Adding Lifting to Rowing for fitness

[Doc7]

I am interested in improving my general overall fitness and currently enjoy rowing (concept2). However in addition to aerobic fitness I would like to work on lifting. 38/M, 170 Lb and have done SS twice in the past and Phraks GSLP twice but haven’t really lifted in 4 years so a newbie.

I am willing to give up speed / interval sessions on my rowing but I am continuing to develop my base so I want to continue rowing 3 x 1 hour sessions a week at a UT2 heart rate (150 BPM max, which for me is currently 2:33/500 @ 20 SPM, down 4 seconds from 2:37 over the last month of rowing 100K, and continuing to improve aerobically every session). My most recent 2K PR was at a 2:04.4 pace.

How is this schedule to maximize family time?

Monday AM Row

Tuesday AM Row
Tuesday PM Lift (phrak gslp, which is similar in goals and format to a “starting strength” rippetoe routine)

Weds Off

Thurs AM Row
Thursday PM Lift

Fri Row (PM)

Sat Lift

Weekend - one additional row (make it up on Monday if needed)

For the next few months while lifting, all my rows would be 60 mins 18 SPM ut2 except occasionally doing something like a 4x1K/5r to track my potential 2K progress - probably on my Friday row which will be on my at-work concept2 on my “leave early” Friday schedule, before getting the kids from school after care program.


The thing I was considering with the morning rows and off days, normally my wife and I go to bed around 1030-11 PM and I already have a hard time getting up at 6 AM, let alone 5 which will be necessary to row for one hour before work and be on time. With lifting, I did not think sleeping that night from say 11 PM till 445 AM would be a good idea which is why I didn’t want to row on the next day after lifting. With kids, it would be a big impact on husband/wife kid-free time to go to bed much earlier like 930P and I want to try and prioritize the family schedule while developing this plan if I can do both.

I have to get one hour more of sleep for lifting and figured it would be best to make that the night after lifting, rather than the night before lifting.

[gvcormac]

I love rowing, and running, and cycling. I hate strength training. But I think the evidence is clear. You need to do strength training to maintain your strength and muscle mass as you age. Starting at 40-ish but for sure after 60.

I've run a few marathons and had running and rowing 10ks under 40 minutes, and never did any strength until last year. I couldn't do a pull-up 8 months ago and now I can do at least 10. I don't know for sure how many as my elbows get sore if I overdo it. Same for dips: 0-10 in the last 8 months.

Do I still hate strength training? Yes. Is is a little more tolerable than before? Yes. Do I miss it on the weekend when I take 2 days off instead of 1? Yes.

It still isn't fun, but I guess I'm hooked.

[Dangerscouse]

I like the look of this schedule, and it's definitely worth trying. You just need to be aware of how you're recovering for each subsequent session.

[MPx]

The schedule looks very doable to me and should get you fitter and stronger, so if they're your goals it fits well. I'm less clear about your attitude to your 2k which you also mention? Loads of UT2 and strength sessions will not do much if anything on their own for your 2k time. For that you need to mix in some harder erg sessions. If you forget about 2k for now and do as you set out, but then have a (say) 6-8 week erg sharpening period to focus on a 2k then that should get you a good 2k result in the end.

[mromero680]

It sounds like you'll be limited more by the time you have available than by any risk of over-training. I'm able to row 3 or 4 times a week and lift 3 times a week without wearing down. As others have mentioned, the older you get the more important the strength training becomes.

[mromero680]

But...I don't do a crazy amount of meters either. Usually less than 40k per week along with three strength workouts of an hour or so and a lot of walking.

[Doc7]

But...I don't do a crazy amount of meters either. Usually less than 40k per week along with three strength workouts of an hour or so and a lot of walking.

Thank you!

[wizzard]

I practice weight lifting and rowing. A few days ago a switched the damper from 4 to 6 then to 7 and today to 8 and I tell you: this could be enough and I am considering to quit lifting weight for muscle mostly engaged while rowing C2 the most. So I could exclude deadlift, barbell rows, walking lunges.

[btlifter]

I practice weight lifting and rowing. A few days ago a switched the damper from 4 to 6 then to 7 and today to 8 and I tell you: this could be enough and I am considering to quit lifting weight for muscle mostly engaged while rowing C2 the most. So I could exclude deadlift, barbell rows, walking lunges.

Yup - as long as you don't mind becoming weaker, it's no problem!

[wizzard]

I practice weight lifting and rowing. A few days ago a switched the damper from 4 to 6 then to 7 and today to 8 and I tell you: this could be enough and I am considering to quit lifting weight for muscle mostly engaged while rowing C2 the most. So I could exclude deadlift, barbell rows, walking lunges.

Yup - as long as you don't mind becoming weaker, it's no problem!

Never used maximal weights, preferred more repetitions instead. Funny thing is that started using Concept2 added some muscle mass that weight lifting did not, in legs, glutes, back. My idea is that if you perform hundreds of light weight - resistance repetitions, you can gain some mass and strength even after years of weightlifting.

[Sakly]

My idea is that if you perform hundreds of light weight - resistance repetitions, you can gain some mass and strength even after years of weightlifting.

If you did weightlifting wrong all these years - yes.
If you do it properly, weightlifting will absolutely outperform rowing in terms of building strength and muscle.

[wizzard]

My idea is that if you perform hundreds of light weight - resistance repetitions, you can gain some mass and strength even after years of weightlifting.

If you did weightlifting wrong all these years - yes.
If you do it properly, weightlifting will absolutely outperform rowing in terms of building strength and muscle.

I lifted with the proper form but not with maximal weights in order to avoid injury. I put on muscle mass during those years. Concept2 for me turned to be a variety that added some muscle mass after I have reached the plateau lifting weights. Surely (probably) rowing will not make one look like a bodybuilder but I think it can retain muscle mass and strength one has gained lifting weights, if done with high drag factor.

[Sakly]

My idea is that if you perform hundreds of light weight - resistance repetitions, you can gain some mass and strength even after years of weightlifting.

If you did weightlifting wrong all these years - yes.
If you do it properly, weightlifting will absolutely outperform rowing in terms of building strength and muscle.

I lifted with the proper form but not with maximal weights in order to avoid injury. I put on muscle mass during those years. Concept2 for me turned to be a variety that added some muscle mass after I have reached the plateau lifting weights. Surely (probably) rowing will not make one look like a bodybuilder but I think it can retain muscle mass and strength one has gained lifting weights, if done with high drag factor.

If you do weights without challenging your body, you won't get strength gains out if it. So obviously this is a kind of doing it wrong (at least in terms of getting stronger as a goal).
Any stress on the body will give you adaptations. How big they are is mainly depending on the intensity (=how much the stress is above your baseline).

[wizzard]

If you do weights without challenging your body, you won't get strength gains out if it. So obviously this is a kind of doing it wrong (at least in terms of getting stronger as a goal).
Any stress on the body will give you adaptations. How big they are is mainly depending on the intensity (=how much the stress is above your baseline).

The problem is that even with challenging weights, after 4-5 years you reach the plateau in mass gaining (and that is why some people start using steroids). Each consecutive year gains are smaller. The pure strength may not be as much affected but putting on a barbell maximal weight is risky.

[wizzard]

If you do weights without challenging your body, you won't get strength gains out if it. So obviously this is a kind of doing it wrong (at least in terms of getting stronger as a goal).
Any stress on the body will give you adaptations. How big they are is mainly depending on the intensity (=how much the stress is above your baseline).

Lots of anecdotical evidences "proves" that performing more repetitions with lighter weights may be as effective as less with heavier.