rowing machine

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Evamutt
Evamutt Posts: 2,338 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I recently started using the rowing machine at the gym. I'm 63, active & have lost 40lbs. I put it to the #5 setting for now. It said I burned 100cal in 15min.I'm questioning if I'm really burning the calories it says, since I found it to be relatively easy for me to do compared with other types of exercise. On the treadmill It usually takes me 20min per mile.I joined a HIIT class June 12 & go 3 days/week. The class started off very hard since I couldn't do any type of squats (or a lot of other types of exercise, like jumping)before I lost weight but am doing ok & it's a real hard work out for me but the rowing machine is not that hard. I want to wait a day to see how sore I am at the 5 setting before I add to it. I've never used it before the HIIT class but wanted to try it longer today.

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  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,338 Member
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    thank you, I will check it all out
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,979 Member
    edited July 2017
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    I'm 66 & weigh158#.

    I have a Concept 2 rower at home. I set the damper at 6 for a drag factor of 130, which allows me to row very comfortably at a moderate pace of 600-650 cals per hr or 150 cals for every 15 min session.

    I generally row at a constant pace at this level for 15 mins at a time. I've tried various remedies my butt can't take longer sessions. I can raise the intensity to +800 cal/hr for short intervals but doing so wipes me out and I only do it during the final minute of my rowing sessions.

    As mentioned previously, you increase the effort and estimated cals burned by pulling harder, not by increasing the damper setting.

    If you want to learn more about how the damper setting affects the drag factor and why you want/need to adjust the drag factor to a level most comfortable to you, read the following:

    http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/training/tips-and-general-info/damper-setting-101
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,338 Member
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    thank you, in the class when I first used this, we only had so much time to burn 60 cal on it so I did it really hard. I'm just surprised I'm not achy from using it, seems almost too good to be true as a form of exercise. Everything else I do, I really feel it by the next day or sooner
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,338 Member
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    really appreciate all the links, been watching them
  • TheChaoticBuffalo
    TheChaoticBuffalo Posts: 86 Member
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    I concur completely with the previous two posters. I'm 62 and row on a Concept2 machine six days a week at a damper setting of 5. I'm a distance junkie, so I do around 15k a day at a steady pace and hit the 510 to 520 range for calories per hour. I've been using the machines since March of this year and have never had more than a few days of very minor soreness in any of my muscles. It's just a great cardio and low-stress, full-body workourt.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    So how does just the calorie display output work? (Like a workout that calls for a 20 calorie row) I assumed that those readings were independent of body weight? Is this correct?
  • TheChaoticBuffalo
    TheChaoticBuffalo Posts: 86 Member
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    rybo wrote: »
    So how does just the calorie display output work? (Like a workout that calls for a 20 calorie row) I assumed that those readings were independent of body weight? Is this correct?

    Here's a link to a Concept2 page. About the middle of the page is a couple of paragraphs - with some links - on setting a single calorie workout. You could row one for the 20 calories, then use the weight adjustment calculator to get a calorie adjustment for yourself, and use the adjusted amount subsequently when you set the single calorie workout.

    concept2.com/service/monitors/pm5/how-to-use/understanding-workout-types
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,198 Member
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    I'm curious: In what context are folks doing a 60 calorie row, or 20 calorie row, or something like that? Is it a class, part of a circuit, assigned by your trainer, or . . . ?

    I'm only used to using a rowing machine for off-season training as a rower, and that's a very different approach, so I'm curious. This is not a critique, or set-up for a cheap shot, or anything like that, I promise! I'm just interested in how folks use the machine in other contexts.
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,338 Member
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    I know your question is from July & not it's aug 21, but just saw it. In my HIIT class sometimes one of the things we do is row till we reach 50calories, also I just like to do it so sometimes I row outside of the class in between workout classes
  • MilesAddie
    MilesAddie Posts: 166 Member
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    @AnnPT77

    Crossfit.

    Some Crossfit metabolic conditioning WOD's will have a set calorie row as one of the movements.

    In the recent Crossfit games, one of the WODs had a 40 calorie row in the middle of it.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,198 Member
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    MilesAddie wrote: »
    @AnnPT77

    Crossfit.

    Some Crossfit metabolic conditioning WOD's will have a set calorie row as one of the movements.

    In the recent Crossfit games, one of the WODs had a 40 calorie row in the middle of it.

    Huh! Interesting. Very odd to me, as a rower, but I have great respect for crossfitters!

    Thanks for enlightening me, both of you.

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