Most rowing clubs and schools already have an erg room. Some have dozens of machines.
So why invest in something different?
For Australian programs using RP3, the answer isn't simply about adding another erg. It's about adding another coaching capability.
RP3 is a dynamic rowing simulator and coaching device. Unlike a conventional static ergometer, the machine moves beneath the athlete, while real-time data allows rowers to see what is happening within each stroke.
The result is a different conversation.
Not simply:
How hard did you row?
But:
How did you produce that stroke?
They already had 30+ ergs
For one Australian school program, the decision to invest in RP3 wasn't driven by a shortage of ergometers.
They already had more than 30 Concept2s.
Cost was certainly a consideration, and the school allocated funds over several budget cycles before purchasing its RP3 Model S machines. But rather than simply replacing some of its older static ergs, the program chose to invest in something that could add a different capability to the boathouse.
As their coach explains:
“Rather than freshening up the older C2s, it was easy to pay a bit extra for the RP3s.”
“We're now in our second season and we've had great value out of them. It's much more like rowing in the boat and linking them together has been fantastic.”
RP3 doesn't have to replace your existing erg fleet. It can add something to it.
What happens when the stroke starts to break down?
One of the key differences with RP3 is the immediate feedback available to the athlete.
RP3 provides real-time information including the force curve, recovery speed and other measures of the rowing movement.
For one Australian rowing club using RP3, that feedback has become particularly valuable when athletes are working under pressure.
Their description of it is simple:
“One thing of immense benefit is that it allows you to see your first fault which cracks under pressure.”
“When doing a workout, as soon as the curve varies from your desired curve it is a matter of quick analysis — before you take your next stroke — and making an adjustment.”
That creates a very short feedback loop:
STROKE → SEE → ADJUST → NEXT STROKE
As intensity and fatigue increase, the athlete can see when the stroke begins to change and work on maintaining the movement they're trying to produce.
What if there isn't a coach beside you?
Not every rowing club has a formal coaching structure.
Even in programs with multiple coaches, there isn't always someone standing beside every athlete during every training session.
For the regional club, that was part of the justification for investing in RP3:
“We are a club that does not have formal coaching structures, so any equipment that can provide intuitive feedback and help our members learn is actually a great investment for us.”
They describe the experience of using RP3 as:
“Very much a case of ‘you don't know what you don't know’. The dynamic nature with real-time feedback of the RP3 has really helped develop a greater learning of the rowing stroke and how to apply this for our members.”
RP3 doesn't replace a coach.
What it can do is give athletes immediate information about their own stroke, helping them develop greater awareness of what they are doing while they row.
From individual athlete to crew
RP3 isn't limited to individual training.
Multiple machines can be linked, allowing athletes to train dynamically together. RP3 describes this as being “connected like in a boat.”
That capability was one of the things specifically highlighted by the Australian school after two seasons of use:
“Linking them together has been fantastic.”
For a rowing program, that opens another dimension to land training: developing the individual athlete, then bringing athletes together to work as a crew.
Don't replace. Add capability.
The experiences of these two Australian programs are very different.
One is a school with an established erg fleet and the resources to plan equipment purchases across multiple budget cycles.
The other is a regional rowing club without a formal coaching structure.
Yet both identified value in the same fundamental characteristics of RP3: dynamic rowing and immediate feedback.
That is why the question for a club or school considering RP3 may not be:
“Should we replace our existing ergs?”
A better question may be:
What could RP3 add to our program?
RP3 is designed to bring the movement and feedback of rowing into the land-training environment. Its own coaching material describes the machine as a rowing simulator that mimics the boat, provides direct data feedback and allows coaches to work with larger groups on land.
For some programs, that might mean introducing a small number of RP3s alongside an existing erg fleet. For others, it could mean developing a larger dynamic training environment.
Either way, the objective is the same:
Train fitness. Develop technique. Understand the stroke.
Experience RP3 in Australia
Bont Rowing is the exclusive Australian distributor of RP3 Rowing.
If you're considering RP3 for your club or school, talk to us about your existing equipment, your athletes and what you want to achieve. We can help you determine which RP3 setup is appropriate for your program.
[TALK TO BONT ROWING ABOUT RP3]