How Do You Make It Fun?

[[old] The Dude Abides]

Longer pieces get boring. 30 minutes, 10,000 meters just bore me. I know I can watch tv, but then I end up estimating how much time is left based on how many commercials have gone by. or if I listen to my ipod, i estimate how much time is left because i know how long the songs are. <br /><br />I love rowing, but I hate rowing the longer pieces. unfortunately i guess thats the best way to lose weight. how do you make it fun for yourselves?

[[old] Andrew Burrows]

Longest row I do is for 60mins and I must admit its not all that much fun, I just tell myself that I have to do it as everyone that I race against is out there doing it so I have no choice. Its a nice thought when you get up early on a Saturday and everyone else is in bed and you get a 60min session out of the way, makes you think you have pulled away from the opposition a bit . It all helps.

[LindaM]

I think about how much I'm saving by rowing an hour rather than seeing a therapist, work at maximizing the endorphine rush (working hard enough, but not too hard), listen to music, listen to news, play PM3 math games, work out personal or work problems, remember this is an hour JUST FOR ME, plan dinner, or just zone out and pay attention to form and breathing on every stroke. I guess I don't get bored very easily.

[[old] jal183]

<!--QuoteBegin-The Dude Abides+Jul 20 2005, 11:26 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(The Dude Abides @ Jul 20 2005, 11:26 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Longer pieces get boring.  30 minutes, 10,000 meters just bore me.  I know I can watch tv, but then I end up estimating how much time is left based on how many commercials have gone by.  or if I listen to my ipod, i estimate how much time is left because i know how long the songs are.  <br /><br />I love rowing, but I hate rowing the longer pieces.  unfortunately i guess thats the best way to lose weight.  how do you make it fun for yourselves? <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />I asked a similar question a week or so ago after I did my first 10k. Oh my gosh, like watching paint dry. <br /><br />Some people recommended some of the techniques you mentioned, but I have had better luck when I follow some others' advice. Break the long session into a bunch of short ones - mentally. For example, think about rowing a 10k. Row for 400 meters at your normal steady-state rate and then row 100 meters at a FAST rate. Then, you're always looking forward to the next sprint (or the next recovery) and it's never more than 2-3 minutes away. Or, someone else suggested stepping the SPM as you go. For the first 500 meters, start with SPM 30, then for the next 500 SPM 28, then for the next 500 go with SPM 26 - walk it down to 20 then back up again. This keeps you looking forward to the next change/jump so that you aren't thinking about the FINAL meter count as much.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong. It helps, but it ain't a party. <br /><br />-John

[[old] michaelb]

I am sort of the master of distraction, since I listen to music, watch TV, and use rowpro, all at the same time. I found that the more I rowed long distances, the more I got used to doing them, although an hour still seems like a long time to row straight. I also have a HR monitor so I keep an eye on that, and I still watch the PM3, particularly the force curve.<br /><br />If you have a computer, rowpro is great since you row against other people's rows that you download, or your own past rows, plus the 3d display can be mesmerizing. Racing online in real time against real people is a huge adrenalin rush.

[[old] simon crawley]

my favourite sport is rugby and previously when i have been trainning i can go the whole game which is about 90 minutes with injury time, doesn't work with any other sport for me. by the end of the game i have done 17k

[[old] slo_boat]

I've got to admit that I don't really understand the question. <br /><br />There is always a lot to do while rowing. If you spend your time concentrating on technique or effort or simply delighting in movement, instead of assuming that you will be bored and concentrating on ways to be distracted, you may well find that the meters and the hours simply slip by. <br /><br />

[[old] Stretch]

Check out <a href='http://concept2.ipbhost.com/index.php?s ... 0&hl=games' target='_blank'>this previous thread</a> about mental games on the erg. I particularly recommend "Never Back Down." I you do that without cheating, you will suddenly find yourself concentrating <b>very</b> hard throughout your workout!

[[old] jfisher]

Long rows are really a matter of perspective. After doing a 30K row an hour didn't seem like much at all and 10Ks well, you get the idea...<br /><br />I'd say first have a plan. If you just jump on the erg and row you may lose your mind after a while. If instead, you say I'm going to warm up then alternate between fast and slow 1Ks then it goes by quicker. Just make sure you are doing something that requires some thought as to your progress.<br /><br />The best thing is to get RowPro. If you can hook up with someone and row online time goes by pretty quick. You don't have to race you can do all sorts of things. I rowed last week with another rower on RowPro for 8K. I rowed a steady pace while he rowed fast for 500 meters then waited for me to catch him before he went again. The good thing is that I could control how long his recovery was so that made it kind of fun. 8K went by in a flash.<br /><br />Jeff

[[old] The Dude Abides]

I've heard of this Row Pro thing, but last time I checked they didn't have it for Mac, which is the computer that I have. Have they come out with software for a Mac yet?<br /><br /><br />Thanks for the ideas!

[[old] michaelb]

<!--QuoteBegin-The Dude Abides+Jul 21 2005, 11:50 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(The Dude Abides @ Jul 21 2005, 11:50 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I've heard of this Row Pro thing, but last time I checked they didn't have it for Mac, which is the computer that I have.  Have they come out with software for a Mac yet?<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />As a fellow mac user, I feel your pain. However, since it makes the most sense to have a dedicated rowing computer anyway, it isn't that hard to pick up a PC that someone is throwing away or upgrading from, and using that. Getting a copy of XP, legally or otherwise, can be the main difficulty or expense.<br /><br />Network that PC with your mac to connect online, use the PC for rowing and your mac for everything else.

[[old] The Dude Abides]

<!--QuoteBegin-michaelb+Jul 21 2005, 02:57 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(michaelb @ Jul 21 2005, 02:57 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-The Dude Abides+Jul 21 2005, 11:50 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(The Dude Abides @ Jul 21 2005, 11:50 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I've heard of this Row Pro thing, but last time I checked they didn't have it for Mac, which is the computer that I have.  Have they come out with software for a Mac yet?<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />As a fellow mac user, I feel your pain. However, since it makes the most sense to have a dedicated rowing computer anyway, it isn't that hard to pick up a PC that someone is throwing away or upgrading from, and using that. Getting a copy of XP, legally or otherwise, can be the main difficulty or expense.<br /><br />Network that PC with your mac to connect online, use the PC for rowing and your mac for everything else. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />OOO, good call. hmmm, I might have to dust off my old laptop to see if it works. the thing is a freaking dinosaur though, I don't know how good it would be. I also wouldn't know how to network the pc to the mac, although i'm sure i could figure it out.<br /><br />What about trying virtual pc?

[[old] michaelb]

rowpro is pretty video card intensive, particularly the 3d views. I run RP on a 466 celeron that they were throwing away from work. It ran, barely, with the stock soldered on 4 mg video, but I installed a separate video card (cost $37) and now although XP is slow, RP runs and I have the display at the highest possible.<br /><br />VPC does not emulate the video card. Also, you would still need XP, and if you have a stand alone version of XP to install in VPC, you might as well run XP directly and not in emulation.<br /><br />So check out the video card in your laptop. I don't know if you can add video cards in laptops in a slot as a way to upgrade the display support, and then drive an external monitor. If you have Os X, the networking isn't that hard, although sometimes XP will bring you to tears in frustration.

[[old] RockinRobin]

I use a couple methods depending upon what I'm trying to accomplish during the exercise session (personal best time or make the distance).<br /><br />Associative - where either I focus on rowing specifics such as control breathing, technique, trying to relax my muscles, maintaining a specific pace, varing strokes and intensities, or heart rate. Yesterday I tried the approach of each stroke traveling 10 meters as an example. Anything related to how your body is responding to the workout or rowing techniques.<br /><br />Disassociate - watching a DVD, listening to music, thinking of ways to spend the lottery if I ever won it, etc. Anything that takes the focus away from rowing or how the body feels...i.e. pain, boredom, or fatigue. <br /><br />Either method helps me to decrease the amount of boredom or physical stress. And sometimes I do a little of both. Just whatever floats my boat....<br /><br />

[[old] SpaCityBulldog]

I watch TV taping a lot of shows and movies I enjoy so that I'm not at the mercy of what happens to be on at the time I exercise.<br /><br />I also enjoy the long rows, much more so that the sprints. Rowing 45-60 minutes without distractions like the TV wouldn't bother me at all.