Rowing Help

AJDuggs

Hi,

Profile:
27/M
12 Stone
5"11"
Moderate Shape

Some could say I am the ideal weight and shape for my size and I am I guess although I am not as fit as I look... Looks can be decieving!

8 months ago I got into fitness, started doing walks, then runs moving onto cycling and heavier cardio's then mixing in some strength and started building a baseline core. Lot's of new interesting things happened to my body and I felt good.

I hit the gym, began familiarising myself with the aparatus and getting to know the alien machines. Everything began to move quicker, then I hired a personal trainer to work on some cramping calves and he isolated a few problem areas to work on. I did a few circuit and conditioning training for 3 months and each time I surpassed his expectations so he added a little more each time. Meanwhile I was looking for a kick boxing club to go to although I was keen to graduate from my personal trainers grueling regime. Dedicated heh?

You would think things were good. Anyway, I got side tracked with deadlines at work, hit a few social events (gigs, theatre, friends) and I started drinking alcohol and eating like an elephant.

It's been four weeks and I feel rubbish, my body like a wasted meat sack and I can think of nothing better to do than go home and sleep all the time. Things are starting to settle and I have Christmas holidays coming up so I am dead set on going back to gym.

I need some advice about rowing, I love it. I found it to be my favourite machine. I could do 3000 metres and another 3000 with no problem. I want to know what the best approach, diet, calorie intake etc. I should consider while going back.

I'm starting to get porky again and I don't want bear tits please help.

BrianSharpe

Best thing to do as a new rower is work on your form. Concept2 has a number of videos on their site that may be helpful.

concept2.com/indoor-rowers/training/technique-videos

As to diet, log every morsel that crosses your lips. MFP is pretty adept at that (depending on what you do for a living consider setting your activity level at sedentary and shoot for a very modest caloric deficit, at 5' 11' & 168lbs you're not outside the normal weight ranges) Keep in mind that exercise takes fuel.

How often do you plan on rowing? If you had the time & inclination it's something you could do pretty much every day and you could alternate between steady state rows & intervals (depending on which machine your gym has there may be built in programs).

In addition to rowing give some thought to strength training, rowing is a great cardio workout (and involves more muscle groups than many other exercises) personally I've found both my endurance and speed have improved since I've been more consistent with strength training (I'm primarily a runner but row 20 to 30,000 metres per week for x-training)

Don't try to increase speed & distances too quickly, like I said before.....work on form & have fun!

ruthbardell

Do you have a rowing club near you?

girlwithcurls2

Make sure your form is right. Rowing machines simulate rowing in a boat, but there's nothing like a real boat Rowing is deceiving--people look at it and think they know what to do, but timing is everything (shooting your butt back, lean back, pull arms in). Just make sure you're doing it right. This is not the time of year to get sidelined by injury...