Ergs sliding around as folks start really cranking on those chains here during prime 2k season?

Well, that's a common issue, for sure, and row2k even polled the erg builders themselves about some good tips and tricks for making the erg "stay put" back in 2020, which you can check out again here.

Now, we also have you covered with a Rowing Hack guaranteed to keep your ergs in place, and in line: Erg Rails.

This is a heavy build, and a semi-permanent solution, but if you have the room--and a hankering to play with loads of plywood--you can easily hack this up and make erg slippage a thing of the past.

We spotted this at the New York Athletic Club's boathouse a few years back, and the design is simple: two raised rails of wood attached to a plywood base, spaced just wide enough for the leg of the erg to slot in. As seen here, you can put either the front or back of the erg "in" the rail to fix it in place. A second, parallel length of plywood under the other end keeps the ergs level.

You will have to secure the rail boards to the floor to really get them to lock the ergs in place, so you are making a commitment when you install it. If you use screws, as the AC coaches did here, it can be removed if it has to be, but the Erg Rails Hack is definitely better suited for a dedicated erg room than for programs that might set their ergs up on a daily basis in a multi-use space.

If you have that kind of erg-only area, though, it is hard to top the holding power of this hack. The spacing between the sets still leaves plenty of stretching room when the ergs are up or stored. These full length boards are also noticeable enough that folks won't trip over them when the ergs are not attached, the way they might over smaller blocks of wood attached to the floor, which another version of this hack that we've seen.

Another version of this idea, but could be more of a trip-hazard.

These wooden rails will last way longer than any sort of erg mat and they will also put an end to folks hogging all the big weights to immobilize their ergs. You can even mark the boards pretty clearly to pre-set how far apart you want the ergs, much like the Erg Spacing Rope Hack we shared a while back.

Do you have a Rowing Hack that "stops the slide" in your erg room? If so, share your tips--and hacks--in the comments below.

If you have a great rowing hack to suggest for future inclusion, then please send it to us and we will feature your idea in a future column.