Complete beginner to rowing; Pete Plan?

[maximusprime]

Hello all, I am very new to the rowing world and community and would appreciate some advice and guidance from those more experienced than myself.

A little bit about me: 25-30 year old M, 165 pounds, 5'9. Played sports growing up, but haven't played or trained for anything competitive in several years. I'd say a weak cardiovascular base currently.

What I want: I want to significantly improve my cardiovascular fitness, i.e. become more athletic. I also want to lose some extra fat and gain some muscle in the long-run. Also interested in rowing overall as a sport/activity that could be something that I do for a long time to stay fit, stay healthy, and be part of a community.

Currently, I have only rowed maybe a handful of times and never more than 2k. My most recent 2k was in 9:31.8 at a 2:22.9 pace and was honestly feeling pretty taxed after it, I feel good about my form but consistently feel like I'm not generating enough power from my lower half efficiently.

How can I get to a point where I can do something like the Pete Beginner plan? I currently lift 3-4 times a week and envision a goal for the next 8-12 months where I both lift and row, increase my cardiovascular fitness, lose some fat, and gain some muscle.

[Rowan McSheen]

Welcome. You're a similar build to me although somewhat younger!

Where to start? The Beginners PP is a great place but it does begin at 5,000 metres and you seem to be saying you're not there yet. For a gradual buildup you could try this Rowalong series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... rRld-hcIPd

He has other newbie-friendly playlists and workouts as well. His YouTube homepage is https://www.youtube.com/@rowalong

Alternatively, you could start on the Beginners PP at 50% level, ie do 2,500m instead of 5,000 then 3 instead of 6 x 500m etc, to get up to speed and distance before taking on the full version.

If you're starting from a low fitness base, you'll be surprised how quickly you improve.

There's an active thread on this board about the Beginners Pete Plan, feel free to join us.

Rowing is a great way to build and maintain cardiovascular fitness. You'll probably firm up a little as you progress and it's good for the quads and core as well.

[jamesg]

My most recent 2k was in 9:31.8 at a 2:22.9

What rating (strokes per minute)?

Erging is very simple, but there are many ways to do it, not all as good as we'd like. This is the Method that engages the legs:
https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/ ... que-videos

If done well, rowing is very hard work; so keep your rating down and do short intervals as shown here:
https://www.britishrowing.org/indoor-ro ... ing-plans/

[Dangerscouse]

Welcome to the forum.

In the early stages, you will almost certainly improve if you stay dedicated, but those easy(ish) gains will eventually fall away.

If you're feeling like you're not generating enough leg power, I'd suggest two things.First of all imagine you're jumping horizontally. Secondly, try rowing with alternate leg dominance. By this I mean, push with, say, 70% power on the left, then 70% on the right, then 50/50 with both legs. Repeat this as long as you want to, as it builds a mind muscle connection that let's you understand what it feels like to have a more powerful leg drive.

It's very common to be upper body dominant when you start rowing, but don't forget it's more of a push than a pull. Try to understand the different phases of the stroke so they're equally defined and synchronised, as this will also give you more power.

Also, try not to grip the handle too hard. I only hook my fingers over the handle, and my thumbs are redundant. A strong grip just leaks power, and won't help you row faster.

What drag factor are you using, and what does a typical week look like? Lifting up to four times a week may be slightly detrimental to your progress, as you may struggle to recover from an increase in rowing. Having said that, you're young enough to cope, so it might not be an issue, but make sure that you keep on your recovery

[Ombrax]

Also, try not to grip the handle too hard.

And the simplest way to achieve this is to put your thumbs above, not below the handle. If you're been doing "under" (which is the natural way to start) over feels a bit strange at first, but after a session or two it becomes perfectly natural.

(switching years ago, per a recommendation here on the forum shortly after I started to erg, fixed an elbow problem I was developing as I began to row harder and longer)

[p_b82]

Hi and Welcome,

Only thing I'll add as a starter last year - don't worry to much about your time/pace/rate to start with, but just work on seat time.

Keep in mind good technique - as above push don't pull - but even rowing "inefficiently" (high rate low pace) if your form is correct will help muscle memory develop, and then you can work on improving the efficiency of the stroke once you've got some of the required muscles happier with expectations of the workload.

A good way to increase the seat time, is to do a fixed time row, and then just add a few seconds to each split - and/or reduce the split length and add another so it's marginally longer than the previous one.

Be careful about adding too much volume too quickly though.

[mitchel674]

This thread is gold and mandatory reading for all beginners.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=185257

Take your time now and focus on technique. Gradually work your way up to longer times on the rower. This should be done at your own pace, but consider adding 5 minutes or 1000m every week or two. Once you can comfortably row 5000m in one session, you could consider starting the beginner Pete Plan.

Keep in mind that the plan is quite regimented and increases rowing volume quickly. Be prepared to row at least three times per week.

Please also join us in the BPP thread. It can be very motivating!