Only training on the indoor rower

[kini62]

Thank you all for the great information.

I'll definitely experiment with different drag factors and see what feels best for me.
I'll also look in the rankings to see at what level I am, but like someone pointed out: a good time is your PB minus one second. I really like that and it's true!
Always trying to improve yourself and give your 100 % is all that matters.

I am looking forward to getting better and better and be the best version of me I can be!

It has been a long time since I was so motivated to get better at a sport, since my wrist injury that had me quit boxing for good in april 2018.
Although I never quit sport after my injury (I still was jogging and cycling on my stationary bike at home), I never felt the motivation to get better at running for example. With rowing, I do have that motivation and it feels great.

Thanks again, everybody, for all the information provided. It's very much appreciated!

How old are you? I love my erg and skierg but found that although my aerobics was pretty good, that I was also pretty weak. As you get older strength training becomes more important. I've switched to mostly strength training with a 2K or so warm up on the erg or skierg. I feel much better. My lower back and shoulder pain are pretty much gone. I did a 5K the other week and found that I had one of my best times in the last year. Hard strength training can really get the HR up.

[gvcormac]

For most of my life, until very recently, I did exclusivey aerobic and distance intensity work, both rowing and running.

I'm now convinced that you need strength/resistance training to delay muscle atrophy that comes naturally with aging, starting at middle age.

Resistance training is as simple as push-ups and pull-ups and squats, or the barbell equivalents. In particular, the rower doesn't give you much push exercise at all, but it also doesn't give you enough resistance to count as strength training on any of the muscle groups. Running will do for your legs but you still need upper body.

I started doing pull-downs and pull-ups and that led me to buy a ski erg. That gives me endurance training on those muscles (as well as triceps) but, like the rower, not strength training.

As a rule of thumb, if you can do it more than 30 times in a row it isn't strength training. If you can't, do whatever you can, three sets with a minute or two rest in between.

[sven.cie]

Thank you all for the great information.

I'll definitely experiment with different drag factors and see what feels best for me.
I'll also look in the rankings to see at what level I am, but like someone pointed out: a good time is your PB minus one second. I really like that and it's true!
Always trying to improve yourself and give your 100 % is all that matters.

I am looking forward to getting better and better and be the best version of me I can be!

It has been a long time since I was so motivated to get better at a sport, since my wrist injury that had me quit boxing for good in april 2018.
Although I never quit sport after my injury (I still was jogging and cycling on my stationary bike at home), I never felt the motivation to get better at running for example. With rowing, I do have that motivation and it feels great.

Thanks again, everybody, for all the information provided. It's very much appreciated!

How old are you? I love my erg and skierg but found that although my aerobics was pretty good, that I was also pretty weak. As you get older strength training becomes more important. I've switched to mostly strength training with a 2K or so warm up on the erg or skierg. I feel much better. My lower back and shoulder pain are pretty much gone. I did a 5K the other week and found that I had one of my best times in the last year. Hard strength training can really get the HR up.

Sorry for the late response. I had a lot on my mind last week and forgot to check out the forum.

I'm turning 37 in a few days. I am doing sports since I was a little kid. Played football (soccer), basketball, track and field (sprints) and boxing (which i had to quit due to a wrist injury). How do you exactly do your strength training on the rower? Mostly interval training, I guess?

Today I did a short interval training where I did 10 x 250m with 1 minute rest between each set.

I also have lower back pain since a few years, on and off. I think it's because I'm sitting all day at work. Maybe my lower back pain goes away with rowing, like yours.

[sven.cie]

For most of my life, until very recently, I did exclusivey aerobic and distance intensity work, both rowing and running.

I'm now convinced that you need strength/resistance training to delay muscle atrophy that comes naturally with aging, starting at middle age.

Resistance training is as simple as push-ups and pull-ups and squats, or the barbell equivalents. In particular, the rower doesn't give you much push exercise at all, but it also doesn't give you enough resistance to count as strength training on any of the muscle groups. Running will do for your legs but you still need upper body.

I started doing pull-downs and pull-ups and that led me to buy a ski erg. That gives me endurance training on those muscles (as well as triceps) but, like the rower, not strength training.

As a rule of thumb, if you can do it more than 30 times in a row it isn't strength training. If you can't, do whatever you can, three sets with a minute or two rest in between.

I started recently with doing push ups and also working chest, triceps and shoulders (all the pushing muscles) with resistance bands. But don't you think if you do a hard interval training with the rowing machine, you get a pretty good strength training for your back and biceps? (for this purpose only talking about upper body). I try to incorporate both interval training and endurance training in my weekly shedule.

Isn't it somewhat the same, like for example, take the stationary bike. If you do a lot of interval/sprint training on the bike , you get pretty muscular quads. Off course not as bulky as if you were doing barbell squats. But that is not my goal in the first place. Just aiming fot a well balanced, fit body that also can perform well.

[gvcormac]

For most of my life, until very recently, I did exclusivey aerobic and distance intensity work, both rowing and running.

I'm now convinced that you need strength/resistance training to delay muscle atrophy that comes naturally with aging, starting at middle age.

Resistance training is as simple as push-ups and pull-ups and squats, or the barbell equivalents. In particular, the rower doesn't give you much push exercise at all, but it also doesn't give you enough resistance to count as strength training on any of the muscle groups. Running will do for your legs but you still need upper body.

I started doing pull-downs and pull-ups and that led me to buy a ski erg. That gives me endurance training on those muscles (as well as triceps) but, like the rower, not strength training.

As a rule of thumb, if you can do it more than 30 times in a row it isn't strength training. If you can't, do whatever you can, three sets with a minute or two rest in between.

I started recently with doing push ups and also working chest, triceps and shoulders (all the pushing muscles) with resistance bands. But don't you think if you do a hard interval training with the rowing machine, you get a pretty good strength training for your back and biceps? (for this purpose only talking about upper body). I try to incorporate both interval training and endurance training in my weekly shedule.

Isn't it somewhat the same, like for example, take the stationary bike. If you do a lot of interval/sprint training on the bike , you get pretty muscular quads. Off course not as bulky as if you were doing barbell squats. But that is not my goal in the first place. Just aiming fot a well balanced, fit body that also can perform well.

I'm not a physiologist, but my impression is that if you sprint very hard on the rower you'll get a bit of bicep and back strength, on the bike quad strength, and on the ski tricep and abs strenght. But less than resistance training. I don't think any of them do much for hamstrings & calves & glutes.

[Tony Cook]

For most of my life, until very recently, I did exclusivey aerobic and distance intensity work, both rowing and running.

I'm now convinced that you need strength/resistance training to delay muscle atrophy that comes naturally with aging, starting at middle age.

Resistance training is as simple as push-ups and pull-ups and squats, or the barbell equivalents. In particular, the rower doesn't give you much push exercise at all, but it also doesn't give you enough resistance to count as strength training on any of the muscle groups. Running will do for your legs but you still need upper body.

I started doing pull-downs and pull-ups and that led me to buy a ski erg. That gives me endurance training on those muscles (as well as triceps) but, like the rower, not strength training.

As a rule of thumb, if you can do it more than 30 times in a row it isn't strength training. If you can't, do whatever you can, three sets with a minute or two rest in between.

I started recently with doing push ups and also working chest, triceps and shoulders (all the pushing muscles) with resistance bands. But don't you think if you do a hard interval training with the rowing machine, you get a pretty good strength training for your back and biceps? (for this purpose only talking about upper body). I try to incorporate both interval training and endurance training in my weekly shedule.

Isn't it somewhat the same, like for example, take the stationary bike. If you do a lot of interval/sprint training on the bike , you get pretty muscular quads. Off course not as bulky as if you were doing barbell squats. But that is not my goal in the first place. Just aiming fot a well balanced, fit body that also can perform well.

I'm not a physiologist, but my impression is that if you sprint very hard on the rower you'll get a bit of bicep and back strength, on the bike quad strength, and on the ski tricep and abs strenght. But less than resistance training. I don't think any of them do much for hamstrings & calves & glutes.

If you’re rowing properly then you ‘recruit the glutes’.

[Dangerscouse]

I'm not a physiologist, but my impression is that if you sprint very hard on the rower you'll get a bit of bicep and back strength, on the bike quad strength, and on the ski tricep and abs strenght. But less than resistance training. I don't think any of them do much for hamstrings & calves & glutes.

As Tony says you'll work your glutes to some extent, as you will do for calves. There's three muscles and the soleus & peroneus will be worked as this helps extend the leg. The gastrocnemius (what you're thinking of as the calf) will at least benefit from tension, rather than flexion.

The hamstrings will also be worked as it's essentially a horizontal jump you're performing, akin to a deadlift.

Abs will be worked on every rowing stroke if you're rowing properly, and even more so if you row strapless. It's subtle, but abs really benefit from static holds ie planks compared to crunches, and there's less stress on the back so they're preferable.

I'd suggest that the chest, medial delts and triceps are the least worked major muscles. Anterior delts will benefit slightly from a static horizontal arm hold at the catch.

[gvcormac]

I'm not a physiologist, but my impression is that if you sprint very hard on the rower you'll get a bit of bicep and back strength, on the bike quad strength, and on the ski tricep and abs strenght. But less than resistance training. I don't think any of them do much for hamstrings & calves & glutes.

As Tony says you'll work your glutes to some extent, as you will do for calves. There's three muscles and the soleus & peroneus will be worked as this helps extend the leg. The gastrocnemius (what you're thinking of as the calf) will at least benefit from tension, rather than flexion.

The hamstrings will also be worked as it's essentially a horizontal jump you're performing, akin to a deadlift.

Abs will be worked on every rowing stroke if you're rowing properly, and even more so if you row strapless. It's subtle, but abs really benefit from static holds ie planks compared to crunches, and there's less stress on the back so they're preferable.

I'd suggest that the chest, medial delts and triceps are the least worked major muscles. Anterior delts will benefit slightly from a static horizontal arm hold at the catch.

To build strength, you need overload. I don't deny that the majority of the work in rowing is done by the legs, but it does not tax a enough fraction of their strength to cause substantial overload.

[Sakly]

To build strength, you need overload. I don't deny that the majority of the work in rowing is done by the legs, but it does not tax a enough fraction of their strength to cause substantial overload.

And overload is a very individual measure that depends on the individual current level.
Starting very low rowing provides such overload if done properly. In this case you will have strength gains.
If starting from a relatively fit situation I would agree that nearly no strength wise gains are to expect.

Overall lifting weights is the best option for strength gains as it can be scaled perfectly to the individual current level. Perhaps this can be agreed by everyone.

[Dangerscouse]

And overload is a very individual measure that depends on the individual current level.
Starting very low rowing provides such overload if done properly. In this case you will have strength gains.
If starting from a relatively fit situation I would agree that nearly no strength wise gains are to expect.

Overall lifting weights is the best option for strength gains as it can be scaled perfectly to the individual current level. Perhaps this can be agreed by everyone.

Exactly what I was getting at.

[gvcormac]

And overload is a very individual measure that depends on the individual current level.
Starting very low rowing provides such overload if done properly. In this case you will have strength gains.
If starting from a relatively fit situation I would agree that nearly no strength wise gains are to expect.

Overall lifting weights is the best option for strength gains as it can be scaled perfectly to the individual current level. Perhaps this can be agreed by everyone.

Exactly what I was getting at.

We can agree that weights work. I think suitable calisthenics and/or resistance bands work, too!

[Sakly]

And overload is a very individual measure that depends on the individual current level.
Starting very low rowing provides such overload if done properly. In this case you will have strength gains.
If starting from a relatively fit situation I would agree that nearly no strength wise gains are to expect.

Overall lifting weights is the best option for strength gains as it can be scaled perfectly to the individual current level. Perhaps this can be agreed by everyone.

Exactly what I was getting at.

We can agree that weights work. I think suitable calisthenics and/or resistance bands work, too!

Absolutely, this is what I do and prefer to do (and also recommend to do).
But it is not optimal in a way of scaling compared to weights even if scaling is possible over a wide range.
Back to example of legs: which calisthenics exercises give you "enough fraction of their strength to cause substantial overload"?
Same here - beginner could do squats, advanced could do single leg squats. But then you reached the top possible load. I can do 15 pistol squats in a row, so no strength gains to be expected anymore, means I need another source of overload -> weights, they work always.

[btlifter]

A lot of back - and - forth about something that is fundamentally rather simple:

In order to become stronger, an organism requires progressive overload. For somebody totally sedentary, a rowerg may provide that for a while, but the plateau will come rather quickly.

Calisthenics, resistance bands, etc. certainly can provide progressive overload. However, after a certain point of strength, adding incremental load often simply becomes too much of a logistical challenge when using one's bodyweight as the primary form of resistance. Being able to add a couple of kg to a barbell will often then become an optimal strategy.

One's own needs & goals will, of course, dictate what the most optimal means are of 'strengthening' themselves.

[jamesg]

To build strength, you need overload. I don't deny that the majority of the work in rowing is done by the legs, but it does not tax a enough fraction of their strength to cause substantial overload.

Maybe HIIT was invented to get round this problem and so avoid weights. No idea if it's enough, though six sets of ten strokes all repeated three times would seem plenty.

In most power sports we can cruise slowly and also sprint hard in the same piece. If the action speed is not enough to limit the applied muscle force, 10-20 strokes can cause collapse: rowerg, sculling, kayak, freestyle, bike can all give this effect to some extent, depending on the gearing.

I shall try say five sets of three-stroke starts from stationary on my erg and see what happens. I am sorely in need of strength, finding it harder than ever to get off the sofa or even out of bed.

[MartinSH4321]

A lot of back - and - forth about something that is fundamentally rather simple:

In order to become stronger, an organism requires progressive overload. For somebody totally sedentary, a rowerg may provide that for a while, but the plateau will come rather quickly.

Calisthenics, resistance bands, etc. certainly can provide progressive overload. However, after a certain point of strength, adding incremental load often simply becomes too much of a logistical challenge when using one's bodyweight as the primary form of resistance. Being able to add a couple of kg to a barbell will often then become an optimal strategy.

One's own needs & goals will, of course, dictate what the most optimal means are of 'strengthening' themselves.

Perfectly summarized!