OK to row every day?

[curlyrower]

Hi -- Totally new to rowing. Got a Concept2 as a 50th birthday present. I'm a female in good health who would like to lose 10 pounds and firm up. Is it ok to row every day? I mostly do the WOD sent by Concept2. Usually the light or medium workout. But I definitely don't overexert myself. Intuitively, I think that I should do other things on certain days each week, but I don't really have another activity that I like and I enjoy the rower. Open to any and all thoughts/advice. Thank you.

[mwalsh]

My 2 cents...yes, of course. I've been doing 9 minutes a session, twice daily since I got my erg. That, in addition to an hour on the treadmill in the AM and 30 minutes in the pool in the PM, has given me a 9.5lb loss for the last 7 weeks with no modification in diet. The only drawback so far is a couple of small blisters on my hands that have started to callus.

[Carl Watts]

Probably not if you getting a decent workout but it all depends on distance and pace.

Personally a 30 minute session 6 days a week and a 9 minute cooldown after that is plenty if you still want enough energy left to do other physical activities as well so thats 6 days a week with Sunday off.

Currently 6643m a day average for the season on the Erg and Wednesday includes a 75min+ session in the pool.

I would take it easy to start with as there is a lot of muscle adaption and you need to evolve your technique. What can feel easy to start with can catch up with you after 2 or 3 weeks of solid rowing.

[hjs]

Hi -- Totally new to rowing. Got a Concept2 as a 50th birthday present. I'm a female in good health who would like to lose 10 pounds and firm up. Is it ok to row every day? I mostly do the WOD sent by Concept2. Usually the light or medium workout. But I definitely don't overexert myself. Intuitively, I think that I should do other things on certain days each week, but I don't really have another activity that I like and I enjoy the rower. Open to any and all thoughts/advice. Thank you.

Depending on intensity, rowing can be done daily and for hours If you want. Its a bit like cycling or walking.
You can,t row very hard every day, but 30/60 min on a moderate pace is fine.

[skiffrace]

Very much NOT OK!
Sure, if you don't train particularly hard, you can *exercise* every day with no detrimental effects to the physiological aspect of your program.
However, the big danger lies elsewhere. Rowing on the erg, just like exercising on any other indoor diabolical contraption (stationary bikes, treadmills, climbers etc) is about as much fun as breaking stones in a solitary confinement.
There is life-and-death difference between rowing/biking/running outdoors, surrounded by nature, with the wind and sun in your face, and doing the identical movement while staring at the wall.
Listening to music/watching TV makes the drudgery only *slightly* more bearable.
Rowing on the erg every single day is a good way to ditching that device in disgust by week #6, unless your are exceptionally mentally tough and motivated.
Instead, follow a "healthy diet" of various sports and exercises, with erg being just one valuable component, enjoyed in moderation.

[DB4IP]

Yes if you do so moderately. Check out a book by DP Ordway called "Row Daily, Breathe Deeply, Live Better: A Guide To a Moderate Exercise". He explains the benefits and how to do so properly. I do other things too but I start my day off with a nice and relaxing daily 30 minute row. It gives me energy for the rest of the day. My job is sitting at a desk mostly so that morning row ensures I get some minimal daily exercise in even when need to work late. I really enjoy the energy boost that it gives me which serves me far better than coffee or one of those energy drinks.

[bisqeet]

Hi -- Totally new to rowing. Got a Concept2 as a 50th birthday present. I'm a female in good health who would like to lose 10 pounds and firm up. Is it ok to row every day? I mostly do the WOD sent by Concept2. Usually the light or medium workout. But I definitely don't overexert myself. Intuitively, I think that I should do other things on certain days each week, but I don't really have another activity that I like and I enjoy the rower. Open to any and all thoughts/advice. Thank you.

Depending on intensity, rowing can be done daily and for hours If you want. Its a bit like cycling or walking.
You can,t row very hard every day, but 30/60 min on a moderate pace is fine.

+1
intensity is the secret.
your body can recover from low intensity work sufficiently to allow training the next day without going into "over compensation".

otherwise, depending on level of fitness, training methods - it might be closer to 36-48 hours...

[sekitori]

I had been rowing at a somewhat hard pace for close to an hour a day, seven days a week, for a long period time--just over four years. I was very proud that my streak had extended so long. It reached a point where I didn't want to go on vacation unless there was a rowing machine nearby that I could use every day. But I slowly began to realize that rowing for over 1500 consecutive days was an obsession that was causing me much more harm than good.

I knew I had to stop that madness and I finally did. I now take one day a week off, doing no exercise at all. On occasion, I'll even take two days off. On the day I ended the streak, I was almost ready to get back on the rower and keep it going. But I resisted that feeling and I'm now very glad I did.

I think exercising for fairly long periods of time daily and doing it endlessly without taking any breaks from that routine involves some sort of psychological aspect which has nothing to do with getting into good physical condition. Such an approach may work for some people. For me, it didn't.

[Sweede]

First of all what a great gift, and second
When it comes to training we know the Best training is the one that is done.
So motivation is the key, how to keep motivated to keep going, to get the god habits worked in.
So what you like to do and what you find interesting that is what you would be able to stick with in the long run.
When it comes to how much your body will tell, I just did a January of 10.000 pr. Day.
The purpose of training is different, weight loss is often mentioned, and traning on rower every Day vill play a rolle
If it becomes a habit. But only if propper messures on diets is taken
One hour off training could be spoiled, in five minuts eating crappy food.
So time is Well spent on learning about what is in your food.
Stick to real fool.

Sweede.

[Carl Watts]

Very much NOT OK!
Sure, if you don't train particularly hard, you can *exercise* every day with no detrimental effects to the physiological aspect of your program.
However, the big danger lies elsewhere. Rowing on the erg, just like exercising on any other indoor diabolical contraption (stationary bikes, treadmills, climbers etc) is about as much fun as breaking stones in a solitary confinement.
There is life-and-death difference between rowing/biking/running outdoors, surrounded by nature, with the wind and sun in your face, and doing the identical movement while staring at the wall.
Listening to music/watching TV makes the drudgery only *slightly* more bearable.
Rowing on the erg every single day is a good way to ditching that device in disgust by week #6, unless your are exceptionally mentally tough and motivated.
Instead, follow a "healthy diet" of various sports and exercises, with erg being just one valuable component, enjoyed in moderation.

For really long term users who want to maintain some form of motivation, then I suggest getting RowPro.

A few people are able to thrash away in their basement all alone for years but I would suggest they are the small minority. Unless your mixing the Erg with OTW or competing OTW then using the Erg on its own is very, very hard to do.

Yes I agree, most people would end up ditching the erg within 6 months, I can almost guarantee it, happened to me but then I discovered online rowing and there has been no looking back for seven straight years now.

Sure you can play music or watch TV but that extends it for only a short while, you need to turn that static piece of exercise equipment into something interactive that makes your mind as well as body work.

[Cayenne]

Yes if you do so moderately. Check out a book by DP Ordway called "Row Daily, Breathe Deeply, Live Better: A Guide To a Moderate Exercise". He explains the benefits and how to do so properly. I do other things too but I start my day off with a nice and relaxing daily 30 minute row. It gives me energy for the rest of the day. My job is sitting at a desk mostly so that morning row ensures I get some minimal daily exercise in even when need to work late. I really enjoy the energy boost that it gives me which serves me far better than coffee or one of those energy drinks.

DB4IP wrote the post I was about to type after I read your initial post. I wholeheartedly agree and echo his sentiments. Further, the "Row Daily" book is a tremendous motivator.

Skiffrace's cautions about daily rowing being the path to stopping certainly speaks for some people as surely as it does not speak for all. I am a big fan of the Bruce Lee quote: "Absorb what is useful, Discard what is not, Add what is uniquely your own". You'll just have to see what works for you. Enjoy the adventure

[G-dub]

"Find what works for you and enjoy the adventure" (paraphrased of course). Well said Cayenne. You can get hurt on the erg and you can over train. But you can also find a nice pace and rate that feels really great and calls you back for more.

[sekitori]

Check out a book by DP Ordway called "Row Daily, Breathe Deeply, Live Better: A Guide To a Moderate Exercise".

I don't care very much for that title. It implies that if you don't row daily and take an occasional day off, you are somehow doing something to lessen your chances of living better. I'm sure that wasn't Ordway's intent, but it sounds as if it was. I think a more appropriate title should start with the words "Row Often". Then again, why restrict your ability to live better only through rowing? Although rowing is a wonderful form of exercise for us, it may not be for the vast majority of people. Among the reasons are that rowing machines may not be readily available and that correct rowing technique can be somewhat difficult to learn without proper instruction. If people walk for exercise, all they have to do is put on a good pair of shoes and go. That's why there are so many walkers and so few rowers.

There are many different ways to get the kind of exercise Ordway proposes. For that reason, an even more inclusive title might be, "Exercise in a Way You Enjoy. Do it Moderately at Your Own Pace, Do it Often, and Live Better". The "Breathe Deeply" part isn't necessary. That should come naturally.

[Cayenne]

HI Sekitori -

I am wondering if you've read "Row Daily" ? If not, obviously, I recommend it.

I read it a few years ago (and I am due for a re-read, for the motivation booster primarily,) but as I recall, part of the the daily "prescription" is aspirational. That is, Mr. Ordway recognizes that life being what it is, days may be missed. Therefore, by setting the "daily" goal, we will "hit" most days. On the other hand, if we aspire to "some days" we will likely "hit" a couple, or fall even further down the slippery slope of frequency. In no way does he promote becoming obsessive, as I read it.

Also as I recall, the "Breathe Deeply" part is consistent with what you say, i.e, it comes naturally. Mr. Ordway is just commenting on how "breathing deeply" from exertion, on a consistent basis, changes us for the better in numerous ways.

Elite athletes can debate endlessly the details of training approaches. That is great. At the same time, part of society's reality is that more than most people simply don't move (enough). As has often been noted, too many people go from bed, to car (or mass transit seating) to seated work, then reverse to return home, then sit on the couch until they return to bed.

Mr. Ordway presents a delightful "argument" for why the erg offers a wonderful Rx for this "movement insufficiency". Many of his points have been made on this forum, but he presents it in a single, well presented source. Convenience, safety, effectiveness, etc., etc., etc.

BTW, I have done some session of daily "movement" (I prefer that idea to "exercise") for years. Not all has been erging and I agree with you that walking is wonderful. Although "Row Daily" promotes erging, I certainly took his principles and applied it elsewhere.

In the various USA towns that I've lived in, I notice that people from the community tend to walk at the local High School track quite a bit. Especially women, sometime a couple women or even small groups tend to come to the track to walk. I notice attendance is much, much higher on days when the weather is nice specifically and much, much lower during the winter generally. I've often wondered, how do these people get their movement on bad weather days, or days when they can't make it to the track, or if their schedule didn't allow them to get there during daylight hours so they wouldn't feel safe walking in the dark, etc...?

i work in an office. The percentage of exercisers is tiny. Even if the non-exercisers want to go for "a walk" before or after work, it creates for many too much time-stress to even try. On the other hand, "squeezing in" a couple 10-15 minutes sessions per day in the convenience of their home might be much more do-able.

To me, as per "Row Daily" the idea of an erg in your house is simple brilliance. No more missed opportunities. (Most of the time anyway.) I won't even get started on the low impact, "dynamic flexibility," etc.

"Row daily, breath deeply, live better" offers a path to improve the lives of many millions of people. I hope more people read it.

[sekitori]

To me, as per "Row Daily" the idea of an erg in your house is simple brilliance. No more missed opportunities. (Most of the time anyway.) I won't even get started on the low impact, "dynamic flexibility," etc.

"Row daily, breath deeply, live better" offers a path to improve the lives of many millions of people. I hope more people read it.

As noble as the ideas in the book sound, I doubt if people other than rowers and a few non-rowers who may be interested will read it . Since the vast majority of people who exercise don't know and/or don't care about rowing, the title, "Row Daily" just won't hold much appeal for them no matter how valuable the information inside it may be. I can think of two reasons why rowing is not a more popular activity. First, rowing machines take up a lot of space, at least lengthwise. Of course, the C2 can be condensed for storage but the impression of an eight foot long piece of equipment persists. And if someone wants to row on the water, a single scull is more than three times as long and must be stored close to a place where it can be used. Second, it can take time (sometimes quite a long time) to learn correct rowing technique. It's much easier to learn how to use other equipment. And activities such as running and walking with fairly decent form require little if any instruction. If learning to use a form of exercise is fairly easy, people will often stay with it. If it's more difficult to learn, they may avoid it.

One of the best selling books in recent years is "Boys in the Boat" concerning the 1936 University of Washington eight oared crew which won the 1936 Olympic gold medal. It's a great book because it concerns far more than just eight people in a racing shell. But no matter how outstanding it may be, I doubt very much if the book would have sold nearly as well if the title was something like, "Rowing to Victory in the Olympics". As I mentioned, any book with the title containing the word "rowing" doesn't hold much interest for most people. I'm sure the author, Daniel James Brown, thought a lot about that before he settled on the title he finally used.

"Row Daily" sounds like a wonderful, inspiring book. I haven't read it but after hearing about it, I plan on buying it. But if it had a more appealing title for most people, I think its sales would be far greater.