Concept2 Forum

New to the forums and don't always have a bunch of time to go around searching. Just looking for suggestions about staying in shape and perhaps someone to compare notes with for accountability. Please tell me if this should go somewhere else.

Bit about me and my goals:
- 24 years old
- Rowed competitively in college for 4 years on varsity (I loved doubles the most if you were wondering, I was usually in the V8 and V4 as well though).
- Took the last two years off and got really out of shape.
- Want to be healthy and tone my muscles again.
- 6 ft 4 in
- 180 lbs
- Prone to high blood pressure.
- Had a scare with blood pressure (178/107), so that's another reason I want/need to start working out again.
- When I was rowing my BP was almost too low, and my resting heart rate was below 55 usually.
-Currently at a 1:55 split for most medium length workouts.

I don't plan on racing again any time soon since I live in the middle of no where and have no access to boat, but I do have a Concept 2 Dynamic with PM3 that I own. No one around where I live even knows what a rowing machine is. I don't think I will ever be light weight again, anytime I get below 170 lbs I get really sick. At the same time I do not want to gain much muscle mass.

Any suggestions for a training plan as far as split goals, intensity, or alteration of long, medium and short workouts would be very helpful. Right now I've just been doing the daily workouts on the Concept 2 site at about a 1:55 split.

Suggestions for types of food to be eating that are easy to prepare, reheat well, and easy to clean up (no dishwasher) are greatly appreciated as well.

And again, anyone willing to do this with me is more than welcome to, we can compare log books and maybe even get a little drive off one another.

Thanks in advance.

- Want to be healthy and tone my muscles again.

Up to an hour a day on the erg will do that, using HR and Watts together to monitor power and progress. Training plans usually have a 2000m race as target, so mix in with the 90% LSS mileage some short stuff at faster than race pace:

http://www.concept2.com/files/pdf/us/tr ... nePlan.pdf
http://indoorsportservices.co.uk/training/interactive

In the middle of nowhere presumably you can also ride a bike, climb mountains and suchlike, if you've the time and the weather.

As for eats, stick to the Mediterranean diet, local shops allowing. The less things are cooked and the lower the cooking temperatures, the easier it is to wash pots, pans and dishes. An occasional Carbonara lifts spirits too.

Medics usually know a lot about blood pressure; exercise can't be wrong, long term, but I would have thought that being so high at age 24 it has a cause that needs specialist attention, possibly today.

You might want to think about joining an online rowing team. I'm part of free spirits and it provides a group to do team challenges with and different sub groups that follow different training plans. There is a group doing the Pete Plan, and another trying to get below a 6:20 2k.

We'd be happy to have more members.