Dusted off the rowing machine in the gym...

[p33zy]

Just started to work in a gym, and wanted to do some cardio one day. A little info:

21 years old, male, 4 years of weightlifting experience, 10% body fat at 180 pounds, medium to poor cardiovascular shape

So I dusted off the rowing machine and fell in love instantly, sort of thinking to work really hard at it and eventually join a club or something like that. I like it a lot, and it calms me. What I am wondering, though, is if it is okay to row on the machine daily? I don't want to sacrifice any muscle I have as a result of too much rowing, and likewise, I don't want to overtrain. But I do like it a whole helluva lot, and wouldn't mind doing it every day just for the feeling it gives me. I truly feel like it is the ultimate form of cardio.

So my question is... is it acceptable to row everyday? I don't go at 100%. I'd say 80-90% and my form is good. I feel no pain at any time but then again, it has only been a week into it. I did it 5 days this week and feel fine.

Thanks to anyone who has input for me. Hopefully I stick around this forum for awhile considering how much I love rowing (at least right now).

[Carl Watts]

10% body fat is just great, those were the days (actually those were never the days but its great to dream)

Poor Cardio is typical with weights only. Yes its okay to train every day of the week, it all depends on the intensity. It can take more than a few weeks to catch up with you so although it may feel easy it can eventually leave you feeling fatiuged even if your training at relatively low heartrates, although at your age the recovery time is far better.

You will not "loose muscle" rather develop a more sports specific muscle to assist the rowing.

Enjoy.

[p33zy]

Thank you very much for the reply. In the lifting community, whether it is true or not, there is a dirty little rumor that too much cardio post workout has catabolic effects. I just don't want to lose anything that I work hard for.

[hjs]

10 % is not great, but nowedays we are used of being fat. Most ergers are also fat. 5 % is great, 10% is fine and a guy your age should not have more. Why be fat if you can look great ?

Rowing every day is fine, but the point is intensity, depending on what your goal is, most days should be easy and the days you go hard should be really hard. Staying inbetween is what most do and that is not the best way

[p33zy]

Haha... dude, 10% is a clearly visible six pack with more visible muscle striations, which is for the most part what I am sitting at. America and people in general have a very warped reality of body fat percentages. Most regular dudes who do not lift and exercise regularly are 20%. But anyway, I appreciate the reply. I will admit that most days are not easy but not hard, just moderate intensity trying to beat what I did the previous day. Obviously being a few weeks into rowing, it isn't hard to beat the last day. I just love this so much, I wanna know how much I can do before I harm my muscle gains or CNS.

[Bob S.]

You mention intensity, but you did not say anything about duration. How long are the pieces that you are doing? Thirty minutes is about the minimum for real cardio work.

Another item is technique. Lifters have the capacity to muscle through the drive, using mostly arms and back, but in rowing, the legs should be doing the bulk of the work. Typically the quads are the strongest muscles of a human body and should you need to get the most out of them. On the drive, make sure that your legs are straight before you begin to bend your elbows. Don't make your arms compete with your legs. The back swing bridges the other two movements.

Bob S.

[p33zy]

I usually go about 20-30 minutes, depending on if I lifted that day. I believe my form is very good for a beginner. I do not round my back and I stick my chest out. Arms don't feel like they are working too much. Always feel it in my forearms though, from gripping the bar. I probably will rest here and there, but it is still something I want to be very excellent at. Just don't wanna fatigue my back/biceps/front delts/legs too badly.

[Bob S.]

I usually go about 20-30 minutes, depending on if I lifted that day. I believe my form is very good for a beginner. I do not round my back and I stick my chest out. Arms don't feel like they are working too much. Always feel it in my forearms though, from gripping the bar. I probably will rest here and there, but it is still something I want to be very excellent at. Just don't wanna fatigue my back/biceps/front delts/legs too badly.

Gripping the bar? If you mean a weight bar, OK, but if you mean the indoor rower handle, that is a no-no. There should be no gripping. The fingers just serve as hooks. Some row with their thumbs on top to avoid the tendency to grip too tightly. The main muscles that rowers develop are the quads and lats. At least those are what stand out in the physiques of top level rowers. You might think that it would work the biceps, but they don't show that much. Probably because they are not doing really heavy resistance work - just a lot of light resistance reps.

For serious cardio work, a minimum of 30' continuous at 80% of max plus each day is recommended. A hour a day has been reported to be even better.

Bob S.

[p33zy]

I usually go about 20-30 minutes, depending on if I lifted that day. I believe my form is very good for a beginner. I do not round my back and I stick my chest out. Arms don't feel like they are working too much. Always feel it in my forearms though, from gripping the bar. I probably will rest here and there, but it is still something I want to be very excellent at. Just don't wanna fatigue my back/biceps/front delts/legs too badly.

Gripping the bar? If you mean a weight bar, OK, but if you mean the indoor rower handle, that is a no-no. There should be no gripping. The fingers just serve as hooks. Some row with their thumbs on top to avoid the tendency to grip too tightly. The main muscles that rowers develop are the quads and lats. At least those are what stand out in the physiques of top level rowers. You might think that it would work the biceps, but they don't show that much. Probably because they are not doing really heavy resistance work - just a lot of light resistance reps.

For serious cardio work, a minimum of 30' continuous at 80% of max plus each day is recommended. A hour a day has been reported to be even better.

Bob S.

I could try to hit an hour tomorrow or Wednesday. That sounds like it would be challenging at this point in my limited experience. I have noticed that I like to wrap my thumbs around the top of the bar at times although during the rowing I do I find that my grip changes frequently. Just gotta get used to one solid way to do it, I guess. Thanks for your insight.

[Bob S.]

I have noticed that I like to wrap my thumbs around the top of the bar at times although during the rowing I do I find that my grip changes frequently. Just gotta get used to one solid way to do it, I guess. Thanks for your insight.

Actually, on the machine, there is no specific way to do it. The main thing is avoiding a tight grip which can tire your forearms. A tight grip is not necessary. It can be a different matter in a boat in rough water, but that is another issue entirely. For really long pieces on the indoor machines, a lot of rowers will make small hand changes to avoid numbness. I often wiggle my fingers on the recovery for that purpose. The thumbs do not get into the act. Above or below does not matter. For me, they have to be below because I get arthritis pain if I have them on top for any length of time. I sometimes just have them out straight.

Wrist position is more important. The wrists should be straight to avoid strain on them. You might see some boat rowers drop their wrists at the finish of the drive, since that is one way to feather the oar blade for the recovery, but the wrists stay straight throughout the drive. Others use a finger-roll technique, so they don't show a wrist drop.

Bob S.

[p33zy]

Cool, well... glad to know that I am doing the right thing. I keep straight wrists because I have injured my wrists lifting before, so to deviate from straightness would cause me some pain.

[p33zy]

Today I went for 45 minutes and felt great. What was weird though, was that I wasn't sweating too bad.

[Carl Watts]

Today I went for 45 minutes and felt great. What was weird though, was that I wasn't sweating too bad.

All relative to your pace and rating (SPM) I'm afraid. A really decent long hard row in 40min and there is a puddle down the slide and in the back of the seat.

[hjs]

Haha... dude, 10% is a clearly visible six pack with more visible muscle striations, which is for the most part what I am sitting at. America and people in general have a very warped reality of body fat percentages. Most regular dudes who do not lift and exercise regularly are 20%. But anyway, I appreciate the reply. I will admit that most days are not easy but not hard, just moderate intensity trying to beat what I did the previous day. Obviously being a few weeks into rowing, it isn't hard to beat the last day. I just love this so much, I wanna know how much I can do before I harm my muscle gains or CNS.

I am very much aware of that. Most dudes are not 20%, often a lot higher, most people who do train are still 15/20%. What I ment was, don't aim low, aim high and for that you should ignore the stuff from people who never have been 10% in the first place.

re Training, training hard is fine, but rowing is a lot about aerobic fitness. Training you do now will make you stall soon. read a bit about endurance training.

Muscle gain and endurance training do not go well together.

[p33zy]

I'm not trying to gain mass at all, I just don't want to go catabolic due to the rowing I intend to do. Which is a lot.