Beginner with a heart condition
Beginner with a heart condition
Hi I just got my model E Rower. I have a heart issue but got the all clear from my Cardiologist for any exercise I want. I'm 6'4" 290Lbs. Starting off with the 1st week- What setting should I put the resistance on 1-10? How many rows per minute? How many minutes total? Also, what stretches should I do that are specific to a rower? Thanks a lot.
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Carl Watts
- Marathon Poster
- Posts: 4720
- Joined: January 8th, 2010, 4:35 pm
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Re: Beginner with a heart condition
On a new rower that's clean try a setting of between 4 and 6.
The number that's important that's used to then adjust that lever is call the Drag Factor. This is a menu setting on the monitor then you row to display the number.
Typically if you adjust the slide damper to get a setting on the monitor of between 110 and 130 its a good starting point.
I presume you mean strokes per minute, You had better start slowly and whatever feels comfortable. I would build from whatever you can handle, 10 to 15 minutes can feel like a very long time when your starting out.
I would be mixing your rowing with walking, it can be hard to row due to the technique involved if your carrying too much weight in the stomach region.
The number that's important that's used to then adjust that lever is call the Drag Factor. This is a menu setting on the monitor then you row to display the number.
Typically if you adjust the slide damper to get a setting on the monitor of between 110 and 130 its a good starting point.
I presume you mean strokes per minute, You had better start slowly and whatever feels comfortable. I would build from whatever you can handle, 10 to 15 minutes can feel like a very long time when your starting out.
I would be mixing your rowing with walking, it can be hard to row due to the technique involved if your carrying too much weight in the stomach region.
Carl Watts.
Age:56 Weight: 108kg Height:183cm
Concept 2 Monitor Service Technician & indoor rower.
http://log.concept2.com/profile/863525/log
Age:56 Weight: 108kg Height:183cm
Concept 2 Monitor Service Technician & indoor rower.
http://log.concept2.com/profile/863525/log
Re: Beginner with a heart condition
http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/t ... stretching
go easy on the stretches. they are to be done AFTER exercise. Don't start yanking your limbs into the positions that are shown in the diagrams. work up to this stuff.
go easy on the total weekly meters. it's tremendously fun so a person can put on the 'easy meters' in a quick time frame.
we don't know your other arrangements in life, priorities and whatnot. and the heart condition makes this dicey. and we' don't know your level of fitness. or athletic history. You should talk to your doctor about your exercise plans and have him/her have a say in your total exercise regimen.
that said:
I see your weight but I know several ppl who weigh close to that and they are in decent shape.
but you've got 7 days to row so perhaps start with 1500- 2000 m per day at the casual pace.
find a pace ( look up the common words used to describe rowing ) that doesn't cause too much discomfort or none at all- for a 30 minute row - Just a casual row. nothing difficult- a walk in the park sort of thing. this will be your starting point. edit OFcourse this is going to be more that 2000 meters. but it doesn't have to be done on day 1. you'll get an idea of your pace from the smaller distance rows. keep it comfortable in the beginning.
- in the beginning . use a 24-25 rating IN THE BEGINNING in order to get used to the machine. when you start training semi-seriously , people will advise a stroke rating ( strokes per minute ) of 20 for certain exercises in order to increase power.
look up drag factor - this changes depending on where you set the damper. I row at about 110 for much of my stuff.
Learn rowing technique- it's a PUSH exercise with the legs. the legs take the lion's share of the beating for the rowing. except in the 2k CRASH -B events.... there you will see all sorts of styles techniques.
watch the videos on proper rowing technique. This is of utmost importance.
go easy on the stretches. they are to be done AFTER exercise. Don't start yanking your limbs into the positions that are shown in the diagrams. work up to this stuff.
go easy on the total weekly meters. it's tremendously fun so a person can put on the 'easy meters' in a quick time frame.
we don't know your other arrangements in life, priorities and whatnot. and the heart condition makes this dicey. and we' don't know your level of fitness. or athletic history. You should talk to your doctor about your exercise plans and have him/her have a say in your total exercise regimen.
that said:
I see your weight but I know several ppl who weigh close to that and they are in decent shape.
but you've got 7 days to row so perhaps start with 1500- 2000 m per day at the casual pace.
find a pace ( look up the common words used to describe rowing ) that doesn't cause too much discomfort or none at all- for a 30 minute row - Just a casual row. nothing difficult- a walk in the park sort of thing. this will be your starting point. edit OFcourse this is going to be more that 2000 meters. but it doesn't have to be done on day 1. you'll get an idea of your pace from the smaller distance rows. keep it comfortable in the beginning.
- in the beginning . use a 24-25 rating IN THE BEGINNING in order to get used to the machine. when you start training semi-seriously , people will advise a stroke rating ( strokes per minute ) of 20 for certain exercises in order to increase power.
look up drag factor - this changes depending on where you set the damper. I row at about 110 for much of my stuff.
Learn rowing technique- it's a PUSH exercise with the legs. the legs take the lion's share of the beating for the rowing. except in the 2k CRASH -B events.... there you will see all sorts of styles techniques.
watch the videos on proper rowing technique. This is of utmost importance.
Last edited by markinnb on August 16th, 2015, 8:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"It's hard enough as it is without doing it all wrong."
Re: Beginner with a heart condition
i see that Carl mentioned the belly thing.
There's a thread on here about that- I can't find it but essentially it boiled down to :
putting your legs on the floor in order to row.
if I can find that thread, I'll post it back up here in an edit.
I've also seen:
opening your knees wide and rowing between. ( poor technique but it got the job done ! )
There's a thread on here about that- I can't find it but essentially it boiled down to :
putting your legs on the floor in order to row.
if I can find that thread, I'll post it back up here in an edit.
I've also seen:
opening your knees wide and rowing between. ( poor technique but it got the job done ! )
"It's hard enough as it is without doing it all wrong."
Re: Beginner with a heart condition
"It's hard enough as it is without doing it all wrong."
Re: Beginner with a heart condition
Thank you very much Markinnb and Carl. While I do have a somewhat big belly, I haven't noticed anything. I haven't said to myself "Hey what's going on here, is this normal?" type of thing. However, I have with my KNEES. After I finish the backwards stroke--IE--at the very end. According to the technique--from what I see--When I begin to go forward again the arms are supposed to be straight, but they are straight in a downward motion. Say 30 degrees down from the pull stroke--that's where there seems to be a problem with the arms hitting the knees. Should I just keep my arms level at all time to avoid hitting my knees?
Re: Beginner with a heart condition
Oh, also you mentioned that in the beginning . use a 24-25 rating. Is this the drag factor your talking about? So I would row 1,500 meters at a drag factor of 25? Thanks
Re: Beginner with a heart condition
No. Rating is the number of strokes per minute (SPM). The most common range for the drag factor is 110-130. It can be read on the monitor. See the C2 website for the protocol.hometuff wrote:Oh, also you mentioned that in the beginning . use a 24-25 rating. Is this the drag factor your talking about? So I would row 1,500 meters at a drag factor of 25? Thanks
Re: Beginner with a heart condition
On the recovery, get your hands away quickly and smoothly on past your knees befor your knees start to come up. On the drive, you start with your legs and finish with your arms, with your backswing bridging the other two. On the recovery, it is just the reverse.hometuff wrote:Thank you very much Markinnb and Carl. While I do have a somewhat big belly, I haven't noticed anything. I haven't said to myself "Hey what's going on here, is this normal?" type of thing. However, I have with my KNEES. After I finish the backwards stroke--IE--at the very end. According to the technique--from what I see--When I begin to go forward again the arms are supposed to be straight, but they are straight in a downward motion. Say 30 degrees down from the pull stroke--that's where there seems to be a problem with the arms hitting the knees. Should I just keep my arms level at all time to avoid hitting my knees?
Re: Beginner with a heart condition
Rowing technique is shown here:
http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/t ... que-videos
The back stop drill is shown, where we start by pulling arms only, then add some swing and then legs. During the recovery, if you get hands away and swing forward, and only then lift your knees, you won't get in a tangle and your stroke will be much longer and far more effective.
The same drill is used to warm up too.
Rowing is such hard work, if you do it right, that you won't need any training plan. By the time you've learnt how, you'll be fit already. Just keep going.
To make it a bit easier, keep your feet, the drag and the rating as low as possible. It's hard enough as it is without doing it all wrong.
http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/t ... que-videos
The back stop drill is shown, where we start by pulling arms only, then add some swing and then legs. During the recovery, if you get hands away and swing forward, and only then lift your knees, you won't get in a tangle and your stroke will be much longer and far more effective.
The same drill is used to warm up too.
Rowing is such hard work, if you do it right, that you won't need any training plan. By the time you've learnt how, you'll be fit already. Just keep going.
To make it a bit easier, keep your feet, the drag and the rating as low as possible. It's hard enough as it is without doing it all wrong.
08-1940, 179cm, 75kg post-op (3 bp).