Rowing machines, and also sculling - questions
Discussion
At 18.5 stone and 38% body fat, I've got rather a lot of the latter to burn, so I'm working on getting to the gym 4 times a week. The central plank of my routine at the moment is 5,000m on a rowing machine.
When I first started out a month or so ago, this was taking me about 26 minutes. As of this morning, I'd got it down to 22:06.7.
So, first question - what's a sensible aspirational time for a fat, unfit knacker of a 40yr old to aim at? I reckon I should get past the British record of 21:42.0 (for the 80-89 age group!
) in the next couple of weeks, but I'm not about to get anywhere close to the record for my age group of a whisker under 16 minutes!
Moving on, whilst I'm enjoying the challenge of getting my time down, the gym isn't the most scintillating of places to be plodding away. I would, however, love to have a go at outdoor sculling with a proper boat. Does anyone know how one goes about doing this? Are there places that rent boats out? Possibly more pertinently, are there places which rent out boats that won't sink under 18.5 stone of me?
When I first started out a month or so ago, this was taking me about 26 minutes. As of this morning, I'd got it down to 22:06.7.
So, first question - what's a sensible aspirational time for a fat, unfit knacker of a 40yr old to aim at? I reckon I should get past the British record of 21:42.0 (for the 80-89 age group!
) in the next couple of weeks, but I'm not about to get anywhere close to the record for my age group of a whisker under 16 minutes!Moving on, whilst I'm enjoying the challenge of getting my time down, the gym isn't the most scintillating of places to be plodding away. I would, however, love to have a go at outdoor sculling with a proper boat. Does anyone know how one goes about doing this? Are there places that rent boats out? Possibly more pertinently, are there places which rent out boats that won't sink under 18.5 stone of me?
ewenm said:
Local rowing club would be my first port of call. I'd imagine that the balance would be the first tricky bit...
I've had a look at a couple of websites (Kingston & Guildford), but they looked fairly focused on the regular team approach which, with 3 kids under 10, is going to be tricky! Do they tend to cater to the more casual participant, do you know?We have a novice who is 116kgs (he does have issue getting the oar down and away over his legs, plu she has specially made wellies)!!
Keep on with the Erg, thats not a bad time for someone new. Make sure you have the correct technique.
Compressed at front stops with shins verticle, with a strong back (not slouched or slumped)
Drive with the legs
Rock over with the back
Finish with the arms
Then reverse order. Keep actions separate, keep it low stroke rates 22spm, this helps with technique, you'll knock minutes off with a decent movement.
If you want to join a rowing club then go have a look and ask about. With your size and apparent enthusiasum you would be a welcome addition.
Plus for wieghtloss and fitness I can't think of a sport to compare.
Keep on with the Erg, thats not a bad time for someone new. Make sure you have the correct technique.
Compressed at front stops with shins verticle, with a strong back (not slouched or slumped)
Drive with the legs
Rock over with the back
Finish with the arms
Then reverse order. Keep actions separate, keep it low stroke rates 22spm, this helps with technique, you'll knock minutes off with a decent movement.
If you want to join a rowing club then go have a look and ask about. With your size and apparent enthusiasum you would be a welcome addition.
Plus for wieghtloss and fitness I can't think of a sport to compare.
As ewenm said, find your local rowing club (where abouts are you?) and they will usually have starter programmes once a week or something.
I will warn you if you are starting out, sculling is quite difficult at first (and v. different to being on machines- technique matters). You will be put into a slightly wider boat with stabilisers at first and be taught the basics until you feel ready to go into a slim single like you see at races on TV.
I will warn you if you are starting out, sculling is quite difficult at first (and v. different to being on machines- technique matters). You will be put into a slightly wider boat with stabilisers at first and be taught the basics until you feel ready to go into a slim single like you see at races on TV.
Thanks for the input. 
. I'm not sure about the notion of being actively welcomed by a rowing club on the basis of my weight. I may need to alter the ratio of useful weight to ballast a little further first, but then that is my key objective in all of this!
I am in Epsom, so there's no rowing club here (unsurprisingly) but plenty within easy reach. I was quite surprised looking on some of their websites just how long they all seem to have been in existence. They make the average golf club look all new-fangled in comparison!
As for the technique tips, that's really helpful, thanks. I'd just been concentrating on keeping consistent 500m split times for the moment (around 2:15 for most of it, trying to stay under 2:10 for the last 1,000, and under 2:00 for the last 200), but find that's giving me a stroke rate of between 27 and 31. If I limit myself to 22, will it be a case of going slower for a while to ultimately go faster?
. I'm not sure about the notion of being actively welcomed by a rowing club on the basis of my weight. I may need to alter the ratio of useful weight to ballast a little further first, but then that is my key objective in all of this!I am in Epsom, so there's no rowing club here (unsurprisingly) but plenty within easy reach. I was quite surprised looking on some of their websites just how long they all seem to have been in existence. They make the average golf club look all new-fangled in comparison!
As for the technique tips, that's really helpful, thanks. I'd just been concentrating on keeping consistent 500m split times for the moment (around 2:15 for most of it, trying to stay under 2:10 for the last 1,000, and under 2:00 for the last 200), but find that's giving me a stroke rate of between 27 and 31. If I limit myself to 22, will it be a case of going slower for a while to ultimately go faster?
Kermit power said:
I've had a look at a couple of websites (Kingston & Guildford), but they looked fairly focused on the regular team approach which, with 3 kids under 10, is going to be tricky! Do they tend to cater to the more casual participant, do you know?
Why don't you come and have a look at Weybridge?They do courses in Spring for beginners - I started last year after giving up rugby. I was 17st and fitted in the boats fine.
http://www.weyfarers.org.uk/
http://www.weyfarers.org.uk/courses.htm
row at first with approx 22-24 strokes. you will build good technique and also strenghten the rowing muscles. you can rent a concept from the company to try out for a while. I enjoy doing it at the gym as can take mind off the monitor torture!
Had to do 4X2k with 5 min rests last night. Thought I was dying by the 4th interval. All were under 7:20..
Had to do 4X2k with 5 min rests last night. Thought I was dying by the 4th interval. All were under 7:20..
NoelWatson said:
Why don't you come and have a look at Weybridge?
They do courses in Spring for beginners - I started last year after giving up rugby. I was 17st and fitted in the boats fine.
http://www.weyfarers.org.uk/
http://www.weyfarers.org.uk/courses.htm
Ah, that looks the sort of thing I'm after! They do courses in Spring for beginners - I started last year after giving up rugby. I was 17st and fitted in the boats fine.
http://www.weyfarers.org.uk/
http://www.weyfarers.org.uk/courses.htm
April might be a bit tight, but I see there are summer courses as well, so that gives me something to aim for...[quote=Brother D]Keep actions separate, keep it low stroke rates 22spm, this helps with technique, you'll knock minutes off with a decent movement./quote]
Blimey, you weren't joking, were you?
I just tried it now - determined to keep between 22-24spm, and focus on technique - but expecting to put in a slower time than the 22:06.7 I managed yesterday morning.
Not at all what I was expecting!
The first 2,000m or so were fairly effortless at around 2:05 per 500m, feeling like I would be able to keep it up fairly indefinitely.
For the 2k, it got progressively harder, with my speed dropping off to around 2:15 per 500m.
For the last 1,000, I just couldn't keep the stroke rate down that low. Upped the stroke rate to around 26-27, which got me back to around 2:07, and left enough for 1:57 or so over the last couple of hundred metres.
Net result - Expected to go more slowly, and actually went 37 seconds faster - 21:29.9. I am now officially faster than an 80yr old!
Thanks to all for the advice.
Blimey, you weren't joking, were you?
I just tried it now - determined to keep between 22-24spm, and focus on technique - but expecting to put in a slower time than the 22:06.7 I managed yesterday morning.
Not at all what I was expecting!
The first 2,000m or so were fairly effortless at around 2:05 per 500m, feeling like I would be able to keep it up fairly indefinitely.
For the 2k, it got progressively harder, with my speed dropping off to around 2:15 per 500m.
For the last 1,000, I just couldn't keep the stroke rate down that low. Upped the stroke rate to around 26-27, which got me back to around 2:07, and left enough for 1:57 or so over the last couple of hundred metres.
Net result - Expected to go more slowly, and actually went 37 seconds faster - 21:29.9. I am now officially faster than an 80yr old!
Thanks to all for the advice.
That's some good going OP.
I know you are after weight/fat loss, and one of the current favorites is the HIT method.
If you can vary the routine with interval training set on the C2. Try and get the /500 to under 2.00 then over 2.00 in the recovery stage.
Make sure that you have the setting for resitance around 4 mark
1. It closely simulates resitance on the water
2. You won't overload your back.
For 2. Keep any eye on your technique - I can't stress how important that is.
Keep up the good work and keep us posted!
(June 2010 - 21:13, Dec 2010 20:00, Feb 2011 17:59 (I've been doing a lot of rowing))
I know you are after weight/fat loss, and one of the current favorites is the HIT method.
If you can vary the routine with interval training set on the C2. Try and get the /500 to under 2.00 then over 2.00 in the recovery stage.
Make sure that you have the setting for resitance around 4 mark
1. It closely simulates resitance on the water
2. You won't overload your back.
For 2. Keep any eye on your technique - I can't stress how important that is.
Keep up the good work and keep us posted!
(June 2010 - 21:13, Dec 2010 20:00, Feb 2011 17:59 (I've been doing a lot of rowing))
Kermit power said:
Thanks for the input. . I'm not sure about the notion of being actively welcomed by a rowing club on the basis of my weight. I may need to alter the ratio of useful weight to ballast a little further first, but then that is my key objective in all of this!
I am in Epsom, so there's no rowing club here (unsurprisingly) but plenty within easy reach. I was quite surprised looking on some of their websites just how long they all seem to have been in existence. They make the average golf club look all new-fangled in comparison!
As for the technique tips, that's really helpful, thanks. I'd just been concentrating on keeping consistent 500m split times for the moment (around 2:15 for most of it, trying to stay under 2:10 for the last 1,000, and under 2:00 for the last 200), but find that's giving me a stroke rate of between 27 and 31. If I limit myself to 22, will it be a case of going slower for a while to ultimately go faster?
There's quite a big rowing club in Staines, one of our staff wanted me to go. (last time I rowed I ended up engaged to my coach) . I'm not sure about the notion of being actively welcomed by a rowing club on the basis of my weight. I may need to alter the ratio of useful weight to ballast a little further first, but then that is my key objective in all of this!I am in Epsom, so there's no rowing club here (unsurprisingly) but plenty within easy reach. I was quite surprised looking on some of their websites just how long they all seem to have been in existence. They make the average golf club look all new-fangled in comparison!
As for the technique tips, that's really helpful, thanks. I'd just been concentrating on keeping consistent 500m split times for the moment (around 2:15 for most of it, trying to stay under 2:10 for the last 1,000, and under 2:00 for the last 200), but find that's giving me a stroke rate of between 27 and 31. If I limit myself to 22, will it be a case of going slower for a while to ultimately go faster?
Keep up the good work!
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff