Author Topic: Cross Training: Rowing  (Read 226919 times)

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #650 on: 18 September, 2012, 09:53:37 pm »
I'm trying to recruit Feline to the cause.

Well, I am awaiting an induction on the equipment before I am actually allowed to use it  :D

Pfft...! This is all you need to know:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqVmMd7FdAA

Heh thanks  :thumbsup:
They won't let me inside the fitness suite until I have my induction on Friday though  :'(
There was a special offer on joining the gym this week so all the induction slots got booked up. I could annihilate myself at a spinning class or two while I wait though!

simonp

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #651 on: 18 September, 2012, 09:53:52 pm »
I like that video. There’s a lot more detail in that than in any gym induction where they will probably only spend a few minutes with the rowing machine. There’s a lot of good advice on this thread as well, though it might be hard to find.

I was looking at my times from the 2011 season yesterday. Just to scare motivate myself a bit.

Chris S

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #652 on: 18 September, 2012, 10:05:08 pm »
There’s a lot of good advice on this thread as well...

Including a film of me rowing  :facepalm:

...though it might be hard to find.

Phew!

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #653 on: 19 September, 2012, 08:27:43 pm »
So. Blisters.
I've got blisters at the base of my fingers.
Will they just harden up to callouses as I do it more often? Am I just a delicate flower who needs to MTFU?
I'm not gripping, the bar just rests in my hand.

Gus

  • Loosing weight stone by stone
    • We will return
Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #654 on: 19 September, 2012, 08:35:14 pm »
They will harden up.
I used to get blisters if I started rowing 10 km without doing some 5 km or 30 min. in the weeks before.
I have even been using gloves from time to time.
So you are not the only delicate flower.  ;)

simonp

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #655 on: 19 September, 2012, 08:36:49 pm »
So. Blisters.
I've got blisters at the base of my fingers.
Will they just harden up to callouses as I do it more often? Am I just a delicate flower who needs to MTFU?
I'm not gripping, the bar just rests in my hand.

I think I get them every time I return after a break, but much less so now I do as you say and not grip the bar hard. The calluses do eventually form, IME, but I’ve had blisters under the calluses before. One thing I did was put Compeed foot blister patches on, they stick well. I tried zinc tape but I can never get it to stay put.


Marco Stefano

  • Apply some pressure, you lose some pressure...
Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #656 on: 19 September, 2012, 09:01:33 pm »
So. Blisters.
I've got blisters at the base of my fingers.
Will they just harden up to callouses as I do it more often? Am I just a delicate flower who needs to MTFU?
I'm not gripping, the bar just rests in my hand.

They should harden. Are they on your palm at the base of the fingers, or actually on the fingers? I actually have the handle hooked in the first finger joints (i.e. the next one down from the knuckle) and have no problem with blisters (using the older wooden handle & foam grips).

Weirdly though, I have significantly more callouses on my right hand than my left, from ostensibly doing exactly the same thing with each hand when sculling (not using C2 grips). Newer C2 sculling grips give me blisters within 30 minutes, and I find the newer plastic C2 indoor rower handles uncomfortable as well; they are rather different to the old ones.

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #657 on: 19 September, 2012, 09:17:47 pm »
I think they're already hardening. I'm not sure I want hard hands, being as I am a gurl and all.

They're mostly at the base of my fingers, a couple of fingers have them behind the joint. They're worse on the left hand- but I think that's just softer skin as I do so little with it, particularly over the last 6 months while it's been healing. On the plus side- I get no wrist pain from rowing, so much so that I can dispense with the support. This is a Big Deal- I can't ride a bike for longer than about 10 minutes without having some discomfort. It makes rowing quite appealing (and I never thought I'd say that!)

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #658 on: 21 September, 2012, 06:47:26 pm »
I had my gym induction today and had a go on the rowing machine. I was pretty rubbish, but have yet to get any blisters.
What do I need to register with for the challenge thingie?

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #659 on: 21 September, 2012, 06:50:20 pm »
Weirdly though, I have significantly more callouses on my right hand than my left, from ostensibly doing exactly the same thing with each hand when sculling (not using C2 grips).

I used to get the same, I think the left grip is looser because it's slightly behind through the stroke, so it's held more in fingers than hand.

I miss sculling :(

simonp

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #660 on: 21 September, 2012, 06:50:39 pm »
I had my gym induction today and had a go on the rowing machine. I was pretty rubbish, but have yet to get any blisters.
What do I need to register with for the challenge thingie?

http://log.concept2.com/log_start.asp?p=/log.asp

Click on register on the left. Once you’ve done that, and are logged in, click teams, and join the yacf team. You will then also need to click on challenges to register for the challenge, which is the Fall Team Challenge at the moment.

simonp

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #661 on: 21 September, 2012, 06:53:37 pm »
Ah well - never afraid to open myself to ridicule - so here we go, rate my technique.

FWIW - I was maintaining 22spm, and 2:10/500 split. This is the first time I've looked at my technique. I think I get too far forward, which in turn means my heels raise up and I push back off my toes.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/k3WRUyNRj8I&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/k3WRUyNRj8I&rel=1</a>

Looks pretty good to me. May be you can use a bit more your body to achieve a longer stroke.

Hah, found it!

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #662 on: 21 September, 2012, 07:02:59 pm »
I had my gym induction today and had a go on the rowing machine. I was pretty rubbish, but have yet to get any blisters.
What do I need to register with for the challenge thingie?

http://log.concept2.com/log_start.asp?p=/log.asp

Click on register on the left. Once you’ve done that, and are logged in, click teams, and join the yacf team. You will then also need to click on challenges to register for the challenge, which is the Fall Team Challenge at the moment.

I am ranked 13th out of 25 in my category  :o
Now I need to watch the technique video, because I couldn't quite figure out what was going on with my feet while I was rowing (they were tending to rock on the plate thingies).

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #663 on: 21 September, 2012, 07:30:41 pm »
Tonight I did a 'quick' 2500m so I achieved my goal of 15000/week.
I thought I sped up as I went, but tonight was weird, it was as if a switch was flicked after 9 minutes, and I suddenly went considersbly faster for no greater perceived effort. If I CBA I'll try a proper 10 minute warm up before I do my next 5k and see if I can sustain that faster pace.

I couldn't quite figure out what was going on with my feet while I was rowing (they were tending to rock on the plate thingies).
My legs are so short I need all the help I can get for stroke length. My feet rock. When I'm used to it I do 2:14/500m and I don't think that's bad for a short fat gurl, with no upper body strength.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #664 on: 21 September, 2012, 08:35:17 pm »
Did my first rowing intervals tonight on advice from the fitnut bods. I think I am gonna be sore tomorrow ...
Didn't quite understand what the guy said about I should be sub 30 on the rests and around 45 on the work phase. No matter how hard I tried I could only get up to about 33....
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #665 on: 21 September, 2012, 08:42:45 pm »
sorry, but with 'advice' like that, he's an idiot and doesnt understand rowing technique.

IMHO rests should be < 20, and 33 is perfect for the hard bits.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #666 on: 21 September, 2012, 09:30:33 pm »
Could be I misunderstood him (was not at gym at the time) but i couldn't see anything else that number could refer to.
That's good though, I was wondering how it was possible!
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

simonp

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #667 on: 22 September, 2012, 10:02:54 am »
Lifting the heel a little is allowed. I do this, but I lack flexibility.

Marco Stefano

  • Apply some pressure, you lose some pressure...
Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #668 on: 22 September, 2012, 02:52:32 pm »
Tonight I did a 'quick' 2500m so I achieved my goal of 15000/week.
I thought I sped up as I went, but tonight was weird, it was as if a switch was flicked after 9 minutes, and I suddenly went considersbly faster for no greater perceived effort. If I CBA I'll try a proper 10 minute warm up before I do my next 5k and see if I can sustain that faster pace.

I couldn't quite figure out what was going on with my feet while I was rowing (they were tending to rock on the plate thingies).
My legs are so short I need all the help I can get for stroke length. My feet rock. When I'm used to it I do 2:14/500m and I don't think that's bad for a short fat gurl, with no upper body strength.

Proper warm-up makes a massive difference; partly enzyme systems ready and capillaries beds opened, & partly becoming a little more stretched out & hence a slightly longer stroke.

As simonp says, heels can raise or not, depending on your flexibility & how high you set the clog-thingys on the machine. Too high and you can feel as if you never get all the way forwards (because you can't), and too low and you can over-compress & can put more strain on the lower back at the start of the power phase. Needs a bit of experimentation to find your best position.

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #669 on: 22 September, 2012, 08:33:07 pm »
Speaking to simonp after the event I think I messed up massively in terms of technique. The speed thingy on the concept 2 was reading 35-38 so apparently I was going too fast to do something worthwhile! Next time I will try to reduce my rate and do something more epic. I need to work out what the different fields on the display mean, and I think when my new Polar heart rate band arrives that will give me something to control my efforts by.

Chris S

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #670 on: 24 September, 2012, 01:50:46 pm »
Ah - today's session was better - 10k in 45:15 (PB for me is 44:02 - so nothing earth shattering).

I'd been forgetting to concentrate on the transition from the leg-drive in the first part of the stroke, to that last upper-body tug at the end of the stroke, when you're trying to row harder. When it feels like you are accelerating through the whole length of the stroke, it feels like you're doing more - and the split time certainly shows it.

I rowed a kind of saw-tooth in effort; 1000m of 2:18, followed by 500m of 2:12 and finally 500m of 2:05 or less before easing back off to 2:18. Varying the pace like this, and concentrating on maintaining a steady split, certainly makes the session pass by faster.

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #671 on: 24 September, 2012, 07:25:13 pm »
If I CBA I'll try a proper 10 minute warm up before I do my next 5k and see if I can sustain that faster pace.
I think we can safely say that worked.
750m warm up, (I couldn't be arsed with a full 10 minutes) and jumped from 83rd to 42nd in my category.
I sensed a slight risk of barf in the first 500m, I had to slow down Just In Case.

Gus

  • Loosing weight stone by stone
    • We will return
Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #672 on: 24 September, 2012, 07:34:27 pm »
I feel I'm struggling with the Technique too, I don't feel I get anything out of my leg stride.
I row with all most the same amounts of watts if I keep my legs straight  ???
Are the output in watt comparable with other cardio machines or even my bike, if that's the
case I seems to loose around 65-100 watt with every stroke  :(

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #673 on: 25 September, 2012, 03:33:56 pm »
I bettered my time last night by going slower, but I overdid the warm up somewhat with a 50 minute spin & abs class!
Tonight I'm going to an aqua fit class so I will do the rowing first instead. Interestingly my heart rate was much lower doing the rowing than it was spinning. This may well mean I'm doing it wrong!

Chris S

Re: Cross Training: Rowing
« Reply #674 on: 25 September, 2012, 09:18:06 pm »
This may well mean I'm doing it wrong!

Or possibly not. My heart rate on the rowing machine means something completely different to that when I'm cycling.

When I do 2x20 intervals on the bike, I maintain 165bpm for each work segment, or thereabouts. It feels tough, but sustainable for that length of time - just. If I tried that kind of heart rate on the rower, I would die.

When I'm balls-out going for it on the rower, the "about to puke" point is about 140bpm.