caspooner wrote:Is it appropriate, as a newbie
, to ask how have so many of you been successful in getting so many meters? Do you all just sit down and push “Just Row”? Do you follow some training plan? Created your own?
Chriss
Chriss, here are my thoughts and story.
I think everyone needs to find their own rowing "groove" to be in, based on how physically fit they currently are; their personal fitness or weight control goals; and the time required to realize those goals, balanced with all the other activities in your life. The Luna-Tics virtual team becomes a framework to help you meet those personal goals through motivation, positive reinforcement, fun, and a sense of social interaction with other rowers. The push to realized those rowing goals must come from you giving priority and a long term commitment to rowing, Concept's challenges, and the friendly competition you can find yourself in (if you respond to that sort of thing).
I find that rowing goals are dynamic over time. I got my rower in 2005 and for the first month my workouts were 20 minutes. Then for the next 2 years I did 30 minute workouts 4 to 5 times a week. There wasn't any more time in my life back then to do more rowing. My rowing intensity was based (and still is) on monitoring my heart rate, and after warming up I would make sure it was held between 145 to 152 beats per minute. I could tell more leg muscles were developing, my heart was stronger, and my meters output kept edging higher. And I felt that was a good reward for my effort. Although there is no doubt that I was fitter, I wasn't dropping any weight. I retired in fall of 2007, and decided it was important for me to increase rowing in my daily schedule and to drop as much as 30 lbs. So I started going for 45 minute workouts. By Dec 2007 that was becoming routine for me, and then I decided to try joining a team for the JVC. I choose the Luna-Tics and the rest is history. At the end of the 2008 JVC, my workout rows were for 1 hour. I found that this is enough for me to shed pounds if you also watch your diet, so I've been pleased being able to slowly lose weight at any time this past year by keeping up with the 1 hour workouts at least 5 times a week.
I find my most intense workouts (for personal best time or meters) are done without watching TV or video, but focusing on heart rate and setting the workout to a countdown row. For more leisurely rows I hit the "JUST ROW" button and go, and you can get pretty good at stopping on the second. But lately I've found that workouts can be much more enjoyable by watching video while I row. Recently I made a few home videos of being on the water canoeing in Florida, and these seem to make the time just fly by for me. But my output in meters does go down when I watch video because I don't push my heart rate as much.
I've rambled on enough, hope this helps. Darryl (DuluthMoose)
Happy St Patrick's Day! 
Get your Irish on! Let's see those ergs dance to the moon! 
Half Moon for the Captain
16,258 m
10,000 m
!!
