Massively unfit newcomer

[Pete_1976]

Hi! I am hoping to get some constructive advice as I'm new to the Concept 2. I am a 45 year old male, 5' 11" and very overweight at around 280lbs. I am also pretty unfit due to the long hours at a desk and a fondness for all food. I have completed a few workouts on the machine over the last few weeks, some endurance and some "sprints" if you can call my intervals that...

To give you an idea of performance, the resistance is set at 7 and I am covering around 7500m in 30 minutes. Heart rate is between 120 and 135 for most of it. My technique is non existent- I seem to be rowing hard but not smart. I seem to be too reliant on my arms. I think strokes per minute is around the 35 mark.

What would be the top two or three things I can do to improve? I'm aware I am putting myself at higher risk of injury, hammering away as I am.

Thank you!

[Ombrax]

Hi Pete, and welcome to the forum.

1) Congratulations on starting to row - if you put time and effort into it you'll find that it pays big dividends for both your body and mind.

2) As you seem to have already realized, since your legs are the most powerful muscles you can recruit when erging, you want to get as much out of them as possible. Arms are wimpy compared to your legs.

3) Right now your stroke rate is way too high. You're probably doing it to compensate for other issues that need to be corrected (like not getting enough from your legs). Try to concentrate on a more powerful stroke, and don't rush back up the slide during the recovery. For the types of workouts you're currently doing you probably want a stroke rate of say, 20-25 spm.

4) Both here on the forum and on the C2 web site you'll find lots of information on improving your technique, and the "bad" things you should watch for. Spend some time checking them out - it will be time well spent. For example, you can set the PM to display the force curve for each stroke, and based on the shape that will give you some valuable feedback on how you're sequencing your legs, back and arms. (See the C2 site for more info on that.)

5) Bottom line - work and your technique, and keep at it, and you'll be rewarded in the long run.

Good Luck

[brick1101]

Good evening Pete... welcome to the world of Concept 2. There are excellent Youtube videos showing technique from beginner to advanced. Shane Farmer covers all the bases at his "Dark Horse Rowing" channel. Check out his beginner videos so you can start out with a good technique. Take your time and learn the basic stroke... there is nothing "natural" in rowing.
Joining a team and participating in the challenges is a great motivator.... I've met some great people over the years this way...

[Carl Watts]

Something is not lining up with all those numbers. 7500 meters in 30 minutes ? I doubt it and especially not at those low heartrates.

Are you sure your on a Concept 2 rower ? if so it sounds like you have a problem with the monitor.

Start a Concept 2 LogBook and upload your results. Make it "Public" and share the link to your rows.

[Pete_1976]

Hi all - thanks you for the advice, I'll definitely follow up on anything can improve my technique.

Carl - it's definitely a Concept 2 (leased, so I guess it might have taken a bit of stick from previous users). The readings it's giving me are mirrored on my Garmin watch. I appreciate these things are never 100% accurate though. Is the Logbook you refer to available anywhere online or is it something I'd do manually? As for my heart rate, I've got quite a low resting heart rate of around 45bpm. This is natural and no reflection of my fitness level!

[Ombrax]

Is the Logbook you refer to available anywhere online or is it something I'd do manually?

Here you go:

https://log.concept2.com/

[Pete_1976]

Brilliant - many thanks Ombrax.

[Pete_1976]

Just a quick update and "thank you" to those who replied.

I have had two days now where I've followed the video tutorials and adapted my technique. It feels very alien to me and I'm aching in new places but I do seem to still be hitting similar levels of performance having reduced my stroke e rate from 35 to between 20 and 25.

I would hope to see gradual improvements over the coming weeks and months.

I think my workouts are visible here:

https://log.concept2.com/profile/1522618/log/56330750

Thanks again all.

[Dangerscouse]

Welcome to the forum. If you are capable of a 10k at 2:15 pace already, then you're not as unfit as you think you are.

Dropping down to a lower stroke rate does feel really weird to start with, but it eventually becomes natural, and is worth the effort. Try and maintain a good grasp on a large range of stroke rates e.g r20-r30, as they provide different benefits for different sessions.

[Pete_1976]

Thanks Dangerscouse. Yep, I think my next challenge will be to complete a few interval sessions with better form whilst upping the stroke rate a little. My two main impediments to good form are a mid-section which stops me getting my knees as close to my chest as I'd like and a right ankle that cannot bend much at all (lots of plates and screws in there from an old rugby injury). Where there's a will there's a way though!

Thanks for the words of encouragement!

[Nomath]

... I am covering around 7500m in 30 minutes.

..If you are capable of a 10k at 2:15 pace already, then you're not as unfit as you think you are.

Sorry, 7500m in 30 minutes implies that you can do at least 5000m in 20 minutes (500m pace 2:00). That puts you around the 700th position amongst 2165 rowers aged 40-49yrs in the current 5K ranking. That is verging on the top third. Most of your competitors near that position will rate themselves as quite fit.

[Pete_1976]

Hi Nomath. I will continue to capture times in the log. Will also provide some sort of validation once I figure out how!

All the best,

[Carl Watts]

2:00.0 pace is pretty fast for a 30 minute in the general population.

If I looked at the numbers then someone of that weight that's is self confessed "Massively unfit" would have a heartrate of 125 just moving up and down the slide at 35spm without even holding the handle for 30 minutes.

Time to start a Concept 2 Logbook and track those numbers accurately.

[jamesg]

Your times look good. Did you load them to logbook using ergdata?

[Pete_1976]

Hi Carl and James.

Thanks for the messages. I have added my first two workouts done, in a very ham-fisted way, with "improved" technique. I've just completed a third session and will add that today. I've also just found the verification codes so will include them too.

Again, thanks for the advice and input. It's all useful to me as a green-around-the-gills novice.