Starting out - rowing machine

bushbaby_de

Hi all

I've decided it's time to get serious about losing weight. The few times I've been in the gym I've liked the rowing machine so I've just ordered one for my house. Can anyone please recommend a programme for basically a complete beginner when it comes to fitness? I've got about 2 stone minimum to lose! Thank you in advance.

bushbaby_de

I know how to use it, I'm just after some advice on a sensible beginners programme. Silly me, I thought this forum was for fitness advice.

sijomial

Concept2 website is full of useful information from technique tutorials to a calorie estimator.
Really worthwhile checking it out.

My advice would be to concentrate on your form at first and take it from there. The rowing machine is both one of the best CV machines but also the one that is most frequently badly used!

bushbaby_de

Thanks sijomial, I'll take a look. I wasn't prepared to pay for one of their machines but gather they're pretty much market leaders for home rowers.

I've got a Fitbit Charge HR and I know it won't be fully accurate on a non-steps exercise like rowing but I'm hoping the HR monitor captures calorie burn for me. The rower has a display and HR pads on the handle piece too.

middlehaitch

I'm with sijomial. The Concept 2 site is great.
Has just about all the info you will need and it has challenges that. You can participate in if that is your thing.

I would love to own one - it is my preferred cardio.

Cheers, h.

DM01234

I'll add another plug for Concept2. Rowing is a great full body workout when done properly.

sgt1372

I've used a Concept rower at various gyms over the years and just bought one 3 months ago that I've been using to row 10k meters every week since I bought it. That said, I still consider myself a beginner and am still trying to perfect my rowing technique while also trying to improve my times, conditioning and endurance.

There really aren't any "beginner" specific erg rower programs. At least none that I've found. You basically learn by doing but the best thing you can do b4 you put too much time in the seat of your new rower is to read all of the articles (and view all of the videos) you can find about erg rowing technique. There are some articles and videos on the Concept2 site but don't just limit yourself to those. You might also be able to find a local erg rowing club where you may be able to find some advice and assistance.

I won't go into all of the intricacies of erg rowing - - you can quickly learn them yourself - - but I did mention some in a lenghty response to another member asking about his rowing times. Sorry, you'll have to search for it; I don't have a link. However, I will say that all of the tips regarding rowing technique boil down to trying to maximize the efficiency of the pull in order to maximize your power output and minimize your times.

Once you get going, if you bought a Concept2 rower, you can log and compare your times against other Concept2 owners and participate in various challenges. I'm engaged in a 4 week 100k meter challenge currently. You'll be surprised how fast people can row but don't be discouraged if your times are comparatively slow. Mine certainly are.

Just do the best you can and focus on the quality of your workout on the rower which, in my opinion, is one of the best cardio workouts you can get.

Good luck!

Gerbsxyng412

I love using a rower as it is a great total body workout... no advice but maybe just try doing different intervals, my workouts usually consistent of rowing for 1,2,3,4,5 mins or 500 meters sometimes with other cardio.

AnnPT77

Besides the C2 home site, check out http://www.indoorsportservices.co.uk/, which is a UK affiliate of theirs. If you pick "weight loss" then "interactive programme", you can get a program tailored for your stats (free). Lots of other good info available there, as well.

Though I haven't spent enough time on that site to swear for the authority of every word they post, they're reputable folks, and there's lots of good information on the site. A couple of my MFP friends use their competitive interactive programs, and seem to get good results

Rowing machines are great, but I gotta say, to all: If you get a chance, try learning to row a rowing shell if you're able - it's an equally great workout once you get some technique in place, and about 3000% more fun than the machine.

It's a sport that's more widely accessible than most people imagine (there's not very good publicity). In my mid-sized city in mid-Michigan (USA), there's a local rowing club that runs classes every summer, is very affordable to join ($200-something per year), and the club owns shells that members can use if they don't choose to buy their own.

middlehaitch

@AnnPT77 what a great idea.

I have never thought of actual rowing on water for myself. My SO did it for a season or two in a corporate league based in another city, but me nope never thought I could.

The small city I live in is the Canadian Olympic rowing teams HQ so I should be able to find something.

Cheers, h.

AnnPT77

middlehaitch wrote: »

@AnnPT77 what a great idea.

I have never thought of actual rowing on water for myself. My SO did it for a season or two in a corporate league based in another city, but me nope never thought I could.

The small city I live in is the Canadian Olympic rowing teams HQ so I should be able to find something.

Cheers, h.

Of course you could.

To start, it requires only basic mobility (not advanced fitness), and I know you're well beyond that stage. Also, you have to be able to swim (usually the standard is not high - the one I've been tested for is 3 laps of the pool any stroke without touching bottom (no time limit), 5 minutes treading water. Our club has had anyone from junior high kids (13 y/o-ish) to 81 y/o (that I know of), thin or fat, fit or not.

And it's so much fun. Do it.

sgt1372

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Of course you could.

To start, it requires only basic mobility (not advanced fitness), and I know you're well beyond that stage. Also, you have to be able to swim (usually the standard is not high - the one I've been tested for is 3 laps of the pool any stroke without touching bottom (no time limit), 5 minutes treading water. Our club has had anyone from junior high kids (13 y/o-ish) to 81 y/o (that I know of), thin or fat, fit or not.

And it's so much fun. Do it.

I've thought about it and I'm sure I'd enjoy it, but it's just too much trouble for me. I can swim but don't want to take a swim test and (apart from the cost) the clubs in my area are over 60 miles/1.5 hours away from where I live.

Just hopping onto the rower in my living room is much easier.

bushbaby_de

Thanks for all the helpful tips. It looks like the snarky comment I originally replied to has also been removed, which is nice but makes me look like I'm talking to myself at the start of the thread!

bushbaby_de

I've just done a steady 500m over 20 minutes and now have blisters - owwie!

sgt1372

bushbaby_de wrote: »

I've just done a steady 500m over 20 minutes and now have blisters - owwie!

How'd you do that?

Must be gripping the handle way too tight. I've rowed over 150,000 meters in over 14 hrs over the past 2 months & have no blisters from rowing; just calluses from lifting.

You don't even need to "grip" the handle w/your thumbs around it to execute the pull and return. I just rest my thumbs on top of the handle and secure the handle only w/my fingers. If you're not doing that, give it a try.

Good luck!

AnnPT77

sgt1372 wrote: »

bushbaby_de wrote: »

I've just done a steady 500m over 20 minutes and now have blisters - owwie!

How'd you do that?

Must be gripping the handle way too tight. I've rowed over 150,000 meters in over 14 hrs over the past 2 months & have no blisters from rowing; just calluses from lifting.

You don't even need to "grip" the handle w/your thumbs around it to execute the pull and return. I just rest my thumbs on top of the handle and secure the handle only w/my fingers. If you're not doing that, give it a try.

Good luck!

Thumbs should be on the ends of the handles, but agree about the loose (non-)grip. Just make a sort of hook with your fingers (keep the knuckles closest to your palms flat & curl the finger tips under). My first rowing coach used to say "don't grip the handle so hard oar juice squirts out the end"! (Granted, she was talking about on-water, but the same idea applies on the rowing machine.)

Rowing blisters hurt next time you row!

It's OK to wear bike gloves (or similar) until you heal, if it helps. Or - and this is my on-water blister accommodation strategy, always - put a liquid bandage like New-Skin on the raw area, then hold your hand in a rowing-machine-handle (or oar-handle) shape and wrap duct tape (really) around your whole hand or finger until it adheres to itself. Then row. The duct tape holds up to the abrasion & sweat pretty well (bandaids & such won't), and the New-Skin protects you when you rip off the duct tape afterward. Really. Seriously.

AnnPT77

AnnPT77 wrote: »

sgt1372 wrote: »

bushbaby_de wrote: »

I've just done a steady 500m over 20 minutes and now have blisters - owwie!

How'd you do that?

Must be gripping the handle way too tight. I've rowed over 150,000 meters in over 14 hrs over the past 2 months & have no blisters from rowing; just calluses from lifting.

You don't even need to "grip" the handle w/your thumbs around it to execute the pull and return. I just rest my thumbs on top of the handle and secure the handle only w/my fingers. If you're not doing that, give it a try.

Good luck!

Thumbs should be on the ends of the handles, but agree about the loose (non-)grip. Just make a sort of hook with your fingers (keep the knuckles closest to your palms flat & curl the finger tips under). My first rowing coach used to say "don't grip the handle so hard oar juice squirts out the end"! (Granted, she was talking about on-water, but the same idea applies on the rowing machine.)

Rowing blisters hurt next time you row!

It's OK to wear bike gloves (or similar) until you heal, if it helps. Or - and this is my on-water blister accommodation strategy, always - put a liquid bandage like New-Skin on the raw area, then hold your hand in a rowing-machine-handle (or oar-handle) shape and wrap duct tape (really) around your whole hand or finger until it adheres to itself. Then row. The duct tape holds up to the abrasion & sweat pretty well (bandaids & such won't), and the New-Skin protects you when you rip off the duct tape afterward. Really. Seriously.

Quoting myself to add (because it's too late to edit): For clarity, I don't mean that you should make yourself a total duct-tape glove (!) - I mean just wrap a strip(s) all the way around the part of the hand where the blisters/raw skin are, so it sticks to itself on the back of your hand/finger rather than just being stuck only to your skin. '

Sorry; English is my first and nearly only language, but I still wield it poorly sometimes.

bushbaby_de

I think gripping it too tightly was right on the money. It also has heart rate pads on the handle and I guess I positioned my hand awkwardly on them. I have very thin eczema-ridden skin on my hands so they're more prone to damage than people with normal skin. I'll just have to wait til they toughen up!

snerggly

My husband and I bought a water rower like the one on House of Cards 6 years ago. I could barely row it! Start off with small goals like 20 minutes a day and then work up to it. I love rowing and so does my husband! Best wishes to you!

By the way, Motion Traxx for Android and iPhone has an app that includes rowing workouts. It's subscription based but it's worth it!

goldengirl111

bushbaby_de wrote: »

I think gripping it too tightly was right on the money. It also has heart rate pads on the handle and I guess I positioned my hand awkwardly on them. I have very thin eczema-ridden skin on my hands so they're more prone to damage than people with normal skin. I'll just have to wait til they toughen up!

Any tips on how to treat this?

KristinHR01

goldengirl111 wrote: »

bushbaby_de wrote: »

I think gripping it too tightly was right on the money. It also has heart rate pads on the handle and I guess I positioned my hand awkwardly on them. I have very thin eczema-ridden skin on my hands so they're more prone to damage than people with normal skin. I'll just have to wait til they toughen up!

Any tips on how to treat this?

Wear gloves while you row

Leadfoot_Lewis

Make sure your form is good. This is probably one of the best videos out there. My SPM went from around 25 SPM to a consistent 30 SPM after watching this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlWUPkXrq24

bushbaby_de

I did have gloves on but think my position was wrong and my grip too tight. I also have weakened skin from eczema. The blister has since calloused so its just a case of getting the skin used to it.