Does Rowing Create Bulk?

[[old] Tara Moon]

I recently read a book called "Escape your Shape" by Edward Jackowski. The book helps the reader to identify their unique body shape and gives the proper exercises to perform and those to avoid to get the most effective results for your particular shape. <br /><br />I am an hourglass and as such the author recommends any exercise with low weight/high reps to slim down without adding bulk. Jackowski very specifically says to avoid rowing with high resistance to avoid building up bulky muscles. <br /><br />Should I be going for long rows with low resistance? If so, what number is considered low (I've only been rowing for 1 month).<br /><br />I would love some feedback on this!<br /><br />Thanks! Tara Moon<br /><br />

[[old] Citroen]

<!--quoteo(post=56738:date=Feb 22 2006, 01:47 PM:name=Tara Moon)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Tara Moon @ Feb 22 2006, 01:47 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>I recently read a book called "Escape your Shape" by Edward Jackowski. The book helps the reader to identify their unique body shape and gives the proper exercises to perform and those to avoid to get the most effective results for your particular shape. <br /><br />I am an hourglass and as such the author recommends any exercise with low weight/high reps to slim down without adding bulk. Jackowski very specifically says to avoid rowing with high resistance to avoid building up bulky muscles. <br /><br />Should I be going for long rows with low resistance? If so, what number is considered low (I've only been rowing for 1 month).<br /><br />I would love some feedback on this!<br /><br />Thanks! Tara Moon<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />You should row everything with the drag factor somewhere between 115 and 135 (depending on weight, height and personal preference). Leave the damper 10, drag factor 220 for the meatheads.<br /><br />Rowing tends to work every muscle group except the pectorals. Since it's 65-70% legs expect to see some difference in quads, glutes and hamstrings.<br /><br />Unless you're taking anabolic steriods you won't bulk up, you need excess testosterone to build big bulky muscles.

[[old] hjs]

<!--quoteo(post=56738:date=Feb 22 2006, 02:47 PM:name=Tara Moon)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Tara Moon @ Feb 22 2006, 02:47 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>I recently read a book called "Escape your Shape" by Edward Jackowski. The book helps the reader to identify their unique body shape and gives the proper exercises to perform and those to avoid to get the most effective results for your particular shape. <br /><br />I am an hourglass and as such the author recommends any exercise with low weight/high reps to slim down without adding bulk. Jackowski very specifically says to avoid rowing with high resistance to avoid building up bulky muscles. <br /><br />Should I be going for long rows with low resistance? If so, what number is considered low (I've only been rowing for 1 month).<br /><br />I would love some feedback on this!<br /><br />Thanks! Tara Moon<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />Don,t be afraid. You will certainly not bulk up. No aerobic exercise will bulk you. And why are you afraid? well trained women look good and the only way they can really bulk up is bye using steriods etc. <br />

[[old] mpukita]

<!--quoteo(post=56762:date=Feb 22 2006, 11:49 AM:name=Citroen)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Citroen @ Feb 22 2006, 11:49 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--quoteo(post=56738:date=Feb 22 2006, 01:47 PM:name=Tara Moon)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Tara Moon @ Feb 22 2006, 01:47 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>I recently read a book called "Escape your Shape" by Edward Jackowski. The book helps the reader to identify their unique body shape and gives the proper exercises to perform and those to avoid to get the most effective results for your particular shape. <br /><br />I am an hourglass and as such the author recommends any exercise with low weight/high reps to slim down without adding bulk. Jackowski very specifically says to avoid rowing with high resistance to avoid building up bulky muscles. <br /><br />Should I be going for long rows with low resistance? If so, what number is considered low (I've only been rowing for 1 month).<br /><br />I would love some feedback on this!<br /><br />Thanks! Tara Moon<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />You should row everything with the drag factor somewhere between 115 and 135 (depending on weight, height and personal preference). Leave the damper 10, drag factor 220 for the meatheads.<br /><br />Rowing tends to work every muscle group except the pectorals. Since it's 65-70% legs expect to see some difference in quads, glutes and hamstrings.<br /><br />Unless you're taking anabolic steriods you won't bulk up, you need excess testosterone to build big bulky muscles.<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Agreed Dougie ...<br /><br />I almost feel like the <b>exercise = bulk building </b> fear that many women have is somehow an urban legend started by those that only want women to do purely aerobic exercise ... or by those that don't want women to try certain sports (or exercise at all). <br /><br />I also know quite a few women who say, "I don't exercise because I don't want to look muscular." Meanwhile, they carry an unhealthy amount of extra weight and try to lose it by dieting alone ... hard to do, and not good for you (or viable) long term.<br /><br />Women, especially as they age, need weight bearing exercises to help protect bone mass ... and avoid deterioration and osteo. I wonder if erging provides enough of this, or if a weight program is required?<br />

[[old] akit110]

If you want to see if rowing builds bulky muscles, try using Google Image to view pictures of Olympic or national-class female rowers. If you don't consider them too bulky after years of heavy training and supplemental weight-training behind them then you aren't likely to get bulky from regular use of your own rower. <br /><br />Usually bulking up means you are putting on muscle AND fat. Underweight football players and sknny teenagers usually bulk up by doing heavy resistance training, little or no cardio and eating enormous quantities of high calorie food.<br /><br />

[[old] mpukita]

<!--quoteo(post=56773:date=Feb 22 2006, 12:29 PM:name=akit110)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(akit110 @ Feb 22 2006, 12:29 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>If you want to see if rowing builds bulky muscles, try using Google Image to view pictures of Olympic or national-class female rowers. If you don't consider them too bulky after years of heavy training and supplemental weight-training behind them then you aren't likely to get bulky from regular use of your own rower. <br /><br />Usually bulking up means you are putting on muscle AND fat. Underweight football players and sknny teenagers usually bulk up by doing heavy resistance training, little or no cardio and eating enormous quantities of high calorie food.<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Not to mention the percentage that use drugs to enhance the process (cheat).<br />

[[old] Citroen]

<!--quoteo(post=56773:date=Feb 22 2006, 05:29 PM:name=akit110)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(akit110 @ Feb 22 2006, 05:29 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>If you want to see if rowing builds bulky muscles, try using Google Image to view pictures of Olympic or national-class female rowers. If you don't consider them too bulky after years of heavy training and supplemental weight-training behind them then you aren't likely to get bulky from regular use of your own rower. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />If you want to see a female rower who looks wonderful, you wouldn't need to go further than our own Krysta Coleman. Take a look in the Taff Thread : <a href="http://concept2.ipbhost.com/index.php?a ... &pid=55860" target="_blank">http://concept2.ipbhost.com/index.php?a ... 860</a><br />And in Krysta's weblog <a href="http://concept2.co.uk/forum/weblog.php?w=172" target="_blank">http://concept2.co.uk/forum/weblog.php?w=172</a>

[[old] MomofJBN]

<!--quoteo(post=56766:date=Feb 22 2006, 09:59 AM:name=mpukita)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(mpukita @ Feb 22 2006, 09:59 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Women, especially as they age, need weight bearing exercises to help protect bone mass ... and avoid deterioration and osteo. I wonder if erging provides enough of this, or if a weight program is required?<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />This is what I've been wondering, too: does erging count as weight bearing exercise for the purpose of bone density? Does anyone know?<br /><br />Schenley<br />

[[old] Tara Moon]

Thank SO much Citroen, hjs, mpukita, akit110 for the wonderful input! Indeed, I'll just go ahead and continue to row as I have been and not worry about the "bulk-factor." <br /><br />BTW Citroen, If the drag factor is somewhere between 115 and 135 where is the damper? (I'm a rookie, remember). Also, thank you SO much for the link to Krysta Coleman. What an inspiration! I hadn't seen personal diaries before and found it fascinating.<br /><br />I look forward to getting to know everyone in the coming months as I continue to row! <br /><br />Warmest, Tara <br />

[[old] John Rupp]

<!--quoteo(post=56738:date=Feb 22 2006, 05:47 AM:name=Tara Moon)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Tara Moon @ Feb 22 2006, 05:47 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>I am an hourglass and as such the author recommends any exercise with low weight/high reps to slim down without adding bulk. Jackowski very specifically says to avoid rowing with high resistance to avoid building up bulky muscles. <br /><br />Should I be going for long rows with low resistance? If so, what number is considered low (I've only been rowing for 1 month). </td></tr></table><br /><br />I agree with his recommendations. Yes longer rows with low resistance are better in that regard. I use the lowest setting, which is a drag factor of 80 to 95 or so. To meet his recommendations I would use the lowest damper setting and keep up the rating. Low ratings and/or high damper settings create more resistance. To meet the objectives you have stated, it is better to keep the rating up and the damper setting low.<br /><br />Rowers are more bulky than other athletes. For example, women distance runners might average around 5' 4" and 105 pounds. Rowers are much heavier and more bulky than this. Not that this is bad but just different and it depends on your goals and objectives. If I was running seriously then I wouldn't row much at all as it makes the muscles too heavy. It's okay for general conditioning though.<br /><br /><br /><!--quoteo(post=56828:date=Feb 22 2006, 05:52 PM:name=MomofJBN)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(MomofJBN @ Feb 22 2006, 05:52 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--quoteo(post=56766:date=Feb 22 2006, 09:59 AM:name=mpukita)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(mpukita @ Feb 22 2006, 09:59 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Women, especially as they age, need weight bearing exercises to help protect bone mass ... and avoid deterioration and osteo. I wonder if erging provides enough of this, or if a weight program is required?<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />This is what I've been wondering, too: does erging count as weight bearing exercise for the purpose of bone density? Does anyone know?<br /><br />Schenley<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Yes rowing is good for increasing bone density.<br /><br />The key is resistance exercises, not just weight bearing.

[[old] MomofJBN]

Thanks, John. That's what I was thinking/hoping.<br /><br />Schenley

[[old] Citroen]

<!--quoteo(post=56829:date=Feb 23 2006, 01:56 AM:name=Tara Moon)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Tara Moon @ Feb 23 2006, 01:56 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>BTW Citroen, If the drag factor is somewhere between 115 and 135 where is the damper? (I'm a rookie, remember). Also, thank you SO much for the link to Krysta Coleman. What an inspiration! I hadn't seen personal diaries before and found it fascinating. </td></tr></table><br /><br />It depends on the machine (and a few other factors). Get the PM3 (or PM2) to display drag factor and use that.<br /><br />On the PM2 (remove your HR chest strap) and press [OK] and [REST] together.<br />On PM3 choose More Options then Display Drag Factor from the menu.<br /><br />I'll quote what Phil Morris wrote about drag factor:<br /><br /><!--quoteo--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Drag factor is a numerical value for the rate at which the flywheel is decelerating. This number changes with the volume of air that passes through the flywheel housing. Since higher damper settings allow more air into the flywheel housing, the flywheel decelerates more quickly, resulting in a higher drag factor value. The electronic Performance Monitor measures the drag factor on the recovery phase of each stroke and uses it to calculate your score. This method of "self-calibration" compensates for local conditions and damper settings, making scores on different Indoor Rowers comparable. Indoor racing and the Online Community are made possible by this method of self-calibration. <br />There are a number of conditions that can affect the drag factor:<ul><li> Air temperature- Cold air is dense, so, an Indoor Rower with a drag factor of 120 at damper setting 3 at room temperature will have a higher drag factor at 50 degrees F. </li><li> Elevation/Barometric Pressure- Air at higher elevations is less dense, so, an Indoor Rower that is moved from Boston to Denver will have a lower drag factor range in Denver. </li><li> Wind- Air that already has some movement to it will give a lower drag factor, such as rowing outdoors on a windy day or rowing in close proximity to another Indoor Rower.</li><li> Lint- If your Indoor Rower is in a high-use or dusty location, lint and dust can get pulled in through the screen on the damper side of the flywheel cover. Much of this material passes back out the finer mesh screen that surrounds the flywheel, but some of it gets caught inside, building up over time and restricting airflow. This has the same effect on the drag factor as closing the damper down and can easily be remedied by removing the flywheel cover and vacuuming out the lint buildup.</li></ul> <br />Luckily, the monitor compensates for all of these variables by using the appropriate drag factor in calculating your score, but you may need to change the damper setting to make different Indoor Rowers feel "right" to you. <br /><b>It is important to note that, unlike weight lifting, the goal is not to use a higher drag factor as a means of achieving fitness on the Indoor Rower. It is much better to work with lower drag factor settings (110-140) while improving your speed, form and muscle coordination. Many of the world's top heavyweight competitors use settings in this range.</b><br /> <br />Much like selecting a gear on a bicycle, drag factor is a personal choice. You should experiment with different damper settings (and resulting drag factors) in order to find the setting that works best for you. <br /> </td></tr></table>

[[old] akit110]

<!--quoteo(post=56848:date=Feb 23 2006, 12:16 AM:name=John Rupp)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(John Rupp @ Feb 23 2006, 12:16 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><br /><br />Rowers are more bulky than other athletes. For example, women distance runners might average around 5' 4" and 105 pounds. Rowers are much heavier and more bulky than this. Not that this is bad but just different and it depends on your goals and objectives. If I was running seriously then I wouldn't row much at all as it makes the muscles too heavy. It's okay for general conditioning though.<br /><br /><br /><br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />I agree rowers are more muscular than distance runners but I am not sure if they are more bulky than all other athletes (unless you mean "endurance athletes"). Comparing any type of other female athlete to a female long distance runner is a bit specious since they are likely to be the smallest and lightest athlete of almost any sport with the possible exception of 15-year-old gymnasts.<br /><br />The physique of elite female rowers who are typically a product of nature (good genetics for rowing) and nurture (years of heavy training including weight-training) may or may not have much bearing on the physical changes that an average woman might experience from a much more limited training regimen on an ergometer. But it does provide sort of an outer limit of how muscular one is likely to get from a heavy regimen of primarily rowing alone. <br /><br />

[[old] hjs]

<!--quoteo(post=56890:date=Feb 23 2006, 04:54 PM:name=akit110)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(akit110 @ Feb 23 2006, 04:54 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--quoteo(post=56848:date=Feb 23 2006, 12:16 AM:name=John Rupp)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(John Rupp @ Feb 23 2006, 12:16 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><br /><br />Rowers are more bulky than other athletes. For example, women distance runners might average around 5' 4" and 105 pounds. Rowers are much heavier and more bulky than this. Not that this is bad but just different and it depends on your goals and objectives. If I was running seriously then I wouldn't row much at all as it makes the muscles too heavy. It's okay for general conditioning though.<br /><br /><br /><br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />I agree rowers are more muscular than distance runners but I am not sure if they are more bulky than all other athletes (unless you mean "endurance athletes"). Comparing any type of other female athlete to a female long distance runner is a bit specious since they are likely to be the smallest and lightest athlete of almost any sport with the possible exception of 15-year-old gymnasts.<br /><br />The physique of elite female rowers who are typically a product of nature (good genetics for rowing) and nurture (years of heavy training including weight-training) may or may not have much bearing on the physical changes that an average woman might experience from a much more limited training regimen on an ergometer. But it does provide sort of an outer limit of how muscular one is likely to get from a heavy regimen of primarily rowing alone.<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />runners or cyclers don,t need there upperbody so they don,t have much mussle there. <br />Cross country skieers, swimmers or rowers do use there upperbody so yes they are a bit haevier. But we all john you can,t be light and weak enough is his eyes. <br />He seems to like the anorectia look. he it a free world, if he likes it than he does.

[[old] akit110]

<!--quoteo(post=56893:date=Feb 23 2006, 11:35 AM:name=hjs)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(hjs @ Feb 23 2006, 11:35 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>But we all john you can,t be light and weak enough is his eyes. <br />He seems to like the anorectia look. he it a free world, if he likes it than he does. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Surprising as I thought he was a fairly good weightlifter in his younger days based on his previous posts.