Argument against rowing early in the morning

[ChrisPBacon]

I ran across this article from Dr. Stuart McGill

Further, time of day influences the rate of herniation. After rising from bed, the disc nucleus' are fully hydrated and have much higher stresses during flexion. It is more risky to train repeated bending earlier in the morning. Occupational studies have shown avoiding flexion motion in the morning reduced disabling workplace backpain (eg Snook et al, 1998).

[mardix]

I ran across this article from Dr. Stuart McGill

Further, time of day influences the rate of herniation. After rising from bed, the disc nucleus' are fully hydrated and have much higher stresses during flexion. It is more risky to train repeated bending earlier in the morning. Occupational studies have shown avoiding flexion motion in the morning reduced disabling workplace backpain (eg Snook et al, 1998).

You don't have a link to the study that this came from by chance, do you?

[mrhyner]

Yeah, what's the deal with everyone rowing so early in the morning??

[ChrisPBacon]

Here is the full cite. I'll look for a copy.

Snook, S.H., Webster, B.S., McGarry, R.W., Fogleman, D.T., McCann, K.B., (1998) The reduction
of chronic non‐specific low back pain through the control of early morning lumbar flexion: A
randomized controlled trial, SPINE, 23(23):2601‐2607.

[Zach]

Yeah, what's the deal with everyone rowing so early in the morning??

My guess (and the reason why I usually exercise in the morning) is that post-work commitments can pile-up and deferring one's workout to the evening runs the risk that other needs get in the way. I can always set my alarm 30-60 minutes earlier and get a morning ride on the trainer or workout on the ergo before getting ready for work, but if I decide to sleep "in" (whatever that is during the workweek), then it gets tougher to cut out that time for myself unless I have the house all to myself.

[sekitori]

The fact that one study has come to a certain conclusion really doesn't mean very much to me. If the conclusion of a study is valid, I expect to have it backed up by other studies-the more, the better. The study by Snook et al was done in 1998 and I have seen nothing since then that has come up with the same conclusion. Dr. McGill is a well known authority on biomechanics and lower back disorders. If what he says is to be believed, I think he should cite at least several more sources that agree with his opinion--not just a single study that's 17 years old.

Unless many more studies concur with the results of this one (none apparently have recently), I will not be convinced that it has any value. As a result, I will continue to row early in the morning--or whenever I happen to feel like doing it.

[dwalk]

If your form is good your lower back shouldn't take much abuse. I have well over 3 million meters(2yrs) on the erg and have yet to ever feel anything in my lower back. I do not lift in the morning, but if I only have time to row in the morning I row.

[RogerR]

I do most of my workouts in the morning since many years and that includes lifting. I am very strict with form and avoid Olympic/ballistic movements. As I get older I spend more time on bodyweight core exercises and stretching.

[jamesg]

I've done about 10M erg meters in 13 years. All chronic back problems disappeared when I started. I go slow (av 130W @20 nowadays), do not pull particularly hard and always take my time warming up and getting to full extension; this implies that my limited (and safe I hope) force still lets me produce enough work to stay reasonably fit.

I got my last (acute not chronic) back problem some years ago, by lifting a 1x out of the water. Care is always needed.

[hjs]

I find the morning suited for non exercise. How some people can train right out of bed is beyond me. But no matter what to perform 100% you have to be awake for 6/9 hours. Easy erging won,t be a problem, apart from being horrible.

[Luthor1]

I could never exercise in the morning! No chance, does not feel good, I am not awake, the body is not ready.

430pm to 730pm is when I do all my workouts, also I walk an hour at lunchtime also, which is fine

I cannot see how people can workout in the morning, but everyone is different!!
Andy

[jackarabit]

2.5MM erg meters in ten months beginning last May '14. The YMCA gym opens at 5AM for the very good reason that many people of working age (young singles particularly) and many retirees exercise in the morning. Wife and I go 3 days a wk and plan on being on an erg or treadmill by 7:15. She does it on cold water but I need a cup of joe. The chronic back and knee problems of my youth were fixed long ago by 25 yrs. on my feet 10-12 hrs. a day six days a week and slightly less than a decade of recreational bike riding. I do find that morning workouts for me are best done at less than ball buster intensity and with emphasis on a routine check on the CV plumbing and maintenance of flexibility, range of motion, balance and agility. My usual a sub15' mile on the powered treadmill at 2.5 degrees incline or a geriatric dogtrot on the Woodway alternating days with 5-8K on the C2 or a "5 pillars" trip thru the machines and basic GP stretches.

Very long term studies indicate a 100% mortality rate in nine-lived cats with negligible margin of error so be careful out there. Jack

[ChrisPBacon]

The library at the hospital my wife works at is looking for a copy of the 1998 article. If they find it, I'll post it.

Here is another article I found.



Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1987 Mar;12(2):130-7.
Diurnal variations in the stresses on the lumbar spine.
Adams MA, Dolan P, Hutton WC.
Abstract

Two complementary experiments were performed, the first on living people and the second on cadaveric spines. In the first experiment, electronic inclinometers were used to measure the range of lumbar flexion of 21 volunteers in the early morning and in the afternoon. The results showed that the range of movement increased by 5 degrees during the day. In the second experiment, cadaveric lumbar motion segments were creep loaded to simulate a day's activity and their bending properties were measured before and after creep. The results showed that creep loading reduces the spine's resistance to bending (the effect being particularly marked in the disc) and increases the range of lumbar flexion by 12.5 degrees. The results of the two experiments were combined to show that in life, forward bending movements subject the lumbar spine to higher bending stresses in the early morning compared with later in the day. The increase is about 300% for the discs and 80% for the ligaments of the neural arch. It is concluded that lumbar discs and ligaments are at greater risk of injury in the early morning.

PMID:
3589804
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Kyosaku]

I do a 15 minute stretch routine before I begin rowing. I includes stretches, taken from yoga prep. stretching, that focus on improving rotational, flex, and extension strength and range in all segments of the spine. I am 65 years old, have had lower back and hip damage in my youth, and am considerably overweight; and have managed to log 750,000+ since mid August when I started up my C2. My back hasn't felt this good in years.

It appears that the good Dr. has some impressive credentials. I will look up the research...I will also be looking for other research on the topic, and any information to support my stretching routine, or any other preparatory exercises, that can decrease the risk factors associated with this information.

[DanielJ]

My experience is that bacon is the answer to everything, so I trust you.

I also cannot do anything except eat unless I've been awake for a while. Even when I used to do lots of long-distance walking, I sometimes did a regular short 6k from my wife's work to my home, and I always found it impossible to walk at the pace I would walk in afternoon/evening walks.