Chris Stevens
I would like to tell you how grateful I am for your rowing machine.
I was a team leader in the U.S. Army. At my peak performance, I was running 15 miles, completing 79 push ups and 81 sit-ups.I was an athlete who took pride in the thought that my body was ready to be called upon by the United States. But then in 2012, I suffered a spine injury which caused nerve damage in my lower back and left leg. I had an emergency surgery. After, the neurosurgeon put me through one year of physical therapy and told me I’d never be an athlete again, which crushed me.
I fell into hard times. My entire identity was stripped when I was medically retired with a 90% disability rating in 2013. After, I gained 20 pounds of fat and had given up on ever being fit again. I told myself it hurt too much to work out, and that it was pointless because of what my neurosurgeon said. However, something magical happened in 2014: I found the Concept2. You see, I’m restricted from doing certain workouts, like heavy front and back squats—I loose my balance and it compresses my injured disk. So, when I discovered your erg, I learned it was the only explosive movement I could still complete. It allowed me to go 100%, aggressively, like I used to in the Army. It gave me a euphoric feeling of accomplishment that no other exercise could. I started to gain my identity as an athlete back.
Just three weeks ago, I walked onto Arizona State University Crew tryouts, and due to the fact I had been rowing on the erg for quite a long time, I made the rowing team. So, all in all, I want to say thank you for making a product that literally changed my life. It’s because of your machine that I am able to prove my neurosurgeon wrong.