Rowing & treadmill

frag420

HI folks,

So I have recently started using the rower in my gym. I go 4-5 times a week and I do 2km on the rower(resistance 8-9) then I do 20 minis on treadmill @ 10-12 km and then another 2km on the rower. I usually do the 2km in just under 10 mins.

I am addressing my diet and while I am struggling getting more green veg into my diet most of my intake is homemade and low fat. My goal is to tone up, lose weight and generally be fitter/healthier.
I intend to up my game by increasing both distance over time but am I doing enough currently to start losing weight?? I have noticed my arms taking a bit of shape from using the rower. I am addressing my diet and while I am struggling getting more green veg into my diet most of my intake is homemade and low fat.

Cheers

A

knird evol

You need to up your game by 7%.

frag420

Care to elaborate on your nonsence maths??

MacBoogerBalls

2k on a rower is a warm up.

check out the Training Guide.http://concept2.co.uk/training/guide

dahat

Do Intervals on the Rower once or twice weekly.I find this a really good workout

Will Heffernan

frag420 wrote: »

HI folks,

So I have recently started using the rower in my gym. I go 4-5 times a week and I do 2km on the rower(resistance 8-9) then I do 20 minis on treadmill @ 10-12 km and then another 2km on the rower. I usually do the 2km in just under 10 mins.

I am addressing my diet and while I am struggling getting more green veg into my diet most of my intake is homemade and low fat. My goal is to tone up, lose weight and generally be fitter/healthier.
I intend to up my game by increasing both distance over time but am I doing enough currently to start losing weight?? I have noticed my arms taking a bit of shape from using the rower. I am addressing my diet and while I am struggling getting more green veg into my diet most of my intake is homemade and low fat.

Cheers

A

Are you enjoying yourself?

Do you like the rower and the treadmill?

If you 'think' you are losing weight (it would be better if you'd say fat rather than weight...fat is what you want to lose to account for your weight loss) then you almost certainly are.

If you have been eating well and you haven't been gaining or losing weight and then you start doing 40+ mins of exercise 4-5 times a week as you have...then you are going to be losing fat.

If you are enjoying training and enjoying the type of training you are doing in particular then keep it up.

frag420

TBH I am enjoying the rower. I can see my arms toning a little and can feel it a little in the shoulders and tummy area(i would say abdominals but I have never seen them, thats the goal ha ha). I need to work on my technique and posture when rowing. I hope to increase my distance by 500m every week until I can comfortably do 5km, sub 20 mins.

The other day there was a guy on the rower beside me and he was on it over 30 mins. however his resistance was about 3/10. So is it better to do longer sessions with small resistance or shorter times with higher resistance 8/10??

Thanks again for your input guys,

frAg

Frogeye

frag420 wrote: »

The other day there was a guy on the rower beside me and he was on it over 30 mins. however his resistance was about 3/10. So is it better to do longer sessions with small resistance or shorter times with higher resistance 8/10??

frAg

Its not about the resistance, its about the splits. If you increase the resistance, you stroke rate falls, if you lower it the stroke rate increases, the way to measure id to watch your average splits for 500m and the overall time for the distance. I always row at resistance 10 but I know other guys who murder me on the machine row at lower resistances. Its all about the splits ( in my opinion)

cmyk

MacBoogerBalls wrote: »

2k on a rower is a warm up.

For who? A 5km run can be a warm up for some, or a 6 month achievement for others.

MacBoogerBalls

cmyk wrote: »

For who? A 5km run can be a warm up for some, or a 6 month achievement for others.

The OP?
What would you consider the warm-up distance/time for someone with low or moderate fitness level when using an Indoor Rower?

frag420

Frogeye wrote: »

Its not about the resistance, its about the splits. If you increase the resistance, you stroke rate falls, if you lower it the stroke rate increases, the way to measure id to watch your average splits for 500m and the overall time for the distance. I always row at resistance 10 but I know other guys who murder me on the machine row at lower resistances. Its all about the splits ( in my opinion)

Can you elaborate on this? What do you means by splits? I prefer to have a higher resistance as I find it good for my arms and shoulders.

Rower2

frag420 wrote: »

TBH I am enjoying the rower. I can see my arms toning a little and can feel it a little in the shoulders and tummy area(i would say abdominals but I have never seen them, thats the goal ha ha). I need to work on my technique and posture when rowing. I hope to increase my distance by 500m every week until I can comfortably do 5km, sub 20 mins.

The other day there was a guy on the rower beside me and he was on it over 30 mins. however his resistance was about 3/10. So is it better to do longer sessions with small resistance or shorter times with higher resistance 8/10??

Thanks again for your input guys,

frAg

....... rowing is a leg dominant exercise. with correct use of the erg you should be feeling it predominately in your glutes, quads and hamstrings from the push and lesser soreness with the use of the delts, lats and biceps in the pulling motion.

if you're feeling soreness in your biceps this indicates over pulling of the handles which impacts on posture and increases pressure on the back that can lead to injury . theres a lot of youtube videos about how to use the erg.


a sub 20minute is a high goal. for beginners sub 8 minutes is great for women and sub 7minutes 30 for men for a 2km piece

a warm up would generally be a 10 minute piece at 60% pressure

can i ask what your difficulty is in staying on the erg for longer???? soreness/fitness?

Rower2

frag420 wrote: »

Can you elaborate on this? What do you means by splits? I prefer to have a higher resistance as I find it good for my arms and shoulders.

oh no... you really are pulling on the handle :eek:

the motion on the erg is for the legs to push and for the upper body to act as a connective levering tool to bring the handle back.

splits are when you change the units on the rower (concept 2) to the time per 500m. it'll show your average p/500m

gom

frag420 wrote: »

HI folks,

So I have recently started using the rower in my gym. I go 4-5 times a week and I do 2km on the rower(resistance 8-9) then I do 20 minis on treadmill @ 10-12 km and then another 2km on the rower. I usually do the 2km in just under 10 mins.

I am addressing my diet and while I am struggling getting more green veg into my diet most of my intake is homemade and low fat. My goal is to tone up, lose weight and generally be fitter/healthier.
I intend to up my game by increasing both distance over time but am I doing enough currently to start losing weight?? I have noticed my arms taking a bit of shape from using the rower. I am addressing my diet and while I am struggling getting more green veg into my diet most of my intake is homemade and low fat.

Cheers

A

If you want to perfect your weight loss and fitness programme I'd advise you change it slightly.

The last few years since I've started rowing I've seen over weight guys with no experience follow this plan and become lean rowers in less than 2 months.

Ideally you would follow a strength training programme and a strong nutrition plan but I'll just focus on cardio as that's all you've given me to work with.

Train 5/6 days a week. 7 if you've no weight training.

Week 1:
Warm Up: Threadmill sprint for 8mins_12mins with a slight incline

Rower: (set Drag Factor to 120... The reading on the side is pointless)
Do a steady row with a stroke rate as low as 20-22 spm.
Do 15mins. Take a break for 5
Do another 15mins

Week 2:
Same workout but add 5mins to each row (e.g. 2x20mins)

Week3 & 4
3x15mins

Week 5
1x40mins

Week6
1x45mins

Keep it there for a bit if you haven't made the other adjustments work for you (nutrition & weight training)

A quick note about using a rowing machine:
1. Get absolutely professional instruction on a rower. Most gym instructors have no idea what the proper rowing technic is.
2. Proper rowing technic is 40% legs, 40% core and <20% arms.
3. A good rowing technique engages your abs and legs far more than your arms. If you are feeling a strong burn in your arms you're doing is wrong.
4. Join a rowing club. They are cheaper than gyms. Have gyms. Excellent trainers/coaches. Are great craic and rowing on the water is a lot more fun than a rowing machine

gom

After following the above endurance programme start substituting one of your long rows with 2sets x2Km rows. Always warmup and stretch prior.

The goal with a 2Km on a rowing machine is speed. Do it as fast as humanly possible. Your body should be worked to failure so that once you cross the finish of the 2Km you pass out and fall off the machine.

That's a real 2K

Ideally after getting proper instruction on good technique and following the 6 week endurance programme above you should be pulling a 2K in under 8 mins targetting getting it below 7mins as competitive

gom

A quick note on Resistance settings on rowing machines

The slider on the side is useless. 1-10 means the strength of the spring but it means different things on every rowing machine and especially different locations, times of the day, altitudes and temperatures...

Odd I know but let me basically say that the concept2 rower is an air-rower therefore air density/pressure effects its operation.

The only way to set a consistent setting on a concept2 is to go into the options menu on the monitor. Select Drag Factor. Take a few test rows to see what the reading is(120 for guys, 110 for women). Move the slider up or down appropriately to suit.

Why??

I've used my local gym and the rower can have the slider all the way up to 10 but only a drag factor of 100... The rower needs to be recalibrated and the springs tightened.

While in my rowing club you'd usually get the ideal drag factor of 120 at about 6/6.5.

The setting of 120 is reflective of the strength and weight of my crew I row with. It's basically an accurate as you can get way if measuring the effect of other rowers, your own weight and the weight of the boat on your row....

The slider means toss all on its own

Rower2

gom wrote: »

A quick note about using a rowing machine:

2. Proper rowing technic is 40% legs, 40% core and <20% arms.

rowing involves about 60 percent legs, 20 percent arms and upper body, and 20 percent core muscles.

gom

Rower2 wrote: »

rowing involves about 60 percent legs, 20 percent arms and upper body, and 20 percent core muscles.

Speaking as a novice heavyweight with strong legs and a getting there core

Rower2

gom wrote: »

Speaking as a novice heavyweight with strong legs and a getting there core

Not sure what you mean? The 60/20/20 is from rowing literature

A good exercise on the erg for posture would be to take your feet out and rest them on top, helps you to.keep upright/ fall off the erg

dahat

Re Drag Factor

My normal intervals are done at Resistance 10 which i checked this morning for drag and it was 200.I checked it at level 8 and it was 170 so i did my Intervals at this but should i do it at the Drag of 120 as a rule?
Just looking to get the best out of my exertions

Rower2

dahat wrote: »

Re Drag Factor

My normal intervals are done at Resistance 10 which i checked this morning for drag and it was 200.I checked it at level 8 and it was 170 so i did my Intervals at this but should i do it at the Drag of 120 as a rule?
Just looking to get the best out of my exertions[/quote/]


What's your main goal? Fitness/ toning/ erg times???

dahat

Rower2 wrote: »

dahat wrote: »

Re Drag Factor

My normal intervals are done at Resistance 10 which i checked this morning for drag and it was 200.I checked it at level 8 and it was 170 so i did my Intervals at this but should i do it at the Drag of 120 as a rule?
Just looking to get the best out of my exertions[/quote/]


What's your main goal? Fitness/ toning/ erg times???

Fitness and toning,times are not my aim just to be consistent though doing well time wise is a good feeling on review of the workout

Rower2

How are your times now?

To improve times my club training would involve a high repetition weights training, long runs, long rows 2 x 30mins and interval rowing sessions per week

dahat

I can 2k in under 8 comfortably.
Interval times work out at 1.40-150 for 500m with i think 276-297 covered across the 1min interval

I guess a 30 min row appeals but at what level though,drag of 120 for that?

gom

dahat wrote: »

I can 2k in under 8 comfortably.
Interval times work out at 1.40-150 for 500m with i think 276-297 covered across the 1min interval

I guess a 30 min row appeals but at what level though,drag of 120 for that?

That or higher. Basically by using the drag factor setting instead of the slider to calculate resistence you'll always have a consistent level of resistence on your rowing session

Rower2

dahat wrote: »

I can 2k in under 8 comfortably.
Interval times work out at 1.40-150 for 500m with i think 276-297 covered across the 1min interval

I guess a 30 min row appeals but at what level though,drag of 120 for that?

At 60% of your ability. Handy using a hrm for it if u have one

dahat

gom wrote: »

That or higher. Basically by using the drag factor setting instead of the slider to calculate resistence you'll always have a consistent level of resistence on your rowing session

30mins at level 10,drag 200, would kill me i reckon so i guess 130-140 i could do whilst getting a good workout from it,be well fooked actually i'd say.
Tomorrow is cardio + core day so i might try the 30min session

dahat

Rower2 wrote: »

At 60% of your ability. Handy using a hrm for it if u have one

Don't have one,had considered getting one when i was running,can't see the benefit of handing out 200 euro ish for one now.

MacBoogerBalls

dahat wrote: »

Don't have one,had considered getting one when i was running,can't see the benefit of handing out 200 euro ish for one now.

There's one on amazon for £12.99
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pulse-Sonic-K920D-Heart-Monitor/dp/B005560PU4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368029817&sr=8-1&keywords=hrm

Duck's hoop

FitnessDigital.ie 50 sheets for a v accurate and reliable polar.

dahat

gom wrote: »

That or higher. Basically by using the drag factor setting instead of the slider to calculate resistence you'll always have a consistent level of resistence on your rowing session

Ok,set the drag at 138 and did 30 mins,covered just over 7500m with a Stroke rate of 32-35,delighted i could do the 30 mins

Duck's hoop

dahat wrote: »

Ok,set the drag at 138 and did 30 mins,covered just over 7500m with a Stroke rate of 32-35,delighted i could do the 30 mins

Nice work. But if you want to build an endurance base, and so go faster, reduce your rate to 20. Or less.

It takes a bit of getting used to, but you want to be working at a reduced rate for longer, to get fitter and so to go faster.
Search Utilisation Training 1, 2.

Slow is the new fast.

Rower2

Rate 32-35!!!! You must have been like a yoyo on that yolk!

30nin blocks are endurance blocks focusing on strength so you're looking at
18, 20,22 in three sets of ten for the session, 5 min break and repeat

Rower2

Rower2 wrote: »

Rate 32-35!!!! You must have been like a yoyo on that yolk!

30nin blocks are endurance blocks focusing on strength so you're looking at
18, 20,22 in three sets of ten for the session, 5 min break and repeat

You must have good fitness doing that 32-35 rate for an hour????

I'm a bit skeptical to be honest

dahat

Rower2 wrote: »

You must have good fitness doing that 32-35 rate for an hour????

I'm a bit skeptical to be honest

Not an hour,30mins,i ain't that fit!!!

frag420

Meant to come back to this last week but forgot.

So as of last night I upped my rowing to 5k. Finished in 24 mins or thereabouts.

Before that I did 20 mins interval on treadmill, 1 min @ 6.5 km and then I run at 13km-15km for as long as I can and then revert to 6.5km for another min.

IM hoping to do this a min 4 times a week. Any suggestions here or is this a good start to lose the gut and general weight?
Oh and I should mention that I bought cast iron dumbells and an exercise ball for home. I follow a dumbell workout I got online and use the ball for sit ups as I have a bad lower back. I intend to alternate between gym as outlined above and home excercise with dumbells.

cheers

A

dahat

Duck's hoop wrote: »

FitnessDigital.ie 50 sheets for a v accurate and reliable polar.

Which exact model?