Not Looking For Jlo, But...

[[old] Jim Barry]

<img src='http://img1.travelblog.org/Photos/2416/ ... -Ass-1.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' /><br /><br />Now, There's a nice ass.

[[old] Amy]

Thanks everyone...sounds like I may be asking a little too much from erging alone. Too bad, as I am not a huge fan of lunges, weight lifting, etc., because it always just seems so boring. With erging I'm never bored and it gives me the same benefits as more "traditional" methods. Okay, okay, maybe not the same benefits, but close enough. I'll never be ripped like Ms. Universe, but I don't care to be. And personally I'd rather eat monkey brains than do situps, but with the erg that is a tradeoff I'll never even have to consider. My abs are dead tight. I was just hoping to get the same kind of benefit with my glutes. Alas...I guess I'll just have to suck it up and determine if it's that important, and if so add some lunges and other weight training to my routine. Thanks again.<br /><br />Oh, and Mark...nice come from behind rally to save your ass from proverbial dirty old manhood...(pun intended).<br /><br />Amy

[[old] mpukita]

<!--QuoteBegin-Amy+Dec 10 2005, 08:28 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Amy @ Dec 10 2005, 08:28 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Oh, and Mark...nice come from behind rally to save your ass from proverbial dirty old manhood...(pun intended). <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Amy:<br /><br />That, my friend, is a gold medal winning response. It would have taken me 30 minutes to put that one together.<br /><br />This is now a PG13 forum.<br /><br /> <br /><br />-- Mark<br /><br />PS - Try the lunges as Krysta says ... do them without weights as "walking lunges" down the hallways you walk during the day. <br /><br />See:<br /><br /><a href='http://www.bluesuitmom.com/health/perso ... unges.html' target='_blank'>http://www.bluesuitmom.com/health/perso ... tml</a><br /><br />I do these, when I'm lifting, as "movement prep" to try to warm up well to avoid injury. Great explanation of the benefits of this in "Core Performance".<br />

[[old] Porkchop]

<!--QuoteBegin-mpukita+Dec 10 2005, 07:46 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(mpukita @ Dec 10 2005, 07:46 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I do these, when I'm lifting, as "movement prep" to try to warm up well to avoid injury.  Great explanation of the benefits of this in "Core Performance". <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Mark,<br /><br />Do you use/have you used Verstegen's Core Performance program? I'm a big fan of Mark Verstegen. I've been through the program twice -- once for 12 weeks per the book and once for 20 weeks using the 8-week follow-on that the folks at Athlete's Performance Institute e-mailed to me. I alternate Core Performance with a different 20-week program that has similar underpinnings, but a very different set of workouts. I find that alternating them keeps both programs more interesting. <br /><br />Do/did you use the prescribed ESD workouts when erging? I did, but while I found them useful as an overall conditioning element, they didn't really provide much in terms of structured improvement in erging capacity, as opposed to, say, erg-specific programs like the Pete Plan, the Wolverine Plan, or the various programs available from C2 are designed to do. I think it would have been difficult to do any other kind of erg program while on the Core Performance, because the physical demands of the rest of the program were so exhausting.<br /><br />I'd be interested in hearing about your experiences with this.

[[old] John Rupp]

<!--QuoteBegin-Amy+Dec 10 2005, 04:28 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Amy @ Dec 10 2005, 04:28 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->My abs are dead tight. [right] </td></tr></table><br /><br />Are there any special exercises you do for them?<br />

[[old] mpukita]

<!--QuoteBegin-Porkchop+Dec 10 2005, 11:24 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Porkchop @ Dec 10 2005, 11:24 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-mpukita+Dec 10 2005, 07:46 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(mpukita @ Dec 10 2005, 07:46 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I do these, when I'm lifting, as "movement prep" to try to warm up well to avoid injury.  Great explanation of the benefits of this in "Core Performance". <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Mark,<br /><br />Do you use/have you used Verstegen's Core Performance program? I'm a big fan of Mark Verstegen. I've been through the program twice -- once for 12 weeks per the book and once for 20 weeks using the 8-week follow-on that the folks at Athlete's Performance Institute e-mailed to me. I alternate Core Performance with a different 20-week program that has similar underpinnings, but a very different set of workouts. I find that alternating them keeps both programs more interesting. <br /><br />Do/did you use the prescribed ESD workouts when erging? I did, but while I found them useful as an overall conditioning element, they didn't really provide much in terms of structured improvement in erging capacity, as opposed to, say, erg-specific programs like the Pete Plan, the Wolverine Plan, or the various programs available from C2 are designed to do. I think it would have been difficult to do any other kind of erg program while on the Core Performance, because the physical demands of the rest of the program were so exhausting.<br /><br />I'd be interested in hearing about your experiences with this. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Porkchop:<br /><br />No, I don't really follow the program, nor have I ever. <br /><br />I've incorporated some aspects of it -- especially movement prep -- when I lift, and have moved from more "traditional" strength training exercises to more plyometric type exercises, etc. This being said, I've really stopped lifting totally as I've recently (1st of November) undertaken the Wolverine Plan. I also do more stretching using the physioball than I've ever done, even though I still don't do much. <br /><br />I also started doing some of the Crossfit workouts, which I felt were awesome, and a big change from my typical strength training workouts. If you've never been to the site, you should check it out. <br /><br />www.crossfit.com<br /><br />For now, it's all erg. Not enough time for anything else -- some days I'm rowing over two hours total (with warm ups and cool downs). I <u><b>am </b></u>interested in seeing if I can make better gains in strength and rowing performance using strength training in addition to rowing, but will likely wait until after January 29th when I'm going to do the first live race I've ever done -- in Cincinnati at the Cincinnati Indoor Rowing Championships.<br /><br />Variety, I now firmly believe as you have stated, is essential to continued improvement, as well as motivation.<br /><br />-- Mark<br />

[[old] akit110]

The key thing is to go from a flat butt to a round butt requires you add muscle mass to this area. It's not a matter of just 'toning' what's already there. This is different from the other transformational changes people typically want like a tighter waistline or less flabby arms as these latter changes simply require a reduction in bodyfat which erging is very effective in doing. Just row frequently and for 30 or 40 minutes a session, and the bodyfat will drop. <br /><br />However, erging is much less effective in adding muscle mass to your frame than reducing your body fat - at least at the intensity, volume and duration of training of most recreational ergers. Yes, you are exercising your butt when you erg, but there isn't enough resistance or training stimulus to add muscle mass to that area for most people. It would be analogous to trying to get big biceps from rowing. <br /><br />To put muscle mass in this area, you would probably have to do much more intense and shorter duration activities like weightlifting (squats!), sprinting, or - at the very least - high-intensity sprints on the erg (100-150m). All activities suggested by earlier posters on this thread. <br /><br /><br />

[[old] Amy]

<!--QuoteBegin-John Rupp+Dec 10 2005, 11:34 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(John Rupp @ Dec 10 2005, 11:34 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-Amy+Dec 10 2005, 04:28 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Amy @ Dec 10 2005, 04:28 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->My abs are dead tight. [right] </td></tr></table><br /><br />Are there any special exercises you do for them? <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Just erg...don't know about you, but erging does wonders for my abs. You could bounce a quarter off them.<br /><br />Amy

[[old] John Rupp]

Amy,<br /><br />Thanks.

[[old] Porkchop]

<!--QuoteBegin-mpukita+Dec 10 2005, 11:37 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(mpukita @ Dec 10 2005, 11:37 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-Porkchop+Dec 10 2005, 11:24 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Porkchop @ Dec 10 2005, 11:24 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-mpukita+Dec 10 2005, 07:46 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(mpukita @ Dec 10 2005, 07:46 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I do these, when I'm lifting, as "movement prep" to try to warm up well to avoid injury.  Great explanation of the benefits of this in "Core Performance". <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Mark,<br /><br />Do you use/have you used Verstegen's Core Performance program? I'm a big fan of Mark Verstegen. I've been through the program twice -- once for 12 weeks per the book and once for 20 weeks using the 8-week follow-on that the folks at Athlete's Performance Institute e-mailed to me. I alternate Core Performance with a different 20-week program that has similar underpinnings, but a very different set of workouts. I find that alternating them keeps both programs more interesting. <br /><br />Do/did you use the prescribed ESD workouts when erging? I did, but while I found them useful as an overall conditioning element, they didn't really provide much in terms of structured improvement in erging capacity, as opposed to, say, erg-specific programs like the Pete Plan, the Wolverine Plan, or the various programs available from C2 are designed to do. I think it would have been difficult to do any other kind of erg program while on the Core Performance, because the physical demands of the rest of the program were so exhausting.<br /><br />I'd be interested in hearing about your experiences with this. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Porkchop:<br /><br />No, I don't really follow the program, nor have I ever. <br /><br />I've incorporated some aspects of it -- especially movement prep -- when I lift, and have moved from more "traditional" strength training exercises to more plyometric type exercises, etc. This being said, I've really stopped lifting totally as I've recently (1st of November) undertaken the Wolverine Plan. I also do more stretching using the physioball than I've ever done, even though I still don't do much. <br /><br />I also started doing some of the Crossfit workouts, which I felt were awesome, and a big change from my typical strength training workouts. If you've never been to the site, you should check it out. <br /><br />www.crossfit.com<br /><br />For now, it's all erg. Not enough time for anything else -- some days I'm rowing over two hours total (with warm ups and cool downs). I <u><b>am </b></u>interested in seeing if I can make better gains in strength and rowing performance using strength training in addition to rowing, but will likely wait until after January 29th when I'm going to do the first live race I've ever done -- in Cincinnati at the Cincinnati Indoor Rowing Championships.<br /><br />Variety, I now firmly believe as you have stated, is essential to continued improvement, as well as motivation.<br /><br />-- Mark <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Mark,<br /><br />The "movememt prep" segment of the Core Performance program provides excellent preparation for lifting, or almost anything else. It is easily the most "portable" (i.e., easily incorporated in other types of programs) segment of CP. I think that the Elasticity segment is also reasonably easy to use in conjunction with other programs.<br /><br />I am familiar with Crossfit and very impressed with the thought that has gone into the development of the program. I have incorporated several concepts from the Crossfit site into my current program. My current warmup on strength days consists of pullups using the Marines' "Recon Ron" progressive program, pushups (twice as many pushups as pullups), and (from the Crossfit site) the Samson stretch, the Burgener warmup, and broomstick overhead squats. After the warmup, I do whatever my program calls for. <br /><br />I finished my second round of CP two weeks ago. Now I am following a program originally published in Outside Magazine some years ago called "Shape of Your Life." The program is more endurance-oriented than CP, with 3 days of endurance work, two days of strength work. Later in the program, it incorporates yoga, plyometrics, reaction training, and Olympic-type lifting.<br /><br />I have been thinking about trying Xfit out for a while after I finish up the SOYL program in April. What Xfit workouts were you using? Did you acquire or make any equipment for your workouts? Rings, ropes, kettlebells, etc.? A friend made me a set of parallettes, which I use as part of my warmup on endurance days, In addition to the pullups and pushups noted above, I do tuck sits and frog stands on parallettes to warmup. In a couple weeks, I'll start doing L-sits and working on stand progressions as well. I also made a 23 pound medicine ball using the Xfit guidance. I've found it to be very useful. but I haven't tried it out for "slamball" type movements -- I figure I'll end up with sand all over the floor if I do.

[[old] Hapa]

If you're still pretty new to rowing/erging, I would make sure your form at the catch is solid and you're not shooting your butt, or opening your back too early, either one would result in not getting as much effort from your glute muscles.<br /><br />Hapa<br /><br /><!--QuoteBegin-Amy+Dec 8 2005, 04:44 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Amy @ Dec 8 2005, 04:44 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I know you guys prefer to talk about times and personal bests, but...<br /><br />I bought an erg three months ago for two main reasons...to improve my cardiovascular health and to increase my muscle tone.  And I couldn't be more delighted on both accounts.  My blood pressure (which had been borderline hypertension) is blissfully normal and I've got (dare I say it)  almost a buff body.<br /><br />My one complaint is my butt.  I erg about every other day for 30 minutes and it seems that my glutes just don't really seem to be developing the same tone as the rest of my body.  Is there something obvious I'm doing wrong in terms of my form that is responsible for this?  Am I simply asking too much from this otherwise marvelous piece of equipment?  Or, am I destined based upon genetics to just never have toned glutes? <br /><br />Like I said, I'm not looking for a JLo butt...wouldn't want it even if I could have it...but I wouldn't mind something that looks better in a bikini.  <br /><br />Amy <br /> </td></tr></table><br />

[[old] mpukita]

<!--QuoteBegin-Porkchop+Dec 10 2005, 02:23 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Porkchop @ Dec 10 2005, 02:23 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I have been thinking about trying Xfit out for a while after I finish up the SOYL program in April.  What Xfit workouts were you using?  Did you acquire or make any equipment for your workouts?  Rings, ropes, kettlebells, etc.?  A friend made me a set of parallettes, which I use as part of my warmup on endurance days,  In addition to the pullups and pushups noted above, I do tuck sits and frog stands on parallettes to warmup.  In a couple weeks, I'll start doing L-sits and working on stand progressions as well.  I also made a 23 pound medicine ball using the Xfit guidance.  I've found it to be very useful. but I haven't tried it out for "slamball" type movements -- I figure I'll end up with sand all over the floor if I do.  <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Porkchop:<br /><br />I have had a chinup/pullup bar for some time. I bought rings, but will install them in the spring in the garage (16' ceiling). I have the makings for the sand-filled medicine ball, but have not put it together yet. No parallettes, but will also build those for spring, or at least after my only live race the end of January. I'm going to stay rowing-specific until after that time ... for better or worse.<br /><br />Most of the Xfit workouts I did were the body weight routines, except for those with dumbells (thrusters, etc.). I found the Xfit workouts were really focused on functional strength ... which is something I liked. I did a workout with towel pullups (to sub for rope climbing) and was sore for almost a week ... overdid it, but was shocked at how sore I was <b>ALL OVER </b>my body ... simply from one body weight exercise.<br /><br />-- Mark<br />

[[old] Porkchop]

<!--QuoteBegin-mpukita+Dec 10 2005, 08:11 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(mpukita @ Dec 10 2005, 08:11 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-Porkchop+Dec 10 2005, 02:23 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Porkchop @ Dec 10 2005, 02:23 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I have been thinking about trying Xfit out for a while after I finish up the SOYL program in April.  What Xfit workouts were you using?  Did you acquire or make any equipment for your workouts?  Rings, ropes, kettlebells, etc.?  A friend made me a set of parallettes, which I use as part of my warmup on endurance days,  In addition to the pullups and pushups noted above, I do tuck sits and frog stands on parallettes to warmup.  In a couple weeks, I'll start doing L-sits and working on stand progressions as well.  I also made a 23 pound medicine ball using the Xfit guidance.  I've found it to be very useful. but I haven't tried it out for "slamball" type movements -- I figure I'll end up with sand all over the floor if I do.  <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Porkchop:<br /><br />I have had a chinup/pullup bar for some time. I bought rings, but will install them in the spring in the garage (16' ceiling). I have the makings for the sand-filled medicine ball, but have not put it together yet. No parallettes, but will also build those for spring, or at least after my only live race the end of January. I'm going to stay rowing-specific until after that time ... for better or worse.<br /><br />Most of the Xfit workouts I did were the body weight routines, except for those with dumbells (thrusters, etc.). I found the Xfit workouts were really focused on functional strength ... which is something I liked. I did a workout with towel pullups (to sub for rope climbing) and was sore for almost a week ... overdid it, but was shocked at how sore I was <b>ALL OVER </b>my body ... simply from one body weight exercise.<br /><br />-- Mark <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Mark:<br /><br />Towel pullups are on my to-do list, but I haven't got to them yet. My oldest daughter will be home for Christmas furlough from college next week. She boxes in college and asked me to help her work out over the break, so I was thinking of running her through "Tabata This" and "Fight Gone Bad" in addition to working with her on glove work. I need to look at the "girls" list again to see what else I can do to "help." There's just <i>so much </i>to choose from.<br /><br />There's a thread under "Equipment" on Xfit that has a very nice presentation of how to make a four-strand sinnet braid for a homemade climbing rope. (<a href='http://www.crossfit.com/discus/messages/26/12623.html' target='_blank'>Rope Link</a>) With a 16-foot ceiling in your garage, it sounds like an accessory that would work. I have about 12 feet under my deck at best, so mounting a climbing rope may not work out as well for me. I'm envious. <br /><br /><b>Amy:</b> Sorry for the thread hijack, so in order to make up for it, let me just add that if you are specifically concerned about developing your glutes, then the answer is lunges and squats -- no ifs, and, or . . . <b>but[t]s</b>. At the risk of restarting the flaming discussion I was in a few months ago, do take a look at the exercise section of the Crossfit site (the URL is in Mark's post up above). There are many variations on the basic squat, both weighted and unweighted, there.

[[old] languagelady1]

<!--QuoteBegin-Jim Barry+Dec 9 2005, 11:58 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Jim Barry @ Dec 9 2005, 11:58 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><img src='http://img1.travelblog.org/Photos/2416/ ... -Ass-1.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' /><br /><br />Now, There's a nice ass. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />That's what all the Olympic Lifters' rears look like

[[old] Niall]

As a testimony to the physical benefits the C2 rower provides, I lost 17kg (37.5lbs) between August 2004 and June 2005 and the only exercise I was doing was indoor rowing. During this time my waist measurement went from 36 inches to 30 inches and, likewise, my butt became far more toned (and it got far more attention from my wife too! ).<br /><br />The only other thing I'd add is the influence nutrition and diet can have on buffness. It's all well and good having well toned muscles but if they're being obstructed by fat then it foesn't matter how strong and toned they are. I follow a specific nutritional plan (don't like the word "diet" as I think they're short-term and nutririon should be more a lifestyle choice) and I reduced my body fat in the timescales indicated above from about 20% to about 12% and I've now got a 6-pack .<br /><br />Good luck and for the record, JLo's butt could do with getting on a C2 indoor rower!!!