First Time Rowing Programme Suggestions

[Chibbery]

Dear All

This is my first time on here and first time rowing.

Before I start I am hoping someone would be able to suggest a programme for a first time rower age 60 and 135kg 185cm tall looking to gain fitness and lose weight.

Any suggestions welcome

Many thanks in advance

[Ombrax]

The C2 web site is a good place to start:

https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/ ... t-workouts

Welcome to erging and welcome to the forum. : )

[MartinSH4321]

Hi and welcome to the forum!
For a total beginner it's very important to learn a good technique, so my first recommendation is: look at the technique videos on the concept2 homepage.
For a better fitness and weight loss you have to row a lot of meters, but don't row too long at the beginning, slowly increase distance/time.
I don't know your current fitness level, but if it's low i guess 5-10min are realistic to start. Don't care about pace/watts or burned calories, but train a good technique.
It's OK to split the session in some intervals, depending on how you feel you can do like 3x3min, 2x5min or so. When you adapt to training slowly increase distance/time week per week. A medium-term goal can be a constant 30min or 10k row, depending on your improvements.
You can also read the "beginner pete plan" https://thepeteplan.wordpress.com/beginner-training/, but it's not developed for a total beginner.
Good luck!

[Dangerscouse]

Welcome to the forum.

I haven't got much else to add other than make sure you don't have the drag factor too high e.g. damper on 10 on a clean rower. FYI, as dust accumulates in the fan on an old and unclean rower the drag factor drops so don't assume the number on the damper is always where you want it.

Try the drag at circa 110 to start with but you may like it higher or lower so have a play around but anything over 130 is probably going to be too likely to cause you lower back pain if you're not already fit.

Try and do some core strength workouts too. Static holds e.g plank variations, are a great exercise for abs and lower back.

Stay patient as there are no short cuts to progress other than the usual newbie gains that tail off fairly quickly and that's when, all too often, people lose interest.

[Eric308]

If the OP is a very first time rower, he/she will probably have no clue what a drag factor and a clean rower even is....see link below to better familiarize yourself with the settings. They are important.
https://www.concept2.com/service/monito ... rag-factor