Thoughts on rowing?

Options
kiaramonroe772
kiaramonroe772 Posts: 21 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I weigh around 225 and I am 20 :( . I know it's a mess. However, I do not feel conscious being on the treadmill or running at all. So I did some research and I heard rowing was a good full body workout. Just wanted to know if anyone out there has been successful with using the rowing machine. I am changing my eating day by day and I know that's a major contributing factor. Thanks in advance
«1

Replies

  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Options
    Loved rowing. If you can go out on the water, it is a LOT of fun. I rowed junior varsity in university and found it to be a great leg, butt, back and (to a lesser extent) arm workout. I remember rowing with the men's team once when they were short a man; my muscles were worked so hard they cramped up and I had to be lifted out of the boat. LOL

    I found using an erg (ergometer or rowing machine) to be a great workout, if not boring. It is a fairly high intensity workout unless you are just dogging it. Almost like a HIIT workout. If I went steady, I could rarely go beyond 20-30 minutes.

    Do make sure you get someone to show you how. Most people do it wrong and use their arms and back too much. If your arms are bobbing up over your knees in the backwards pull, you are doing it wrong. The pull should be mostly legs, then as the handle/oar gets to your knees you start leaning backwards. As it approaches your groin, that's when you start to use your arms.

    It's the opposite on the return stroke. Straighten arms first, then sit forwards then knees bend. Roughly in that order. Bit of overlap of course.

    Have fun. Good luck.
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,757 Member
    Options
    Do you regularly use treadmill as it is now? Are you thinking about rowing because it burns more calories than walking or using a elliptical or because its something you think you would enjoy?
    I am personally not a huge fan of rowing but they do provide a good burn. I am the type that feels that the best cardio is whatever you can stick to. I don't really enjoy rowing so for me it just isn't worth the few extra calories burned.
    If you think you would enjoy it...by all means have at it.
  • kiaramonroe772
    kiaramonroe772 Posts: 21 Member
    Options
    @nvmomketo thanks for your insight. I plan on starting tomorrow to see how it works out for me. I have watched videos on form hopefully I will be able to do it
  • kiaramonroe772
    kiaramonroe772 Posts: 21 Member
    Options
    @riffraff2112 I have been out of the gym due to a car accident. The treadmill hasn't been successful for me in my many tries. I feel like the rowing machine will be better for me. Hopefully I will enjoy it
  • ccsernica
    ccsernica Posts: 1,040 Member
    Options
    Years ago a friend of mine had an opportunity to go to Greece and be part of the crew of a full-size, working reproduction of a Classical Greek trireme. This was the bronze-beaked, triple-decked warship that defeated the Persians at the battle of Salamis, among other things. He's built something like me, tall and skinny, and had to lie about his height to qualify. (He was an inch or so too tall.)

    At a party soon after his return to the US we were joking with him, actually semi-seriously, about how he'd have hulked up with all that rowing he'd been doing. "Yeah, right!" he said, and flexed his biceps trying to show nothing was there. In fact, quite a LOT was there, so we all just nodded and agreed. Then he looked down at his own arm and actually jumped he was so startled. "How'd the hell that get there?!?"

    He was having so much fun rowing a trireme all over the Aegean that he didn't even realize how much exercise he was getting.
  • mbushnellWA
    mbushnellWA Posts: 11 Member
    Options
    Nvmomketo has got it. I started indoor rowing about 7 years ago, going at it slowly so muscles and tendons could adjust, but still built up to a good amount. I was 50 years old at the time, found it boring but a good way of justifying TV/cable time. I learned to row for real on the water the following year, which is a blast.

    Your mileage may vary, but I found rowing (including the erg) to be a really good full body workout and in particular very good for my knees, as I couldn't run anymore because of some developing arthritis. In rowing you are fully straightening your knee, which strengthens the vastus medialis, which is one of the four components of your large thigh quadriceps muscle and which stabilizes the knee but isn't really activated until full extension. Think of a leg press machine, which is the same motion.

    Definitely ask some one smart at the gym for instruction, and watch some of the excellent videos on Concept2's site (they make the ergs found in many gyms and used by most serious rowers). You don't however have to go full tilt at it. Just as with any new sport, go slower with less leg push and work up to longer times and and/or harder leg presses. I can do an hour easily at an easier pace for endurance but also do shorter harder pieces to build power.

    Indoor anything bores me, but it's a necessary evil imho to be able to be ready to get outside. Same is true for biking, treadmill, etc. rifraff2212 is also spot on with noting that the best cardio is the one you enjoy. I hate swimming, am a bad slow swimmer, but have had many friends who really enjoyed swimming laps.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,207 Member
    Options
    My main activities are cycling and walking, but on chilly, rainy days, my husband and I will go to the gym.

    There we spend about an hour on the treadmill (mainly walking, but we might throw a short run into the mix), and about 15 - 20 minutes on the rowing machine. My husband has rowed as part of a rowing club on water, so he's got a pretty good idea about form.

    I find the rowing gives me a bit of an upper body workout which is good because pretty much everything else I do is legs.

    We also go canoeing once in a while for a different upper body workout. :)
  • missh1967
    missh1967 Posts: 661 Member
    Options
    I love my rower. I love(d) the treadmill, too, but I can't run anymore, and even walking a long time hurts my hip and knee. Rowing is great for my joints, upper body muscles, and cardiovascular system.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Options
    It's a great exercise but sadly frequently done really badly!
    There are some great tutorials on the Concept2 website which are well worth investigating.

    It's not actually a full body workout and don't understand why that label often gets hung on rowing.
    Hint - if you are working your chest and triceps while rowing you are probably sitting round the wrong way. :)

    Add some pushups and you are pretty close to a full body workout.....
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,665 Member
    Options
    I row at three times a week for 45 minutes (and do push-ups to catch the missing muscles), run three times, and lift once. Except when Concept2 is running a meters challenge, like now, when I try to row daily. There's a quiet MFP group here for rowers and a virtual team on the C2 log website.

    Definitely watch the form videos and, if you get really into it, consider a couple of sessions with a coach to perfect it. There are also races, if you're into that sort of thing. I'm training for a race in February. Very motivating. :)
  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
    Options
    I like the rower. I only do it for a couple minutes at a time and work it into my training or cardio circuits or use it to warm up before weight lifting.

    Weight lifting and body weight strength exercises are still my all time favorite exercise.

    Also like walking outside and hiking- way better than a treadmill.

    Also shooting hoops is fun! My gym has a nice indoor basketball court. Way more fun than any other type of cardio.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    Options
    i like the concept2 daily workout emails that I get - i only do them once a week or so - but its a good way to add something different into the workout schedule
  • YoungIronG
    YoungIronG Posts: 125 Member
    Options
    rowers are for people who can focus thru repetition and burn...

    so I row my az off. by that I mean 30 mins haha.. but I can also jump rope for that long too (with a few of 30 second breaks). for some reason I can to the same motion over and over and 'mind over matter' the muscle fatigue, lungs are a different story --- maybe you are the same way?


    the point im trying to make is, if you can put your headphones on or tv or whatever, zone out and keep your form for an extended period then the row machine will be your fav! I wont join a gym unless they have a row machine. its low impact and you can build your way up like 5 mins at a time.

    now, if flexibility is a challenge right now, may I suggest having a seat first, grabbing the grip bar, THEN putting your feet on the platforms... depending on the machine, that reach to the bar with your feet on can be a real mother

    do it!
  • YoungIronG
    YoungIronG Posts: 125 Member
    Options
    oh, and if you didn't get my private message, I think you are gorgeous! wink wink
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
    Options
    kiaramonroe772 wrote: »
    @riffraff2112 I have been out of the gym due to a car accident. The treadmill hasn't been successful for me in my many tries. I feel like the rowing machine will be better for me. Hopefully I will enjoy it

    As exercise has a number of benefits, I believe everyone who can exercise should, but the key to losing weight is really what you are eating. The treadmill not being successful for you means you weren't creating a calorie deficit. This is easier to do in the kitchen than via exercise.

    I love to row but my knees are grouchy now and won't let me. Do ease into it so you don't hurt yourself.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Options
    YoungIronG wrote: »
    oh, and if you didn't get my private message, I think you are gorgeous! wink wink

    Ummm, creepy.
  • YoungIronG
    YoungIronG Posts: 125 Member
    Options
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    kiaramonroe772 wrote: »
    @riffraff2112 I have been out of the gym due to a car accident. The treadmill hasn't been successful for me in my many tries. I feel like the rowing machine will be better for me. Hopefully I will enjoy it

    The treadmill not being successful for you means you weren't creating a calorie deficit. quote]

    see, I took this as some physical/coordination limitation, since she was in an accident.



    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    YoungIronG wrote: »
    oh, and if you didn't get my private message, I think you are gorgeous! wink wink

    Ummm, creepy.


    since when is it creepy to give a compliment and a wink?? I see jealousy rears its ugly head again--

    *kiss kiss for you
  • KerrieMac10
    KerrieMac10 Posts: 54 Member
    Options
    I just started using the rowing machine two days ago. I love it!! I'm wondering why I didn't use it sooner!
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    Options
    I really like it!
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    Options
    YoungIronG wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    kiaramonroe772 wrote: »
    @riffraff2112 I have been out of the gym due to a car accident. The treadmill hasn't been successful for me in my many tries. I feel like the rowing machine will be better for me. Hopefully I will enjoy it

    The treadmill not being successful for you means you weren't creating a calorie deficit.

    see, I took this as some physical/coordination limitation, since she was in an accident.



    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    YoungIronG wrote: »
    oh, and if you didn't get my private message, I think you are gorgeous! wink wink

    Ummm, creepy.


    since when is it creepy to give a compliment and a wink?? I see jealousy rears its ugly head again--

    *kiss kiss for you

    Nah.... @nutmegoreo is too awesome to get jealous.

Categories