The 2018 CRASH-B Sprints Are Almost Here (Time to Save Big on ErgPads!)

Every winter rowers of all ages come together in a demonstration of incredible athletic prowess (and arguable madness—blame it on cabin fever) to show their skill on the ergometer. It is a full day of action that is not to be missed! This year, the C.R.A.S.H.-B Indoor Rowing Championships will take place on Sunday, February 25, at Boston University’s Agganis Arena.

For the uninitiated, 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 do their best, in individual, team, and youth competitions, for 2,000 meters on Concept2’s Model D ergometer. Each year you will see remarkable feats of athleticism as young and, perhaps most impressive, old take a seat and row like their lives depend on it.

To celebrate all the erg love this month, RowingPad is offering 10% off our ErgPads plus free shipping for the month of February. (Just use the discount code “ERG10” at checkout.) Our ErgPads are available in 20mm and 30mm thicknesses and with or without cutouts. In fact, our 30mm Triple Decker ErgPad, our newest addition to our line of dual-density pads, is 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.

Benefits of Using an Erg Pad

What can a seat pad do for your erg performance? First and foremost, it provides incredible comfort, especially during a long workout. Whether you choose a pad with cut-outs or a solid cushion, 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 incredible 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? Send us a message via our Facebook page and we’ll try to help you identify the best pad for your needs. And don’t forget to save 10% on your order plus free shipping (code “ERG10”) through February.

Good luck to all the wild and crazy C.R.A.S.H.-B. sprinters this year!