Is the SkiErg mostly arms?
No. It looks like an arm machine but the hinge at the hips and the leg drive supply a large share of the power.
What Is a SkiErg?
A standing machine with two handles pulled down together, mimicking double-poling on cross-country skis.
The SkiErg is a standing air-resistance machine made by Concept2. The athlete grips two handles at head height and pulls them down past the hips in a single coordinated motion, the same pattern a cross-country skier uses to double-pole.
Resistance is generated by a flywheel spinning against air, so the machine gets harder the harder you pull — there is no weight setting, only a damper that changes the feel of the stroke.
The monitor reports distance in metres, pace per 500 m, watts and calories. Because it is a standing, mostly upper-body machine, it is one of the few pieces of cardio equipment that loads the lats and core heavily.
Muscles worked
- Lats and upper back — the main drivers of the pull
- Triceps and shoulders
- Core, which transmits force from the legs to the handles
- Legs and hips through the hinge on each stroke
How it is measured
- Distance in metres on the Concept2 monitor is the standard measure; 1,000 m is the common race distance.
- The damper setting changes stroke feel, not the honesty of the metres — the monitor accounts for it.
- The handles must be returned fully overhead for an efficient stroke, but there is no judged rep standard the way there is on wall balls.
Common questions
What damper setting should I use?
Most people settle between 5 and 8. It changes how heavy each stroke feels, not how far the metres count.
Is the SkiErg good if I have bad knees?
It is one of the lowest-impact hard cardio options available, which is why it is a common substitution.
Related terms
Rowing machine (ergometer)
A seated air-resistance machine measuring distance in metres, driven mostly by the legs.
Sled pull
A weighted sled dragged towards you hand-over-hand with a rope, from inside a marked box.
Compromised running
Running with legs and lungs already fatigued from strength or station work.
Want to do it properly, in person?
Knowing the definition is one thing. Pacing it, transitioning between stations and holding form when you're cooked is what our coaches teach in our workshops and race simulations at Fit 4 Life Club, Port Coquitlam.