Rowing machine

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LZD

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Hi guys,

I am really getting into the idea of using an ergometer/rowing machine for cardio. I want to use it for both aerobic and anaerobic purposes. I wonder if anyone has experience using these machines, and can suggest workouts for each, with appropriate work/rest ratios.

So far I am just getting accustomed to the machine/technique. I have been doing ~30 minutes more or less straight, at a low intensity, concentrating on stroke technique.

I have basically zero fitness levels right now. I am recovering from an ankle injury/2 surgeries. I have been cleared by my surgeon and physio to use the machine. It poses no problems from an injury standpoint.

Thanks in advance!
 
I'm not a rower myself but i rate ergs v highly and one of my best mates was in the Aus u21 8 back in the day and gave me some poitners.

1. Set the screen on your erg to show the force graph. If your technique is correct it should be a symmetrical bell curve. Your power should come from your legs, back then arms as you move through the stroke, so if the graph looks shit, try to adjust.
2. The damper setting 4 is the same resistance as a boat on the water, so there's no need to ever ramp it up to 10 unless you're specifically trying to develop strength, but for an average joes conditioning, 6-7 is fine.

As far as workouts go, I favour these:
- 10km at 18-22 s/m, maintain technique
- 500m intervals, 1 min rest (32-33 s/m)
- 1000m intervals, 1 min rest (~30 s/m)
- 1 min on, 30 secs rest (32+ s/m)
- 2km time trial

my friend always said that "the first minute of any effort is free". do a few 500s you'll understand. Good luck bro.
 
I have a concept 2 back in the states. 500m, 1k and 2k time trials are where it's at.
 
I try to row regularly. I do it differently I guess. I usually row for a single time then note my distance. I try to row at around 30-32 strokes, sometimes I row harder or faster if I have the energy after lifting. It is just easier to keep track of time and distance on the iPhone app I use to track my gym workouts.

I agree if you want to really row it is timed over a set distance but if you just want a cardio workout, 10, 15, 20 minutes. I also like 5 minutes and then do something different then 5 more minutes on the rower, repeat. I have something wrong with my back where repetitive movements cause my hands and feet to go numb. Doctors are clueless they always think I am diabetic but I pass the tests for that. So I can do say 20 minutes on the stair master or elliptical but much longer and I have numbness problems so I tend to do an hour of cardio like this.
15 minutes stairmaster
5 minutes rowing
15 minutes elliptical
5 minutes rowing
15 minutes biking
5 minutes rowing

I'm not saying that is optimal just what I had to do to get in an hour of cardio when my back is really bad. Lately I've been doing spin class and since you get out of the saddle so much I avoid the worst of the numbness.

If I only did two cardio machines they would be bike and rowing. Bike because it is low impact and you can do it indoors and outdoors and rowing because it is total body and you can burn a lot of calories in a short time doing it.
 
What is the goal? To get better at rowing? Something else? Aerobic training is pretty straight forward, but unless there's some kind of goal, it's harder to make recommendations about anaerobic training.
 
Thank-you for all of the suggestions, everyone.

Tosa said:
What is the goal? To get better at rowing? Something else? Aerobic training is pretty straight forward, but unless there's some kind of goal, it's harder to make recommendations about anaerobic training.
Click to expand...
I hate that I have been reduced to this (via the injury), but I have become one of those forum members whose only goal is to have a decent aerobic and anaerobic "base". I guess getting better at rowing is an okay way to go about this.

An aerobic base seems easy to achieve. I have a heart-rate monitor. Doing 30 minutes of work in the aerobic HR zone should be sufficient.

For anaerobic, I guess picking 1 or 2 training modes would get the job done. I am leaning towards doing 1 minute on, 1 minute off for 10-15 rounds? How does this sound?
 
1 on 1 off is ok, we used to do a lot of that training for road cycling. It's probably more interesting than hair rowing at a steady pace for 20-40 minutes.

For me, indoor cardio equipment is best used for quick and dirty workouts because it's boring as hell to jog on treadmills for an hour or pedal the bike for an hour. I pretty much always stick to hard, shorter efforts indoors.

That's why I suggested time trials of 500m, 1000m and 2000m. If you wanted you could even build up to 5km. I like doing stuff like that because then I have a benchmark to see if I'm improving or not.

If I'm doing steady state cardio though, I'll go on a trail run or mountain bike ride.

You ever thought about getting a kettlebell and doing snatches and swings and stuff like that?
 
I have thought about that ironwolf. You mean doing that aerobically? For like an hour? Or for shorter durations?
 
A pretty basic option for anaerobic work would be 30s work, 30s rest, for 8-15 minutes, plus warm-up and cool down. Work would be pretty hard, but not all out - something like an intensity you could maintain for a few minutes, but no longer - with rest periods being light, like an intensity that would have your HR under 100 BPM if you did it as steady state. In this case you progress by increasing the number of intervals, then dropping back the number of intervals and increasing the intensity of the work bouts. Also, a very good workout for improving VO2max.
 
LZD said:
I have thought about that ironwolf. You mean doing that aerobically? For like an hour? Or for shorter durations?
Click to expand...

I don't think you'll be kettle bell snatching for an hour hahah. I was just thinking it might be easier on your ankle than running or cycling.

Kettlebell snatching is a pretty brutal exercise if the weight is heavy enough and you do it fast enough. I've been working on the secret service snatch test and it's easily the most brutal workout I've ever done and it last for just 10 minutes.

You can also build some shoulder and lower back muscle and strengthen your abs up while kettlebelling.
 
I haven't used one since the 90s, but thought the trials were great for aerobic conditioning. Nice change of pace from the other military aerobic work I was doing at the time. I'd definitely enjoy having one in the home gym. It was an easy way to get into and stay in the range that I was looking for. I also loved the trials as mentioned previously.
 
I rowed two years back in school and we did some work on the ergo once in a while. Mostly a couple of 1000m in under 5 min or 2000m in under 10 min (for children <15 years). Right now for my warm-up before lifting, I try to get 500m in under 2 min on setting 5 with the C2.

I think Repeat 500m/1000m or 30 On/Off Intervals for ~10-15 min and straight distances of 2-10km trials are the most common protocols prescribed.
 
Did you look up "The Pete Plan"? On his page there is a 24 week beginner plan which had good reviews on the concept2 forums.
 
Wow, thanks guys. These will be great. Cheers!
 
I like the c2 wods. I usually did the short ones, because it gets too monotonous on me.

I wish my gym had a c2 and an airdyne. Two things I miss from crossfit
 
I use one everytime I go to the gym.
30 mn everytime, I just focus on upping the distance by a bit everytime.
Right now I'm at 6300m. The thing is set 10. It's tiring and I like it.
Also it's great for overall posture, shoulder stability,etc.
 
ironwolf said:
I don't think you'll be kettle bell snatching for an hour hahah. I was just thinking it might be easier on your ankle than running or cycling.

Kettlebell snatching is a pretty brutal exercise if the weight is heavy enough and you do it fast enough. I've been working on the secret service snatch test and it's easily the most brutal workout I've ever done and it last for just 10 minutes.

You can also build some shoulder and lower back muscle and strengthen your abs up while kettlebelling.
Click to expand...

I've done it for an hour. It was not a fun time.
 
300m repeats. Try to keep all 300's under 1 min.

5 rounds, rest 1 min after each 300m

Ton of other good options above. Can also row for cals which changes the dynamic a bit. 50 cal for time, 100 cal for time, etc...
 
LZD said:
Hi guys,

I am really getting into the idea of using an ergometer/rowing machine for cardio. I want to use it for both aerobic and anaerobic purposes. I wonder if anyone has experience using these machines, and can suggest workouts for each, with appropriate work/rest ratios.

So far I am just getting accustomed to the machine/technique. I have been doing ~30 minutes more or less straight, at a low intensity, concentrating on stroke technique.

I have basically zero fitness levels right now. I am recovering from an ankle injury/2 surgeries. I have been cleared by my surgeon and physio to use the machine. It poses no problems from an injury standpoint.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Concept2 is the main company that makes them, their solid quality wise. Their kinda expensive but you can usually find them used. The bummer is that they take up a lot of space

Pretty good workout because it hits the upper and lower body and basically no impact.

Try a jump rope though.,, best piece of workout equipment you'll ever buy and only $10
 
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