The Purple Guide to Learning Rowing in 10 Days

I followed the first day exactly, and I'll admit I felt a bit silly sitting on the erg with a towel and a water bottle. But the instructions were really clear, and breaking the stroke into tiny pieces actually helped. I only gave it 3 stars because the later chapters move a bit slow for me, but day one is exactly what I needed to get started.

I've been wanting to try rowing for years but was too intimidated to walk into a club. This guide is perfect. The first day session was completely doable, and I appreciated the honest note that my back would be sore. I followed all ten days, and now I've joined a beginner class. I can't recommend this enough for anyone like me.

The day-by-day plan is well-structured and the first day chapter really sets a good baseline. I appreciated the emphasis on quiet hands on the handle rather than muscling through. It might be a smidge boring for someone who already knows the basics, but for a true beginner like me, it was a great ramp-up.

The guide does what it promises, which is to give you a solid 10-day start. Day one was good, but I felt some of the later chapters could have been more concise. I'm not sure I'll continue with rowing, but at least I tried it properly instead of flailing around on a machine. That alone was worth the read.

I liked that the book didn't try to make me feel like I was going to become a rowing champion in ten days. The first day session was realistic, and I appreciated the encouragement to stop before I felt tired. However, I wished there were more photos or diagrams for the physical positions, rather than just text descriptions. Still, it was a useful start.

This is a solid little guide. Day one is genuinely helpful, and I liked the explicit instructions on setting the damper. My mistake was following the cues too quickly and ending up exhausted, but the book warned me about that. I gave it 3 stars because it's pretty simple, but for a total novice like me, the simplicity is kind of the point.

I'm a senior and I've been curious about rowing for years, but I was sure I was too old or too out of shape. This guide proved me wrong. Day one was gentle and really well explained, and I loved that the win was just doing 5 minutes without stopping. I've now finished the 10 days and I'm going to look for a club. This book is everything.

The book is fine, and the first day chapter is fine, but it's not exceptional. I think the author is a bit too cautious, and I was left wanting more actual technique rather than so much reassurance. That said, the structure is exactly what a beginner needs, and I know I'm better off than if I had just guessed at the machine.