Rowing as Cross Training for a Runner

[bt50]

Hello,

I was reading through this forum the other day and saw a post about a runner that was asking about rowing and most people seemed to think that runners make poor rowers (ergers?) because they lack the raw power needed to get good time on the erg. As a distance runner that has only been erging a couple years I do agree with this.

My question is do rowers make good runners? I'm not talking about elite rowers with legs like Xeno Muller, but us average people that row maybe 4-5 days a week as a form of cross-training. Does the raw power developed on the erg translate to useful power while running?

Thanks!

[hjs]

Hello,

I was reading through this forum the other day and saw a post about a runner that was asking about rowing and most people seemed to think that runners make poor rowers (ergers?) because they lack the raw power needed to get good time on the erg. As a distance runner that has only been erging a couple years I do agree with this.

My question is do rowers make good runners? I'm not talking about elite rowers with legs like Xeno Muller, but us average people that row maybe 4-5 days a week as a form of cross-training. Does the raw power developed on the erg translate to useful power while running?

Thanks!

No rowers are relative poor runners, way to heavy, even lightweighst are heavy in term of running.

[ToddMR]

It depends on what question you're asking.

If you're asking whether someone who rows without running will be a good runner, the answer is no. There is a great deal of specificity required in each exercise.

If you're asking whether rowing can be useful as part of a running training program, the answer is that it depends. The FIRST program suggests that it can be a useful supplement to at least some amount of running.

My personal experience is that it can be a useful supplement and can help you work on weak points related to your metabolic conditioning, ability to train under some circumstances, and the mental aspects of running.

For example, I like rowing as a bad-weather substitute for running, and for when I work too late to want to going running outside or go to the gym. I also find it easier to sneak in a morning workout if my schedule requires it by going into the basement and rowing versus going out in inclement weater.

I also am better able to sustain a high heart rate, and somewhat "painful" pace on the rower, and developing the ability to "gut it out" for longer periods of time helps me in running at higher rates.

[bt50]

It depends on what question you're asking.

[...]

For example, I like rowing as a bad-weather substitute for running, and for when I work too late to want to going running outside or go to the gym. I also find it easier to sneak in a morning workout if my schedule requires it by going into the basement and rowing versus going out in inclement weather.

I also am better able to sustain a high heart rate, and somewhat "painful" pace on the rower, and developing the ability to "gut it out" for longer periods of time helps me in running at higher rates.

Those are the same sorts of reason that I use the rower. I currently have an achilles tendonitis issue that is keeping me from running the hills but feels fine on the rower.

I love running trails and hills and have found that my heart rate on a good hill is about the same as that on a painful mid-range piece on the rower - a steady climb into the red-zone than just trying to manage the pain.

I don't make a living running and I like the rower, so even if it had a negative effect on my running I would still continue to use it. I just thought I'd ask to see how others felt about it...

Thanks!

[goblin]

No rowers are relative poor runners, way to heavy, even lightweighst are heavy in term of running.

Disagree. Some lightweight guys post pretty fast times at the Schuylkill Navy Run on a pretty difficult 10k course, as far as running courses go. (31:25 winning time this year).

[Dreadnought]

There is certainly an general cardiovascular fitness from rowing that can help with running, but having said that, there are two important points to consider:

Rowers tend to develop increased overall body mass compared to runners which may cancel out the cv gains, i.e increased power, but also increased weight so power to weight ratio not improved significantly.

The other is specificity. Both running and rowing involve hip extension to generate force, but from a different range of motion. At the end of the rowing stroke there is still some flexion at the hips, whereas at the end of the running stride there is actual hyperextension of the hips. So both exercise the glutes, but at a totally different range of motion. how much crossover benefit is hard to tell.

[Dreadnought]

Here a picture to show what I was talking about:

http://www.concept2.com/us/training/muscles_used.asp

The hips extend from full flexion to about 140 degrees, i.e. they never get fully extended.

Whereas in running the power phse of the stride comes when the leg reaches the ground perhps 170-180 dgrees extension and powering through to 190-200 degrees degrees hyperextension. One never reaches this range of motion while on the rower.