Concept2 Forum

hey i think i have some vapid reasons for rowing. i'd like to get leaner, my goal is to show off muscle striations on my arms and legs. that said, i am not fond of bodybuilders. so the only exercises i do are rowing, running, pullups,pushups, abs, and will be starting squats,deadlifts. that is i do not do tricep extensions or any other isolating exercises.

so i read that eating fat is good for athletes. for example nuts should be a part of your diet. i've been eating those, and it's ok when i row/run 5days/wk. but i've completely eliminated sweets from my diet, like chocolate bar, candy, turnovers, croissants, beer,etc. now i wonder if i should also eliminate ready to eat sandwiches? they're made of bread, turkey, cheese, lettuce. it seems that the quality of meat and the bread itself might not be as healthy as lean meat+mashed potato, but i dont feel like cooking. so should i still eat those sandwiches, or may be i should just substitute it with protein supplements?

also say your diet is good and you row 5days/wk. is there any way to do something like 10k of hard rowing + 10k of hard running in the same session? it seems to me that i'm too tired if i try to 1 aerobic activity after another. i cant run at all after rowing and vice versa. any help on that?

and could you post pics of some athletes, whether rowers, runners, or triathletes who have very well defined muscles? or is it only the bodybuilders who have that?
thanks.

Although many people abstain from simple sugars, David Costill, an exercise physiologist who pioneered carb-loading and tapering, suggested that your diet should be a mix of simple and complex carbs, since you need the simple ones to quickly replenish carbohydrate stores, particularly if you work out frequently and intensely. Withough glycogen stores, you risk burnout.

ilost,

Without knowing much about you (height, weight, body fat% etc.), here's the best I can help.

I started erging last October to lose weight, and went from 261# to 185# in about 9 months (I'm 6'3" and now 40 years old). I never had huge muscles, even as a teenager or in my 20s, except for pretty big, strong legs.

Now that I'm lean (about 10-12% body fat), I look very lean and toned. I can see the veins on my biceps, but they aren't the worlds biggest muscles. People see me as fit but lean.

Now, one of the coaches on my son's football team doesn't have the sharp contour of his muscles and you can't see his veins, so I know he has a higher body fat %, but I'm sure if you measured the diameter around his biceps, or looked at how much we can each curl/bench, he'd cream me. So, what is it you want?

The freakish body builders in the magazines are a combination of this other guy and I - really big muscles and really low body fat% at the same time. They are a rare breed and it may be difficult to achieve.

Muscle contour (veins over the biceps, visible 8-pack abs), are going to require body fat % in the single digits.

thank you all! i dont really care about diet. though i'll try to keep off sugars. i really feel more energetic when instead of a cake i eat an apple or a watermelon. but i will not change my diet beyond that.

i'm 5'8, 155lbs, dont know body fat%. in march i weighed about 160 with 34-35" waist after having not worked out for a very long time. throughout the summer i did a lot of running(but i pulled my groin which made me switch to rowing) and i was about 151lbs and 30" waist. then i went to visit my parents and all i did was watch tv and eat cake for several weeks. though at the end my groin healed and i ran 5miles at a moderate pace for several days. now i am 155lbs and 31" waist. the only weightlifting i did before were pullups,dips,pushups, leglifts, situps. but now i've added deadlifts because i read that it helps your pullups due to forearm training. and i'm now also trying to add squats and step-ups.
so i can do 8pullups with 45lbs weight, can do 4dips with the same weight. military press is 120lbs for 3reps, cleans 130 for 5reps. i tried to squat but it hurts my shoulders and back, i only did 100lbs for 5reps. then i tried to squat in the frontal position(after a clean) and it hurts my wrist. but i figure i will train squats by doing 1clean+3frontal squats for each rep,etc. and i can do step-ups with 20lbs dumbells in each hand, and i did 120lbs deadlift for 20repsx3 today(then my forearms got tired).

i know my post is whiny and immature, so i wouldnt take it very seriously. but anyway this is what i'd like to be able to do and also wouldnt mind looking like that guy:)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9QNyG0oBBU
but keep in mind that many rowers and rock climbers, even if they're just as fit do not look like that at all. here is an example of a guy who is approximately equal in strength and similar body fat%, yet he doesnt look nearly as ripped:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1-t8dkpjrc

From my walking around regattas (indoors and outdoors), I think you'll find that the dude in the second video has much more of a rower's body. I'm close to that, and won't ever look like the first dude unless I stop rowing and spend that 4 hours a week lifting instead.

1. Eat whole, natural foods.
2. Eat only foods that will spoil, but eat them before they do.
3. Eat naturally-raised meat including fish, seafood, poultry, beef, lamb, game, organ meats and eggs.
4. Eat whole, naturally-produced milk products from pasture-fed cows, preferably raw and/or fermented, such as whole yogurt, cultured butter, whole cheeses and fresh and sour cream.
5. Use only traditional fats and oils including butter and other animal fats, extra virgin olive oil, expeller expressed sesame and flax oil and the tropical oils—coconut and palm.
6. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably organic, in salads and soups, or lightly steamed.
7. Use whole grains and nuts that have been prepared by soaking, sprouting or sour leavening to neutralize phytic acid and other anti-nutrients.
8. Include enzyme-enhanced lacto-fermented vegetables, fruits, beverages and condiments in your diet on a regular basis.
9. Prepare homemade meat stocks from the bones of chicken, beef, lamb or fish and use liberally in soups and sauces.
10. Use herb teas and coffee substitutes in moderation.
11. Use filtered water for cooking and drinking.
12. Use unrefined Celtic seasalt and a variety of herbs and spices for food interest and appetite stimulation.
13. Make your own salad dressing using raw vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and expeller expressed flax oil.
14. Use natural sweeteners in moderation, such as raw honey, maple syrup, dehydrated cane sugar juice and stevia powder.
15. Use only unpasteurized wine or beer in strict moderation with meals.
16. Cook only in stainless steel, cast iron, glass or good quality enamel.
17. Use only natural supplements.
18. Get plenty of sleep, exercise and natural light.
19. Think positive thoughts and minimize stress.
20. Practice forgiveness.