RowingPad Is Heading to the 2019 CRASH-B Sprints!

Every February rowers of all ages come together for a day dedicated to that beast of a training machine: the ergometer. The performances are often the stuff of legend, as new records are set and athletes push themselves to the limit! This year, the C.R.A.S.H.-B Indoor Rowing Championships will take place on Sunday, February 17, at the Boston University Track & Tennis Center.

We are excited to announce that, for 2019, RowingPad will be part of the action. Stop by our table during the event to check out our ErgPads and Boat Pads in person. It’s a great chance to test our 30mm Triple Decker ErgPad, which is truly one-of-a-kind in the rowing universe: It is the only pad in the world to combine three laminated layers of polymer foam, providing maximum comfort for those long-haul erg pieces. Our cheerful crew will be eager to swap rowing stories and help you determine which pad is the best fit for your needs. You can even score special discounts on our products. (Missing out this year? You can still get free shipping on all ErgPads through this Saturday, February 16, with the code “ERGFREE”.)

For those who don’t know the backstory of this beloved annual event, C.R.A.S.H.-B. stands for “Charles River All Star Has-Beens,” a group of 1976-1980 U.S. Olympic and World Team athletes who called the Charles River home and were always looking to inject a little fun into their sport. Following the 1980 U.S. boycott of the Olympics, the crew felt inspired to, as the group’s website explains, “break up the monotony of winter training” by forming a “fun little regatta of about twenty rowers in Harvard’s Newell Boathouse” all based around the ergometer.

Today the “fun little regatta” draws thousands of athletes to go all-out for 2,000 meters on Concept2’s Model D ergometer. Despite the emergence of other major indoor sprint competitions across the country, the C.R.A.S.H.-B.s remain a rowing institution. Catch up on all the remarkable performances and displays of passion from the 2018 installment with Row2k’s excellent coverage.

Why You Should Be Using an ErgPad

A seat pad can do incredible things for your erg performance. First and foremost, it provides incredible comfort, especially during a long workout. RowingPad’s ErgPads come as either solid cushions or with cut-outs for the sitz bones and are engineered to provide a buffer between your body and the hard seat. The bottom line? You will find yourself enjoying your time on the erg more. Many rowers have also reported a reduction in back pain and relief from sciatica when using one of our pads.

Beyond comfort, a seat pad is an excellent tool for adjusting your form and boosting your capability beyond what’s possible with your own body’s individual geometry, particularly as rowers age and their bodies change.

As legendary rowing coach and former C.R.A.S.H.-B. participant Larry Gluckman says, “Recently, I noticed that my range of motion on the ergometer (seat-to-heel compression and effective body angle) was less than it had been in recent months. Understanding the value of the hip/heel height in achieving proper body position at the front end (entry), I began to experiment with trying different pad thicknesses, since my heels were in the lowest setting. The 30mm ErgPad™ from RowingPad™ helped me restore that range of motion. Plus, it provided an increase in the seat-to-shoulder height, giving a longer upper body lever arm.”

Try out one of our ErgPads to adjust your body position and potentially boost your rowing power. Not sure which pad is for you? Stop by our table at the C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints this Sunday and we’ll help you identify the best pad for your needs. (Not attending this year? Send us a message via our Facebook page instead.) And remember: Enjoy free shipping on all ErgPad orders with the code “ERGFREE” through February 16.

We can’t wait to catch all the action in person this year. Best of luck to all the energetic C.R.A.S.H.-B. sprinters!

Tag: Pad Benefits