by Leeny Hoffmann
I often walk into the gym to get the rowers set up for my class, only to find
that many of the dampers are set all the way up to 10. This always amazes me
because I know what a slog rowing at a 10 can be. I understand that people
don't always know better and often treat a damper setting like resistance. They
think, "If I set this thing at a 10, it will make me work harder and I'll get a
tougher workout, and that will make me a badass." You will have a tough
workout, and quite possibly a miserable experience and a backache to boot.
Understanding what the damper actually does for you will allow you to row more
efficiently and create a more "enjoyable" experience on the erg.
