RipRow™
Designed for mountain bikers
Great for everybody
Pro enduro racer Curtis Keene tests a RipRow™ prototype in his garage gym. He currently has a prototype to aid his Enduro World Series training, and he’ll be getting a production unit as soon as it’s ready. “Dude, I need one of these. I’ll pay for it.”
Hi, my name is Lee McCormack.
Over the past 14 years I’ve become a well known mountain bike author and instructor. So far I’ve written 9 books (including the best selling Mastering Mountain Bike Skills) and I’ve trained more than 5,000 riders of all levels (including regular folks, big-time pros and 1,000 high school coaches).
I do what I do because I love it. As I’ve immersed myself in the world of riding, I’ve felt this growing sense that I’m getting closer to something bigger: a Grand Unified Theory of Shredding (GUTS) that governs all forms of bike and motorcycle riding, as well as horse riding, skiing and other action sports. When you delve deeply into the foundations of most human activities, they are remarkably similar. This makes sense because our bodies work the same ways, and we’re subject to the same laws of nature.
My practice, my lens, has been mountain biking. At the very base of the skills tree, at the foundation of what makes great riders great, I’ve found a few universal movement patterns. These patterns are simple. They are powerful. And they empower all great riding.
They also happen to empower great skiing, horseback riding, family-making and many other things we humans love to do.
As the RipRow™ teaches you these patterns, it also helps you improve your:
- Endurance
- Work capacity
- Strength
- Speed
- Power
- Coordination
- Balance
- Core strength
- Fat burning
- And your physique!
If you RipRow™ on a regular basis, there’s a good chance you’ll get ripped!
Dee Tidwell from Enduro MTB Training works a RipRow™ prototype with the dampers turned t0 11. “Hurry up and make mine,” he said.
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Project update
I’ve been working on RipRow™ for about four years, and over the past year things have really taken off. We’re getting great feedback from testers, and the design is getting better and better.
Feb. 17, 2017:
We have finalized the design and are getting bids to make some prototypes. Here she is:
- Burly aluminum deck with RipRockers for instability.
- Monocoque aluminum frame with QR pin for storage.
- Frame adjusts to fit sizes XS through XL (and beyond).
- Hydraulic dampers provide independent resistance for pulling and pushing. Ours go to 11.
- Optional pedal platforms can be positioned in bike stance (left or right foot forward) or in moto stance (feet side by side).
- Optional seatmast allows you to position your saddle like on your bike.
- Steering column can rotate like a bike or lock for one-armed work (this is amazing for your shoulders and core).
- Patent pending. Invented by Lee McCormack. Designed by Alex Bogusky. Engineered by Coulter Lewis.
Target price: $899.
As soon as we’re confident with the prototypes, we’ll lock the design and start taking orders. To get on the early notification list, please join our newsletter:
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How to RipRow™
I can’t wait to create some badass videos, but these animated gifs show the most important movements.
1. ShredLift
You’ve heard of the deadlift, well this is the ShredLift.
The “ShredLift” creates maximum power. In this type of row, your arms stay straight. When you drive your hips up and forward, your rock-hard torso levers your shoulders up and back, and that pulls your bars backward.
The row phase of the ShredLift is the key to creating max torque for technical climbs, gate starts, wheelie drops, big hops and most other power moves. The anti-row is critical for riding down steep slopes (and loading the row).
Straight row on a RipRow™ prototype. This is very much like a deadlift, but for shredding … a ShredLift!
2. LowRow
The “LowRow” helps you ride downhill. When you have speed, you need more control than power. When you’re in a deep hinge you have maximum arm range for braking, cornering and bumps, and you can manage angles very quickly. That’s why the classic attack position works so well for descending. If you’re going to pick any one position for downhills, this is the one.
LowRow on a RipRow™. Your hips stay locked in space while your upper body manages ups, downs and turns.
3. RipRow
The fully integrated “RipRow” enables true ripping. This challenging skill combines elements from the ShredLift and LowRow. You use hip drive to pull the bars backward, then you quickly hinge and push the bars forward. This pattern is the key to high-level technical climbing, pumping, pump-manualing, hopping, jumping and — ultimately — cornering.
When a skilled rider pumps through rollers, rocks and other big bumps, this is what the cycle looks like. Constant row or anti-row, driven by the hips and integrated from hands to feet. Notice how fast I drop my torso as I begin the anti-row. This gets my shoulder behind the bars so I can push them away.
ShredLift, LowRow and RipRow are the three big moves. Advanced riders can add leaning and rotation like they’re in corners, and they can also do work with one arm or leg. This really turns on your core!
What other sports does RipRow™ help?
As I work with a variety of athletes, this list gets longer and longer. So far people have told me RipRow™ will help them get better at:
- BMX and motocross (of course)
- Cross country skiing
- Alpine skiing
- Snowboarding
- Wakeboarding
- Rock climbing
- Football (according to an NFL linebacker)
- Horseback riding
- Horse jumping
- Tennis
What about RipRow™ for general fitness?
Yes! RipRow™ develops your whole body in a functional way, and it burns mega calories in a short amount of time. RipRow™ your:
- Legs
- Butt
- Core
- Back
- Chest
- Shoulders
- Arms
- Cardio!
A major gym in downtown Denver, CO is buying some of the first RipRows™ for their high intensity interval room. The RipRows™ are replacing the traditional rowing machines! Which makes sense because on a rower you’re sitting, you’re not balancing and there’s no push. RipRow™ helps you do more work in less time.