Our Favorite Multi-Erg Workouts

The Concept2 workout room is a place where our staff can test out equipment, experiment with workouts, and stay fit. It’s a great community space where we share ideas from all departments. Multi-erg workouts are increasingly popular. Not only do multi-erg workouts engage different muscle groups in complementary ways, but they are fun and help keep us motivated. With a consistent Performance Monitor across the RowErg, SkiErg and BikeErg, it’s easy to gauge relative intensity throughout the workouts.

Here are a few current favorites from our headquarters in Morrisville, Vermont.

Tracy, Sales: Three-Erg Countdown: 4, 3, 2, 1

Tracy calls this the perfect fast and easy workout. Try: 4 minutes on each of the three ergs, then 3 minutes on each erg, then 2 minutes each, and finally 1 minute on each erg. Total erg time is 30 minutes (not including transition time.)

Suzanne, Marketing: Add Exercises to the Countdown

Take Tracy’s workout, above, and add 10 squats, 10 sit ups, 10 lunges, and 10 push ups in between the erg work. (Feel free to choose different exercises to fit your available options.) Total erg time is 30 minutes, plus the additional time of the exercises.

Kate, Oars: Make it 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Kate adds to Tracy’s descending pyramid, above, by starting with 5 minutes on each machine. Total erg time is 45 minutes.

Jameson, Customer Service: Count-up in Calories

Rotating through all three ergs (or as many as you have available) work for 10 Calories on each erg; then 20 Calories on each; then 30 Calories, etc., up to 50 Calories on each erg.

John, IT: A Simple Short Hard Ergathlon

John says one of his favorite short but brutal multi-erg workouts is the Dubai Crossfit Championships’ "Acid Bath.” It’s a real gem! (There was a 7 minute time cap for women and 6 minute time camp for men—see how well you do against those caps.)

Start with 500 meters on the SkiErg; then transition to the RowErg for 500 meters; and finish on the BikeErg with 1000 meters.

Note: On the PM5 this called the Super Sprint Ergathlon. If you have the latest PM5 firmware, you can run this Ergathlon on your PM5—connecting to all three ergs so that you get a total combined time at the end, which can be entered in the Online Ranking for Super Sprint Ergathlon.

Oscar, General Manager, Netherlands: Multi-erg Threshold Work

Oscar recommends trying to achieve a “threshold” that is a sustainable aerobic effort that can be maintained throughout this entire workout. (He cautions against going too hard, since you may then find the work level unsustainable.)

Start with 5 minutes on erg 1; then 2 minutes easy 5 minutes on erg 2; 2 minutes easy 5 minutes on erg 3; 2 minutes easy Repeat, for a total of 30 minutes of work.

Aaron, Production: Countdown; Intensity Up

Step down from 9 minutes to 1 minute, using any combination of ergs as long as you move to a different erg from the previous round. For example: 9’ BikeErg, 8’ SkiErg, 7’ RowErg, 6’ SkiErg, 5’ BikeErg, 4’ RowErg, 3’ RowErg, 2’ SkiErg, 1’ BikeErg. Aim for 85% of your maximum heart rate (or perceived exertion) through the 4 minute round, then take the intensity up for the last 2-3 sets.