Concept2 Forum

Hi,

New member here.

After watching several You-Tube instructional videos and reading the reviews on Amazon, I purchased a Concept 2 Model D rower and have begun to row.

I'm trying to determine what's the most efficient way for me to drop weight, build lean muscle and get fit overall, rowing 4 days per week. So far, I've placed the damper lever at various settings, from 3 to 10. I've also changed my stride from as low as 14 s/m to as high as 30 s/m. The longest time I've rowed has been about 20 minutes, but I usually averaging 16 minutes though. What I've discovered is that at a higher stroke count I'm using my body's momentum, like a person who lifts weights too fast. But when I slow down, I can feel the workout throughout my body. The motion, however, is not continous or smooth below 18 s/m. At that point, I'm wondering if I've gone into the anaerobic realm.

So I'd like to know if there's a rowing program out there that will help me achieve my goals.

Thanks!

Eddie

http://concept2.co.uk/weightloss/interactive

Depending on your height, plenty of distance at 18-24 rating will do the trick if sweat is included.

Thanks for the link. I started the interactive program yesterday, however, I discovered that I need a higher spm to break a sweat. The recommended spm is 18-20. So I increased it to 24 and felt pretty good, both during the exercise and afterwards. I also raised the damper dial to 5.

New2Rowing wrote:Thanks for the link. I started the interactive program yesterday, however, I discovered that I need a higher spm to break a sweat. The recommended spm is 18-20. So I increased it to 24 and felt pretty good, both during the exercise and afterwards. I also raised the damper dial to 5.

I'd recommend reading this http://www.c2forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=38
Setting the damper to 5 is mostly meaningless, you need to learn about drag factor (which has a bunch of factors (dust and elevation being the main ones) that make it variable).

Rowing at a low stroke rate needs more power in each stroke to get the same results. It ends in just as much sweat as rushing up and down like a duracell bunny.

The UK Interactive program is mostly HR based using HR as a proxy for lactate levels and is predicated by the "fitness level" you entered when you generated the program.

Here's some old threads from the UK Forum about the Interactive program[me].
http://concept2.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=24264
http://concept2.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=24201
http://concept2.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=23581

The reason you can't get a sweat on is probably because you have just started and your technique needs a lot of work

once you start getting the miles under you that will change, perhaps try filming yourself, upload it onto youtube and post it in the forum for people to give you tips???

I can say the interactive program is very good and a great first stop for anyone new to the sport

Jamessq -
Thanks again for the link. I've just completed my 2nd week of training, using the plan devised for me by the interactive rowing program. I didn't think I had the stamina to meet the program's goals, but I've managed to succeed and actually enjoy rowing.

Citroen -
I appreciate your link. The information the link provided was timely. I've made adjustments to my rowing technique and am now breaking a serious sweat. The change also brought about soreness in muscles I never experienced beforehand rowing. Fortunately my muscles have now gotten used to rowing.

Pararowing -
I've been watching quite a few YouTube videos on rowing. Not too sure about those Crossfit videos though. I think I have the technique down. I actually enjoy it and am wondering what it would be like to actually row in water.

I totally agree with what BarryV said.

Be mindful of your technique because it is important if you plan to get on the water eventually. "Bad" erg habits translate to bigger problems on the water. The most common thing I see is slow hands away at the finish. People who erg predominately seem to pause hands at the finish and you want to clear your hands quickly before you start the return slide to the catch. Be careful to not "row over a barrel" which is the expression used to describe when your hands go up and over your knees. The chain should go in and out of the slot at exactly the same point through the stroke and return and you can put a piece of tape on the side of the chain slot to use as a target to help with this. I also see newer erg users frequently leaning back and not swinging their upper body at the hips as they come up to the catch. Sometimes it's hard to keep your knees together as you come up if you are overweight, but try to do that as much as you can and and keep your hands outside of your knees at the catch and try to not flare your legs open as you come up to help avoid hip flexer issues.

With regard to your comment "Fortunately my muscles have now gotten used to rowing." that is both a good and bad thing and most will advocate a well rounded cross training program to supplement the erg work which is why I echo the comment by BarryV about cross training. If you erg only, then your body gets used to it and becomes increasingly efficient at not burning calories as it knows what's coming each day; particularly so if you only are doing long steady work exclusively over time.

In the beginning acclimating is the key and then once you are comfortable, start mixing it up some with intervals and variable erg pieces. I have had very good luck with core strengthening by planks and one legged stuff. It's helped me a lot. I'm down 84 lbs with 40 to go. On the diet side, I went to a plant based diet as defined by the Engine2 diet and the documentary film "Forks over Knives". My wife recently completed plant based nutrition certification through Cornell with Dr. Campbell so that allows me to be a mindless drone and eat what I'm told to eat by "she whose name must not be spoken".

Good luck! Very doable and very rewarding and a great support community here.

Ergmeister wrote:Sometimes it's hard to keep your knees together as you come up if you are overweight, but try to do that as much as you can and and keep your hands outside of your knees at the catch and try to not flare your legs open as you come up to help avoid hip flexer issues.

For sculling, yes. But sweep rowing is asymmetric and the catch is generally done with the outside arm between the knees.

Not great for the body, but that is just an unfortunate feature of sweep rowing - harder on the back as well, especially since most sweepers never switch sides.

Bob S.