Looking to start a rowing workout - advice needed

Sinisterbarbie1

I want to try something new, and once spring hits for real, actually do it in real life. I am thinking rowing since I live near several rivers and multiple rowing clubs and am a breast cancer survivor (I am told it is great for increasing range of motion and restoring strength/posture). Does anyone currently row? How did you get started? Any workout tips before hitting a club?

Lietchi

@AnnPT77 this topic is right up your alley, I hope you don't mind me tagging you 🙂

AnnPT77

Sinisterbarbie1 wrote: »

I want to try something new, and once spring hits for real, actually do it in real life. I am thinking rowing since I live near several rivers and multiple rowing clubs and am a breast cancer survivor (I am told it is great for increasing range of motion and restoring strength/posture). Does anyone currently row? How did you get started? Any workout tips before hitting a club?

I am a breast cancer survivor who rows. I started rowing on a breast cancer survivors team, about 20 years ago after the whole 9 yards of treatment for stage III (locally advanced) breast cancer.

I got addicted, joined my local rowing club (and also took their learn-to-row class in year 1, even though I'd already been rowing for a few months).

Now, I row (scull**, technically, mostly) about 4 days a week, in season, with an evolving group of rowing-club friends, several of whom are also breast cancer survivors. If it matters, I'm 66. The survivors I row with range up to age 75. In off-season, I do some machine rowing (not nearly as fun), among other workout types that vary year 'round.

** Technically, rowing = one oar per person, sculling = two oars per person, with rowing the general term in the US. I row a double (2 people, sculling) the most, or a quad (4 people, sculling) sometimes; less often a single (obviously sculling, or one would go in circles), but I've done a lot of rowing in fours, eights (the rowing boats for 4 and 8 rowers, usually with a coxswain) over the years - that was how I started, and most of how I've competed. I've rowed a pair (2 people, rowing) a couple of time. Those are hard.

I have competed on water an machine (not always unsuccessfully), been to various rowing camps on vacation quite a number of times, rowed in masters nationals (washed out in the heats!) and the Head of the Charles regatta (in a four-person coxed shell, all breast cancer survivors from several different cities, came in last 😆, but respectably close to the pack, I think). I completed 2 of the 3 levels of USRowing coaching certification education.

Workout tips: If you have ways to work on your general cardiovascular fitness, that's useful. Early on, classes tend to be more technique, less vigor, but some fitness (endurance, mostly, at first) makes it easier. If you aren't a decent swimmer, take lessons. (You don't have to be stellar, but basic competence is important for safety of yourself and boat-mates. I took adult learn-to-swim lessons then lane swimming lessons to improve, because I was at the "just able to save myself" level at the start.)

Unlike what most people think, rowing is predominantly leg powered, though the upper body is used. Something like cycling can be really good prep, if you have access to a stationary or regular bike. Only average mobility is required, but if you have time, it can't hurt to start to work on toe-touching, shoulder mobility, and some core strength/coordination (you'll be swinging the upper body from the hip joints).

Rowing is, as "they" often say, a full body exercise. However, it's unbalanced: Lower body push, upper body pull. In the long run, you'll want to work the opposing muscle groups, as an injury avoidance strategy. That's not essential up front.

Definitely start with lessons, and don't start machine rowing without coaching or good instruction, if you aren't doing it already. Rowing is not intuitive, and even a lot of gym trainers do it wrong. It's hard to correct habits that are already embodied in muscle memory, that aren't quite what you want on water. (There are things that work on a machine that can quickly turn on-water rowing into in-water swimming. 😆)

Since you have real rowing lessons available soon, there's no point in doing on-your-own machine rowing (or gym-trainer instructed machine rowing) first. (If you're already machine rowing, it'll be fine: If you need to revise some habits, it can happen, no worries.)

Sign up early for class: If yours are like ours, they fill early.

Does it increase range of motion and restore strength/posture? Yes, with appropriate volume, and some patience. Among other good things, physically speaking!

For me, it absolutely transformed my life more comprehensively, actually. I'd never been particularly athletic, and when I started I was class 1 obese (and stayed obese for a dozen years while rowing and training regularly, BTW). Within a couple of years I was competing, even getting the occasional age-group medal in regional races. Now, many of my friends are rowers, and I'm a completely different woman than the path I was on before rowing would have led me to be.

I'm not sure I'd even be alive today, honestly: I did a really good job of getting cancer, 5 tumors in one breast (largest 3.1 cm), one in the other, and a positive lymph node. I was obese, completely out of shape and depleted (especially after surgery, chemo, radiation). Now I'm a pretty-healthy, healthy-weight 66 year old, reasonable fit for an old gal, I think. I bless my first coach - the one who started the breast cancer survivors team, though not a survivor herself. She changed my life, no joke.

I'm not saying that's how it'll go for anyone and everyone: Some people enjoy rowing, some don't take to it. There are lots of good activities in the world, and different ones are fun for different people. Maybe rowing will be the one for you, too. It sure was for me!

Here's a boat with 3 cancer survivors (all the women - from left, at the time age 73, age 74, a 29-year-old male med student (!), and me at right in bright yellow, age 65 at the time.



I wouldn't usually post photos of others without their permission, but I think they're unrecognizable at that distance, especially with the masks (this was a phase where masks were required in the boathouse, and we'd just launched).

I'll stop rambling. I could talk (or type) about rowing all day, especially in the season when I can't be on the water. If you have specific questions, please ask.

Enjoy your rowing lessons!

AnnPT77

Lietchi wrote: »

@AnnPT77 this topic is right up your alley, I hope you don't mind me tagging you 🙂

Not at all. Glad you did. As it happens, I was already typing. (Typing lots, sadly - as usual 😆.)

Sinisterbarbie1

@AnnPT77 wow! This is fantastic advice! I did find a breast cancer survivors group where I live that sponsors a team and am in touch with them already. They don’t do their learn to row weekend until Memorial Day but I have waited years so I guess I can wait a few more months. I also had locally advanced cancer that had spread to my lymphnodes but luckily no further. I went through the whole routine as well and since it was TNBC they threw the nastiest stuff at me, because there isn’t anything they could do for me after chemo, radiation and surgery to stave off recurrence. I have been managing diet and health since then sometimes more successfully than other times. I am currently at a good weight but totally out of shape because I had some other post chemo and cancer health issues to deal with. I have been a hiker my whole life but am not really able to do that anymore because of arthritis in my knees and the pressure downhill descents in particular put on them. I am also now responsible for my elderly parents, and soon also my aunt so going away for long climbing vacations is a long ago thing of the past. I need to find things I can do for a few hours in the morning or evening before or after work. I focused on rowing because whole body exercise would be great, but it doesn’t seem to be high impact.

I am not a good swimmer. I am great at the backstroke but never properly learned to breathe with my face in the water. I can float forever (even when not fat). I don’t have very good access to places to practice lap swimming year round. The Y near me was turned into fancy office space and condos. The high school with a pool allows the community to swim only when I am either at work or caring for my parents, so I can mostly swim during the summer when I can access various community pools.

I guess the good news is I have zero experience so no bad habits to unlearn!

AnnPT77

Sinisterbarbie1 wrote: »

@AnnPT77 wow! This is fantastic advice! I did find a breast cancer survivors group where I live that sponsors a team and am in touch with them already. They don’t do their learn to row weekend until Memorial Day but I have waited years so I guess I can wait a few more months. I also had locally advanced cancer that had spread to my lymphnodes but luckily no further. I went through the whole routine as well and since it was TNBC they threw the nastiest stuff at me, because there isn’t anything they could do for me after chemo, radiation and surgery to stave off recurrence. I have been managing diet and health since then sometimes more successfully than other times. I am currently at a good weight but totally out of shape because I had some other post chemo and cancer health issues to deal with. I have been a hiker my whole life but am not really able to do that anymore because of arthritis in my knees and the pressure downhill descents in particular put on them. I am also now responsible for my elderly parents, and soon also my aunt so going away for long climbing vacations is a long ago thing of the past. I need to find things I can do for a few hours in the morning or evening before or after work. I focused on rowing because whole body exercise would be great, but it doesn’t seem to be high impact.

I am not a good swimmer. I am great at the backstroke but never properly learned to breathe with my face in the water. I can float forever (even when not fat). I don’t have very good access to places to practice lap swimming year round. The Y near me was turned into fancy office space and condos. The high school with a pool allows the community to swim only when I am either at work or caring for my parents, so I can mostly swim during the summer when I can access various community pools.

I guess the good news is I have zero experience so no bad habits to unlearn!

There is lots of knee bending and as much pressure as you can put on the legs during that movement, but you're right: No significant impact. I have bad knees (osteoarthritis, torn meniscus on at least one side, and I suspect both), but I can do it, as long as I don't overdo (the definition of which changes over time). For me, impact and torque on the knees are bad, but pressure and straight-line hinging motions are OK, so rowing and cycling both work for me.

Check on the swimming capabilities your chosen team/club may require of you. I was allowed to start with about the swimming skills you describe, but am glad I improved my swimming skills. One common standard is "100 yards any stroke without touching bottom, plus 5 (or 10) minutes treading water". Backstroke counts, in that standard: It's how I passed my first swim test for rowing camp.

Maybe you already know this, but for at least some types of breast cancer, regular exercise improves survival odds.

Best wishes for future happy rowing!

Sinisterbarbie1

@AnnPT77
Hi again, just letting you know that I appreciated your advice and I have just heard back from the rowing club with all of their forms. I need to schedule a physical and a swim exam etc. Getting in for a physical is proving challenging. The swim test is the same as you described. There are only 16 seats on the team and they haven’t been meeting for two years due to COVID so I don’t know if that means I will have more or less competition than usual. In the meantime I have scheduled myself for a one week health retreat on the West coast. I spent an amazing week there last year and met a woman who still swims competitively and teaches there. She offered to help with my swimming if I came back so that is part of the plan. Either way I will at least improve my swimming skills which I have been meaning to do, and which will add a sustainable exercise to my repertoire as I age (further).

AnnPT77

Sinisterbarbie1 wrote: »

@AnnPT77
Hi again, just letting you know that I appreciated your advice and I have just heard back from the rowing club with all of their forms. I need to schedule a physical and a swim exam etc. Getting in for a physical is proving challenging. The swim test is the same as you described. There are only 16 seats on the team and they haven’t been meeting for two years due to COVID so I don’t know if that means I will have more or less competition than usual. In the meantime I have scheduled myself for a one week health retreat on the West coast. I spent an amazing week there last year and met a woman who still swims competitively and teaches there. She offered to help with my swimming if I came back so that is part of the plan. Either way I will at least improve my swimming skills which I have been meaning to do, and which will add a sustainable exercise to my repertoire as I age (further).

That sounds great!

I'll hope you can get onto the team, but also don't be afraid to consider classes that local rowing clubs might have aimed at the general adult population, if there are any.

My club runs classes every year. They're suitable for adults with normal mobility, don't require unusual physical capabilities or high-level fitness. Most of the class participants here are in their 30s-60s, but we've had a couple of people in 70s and up to age 81 who did fine, and quite a few who were at a heavier body weight or who'd not been very active before the class. If someone has the aerobic & strength capabilities for a couple hours of walking for shopping or sight-seeing, or to swim or cycle for maybe an hour or so at easy paces, they'd probably would do fine in our classes.

The classes tend to be kind of stop and go, and slow at first - it's not a vigorous workout. I don't know what you got locally, or want, but our club teaches people to scull (2 oars per person), so that we sometimes row multi-person boats (like in my photo above), but sometimes singles - that can be more flexible for both scheduling (post class) and for accommodating varying fitness levels.

I'm glad to hear you're making progress toward your goals - very exciting!