First Degree Fitness Viking 2 AR User manual

Owners Manual
Featuring Patented Adjustable
Fluid Resistance Technology

2
Congratulations on your purchase of the Viking 2AR Rower. First De-
gree Fitness is proud to present the Viking 2AR Rower as part of our ex-
clusive range of commercial and home use products
featuring patented Adjustable Resistance.
Our solid wood frames incorporate only the highest quality
American Ash which is collected using the latest technology in
sustainable harvesting from renewable plantations.
Note that slight variations of colour are normal and part of Mother na-
ture’s artistry. The wood grain patterns and subtle hues of each Viking 2
AR Rower makes every unit highly individual and designed to compliment
any environment.
Follow all instructions carefully for correct assembly, tank filling,
water treatment, service and safety.
Access to our world-wide distributor and service network is
available at www.firstdegreefitness.com
Check contents of Box 1 and 2 to assure all parts are present and correct
prior to assembly.

3
Training with the Viking 2 AR Rower
1. As with any piece of fitness equipment, consult a physician before
beginning your Viking 2 AR Rower exercise program.
2. Follow instructions provided in this manual for correct foot position
and basic rowing techniques.
3. For more detailed rowing techniques, please refer to our
international website at www.firstdegreefitness.com
1. Keep hands and fingers away from moving parts, as indicated in this
manual.
2. The Viking 2 AR Rower can stand vertically for storage. Make sure
a secure location is chosen, such as the corner of a room or against
a wall.
CAUTION

4
Contents
Viking 2 AR Rower Box Contents
Side Rail/Rear Brace/Transport Wheel Assembly
Mounting Rower Seat and Upper Mainframe
Attaching Footboard to Mainframe
Completing The Viking 2 AR Assembly
Adjustable Resistance (AR) Tank
Note on Filling the AR Tank
Tank Filling and Water Treatment
Removing/Changing Tank Water
Slider Footplate
How to Row?
How Often?
Viking 2 AR Computer
Using the First Degree Fitness USB Interface
Detaching the Rower Belt
Reattaching the Rower Belt
Troubleshooting
Warranty
5
7
8
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
17
18
19
20
20
22
23

5
10
Box 1 Contents
Box 2 Contents
Viking 2 AR Rower Box 1 & 2 Contents
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22

6
Item Qty Description Item Qty Description
1 1 Mainframe 12 8 M8 Nylock Nut
2 2 Left / Right Side Rail 13 4 M6x15mm bolt
3 1 Footboard 14 8 M8x45mm bolt
4 1 Rower Seat 15 2 M6x65mm bolt
5 1 Rear Brace 16 1 5mm Allen Key
6 2 Footplate 17 1 6mm Allen Key
7 1 Bungee hook mount 18 4 13mm Spanner
8 2 Transport Wheel Assembly 19 1 AA Duracell Battery
9 1 Rower handle bar catch 20 1 Water Treatment Tablet
11 8 Standard Nut 22 1 Owners Manual
10 16 M8 Washer 21 1 Siphon

7
Start with the Rear Brace and on the underside you will find a pre-installed bolt.
From the hardware kit, take the Bungee Hook Mount and install it onto the Rear
Brace as shown. Note the orientation of the Brace and hook must be correct in
order to hold the end of the Bungee Shock Cord as depicted by the arrow in the
illustration, which points toward the front of rower.
Next, connect the Side Rail Left[2] and Side Rail Right[2] using 4x M6x15mm
Bolts[13] and Rear Brace[5]. Do not tighten.
Rotate Rear Brace to correct orientation before
assembly onto Side Rails
M6 x 15mm Bolts Rear Brace
M6 x 15mm Bolts
Side Rail Left
Side Rail Right
Transport Wheel
Assembly
Bumpstop
Side Rail/Rear Brace/Transport Wheel Assembly
Bungee Hook
Mount
Rear Brace
(Underside)
Towards Front of Rower
Pre-installed bolt
Tip: Bumpstops facing inside of rail for correct assembly orientation.

8
Once the Rear Brace and Side Rails are assembled, mount the Transport Wheel
Assembly[8] onto the Left/Right Side Rails[2].
Note: One washer on outside and one washer on the inside of the side rail.
Do not over tighten the Transport Wheel Axle as it may inhibit Transport Wheel ro-
tation.
Transport Wheel Axle
Transport Wheel
Nylock Nut
Washer
Side Rail Right
Transport Wheel Assembly
Note Transport wheels
must be mounted on the
outside of Side Rails as
pictured a bove.
Mounting Rower Seat and Upper Mainframe
Seat Indentation
To install the rower seat, spread the
Left/Right Side Rails slightly and drop
the Rower Seat into the track.
Note Seat indentation must face
rearward.
Rower Seat

9
Next, install the Mainframe onto the Side Rail Assembly as shown. You will need
4x M8x45mm bolts[14], 8x M8 washers[10], 4x M8 standard nuts[11] and 4x M8
Nylock nuts[12].
Secure but do not tighten. You will find that the lower bracket bolts can be difficult
to access. You can tighten these bolts completely with the rower standing in the
vertical position easily once the footboard has been mounted, so for the moment,
simply align and loosely thread lower bolts/nuts.
M8x45mm Bolt
M8 Washer
M8 Washer
M8 Standard Nut
M8 Nylock
Nut
Bolt Assembly Close Up
Note: Clean wheels and tracks weekly with a soft dry cloth in order to decrease the
rate of wear on both wheels and track.

10
Next, install footplate[6] onto the Footboard[3] by sliding under the footplate
frames.
TIP: when inserting footplates, lift the front of the footplate slightly.
First, undo the rower handle and move forward. Then, install the footboard[3] onto
the main frame using the Rower handle bar catch[9], 2x M6x65mm bolts[15] for
the top of the footboard, and 4x M8x45mm bolts[14], 8x M8 washers[10], 4x M8
standard nuts[11], 4x M8 nylock[12] nuts for the lower footboard to side rail as-
sembly. Tighten all assembly bolts once footboard has been installed. Note the low-
er bolts are much easier to tighten with the rower standing in the vertical position.
Attaching Footboard to Mainframe
M8x45mm bolt
M8 Washer
M8 Washer
M8 Standard nut
M8 Nylock nut
Handle bar
catch M6x65mm
bolts
Lift slightly here

11
Completing The Viking 2 AR assembly
Do not cut
Bungee tie wrap
before Bungee
cord is attached
to rear of rower
as shown here.
Pull Bungee Cord and hook Bungee end
onto the Bungee hook mount as shown.
Once the Bungee cord is attached to the Rear
Brace, tighten the bolts holding the Footboard,
the Mainframe to Side rail bolts as they are
easier to access from the vertical position.
Lower the VIKING 2 back to the Horizontal
position and test for proper bungee recoil.
Check Seat rollers/running boards for dirt or
debris before sitting on the rower seat. Small
objects captured between the seat rollers and
runners can damage the wheels or running
surface. Check runners for debris prior to each
use and clean
regularly.
Note: The VIKING 2 frame bolts require
periodic checking for tightness. Do this at the
end of the first month of use and again after
every 12 months
Choose a suitable location when standing the
product for storage.
The VIKING 2 frame can be polished with any
high grade furniture polish to further highlight
the rich luster of the wood finish.
Install supplied 2x AA Duracell batteries and
check computer function. Details
regarding can be found in the Computer sec-
tion of this manual.
Choose a flat, level surface on which to use
your Viking 2 AR Rower, to avoid rocking and
potential premature wear.
Cut Bungee tie wrap ONLY after Bungee hook is
properly connected to Rear Brace.
Tighten
frame bolts
securely
once rower
is standing.

12
The Adjustable Resistance (AR) Tank, developed and patented by First Degree
Fitness, offers a true multi-level experience. Water is moved between the
"storage" and "active" chambers of the AR Tank. Your new Rowing Ergometer
can adapt - at the turn of a dial - to the resistance preferred by each user in the
home environment.
Adjustable Resistance (AR) Tank
Getting Started
To achieve minimum resistance, select "MIN" on the tank adjuster. It takes 10
strokes to fill the central (storage) tank, leaving a minimal amount of water in
the outer (active) tank. This process is always required if minimum resistance
is desired. Row hard at a steady pace (20 to 25 strokes per minute [SPM]) and put
some effort into the stroke, ensuring that good form is maintained. You can make
adjustments to the resistance level while you row. Your Rowing Ergometer will
adapt almost instantly to increases in resistance but will take up to 10 strokes to re-
duce the effort required, as the central (storage) tank fills up.
Developing Your Routine
Once you have found a level that gives you the exercise required, changes can be
made to SPM and to stroke intensity to further vary your energy input. Interval
training is used by most Rowers, where a period of low intensity is combined with
short intervals of high intensity. Your FDF Rowing Ergometer allows for changes
'on the fly', to achieve multi-level resistance profiles during a single workout. For
more information on exercise routines, please visit our website at
www.firstdegreefitness.com
MAX: This setting allows the maximum
amount of water to reach the fly-
wheel for heaviest resistance
———
———
MIN: Keeps a portion of the water in
reserve creating light resistance.

13
Note on Filling the AR Tank
Important: Please Read Before Filling Tank:
When filling the AR tank, the adjuster handle must be set to the “MAX” position
as shown to allow accurate fill levels.
Using any other setting other than “MAX” will result in inaccurate fill levels and in
extreme cases could cause leakage to occur during use or when stored in the
standing position.
DO NOT overfill the tank beyond the maximum indicated level of 17 litres. Refer to
the Tank Level Decal on the lower side of the tank
Caution:

14
Water Treatment Procedures:
Add Chlorine tablet.
Note: The amount of water treatment can vary widely depending on the Rower’s
location and exposure to sunlight. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES USE
TREATMENT TABLETS OTHER THAN THOSE SUPPLIED WITH YOUR ROWER.
Your rower box contents include 4x water treatment tablets, which is sufficient for
several years of water treatment. Treat when water becomes discolored or shows
signs of Algae/Bacterial growth. To purchase additional chlorine tabs, please
consult your nearest regional dealer/distributor or check our website at
www.firstdegreefitness.com
Tank Filling and Water Treatment
1. Remove Rubber Fill Plug from the top of the tank.
2. Place a large bucket of water next to the rower and position siphon with the rigid
hose in the bucket and the flexible hose into the tank as shown. Note: Make
sure small breather valve on the top of the siphon is closed before filling.
Note: Where water quality is known to be poor, FDF recommends the use of
distilled water.
3. Begin filling tank by squeezing siphon. Use Level Gauge Decal on side of tank to
measure volume of water in tank. Important: Do not overfill tank!
4. After filling tank to the desired water level, open the valve on the top of the
siphon to allow excess water to escape.
5. Ensure that Tank Plug is replaced once filling and water treatment procedures
are complete.
Tips on Siphon use: Putting the fill bucket higher than the tank will allow the
siphon to "self-pump" when adding water to the tank.
Tank plug
Siphon
Fill tank
with
adjuster
handle set
to “MAX”
only.
Tank Filling and Water Treatment Pro-
cedures
Note: 17 liters of water is required for
maximum filling.
Caution:
Use a drop cloth under the tank when filling the tank to avoid
staining floor or carpet.

15
1.Set Adjuster handle to “MIN”
2.Row at least ten strokes to fill the storage reservoir as completely as possible.
3.Remove Tank Plug.
4.Insert rigid end of siphon into the tank, and flexible hose into a large bucket.
5.Drain tank (approx. 40% of water will remain) and then refill following directions for
Tank filling as described in the Tank Filling section of this manual.
Note: The valve on top of the siphon must be closed to allow proper drain
age.
Note: Water treatment will preclude the need to change tank water if the treatment
schedule is maintained. Additional chlorine is required only when discolora-
tion appears in the water.
Note: Exposure to full sunlight reduces the life of the chlorine tablets. Storing the
rower away from direct sunlight will extend the time between water treat-
ments.
Set Adjuster handle to “MIN” Row a minimum of ten complete strokes before com-
mencing tank draining. Remove tank plug, insert rigid
end of siphon into tank and begin draining.
NOTE: Approximately 40% of tank water will remain.
It is not possible to completely drain the A/R tank
without disassembly.
Removing/Changing Tank Water:

16
WARNING: Never operate this rower without feet properly secured in Foot-
straps, or without the sliding portion of the Slider Footplate locked into position!
Slider Footplate
The Slider Footplate is designed to fit a wide range of foot sizes, and is very simple
to use.
To adjust, lift the top of the sliding portion of the footplate and slide up or down. The
numbers 1-6 represent a guideline from which the proper length can be determined.
Secure the plate onto the mounting pegs and push down firmly to lock into position.
Tighten the Footstraps securely and begin your workout.
To adjust, lift and slide
Mounting pegs
Footstrap

17
1. Begin the stroke comfortably forward and push strongly back with your legs while
keeping your arms and back straight.
2. Begin to pull your arms back as they pass over your knees and continue the
stroke through to completion rocking slightly back over your pelvis.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat.
4. For further details regarding rowing technique please refer to our international
website at www.firstdegreefitness.com
Catch
Comfortably for-
ward with
straight back and
arms.
Drive
Push with the
legs while arms
remain straight.
Finish
Pull through with arms
and legs rocking
slightly back on your
pelvis.
Recovery
Upper body tips
forward over your
pelvis and move
forward.
Catch
Catch and begin
again.
How to Row?
How Often?
Begin with 5 minute training sessions once a day and aim for around 2:30 to 2:45
for 500m time. Row at a pace that keeps the water circulating continuously be-
tween strokes.
Progress a few minutes more each day until you are comfortable with 30-45
minutes training time 3 or 4 times a week.
This will provide aerobic endurance benefits, muscle toning and sufficient calorie
burning to form part of a weight loss program.
CAUTION
Always consult a doctor before beginning an exercise program.
Stop immediately if you feel faint or dizzy.

18
Viking 2 AR Computer
Options:
Auto Start: Commence rowing to activate.
Reset all values: Hold button down for 3 seconds first to RESET.
Distance: Add 100m distance, up to 1000m then add 500m, each button push to
accumulate required distance then begin rowing to initiate distance count
down.
Auto-Pause: A temporary halt in exercise will result in the following:
For over 5 seconds and under 5 minutes:
SPM/500METER/WATT to zero.
Distance/TIME values are saved.
CAL per hour defaults to Total CAL.
A Resumption in exercise in less than 5 minutes will resume Distance
TIME/ from saved values automatically.
Auto Power Down: Over 5 minutes. All values revert to zero after restart.
Computer Instructions:
TIME: Auto start elapsed time.
500M TIME: Time to row 500 meters, up-
dated at the completion of
each stroke.
PULSE: Requires optional receiver and
chest strap (sold separately).
SPM: Strokes per minute updated each
stroke.
WATT: Unit of power updated per rowing
stroke.
CAL HOUR: Updated each stroke.
Use the LEVEL UP/ DOWN buttons in
conjunction with the Fluid Tank Resistance
Adjuster handle for accurate 500M/
Distance/CAL/WATTS.
MAX:
——
——
MIN:

19
Description:
The USB connectivity now built in to all new models of FDF Console and IPM allow
you to enhance your exercise experience by connecting to your home PC or Laptop.
Using FDF's own sample applications you can exercise while enjoying your favorite
movies. NetAthlon 2 XF for Rowers lets you race with other Internet connected row-
ers in a Virtual Reality 3D environment or train solo.
Setting up USB connectivity
1.Download and Install the USB Device Driver (CDM2xxxx_Setup.exe for 32 and
64 bit Windows 7/Vista/XP) from the FDF Website.
2.Download and Install the Sample USB Applications from the FDF Website
(www.firstdegreefitness.com).
Download and Install NetAthlon 2 XF for Rowers from
http://www.webracing.org/downloads.htm
Connecting your console
- The USB Connector is located on a flying lead at the rear of the IPM, along with
the Sensor and Heart Rate Monitor Connectors.
- Connect to a Laptop or PC using a standard USB cable, you may need to wait
while Windows starts the USB Device Driver.
Using the First Degree Fitness USB Interface
Note: Please refer to computer manual where applicable or for further
information refer to our website at www.firstdegreefitness.com

20
Detaching the Rower Belt
1. To detach belt, simply pull beyond the range of the normal rowing stroke until the
belt detaches from the belt bungee pulley.
Tip: You’ll hear the Velcro separating just before the belt detaches.
Bungee Hook End Frame
Inner Clip
2.Unhook the Bungee Shock Cord from the Rear Leg.
Then, push out the Inner Clip from the Bungee Hook End
Frame. Pull the Bungee through the Inner Clip until free.
This will allow for the Bungee Shock Cord to be threaded
completely out of the Main Frame and up to the Belt
Bungee Pulley where it will be re-attached once the Row-
er Belt is in the proper position.
Reattaching the Rower Belt
Idle Wheel
Velcro facing
upward
1.Begin reattaching the Rower Belt by
threading around the Rower Belt Pulley
with the Velcro side facing upward as
illustrated.
2.Next, thread the Belt around the Idle
Wheel as shown. Once around the Idle
Wheel, attach the Rower Belt to the
Belt/Bungee Pulley. There is an obvi-
ous “lip” at the attachment point.
1.
2.