Steady wins the race… 1 year of rowing.

[Rick]

Just a short post to mark an anniversary of sorts. This week I completed one year of rowing.

Rather than give the whole story, I'll just say that I’ve learned quick fixes don’t fix things. It takes life changes and incorporating new habits you can sustain. I will be 62 this year, and needed something I could maintain through my 60s, 70s, and beyond, Lord willing. So I left my P90X stuff in the drawer and bought a C2 Model D. I was introduced to the indoor rower as a fitness testing tool during my law enforcement career. Everything I learned about it, and all the reasons I incorporated it into fitness testing when I served as a Police Chief before retiring, made it an obvious choice for a long term fitness tool. Here is something I can still be doing, at whatever my ability might be, at 100, which was exactly what I needed.

Over the year, the duration of workouts and distances rowed have multiplied, but it’s the same, steady work (combined with elimination of snacking between and after meals, especially at night) that has changed my efforts from temporary fix to healthier lifestyle change. I’m not a fanatic… I don’t diet, don’t work out every day. But one year later I am much healthier, which was the goal. My blood pressure is down, cardio fitness is way up, and, yes, I’ve lost 35 pounds. So even though the focus was not weight, the healthier choices addressed that too. I’m healthier, and am back at a weight I’ve not seen during this century. And I’ve been at that weight a while, and even held it steady through the holidays!

If you’re new, stick with it. Make reasonable, longer term goals. Don’t just get thin, get healthy. You can get better, week by week. I won’t say “I did it” because my mindset is that this isn’t something I’m supposed to finish. Being healthy is a from-now-on thing, a life habit

[Ombrax]

Congratulations!

I absolutely agree - make the choices that you already know are the right ones (e.g. portion control, excess snacking, etc.) and stick to a good exercise plan (and the erg is one of the best) and you'll be well on your way. It sounds so simple, but if you can keep at it you'll succeed.

[nates]

Congratulations! And I wholeheartedly agree except I'm just licking chocolate frosting off my fingers after icing a birthday cake. Tomorrow though!

[DavidA]

Just a short post to mark an anniversary of sorts. This week I completed one year of rowing.

Rather than give the whole story, I'll just say that I’ve learned quick fixes don’t fix things. It takes life changes and incorporating new habits you can sustain. I will be 62 this year, and needed something I could maintain through my 60s, 70s, and beyond, Lord willing. So I left my P90X stuff in the drawer and bought a C2 Model D. I was introduced to the indoor rower as a fitness testing tool during my law enforcement career. Everything I learned about it, and all the reasons I incorporated it into fitness testing when I served as a Police Chief before retiring, made it an obvious choice for a long term fitness tool. Here is something I can still be doing, at whatever my ability might be, at 100, which was exactly what I needed.

Over the year, the duration of workouts and distances rowed have multiplied, but it’s the same, steady work (combined with elimination of snacking between and after meals, especially at night) that has changed my efforts from temporary fix to healthier lifestyle change. I’m not a fanatic… I don’t diet, don’t work out every day. But one year later I am much healthier, which was the goal. My blood pressure is down, cardio fitness is way up, and, yes, I’ve lost 35 pounds. So even though the focus was not weight, the healthier choices addressed that too. I’m healthier, and am back at a weight I’ve not seen during this century. And I’ve been at that weight a while, and even held it steady through the holidays!

If you’re new, stick with it. Make reasonable, longer term goals. Don’t just get thin, get healthy. You can get better, week by week. I won’t say “I did it” because my mindset is that this isn’t something I’m supposed to finish. Being healthy is a from-now-on thing, a life habit

Congratulations!
It's great that you found something good that you can stick with, and have a number of good choices for your health and well being.
Good luck with continuing all of it for many years to come.

David

[Dangerscouse]

Great post Rick. It's really beneficial to focus on the process and fostering enjoyment from that, rather focusing on the results.

When they can be a secondary consequence, it's almost always a receipe for success and longevity, and the decisions you make slowly seep into more positive decisions without you even realising it.

[MPx]

Spot on. Find sessions you enjoy. Make it part of what you do. Keep doing it. The rest takes care of itself.

[Rick]

Thanks for the positive responses, all. I appreciate it, and it reinforces the experience I’ve had this year. I agree that finding workouts you like, and varying the types to not get in a rut, is very helpful to hanging with a program and making it fun. I also joined in three of the C2 challenges, formed a team to do some team challenges, and got my first Million Meter t-shirt later in the year. I’m a bit past halfway to the second million, so it’s piling up as I go! For a three-days-a-week rower, I’m doing ok!

A full marathon is on my goal list for this year, along with a sub-7:30 2K (I hope to get sub-7 at some point). I love the challenge of it, and the work it takes to achieve new levels. But seriously, as long as I stay at it, I know it’s doing me good.

[Giniyam]

Thanks for your encouraging posts. I am 7-1/2 weeks into the same type of journey (fitness and healthier lifestyle).
I am getting a better feel for understanding the mechanics vs. power, and am seeing more consistency in my rowing.
Hoping to have the same kind of post in a year’s time !!

[Rick]

Thanks for your encouraging posts. I am 7-1/2 weeks into the same type of journey (fitness and healthier lifestyle).
I am getting a better feel for understanding the mechanics vs. power, and am seeing more consistency in my rowing.
Hoping to have the same kind of post in a year’s time !!

It sounds like you are off to a great start! Stay with it, and I’ve no doubt you’ll certainly have some good news to share when you reach that year. Success is in the journey!

[adouglas]

Absolutely love that post. I'm right there with you... 62, overweight (not quite obese but too close), and I need to do something to earn my fitness. I'm tired of creaky joints, low energy and general feelings of creeping decrepitude.

Like you, I've learned that what matters most -- by far -- is sustainability. Sticking with it is everything because it doesn't matter how hard you work when it's still new and fresh. All that matters is that you're still there next week, next month, next year, five years from now, ten... long after the novelty has worn off. When long-term fitness is your goal, whatever gets you on the erg that day is the right workout.

I bought a vintage Model B in mid-January and have rowed a minimum of 30 minutes every day since, going for consistently showing up, doing the deed and logging the results. That's pretty much it.

Show up.

Row.

Repeat.

I've also learned that, at least for me, personal accountability is essential to long-term success. On any given day it's no big deal - just ticking the box. But when you look back after a year at your record of being present and doing the work every day, the experience can be surprisingly powerful.

[nysaag]

Rick, my experience is similar to yours, later in life finding an exercise that helps the whole body. And, in my case, eventually led to a masters program and rowing on the water. Give it a try. You will not be disappointed.

[Erik A]

nice post and congratz at your progress.
also at a similar point in life where life as a whole had worn me down to a emotional and physical wreck. family issues, work issues etc etc. i had started rowing a long time ago and then stopped. then found the rower again and spent a little over a year on it and gearing up to competing at indoor rowing comps and masters comps when i partially tore my bicep tendon. this derailed me to the point of where i was about 8 weeks ago with no real motivation to do anything other than watch TV. my family and my health was suffering because of this and i was struggling mentaly and emotionaly. it was while i was sitting watching youtube that i saw an add for a local marathon and decided to enter the marathon walk. now i walk between 6.5 and 15km every second night. i have also REstarted back at the Gym and have included rowing back into the regime. just small steps at the moment and i have also just started adding in running on my walks (not very far). the long term is where i need to base my game and with some changes its working. im down 10kg in 6 weeks. need to lose another 30kgs by this time 2023 as im doing an ultra marathon (100km) then. rowing will be a big part of the training as my aerobic capacity is pretty crap at the moment.

[Holly62]

Congratulations on your year Rick, I'm 59 and incorporating a daily row into my life, has quite literally changed my life for the better.
Reading posts like yours just makes me feel like I'm doing the right thing,
Thank you

[Rick]

Rick, my experience is similar to yours, later in life finding an exercise that helps the whole body. And, in my case, eventually led to a masters program and rowing on the water. Give it a try. You will not be disappointed.

I love that it’s taken you in so many good directions. I’m open to it!

nice post and congratz at your progress.
also at a similar point in life where life as a whole had worn me down to a emotional and physical wreck. family issues, work issues etc etc. i had started rowing a long time ago and then stopped. then found the rower again and spent a little over a year on it and gearing up to competing at indoor rowing comps and masters comps when i partially tore my bicep tendon. this derailed me to the point of where i was about 8 weeks ago with no real motivation to do anything other than watch TV. my family and my health was suffering because of this and i was struggling mentaly and emotionaly. it was while i was sitting watching youtube that i saw an add for a local marathon and decided to enter the marathon walk. now i walk between 6.5 and 15km every second night. i have also REstarted back at the Gym and have included rowing back into the regime. just small steps at the moment and i have also just started adding in running on my walks (not very far). the long term is where i need to base my game and with some changes its working. im down 10kg in 6 weeks. need to lose another 30kgs by this time 2023 as im doing an ultra marathon (100km) then. rowing will be a big part of the training as my aerobic capacity is pretty crap at the moment.

Sometime the only way out of a funk is setting your gaze on a better place and trudging through to it. Keep taking those steps, because I can verify they’ll take you to a better place physically and mentally. It’s the way.

Congratulations on your year Rick, I'm 59 and incorporating a daily row into my life, has quite literally changed my life for the better.
Reading posts like yours just makes me feel like I'm doing the right thing,
Thank you

Thank you, Holly I’m happy with the current result, and looking to see what’s possible down the road. You're definitely doing the right thing for yourself, and it’s an encouragement to me that you and others here are on that path. It almost feels like we have a rowing partnership happening!

Absolutely love that post. I'm right there with you... 62, overweight (not quite obese but too close), and I need to do something to earn my fitness. I'm tired of creaky joints, low energy and general feelings of creeping decrepitude.

Like you, I've learned that what matters most -- by far -- is sustainability. Sticking with it is everything because it doesn't matter how hard you work when it's still new and fresh. All that matters is that you're still there next week, next month, next year, five years from now, ten... long after the novelty has worn off. When long-term fitness is your goal, whatever gets you on the erg that day is the right workout.

I bought a vintage Model B in mid-January and have rowed a minimum of 30 minutes every day since, going for consistently showing up, doing the deed and logging the results. That's pretty much it.

Show up.

Row.

Repeat.

I've also learned that, at least for me, personal accountability is essential to long-term success. On any given day it's no big deal - just ticking the box. But when you look back after a year at your record of being present and doing the work every day, the experience can be surprisingly powerful.

You couldn’t be more right about showing up. Really, some days I’m just not feeling it. But I tell myself “this workout isn’t going to row itself!” and I strap in. I’ve actually rowed some of my personal bests on days I had to talk myself into getting the workout done! It’s about holding yourself accountable for your promise to yourself to do something about that unfamiliar person looking at you in the mirror, and I’m both proud and thankful that I made the promise and am honoring it. At this point in our lives, it really is time to be the person we intended to be, not just what “happened.” It’s never too late to do better.