Discover your inner sporting strength and shape your body

With only 47 days to go until London welcomes sporting hopefuls from all over the world, athletes and supporters are gearing themselves up for the greatest spectator event Britain has hosted since 1948.

Rowing is one of the oldest sports in the world and with several of the medals predicted to come from the rowing team this year; it’s a sport definitely having its day. If you crave the same athletic power and prowess, or simply want to stay in shape and tone your body, there’s no better way to train from the comfort of your own lounge – while watching the experts do it in style – by challenging yourself on an indoor rowing machine.

The rowing heats kick off on Saturday 28 July with the finals taking place on Saturday 4 August. So why not simply position your Concept2 rower in front of your TV set, wait in anticipation of the start gun and row your heart out.

No longer an elite athlete’s secret, the all-round benefits of indoor rowing are highly recognised as an effective way to help achieve weight loss, improve body tone, self-confidence and fitness. Motivate yourself to change your lifestyle, with a Concept2 indoor rowing machine you can combine your individual training sessions by rowing alongside elite rowers, providing an exercise regime that fits easily into a busy lifestyle.

Alex Skelton, former rower and communications manager of Concept2 Ltd, the distributor of the Concept2 indoor rowing machine, says: “When indoor rowing is combined with a calorie controlled diet, it’s a fantastic way to kick start a weight loss programme to help shed any unwanted weight. With this summer’s sporting extravaganza on the horizon, we’re seeing more and more amateur rowers becoming inspired by rowing and discovering a love for indoor rowing as a way to keep fitness levels up and shape the body.

“Unlike many fitness activities, indoor rowing is an ideal exercise for everyone whatever their age and ability, and more people, particularly women, are finding out that it’s an excellent all round work out. It’s a low impact sport which exercises all of the major muscle groups to get people fit and toned.”

To get ready to go up against the elite rowers, you’ll need to set yourself up with a dedicated training plan. Concept2 has designed several free detailed training guides, which can be tailored to your individual demands. The guides can be found at www.concept2.co.uk/training.

To help the nation get rowing, Concept2 has a hire scheme which allows people to get fit in the privacy of their own home at a fraction of the cost. If people find that rowing is not for them, they can return the machine without any hassle. Rentals start from £35.75 a month and hire to buy rentals at £40.85 per month.