New rower - back problems

[riddley313]

I recently purchased a C2 model D. I'm 6'3, about 280 pounds, and have been living a very sedentary lifestyle for years. I decided awhile ago that I needed to get in shape in order look and feel better. I started eating properly - no dieting - about 5 months ago. Fairly low caloric intake, water, the occasional tea, very little refined sugar, not too much fat, etc,.

After getting the rower and setting it up, I only rowed for about 10 minutes to get a feel for the machine. After this session, my lower back was in a lot of pain. The next couple of sessions, I incorporated a 5-minute warm-up, stretching, and tried working on my technique. This seemed to help a bit, and the majority of the pain shifted to my mid-back after trying to utilize my core more during the row.

I've been mostly chalking this up to poor technique. I'm trying to get better, but I'm having issues after about 10-15
minutes of rowing (damper setting 3-4/ 22-25 stroke rate) with my back being in pain. All of the other areas of my body are holding up fine, and I'd say I could go at least 30 minutes currently without getting tired, but the back pain is preventing me from doing long sessions for fat burning.

Are there any exercises I can do to strengthen my core/stabilizer muscles so that less pressure is put on my back? Is this sort of back issue normal when first rowing?

Any advice would be appreciated

[djh]

I really hope this works out for you, as you seem to be doing all the right things. My only advice would be to do a very easy warm-up, and then do a VERY gentle (ridiculously slow) five minute row. And, day by day, very patiently, work up from there. Certainly, nothing good will come of hurting your back by going at it too hard.

[jamesg]

R, well done on getting started! Rowing is a lifelong business and can do a lot of good if we take some time to learn how. I found rowing and exercise in general cure backpain, rather than causing it, when I took it up again after about 30 years doing nothing.

The rowing posture must be correct. Back pain is a symptom, not an illness; it's usually the back locking the muscles to protect the spine. Keep your back straight and head up at all times. Looking at the ceiling when well forward on the erg but with your rear behind you (i.e. keep the slide away from the stretcher), with weight on your feet and hands at the chainguard, puts you into the right posture and also allows a good long stroke.

When warming up, always keep your back straight and head up: in other words, never slouch. Pull strokes first with arms only, then add swing after a minute or so, then a little leg but only after the swing to clear the knees before lifting them. If you find you have to lift the handle over your knees, you are certainly doing it in the wrong sequence and will be in a weak and dangerous posture. Then gradually add legs until you reach vertical shins, hands at the chainguard, thighs at 45° to horizontal. The rating drops gradually from 60 (arms only) to around 20 at full length, and the Watts increase from 50 to 200.

When warm pull long strokes against low drag, but not hard and without over-reach; we need to train lots of things, but not strength which is there anyway if you can climb stairs.

Another essential part of the back cure is torsion. Standing with feet slightly apart, slowly look round behind you, hold the position, both sides, without bouncing. You can do this anywhere any time.
Try kayak, with as ample a shoulder and back movement as possible.
Also, lying supine (back down), lift the knees still with feet on the ground, then roll the legs as far as possible both sides, shoulders on the ground too.

[PaulH]

I'm going to say that your back isn't straight enough. The reason I say that is that hardly anybody's is, mine included! You can and should work on that on and off the rower (as should I!)

[Montanaandy]

I agree that you want to have a nice long warm up before you begin your set piece particularly if you have been having back problems when rowing. Focus on your form/technique and try to get into a comfortable rhythym with your stroke/stroke rate.

I actually have been experiencing back spasms recently - not from rowing per se but from other activities (taking care of horses, lifting feed bags, etc.). I have continued rowing but make certain to have a long warmup (get a light sweat going) and I use a bit shorter stroke to compensate. I am also not rowing nearly as hard as I normally do, particularly in the beginning of the piece because, I can feel the back muscles tightening up if I do. My times are crap but I am not trying to set any records - just want to complete the piece. Montanaandy

[riddley313]

Thanks for all the advice guys

Montanaandy - how long would you suggest for a warm-up? I've been doing between 5-6 minutes, then stretching. Also, is a cool down advised?

I tried to incorporate more of the things touched on here, and it does seem to be helping. I just finished rowing about 15 minutes and got about 3000 meters in, and my back was in a little less pain than the previous day.

I did more extensive stretching, and this seemed to help, as I'm usually very stiff. During the row, whenever I felt my back muscles tighten up, I eased up and did half rows to recuperate. It's only about my 4th session, and as I've been very inactive for years I'm not expecting to row a marathon anytime soon.

Also, my technique isn't the best. I've got the start of the drive and the pull back down pretty well, but I seem to be using too much of my upper body. I can't quite get the push off position correct and use more leg power. After I get off the machine, my legs feel like led, so I know I've been using them, but not as much as possible. I used to lift weights when I was younger, focusing a lot on my upper body, so during the rowing I usually put power over finesse - but that doesn't seem to be the right approach here!

Anyway, thanks for all the advice. I'm trying not to let this back pain discourage me, because I really do think rowing is the exercise to get me fit. All of the other workout equipment I've tried has left me very tired or bored within minutes, but with rowing, I quickly get into a steady rhythm of breathing and movement. I think if I just keep at it and shake loose some of the cobwebbs, things will sort out.

[chgoss]

I sure used to have more than my fair share of back problems, what definitely worked for me is weights, done EASY.. Here's my story in brief:
- years of on again/off again lower back pain with the occasional really bad spell where I would miss work
- started rowing, didnt get any better, didnt get a lot worse.. Couple times when I had a "twinge" during rowing, woke up the next day and 4 advils couldnt get me out of bed..

so, I bought a roman chair, first day I got it, I did (what I thought was) 2 real easy sets of 8 reps each..
spent the next 3 days in bed, literally just rolling over was really painful. really ridiculous

so, 2 weeks later, I did 1 set of 1 rep.
next day I did 1 set of 1 rep
couple days of that, every day, I did a set of 3 reps.
couple days of that, a set of 5 reps.
couple weeks of that, set of 8 reps

every single day I did them. never missed a day. after a month or so I was up to 2 sets of 8, then I started holding a 10lb weight to my chest and doing it..
I basically did the same thing with dead lifts.. started really easy and built up.

fast forward 3 years, I can now do 3 sets of 8 on the Roman chair with a 45lb weight, and I can dead lift 225x8x3.
havent had any back problems what so ever in 2 years.

so, my experience has been, roman chair and weights, start real easy and build up gradually, 3-4 times a week minimum.

I think the way that the body was designed, it was designed to respond to load.. The problem is, most of us are really weekend warriors, so we arent loading the body enough, consistently..

anyway, that's my 2 cents.. HTH
-chad

This isnt the one I bought, but same idea..
http://www.google.com/products/catalog? ... ps-sellers

[slwiser]

chad is so right about the gradual increase in intensity from not having any.

For myself I had been so sedentary for so long that all my tendons and cartilage are so much mush as well as muscle mass. After my 4xCABG in Feb 08, I now can exercise as hard as I want but where my muscles have strengthen now, I have to be easy because I can over-power my tendons and cartilage now; i.e. hurt my back for instance in a heart beat. My tendons and cartilage have to continue to built over another year or so at least as I figure it before I can push as hard as I know I can.

It is all about half-life of cell regeneration. Muscles regenerate completely over a year or so while tendons and cartilage regenerate completely over a period of two to three years or more.