Rowing As A Complete Exercise

[[old] ljwagner]

Sport specific exercise is important.<br /><br />I don't think rowing will give you quickness on your feet or acceleration like soccer players have. Rowing will make you very good for rowing, but some soccer muscles will suffer. I was running much less, but erging some, years ago when I went through a series of calf injuries. I never had one when I ran and rowed regularly.<br /><br />Rowing and erging give incredible cardiac workouts, and erg sprints will give you great quads. Do occasional soccer workouts and drills, and note if any abilities are declining. Resume, when possible, soccer drills that enhance them. Consider working with a personal trainer who is familiar with soccer or soccer players.<br /><br />

[[old] Carl Henrik]

<!--QuoteBegin-jarnryd+Dec 11 2005, 05:36 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(jarnryd @ Dec 11 2005, 05:36 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Hello,<br /><br />I am an active soccer player (age 41) and I have just started rowing as a way to cross-train during the winter to get ready for the Spring season.  I know next to nothing about rowing.  <br /><br />My basic question is how complete is rowing as a full body workout?  Are there major muscle groups that are under-challenged?  If my objective is both cardio and a good full body workout, is rowing enough or are there other supplemental exercises you would recommend? <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />Like stated previously, specificity is very important for performance. Keep up soccer like activities like running or sports involving running during winter season. Best of course is to play soccer. <br /><br />Erging will in a low impact manner enhance the amount of energy (oxygen) you have available during your soccer games. Unless you maintain specific training your efficiency will decrease so that this extra energy is used to perform the same tasks. You need to do both. Also you technical skills will fade without specific training lessening your accuracy performance as well. <br /><br />As a little story about this I have competed in sports this season for which I had not trained. This due to starting up a Sports Committe on my education program, being supposed to gather teams for various sports and compete against other programs. It was difficult to gather sports interested people as I am studying computer engineering and there were no prior sports activities being done (for lack of interest) so I had to participate myself in everything (floor ball, volley ball, basket ball and upcoming are ultimate freesbee and soccer). My main strategy was to work hard and run alot during the games. I think I ran more than any one else. But since I was so bad technically I couldnt do much more than that. I could be very bad for a very long time and I could be "intensely" bad. Neither produced much points for my team.<br /><br />In these non endurance sports specific skill is much much more important than endurance (off course) so you need to maintain this as priority one if you want to be able to perform well directly when winter season is over. <br /><br />Benchpress, window wipers (lying on back with feet in the air going from one side to the other) and something for the calves toghether with erging will target your whole body very well. Some beginners have so bad technique that they get a great calf work out from erging though. Instead of window wipers I do dumbbell rows which also put a bit of rotational strain (static) on the torso while being quite a bit more manly may I add. <br /><br />Good Luck!

[[old] Cant Climb]

Great post Carl.<br /><br />I was searching the forum looking for some information on supplementing my<br />primary sport with ERG'ing. Your post supports alot of my 'suspicions'.<br /><br />Oh and to add to some of the previous posts. I just started ERG'ing again after 2 month recovery period due to injury. I really havent rowed regularly since May05 and i have done nothing at all for the last 2 months. Some of the sore muscles i am getting are in fact my hamstrings and my abs arent sore but they get very fatigued as i am in the process of regaining my stamina. I think my hamstrings are sore because i am focusing on pulling hard with my feet upon recovery.....i am doing this to restrengthed my ankle, not so much concern for perfect form.<br /><br />Excited to be back rowing but my body is so sore right now...<br /><br /><br />

[[old] Zac]

<!--QuoteBegin-Xeno+Dec 12 2005, 11:05 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Xeno @ Dec 12 2005, 11:05 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><br />Hi<br />In rowing, it is very important to keep the hip flexors well stretched.  Most rowers have short hip flexors and this leads to chronic "back" tightness.  So in addition to rowing, make sure that you stretch those muscles.  Rowers do not have large pectoral muscles.<br />I hope this helps further.<br />XENO <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />XENO,<br /><br />You mention that rowers do not have large pectoral muscles. Would that interfere with rowing? The reason I ask is that I am a former weight lifter turned erger. I absolutely love it and it is the staple of my exercise program. I erg 4-5 times a week for about 30k. I am new to the sport, but I do have large chest muscles and shoulders. I'm 5'7 and 185 and have given up weights but still continue to do push ups and pull up 2-3 times per week. I'm 39 and the competitive side of me really wants to improve my rowing times and was just woundering if the upper body muscle interfers with the erging. I hope that made sense, and would appreciate any advice on the subject.<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Zac

[[old] Rowingrunner]

while there is some minor use of the pecs and triceps, they aren't used during the strength-requiring part of rowing, to prevent muscle imbalances and injury, do bench presses

[[old] Samroot]

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Hi AM,<br /><br />The source of the information is not concept2, but this:<br />Kinesiology of the rowing stroke, NSCA Journal, Volume 10, Number 2, 1988, Thomas Mazzone, M.D. Wyoming County Community Hospital, Warsaw, New York <br />If you want to say they're saying crap, go ahead; this info is in the FISA site, too. Maybe they don't know what rowing is.<br /><br />.<br /><br />AM <br />

<br />I'll vouch for the source of those drawings. I rowed with him in high school and later against him in college. Later he coached at the University at Buffalo, and was,and maybe still is an emergency room physician at the hospital mentioned.