Rowers belly

[James_Chelt_UK]

Hi Folks,

Newbie: managed to pick up a Model B with a broken screen for £125 and then got a PM5. Primary goal was to rehabilitate a 5th Metatarsal Injury (I'll post about that else where)

Now I am back to 96% (rowing is not affected for UT2/UT1 sessions) I wanted to get some advice on proven weight loss relative to stroke rate.

I managed to find a 26week programme (lied about my current 2km time (7:00) and fitness level (4) which for the past 3 weeks has punished me. Today I sat on the ergo for 1:00:00 (60mins) could barely walk (long time rowing vs 96% foot recovery hobble). I did this all at 18 spm and popped out a time of 2:04.5.

Now for Rowers Belly : while I might be doing the right thing by rowing my Belly seems to be not only getting bigger but also firmer.... is this because of the low 18spm of the past 4 weeks? Any suggestions?

My ideas for next 26 weeks
UT2 -18 spm drag 125 500/2:17-2:04
UT1 - 20 spm drag 130 500/2:04-1:58
Next week AT 22 spm drag 135 500/1:58-1:53
TR - 24 spm drag 135 500/1:53-1:43
AN - 26 spm drag 135 500/1:43-1:40

Weight 88kg
Height 178cm

[GJS]

A belly not simply getting bigger but firmer?

I'll take it as read that you're on top of diet issues. What about postural issues? Is the rowing possibly aggravating a tendency towards lordosis?

Low rate is quite the best way of covering large distances when training. You'll be burning plenty of energy doing so.

[hjs]

Rowing belly

Really that does not exist, rowing does not work the abs much.
If you have a belly, there is only one solution, get you foodintake in check and don,t think that a bit of exercise means you eat all you want.

[Anth_F]

Belly not only getting bigger but firmer? eh, i'm all kinds of confused Surely a typo?

Diet is king, exercise is queen Always remember that!! You need to implement a good healthy diet to aid the exercise and they will work hand in hand together. And, if you hit the booze much really cut back on that as well.

For a firm wash board stomach, you really have to work hard for it. Lots of core work, situps, leg raises, etc etc but you need to lose the fat as well otherwise pointless.

[James_Chelt_UK]

Doh I was hoping for some agreement - Google "Rowers Belly" and nothing comes up until now . I needed something to show SWMBO just to get her off the case of the belly ha ha ha.

Although rowers belly is: you're fat you start rowing instead of dropping your calories and losing weight you get addicted to lowering your 500m split you then take on calories join the rowing Novice Squad. After many months you still have fat around you (rowers belly) and still overweight even if you like me pulled a 2km 6:39.8 (31 spm). Still had rowers belly, so perhaps I'm just unique and it's my genetics because the 6 packs on the squad were rubbish pulling 6:54 mins 2km time with higher spm, it all balanced out on the water mind :-S.

I find rowing uses the core perhaps not on the static rower but on the waters it's great. Although nothing beats Insanity with shaun T month 2 workouts

[Rod]

No such thing as ''Rowers Belly''.

If your belly is too big then you're eating too much I'm afraid.

If you want it to shrink......eat less.....plenty of advice online....good luck with it.

As for the rowing, I'd suggest stop changing the drag factor as doing that mucks up your technique, most experienced rowers use what feels best for them and stick to it for all sessions.

I'd also suggest the Pete Plan, here it is;

http://thepeteplan.wordpress.com/the-pete-plan/

[James_Chelt_UK]

No such thing as ''Rowers Belly''.

If your belly is too big then you're eating too much I'm afraid.

If you want it to shrink......eat less.....plenty of advice online....good luck with it.
/

Yep I agree. I thought about rowing the Atlantic to lose weight lol

As for drag factor I used to just stick with 135 but as I have a model B it is hard to get precisely 135 as I have wrapped a towel around it to reduce air flow which reduces drag.

[Rowan McSheen]

Could it be that your abs have indeed firmed up and turned themselves into a nice six pack ... resulting in the protective layer of blubber seeming more pronounced?

That's the excuse I use anyway.