may be affiliate links, which support the channel at no extra cost to you.
This Concept2 StrengthErg review covers about eight months of real use in my garage gym. The StrengthErg is an air-flywheel strength machine with three movements: a leg press, a chest press and a row. It's concentric-only, so there's no lowering phase.
Bottom line: on paper it makes no sense in my gym. It's limited, it's concentric-only, and it takes up valuable space. I still use it almost every workout and I can't get rid of it. The tradeoffs are a lot of plastic touch points, an uncomfortable seat, and very few adjustments. It's best as a finisher or superset tool. If you want one versatile standalone machine, skip it.
Concept2 StrengthErg Quick Specs
Spec | Details |
Resistance | Air flywheel with damper (1-10) |
Movements | Leg press, chest press, seated row |
Loading | Concentric only (no eccentric) |
Monitor | PM5 is optional (I got it); without it you use ErgData on your phone |
Price | $1,500 with the PM5 or $1,350 without it, on concept2.com |
Key metrics | Rep force (max and average), total work in kilogram-meters, rep timer |
Footplate | Wood on my early unit, plastic on newer units to allow foot straps |
Assembly time | About an hour |
Where to Buy the Concept2 StrengthErg
You can buy the StrengthErg from Concept2 here: Concept2 StrengthErg.
Why I Bought It
I first saw the StrengthErg when Coop from Garage Gym Reviews shared it, and again when Mark Bell got one. I also used to have a mini addiction to Concept2 rowing. I got rid of my rower because I wasn't using it, so I came into this knowing Concept2 machines can collect dust.
My reasoning was very similar to why I like the Total Gym. I like things that glide and slide. I pictured a machine where I could put music on, get in the zone, and just exert myself full bore. It felt unique enough, and nobody was really talking about it, so I bit the bullet and bought one myself.
Day 1: First Impressions
Assembly took me about an hour with my eldest son helping. It wasn't the hardest thing in the world, but it wasn't the fastest either.
It's deceiving
I knew it was concentric-only and that it uses a fan, so I half expected a rower or an air bike. Then I did about 10 reps on the leg press and was out of breath. I was surprised how fast it jacked my heart rate up.
Do not let the flywheel and the concentric-only design fool you. If you go as hard as you can, you'll cash out in under 10 reps. I'd call it more anaerobic than cardio. It's for getting as much exertion as you can into 30 to 60 seconds. But you can also go slow. At a low damper and easy pace, you could probably watch TV and do it.
The music idea didn't work out quite how I pictured it. You're not going to want long songs on, because it zaps the juice out of you very quickly. On the plus side, once your heart rate comes down you can hop back on for a third, fourth or fifth round.
The three movements on day 1
Leg press. Zero stress on my knees at all. I felt it fairly evenly, maybe a little more in the quads, plus glutes and hip flexors. Finding a foot setting I liked took some playing around.
Row. Concept2 recommends setting it around sternum height. This was my least favorite, mostly because it felt like the hardest of the three. Even on damper 1, a minute of easy pulling would give me a back pump.
Chest press. This felt perfect. The aluminum bar feels good, and you really feel the contraction.
Two quirks showed up right away. I almost wished it had some recoil, because you actively pull the handle back in. And I felt like I wanted a strap to lock myself in, so I planned to try a seatbelt.
I also noticed I wasn't nearly as sore. Without the eccentric, you can essentially max out, but it doesn't beat you up as much.
How the StrengthErg Damper Works
The damper is the part people misunderstand most. It isn't an easy-and-hard dial. No matter the setting, the harder you push, the harder it pushes back.
Greg Hammond, a Concept2 rep, explained it to me as how long you're in the contraction:
"with this, I like to explain it to people that this damper is really how long you're going to be in contraction for." (Greg Hammond, Concept2)
At a low damper (around 1 to 4) you move from point A to point B quickly, which is good for speed. At a high damper you're pressing and pressing, so time under tension per rep is much higher. Greg said he's been shifting toward higher damper settings himself.
In practice, I adjust the damper all the time. Sometimes I can push faster, and maybe a little harder, on a lower setting. On a higher setting I push slower.
30 Days In: Do I Regret It?
After a little over a month, I'd used it in almost every workout. Do I regret it? Hands down, no. At this point in my life I'd call it my favorite Concept2 machine, and I think it's the best one they make. Greg told me his favorite is the SkiErg. I like the StrengthErg more.
Living with it, though, I started finding quirks.
The quirks I found
A slight wobble. Even on a stall mat I felt a little movement. It's minor.
No foot straps on my unit. My dad, who's in his upper 70s, felt he needed a strap. With his big shoes he also had a hard time fitting his feet in.
The seat. It's sturdy, but it isn't comfortable. I'm not on it for long, but if you have a bad back you might not like it.
Plastic handles. There's a plastic separation piece in the middle under the handles, and it feels on the cheaper side. I'd like something more substantial to hold.
Two-piece handles. The handle slides through an aluminum rod and you tighten it with an Allen wrench. My row handle moves a little and started creaking. I wish it were one solid piece.
Maintenance. You'll find black debris on the parts, like on any Concept2 machine, and you have to wipe it off.
What reassures me is that every Concept2 machine I've used, from the SkiErg to the rower, has lots of plastic parts, and they're known for lasting years. So I trust what they're doing.
Settings that work for me
I'm 6 feet tall and wear an 11.5 to 12 shoe. For legs I bounced between footplate settings 3 and 5, and 5 became my favorite. For chest I go higher than the standard recommendation and pretty much stay at 6. Sometimes I lower it for close-grip presses.
I found a seatbelt from Amazon to lock in for legs. Long story short, I didn't need it. There's no external load coming at you, and I haven't had knee pain.
8 Months Later: Why It Still Makes (No) Sense
What changed
According to Greg, the StrengthErg itself isn't changing. Concept2 is planning attachments for the base unit. The one subtle change is the footplate. It went from wood (which I have, and prefer, because it gives it some character) to plastic, so it can take foot straps. Concept2 sent me the straps. I never put them on, because I don't think they're necessary.
How I actually use it
I narrowed it down to three ways:
1. As a starter. It matches me right where I am, even with zero warm-up. 2. As a finisher. This is to see whatever's left at the end of a workout. 3. Inside a circuit. For supersets, or to pre-exhaust a body part mid-workout.
I'm usually on it for about 10 minutes total in a workout. My reps mostly land between 8 and 15. I rarely go past 20 unless I'm grinding to failure. I use it on leg day rather than as a separate day, and I've used it in place of sprinting outside.
For legs, I move my feet around to change the emphasis. Position 5 digs into the glutes and hamstrings, position 3 is more quads. Sometimes I spread my thighs out as I drive, which hits the adductors and generates a lot of power.
Concentric-only, explained
Concentric-only is the big criticism. I don't think it should be your only form of resistance. Most of my training is both concentric and eccentric, and lately I've been doing eccentric overload on the Beyond Power Voltra. Concentric-only is just another tool in the toolbox.
Here's why I like it. Because there's no eccentric, I can go really hard on basic movement patterns and do repeated bouts without getting ripped up. If this were eccentric, you couldn't train like that. I also think you may recover faster if you like training more often.
Greg calls it a built-in drop set machine, and I agree. You might press 200 lb for two or three reps, then 198, then 196, all the way down, without changing anything. If you push hard, it pushes back. If you're having an off day, it matches you there.
▶ Watch: my Beyond Power Voltra review
Using the PM5 monitor
My advice is to get the monitor. It's better to have it than not. My favorite metric is total work. I also watch my average and peak force. If my peak keeps dropping set after set, even after a longer rest, I know I'm done and I'm just digging a hole.
Greg's beginner suggestion was four sets of 15 to 20 max-effort reps per movement. Use the rep timer to wait 1 to 2 seconds between reps, and go through all three movements. The workouts save, and you can upload them to Concept2's ErgData app.
Cons: What I Don't Like About the StrengthErg
Limited movements. Leg press, chest press and row, with small variations.
Concentric only. It's great as a supplement but not a full replacement for traditional training.
Plastic touch points. The handles, the dial and the separation piece could be beefed up.
Uncomfortable seat. It's sturdy, but not comfortable.
Few adjustments. It won't fit everyone. More adjustment points would likely raise the cost.
Some play and wobble. The two-piece handles loosen and creak, and the frame moves slightly.
Repetitive stress risk if overused. It's a fixed path. If it's your main machine day in and day out, I could see it aggravating things for some people.
Takes up floor space. It's compact, but in a small gym it still costs real estate.
Value and Alternatives
Option | Best for | Tradeoff |
Concept2 StrengthErg | Concentric-only finishers, supersets and volume with zero setup | Three movements, plastic touch points |
Concept2 SkiErg | Concept2 fans who like conditioning and workouts of the day | I like the StrengthErg more |
Concept2 rower | Rowing and conditioning | I sold mine because I wasn't using it |
Rogue Air Rhino | More versatile concentric-only training | More friction to set up than the StrengthErg |
Total Gym | Another glide-style machine I enjoy | Different style of resistance |
For a facility, I think the StrengthErg is a no-brainer, because it works for everyone from kids to people in their 70s. For a small home gym, you have to weigh it against the space it takes.
Who Should Buy the StrengthErg
You like burner sets, finishers or mid-workout supersets.
You want more volume, more training frequency or more muscular-endurance work.
You want something that's always set up and ready to go.
You like seeing your output in real time.
You run a facility or train a wide range of ages and abilities.
Who Should Skip It
You want one versatile machine to do everything.
You believe training without the eccentric is worthless.
You have a small gym and every square foot has to work hard.
You need lots of adjustment for your body size.
You want a comfortable seat for long sessions.
Final Verdict: Is the StrengthErg Worth It?
After about eight months, I still love it. I'm almost mad about how much I like it, because it takes up space and it shouldn't make sense. It does three movements, it's concentric-only, and it has more plastic than I'd like.
But that simplicity is the charm. It's always set up, there's almost nothing to adjust, and it matches my effort whether I'm fresh or beat up. As a finisher or superset tool, it does an awesome job. As a standalone machine, I wouldn't recommend it.
If something better came along I could replace it. As of right now, I can't get rid of it.
This is my experience, not medical advice. Check with a qualified professional if you have an injury.
Concept2 StrengthErg FAQ
Is the Concept2 StrengthErg worth it?
For me, yes, as a supplement to my regular training. I use it almost every workout as a starter, finisher or superset. I wouldn't buy it as your only piece of equipment.
What damper setting should I use on the StrengthErg?
Think of the damper as speed, not difficulty. Low settings let you move fast. High settings slow the rep down and keep you under tension longer. The harder you push, the harder it gets on any setting.
Is concentric-only training effective?
In my experience, yes. You can feel it working, and I get a deep upper-chest soreness that lasts a few days. I see it as one tool in the toolbox, not a replacement for eccentric training.
Is the StrengthErg a cardio machine?
Not really. It's a strength machine. It jacks your heart rate up fast, but hard efforts burn out in 30 to 60 seconds. You can go slow and steady at a low damper if you want.
StrengthErg vs Total Gym: which is better?
They're different machines, but I bought the StrengthErg for a similar reason: I like things that glide and slide. The StrengthErg gives you real-time force numbers and adjusts to your effort.
Does the StrengthErg need foot straps?
I don't use them. Newer units have a plastic footplate that takes straps, and Concept2 sent me a set. My dad in his upper 70s did want a strap, so it depends on the person.
Is the StrengthErg good for older lifters?
My 75-plus-year-old dad has used it and liked it, and my kids have too. Because it matches your effort, it can be as easy or as hard as you make it.
About the author: My name is Mike, and I've worked in the fitness industry and higher education as a professor of Exercise Science my whole adult life. I'm a Certified Personal Trainer and NSCA Strength and Conditioning Coach, with a PhD in Health Education and a Master's in Exercise Science. Other qualifications include ISSN Certified Sports Nutritionist, Precision Nutrition Coach and ACSM Exercise Physiologist. On Hybrid Resistance I share honest (non-sponsored) reviews of efficient, effective home gym equipment.
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Gear in this article: Concept2 StrengthErg · Concept2 SkiErg
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