rowing rox

[Stewart]

After 2 months of between 10 and 30 minutes of rowing a day on a waterrower - I have an idea of the good and bad of rowing. The bad - the waterrower costs so much you simply have to use it - a two edged sword. The good - legs much stronger, all body stronger and I sleep well. Sleep is the single best impact. We had 30 degree C days here for weeks in a row when I started, alongside a bad reaction to plegridy. I stuck with it wearing a cooling vest, changed to Tec - and I'm reaping the benefits. My 2 cents worth - rowing is simply brilliant - I do it watching a movie and lose track of time. Its great.

[AMFADVENTURES]

Stewart, I read your introduction and was pleasantly surprised to find you are paying attention to % body fat. I do too.

I lost about 20 lbs. due to a recent surgery. The upside of it was a % body fat loss that put me at a target I've had for years but never been able to reach. I do not recommend this approach, but having unintentionly reached my target, I decided I would try to maintain it during my recovery, and so far I have been successful. I do it by cutting out some of the more notorious fat building foods like pasta, bread, butter and fatty meats, and by exercising more portion control when my % body fat begins to rise and of course with a consistent exercise program similar to yours except I cycle in place of rowing.

It sounds like you are using a more professional program to achieve a reduction and I wondered if you might share your approach?

Larry

[Suebee]

Stewart, I am also interested. Also, are there ways you keep your core from getting fatigued and keeping proper form?

[Stewart]

More out than in

Thanks for interest. I follow 3 simple rules - calories in less or same as calories out. No white carbs - pasta bread etc.. No junk snacks - which keeps sugar and salt down. With tecfidera breakfast is eggs mostly, dinner again high protein with some fats - so lunch simple black beans and brown rice. Snack fruit or protein bomb. For stabilising core rowing - work hard to keep back straight - bend at waist. Hurts - row as slow as want to - it hits over 80% of muscles second only to swimming. Simply don't push it - the core strengthens with use - row slow when fatigued, just keep rowing.

[jjmagpin]

Stewart,

Stupid question.....

How high do you set your tension? I tried my first rowing adventure last week. After falling off once (insert laugh here) I got moving but had some difficulty getting my knees to bend properly on the recoil. I was wondering if increasing the tension might help. Any suggestion?

[Stewart]

Tension = personal

Hah - one of my favourite things about the rower - there isn't far to fall.
Tension is interesting and personal - only way to know is try out different tensions. For instance - if tension set too low then you rocket back when you straighten your legs with not much holding you straight. You end up rowing faster as you shoot back so fast. If it's too high then it becomes too hard to do for any length of time. (insert technical terms for shoot back etc..). Sorry I can't give you a number - edited - I can of course - I use 17 on the waterrower - which equates to who knows what else on other rowers. It is high, but I find if tension too low I end up going to fast to maintain good form.
I've now also added some free weight training. Had to really, too much protein to ensure I could handle the Tec, had to do something with it other than let it load on my belly. I took Chris Hemworths thor training - divided the weights by a lot - and tried that - can't do it all, but can do some.

[mvargas]

jjmagpin, I have a similar issue when rowing. I ended up raising the back of the rowing machine about eight inches, this helps for a while until the hamstring muscles get fatigued. Falling off was also an issue but now there is room for a cushion underneath!
Mark

[jjmagpin]

Stewart & mvargas,

Thanks for both suggestions. I appreciate it. I will use both of them