390 lb Over Weight Monster on an ERG with lots of questions!

[Phaine]

Hey guys,

I'm extremely new to the forum so please forgive me if I am posting this in the wrong section. I've been doing research on low impact exercise for large folks like myself and concept 2 seemed like a good option. The rower keeps stats that cater to my inner competitive nature and I'm hoping to fuel that towards an end result of weight loss.

I just got my Model D PM 4 rower tonight and I'm really struggling with "rowing right" I initially sat on the machine with out using the feet straps to just see how it felt and ended up doing a backwards somersault off the machine. After doing some research I think I know why that happened and I just want to ask you guys if my idea is correct as sadly I cant seem to find good technique videos on YT that dont have folks screaming about poor form in the comments. I do want to state that I have a rather large stomach and Im extremely top forward heavy.

My first row I was using all of my upper body to do the pulling where I believe Im supposed to use more leg focused pushing with the arms simply coming into play later in the stroke once the legs are mostly extended correct? The issue with this is, Im now using the leg straps as hooks to kind of keep me on the machine and pull me forward after.

I also heard in a video that I need to avoid using the leg straps to pull me forward, is that correct? I seem to keep hooking them with my feet and using them to get me back to the front of the machine.

If anyone can point me to a solid set of starter tutorials Id really appreciate it, I want to learn to use this machine correctly before I develop a ton of bad habbits.

[Bob S.]

The major point here is the proper drive sequence, legs/back/arms. The legs provide the main thrust, the body comes in swinging to the back, and the arms finish it off. The legs should be straight before the arms start to bend. At the start of the drive, the legs give the body backward momentum. In the finish of the drive, the arm pull at the end stops that momentum. With the backward momentum of the body counteracted in this way, there is no falling over backward problem. That is the purpose of training strapless; it forces the rower to use the right sequence.

As for moving back on the recovery is concerned, it doesn't take much pull. Just the heels in the cups are enough to do it. There is also some help from the chain return bungee.

[Phaine]

Alrighty Im definitely doing something technique wrong then, cause atm I feel like Im rocket propelled backwards and nothing is arresting the momentum.

Ill keep at it, thanks =)

[jamesg]

starter tutorials

Best to start straight from the horses mouth:

http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/t ... que-videos

From a practical point of view, I think the best way to see how things work is the back-stop drill, which also serves to warm up:

1 Sitting with back and legs straight, pull with arms only, not too fast;
2 after a minute or so, add swing, but only after getting hands away: this puts you forward on your feet;
3 again after a while, start to lift the knees, AFTER the swing forward; then gradually increase slide travel, always keeping your weight well forward.

Then keep going, with it all simple, sequenced, smooth and as little effort as possible so that you can row for as long as you like. Keep the rating low by taking a slow recovery; there's no hurry to get your oar in again, boats don't stop.

Suggest you use the straps and keep the drag medium low; high drag slows the flywheel, so the next pull is slow too, but if the drag is too low the flywheel will be spinning fast and you may have problems catching up with it.

[Phaine]

starter tutorials

Suggest you use the straps and keep the drag medium low; high drag slows the flywheel, so the next pull is slow too, but if the drag is too low the flywheel will be spinning fast and you may have problems catching up with it.

That right there is a huge part of my problem that I didnt realize. Thank you so much.

Appreciate the help.

[Phaine]

First run on the machine, my times probably terrible but I was just happy I was able to complete the workout.

Meters Total Time Pace Date
2000 12:40.0 3:10.0 10/25/2013

Going to try and do 2k a day for a few weeks till its not quite killing me then start mixing in 5ks and multi 500 reps.

I've identified some of the form mistakes from the video you guys linked, sadly some of the form issues aren't fixable with my massive gut but I'm doing the best I can and making progress. Ill fix the form as my body allows.

Just really happy to be working again.

[Bob S.]

At this point, don't put too much concern on your times. Concentrate on getting your technique in shape. It wouldn't hurt to include a short warm up and cool down with each workout. The warm up is the time to really work on technique, starting out with James' excellent recommendation of the back-stop drill.

Bob S.

[Carl Watts]

Okay I'm not sure if the others here have a concept of your weight but I'm going to be honest here your too heavy for the Erg.

The reason is its going to totally inhibit the correct technique.

The rower will be great but first I would just get a decent pair of trainers and begin to walk as well as change your diet and loose a significant amount of weight first.

[jamesg]

not sure if the others here have a concept of your weight

True. But the OP already has the C2, and I wouldn't be sure that walking is any easier than using the machine. The criterion could be the amount of work we can do before being forced to stop, and he has already cited 2k in 12 minutes (50W), which is around double a normal resting metabolic rate. Other excellent types of exercise, such as swimming, can offer fine results, but not many of us have a pool indoors, or a warm lake or sea just outside the front door.

All in all, I think that as the C2 is rated 225kg (500 lb), it's probably the most practical system at home. In any case its use does not exclude anything else we may want to do. When I taught a little English here, one of the tricks I used was to ask: if offered an apple or pear, how many choices have we? The usual answer was two. Wrong: there are at least five: the one, the other, something else, both, neither - all useful terms as we can see.

Recently there have been several people here declaring around 400 lb. If they care to register here their first hand experience, as some have done, they could reinforce or demolish the C2 idea, or suggest alternatives.

[Phaine]

Okay I'm not sure if the others here have a concept of your weight but I'm going to be honest here your too heavy for the Erg.

The reason is its going to totally inhibit the correct technique.

The rower will be great but first I would just get a decent pair of trainers and begin to walk as well as change your diet and loose a significant amount of weight first.

Definitely no argument there my gut keeps proper form from happening, but I can get semi close. Im hoping to use it in conjunction with diet change and other work out forms to try and get my weight down to a reasonable level.

Issue I have with walking is I tend to get pretty nasty shin splints. I've had the issue since I played varsity in highschool and was 165 and its even worse now that Im damn near 400.

I lost about an inch off my waist this past two weeks with diet and exercise, hoping if I keep at it I'll eventually be able to get to a solid form and longer work outs.

My idea is if I can do something, its better than nothing and nothing for the past 8 years is whats got me to where I am now.

[hjs]

Keep at it, it will be tough now, but if you keep going an use a good diet, you will get there.
The most easy will be a low carb, high fat, moderate protein one.
Dump all grains and sugar like stuff.

Do go on a very low cal diet, thst never works in the long run.

Okay I'm not sure if the others here have a concept of your weight but I'm going to be honest here your too heavy for the Erg.

The reason is its going to totally inhibit the correct technique.

The rower will be great but first I would just get a decent pair of trainers and begin to walk as well as change your diet and loose a significant amount of weight first.

Definitely no argument there my gut keeps proper form from happening, but I can get semi close. Im hoping to use it in conjunction with diet change and other work out forms to try and get my weight down to a reasonable level.

Issue I have with walking is I tend to get pretty nasty shin splints. I've had the issue since I played varsity in highschool and was 165 and its even worse now that Im damn near 400.

I lost about an inch off my waist this past two weeks with diet and exercise, hoping if I keep at it I'll eventually be able to get to a solid form and longer work outs.

My idea is if I can do something, its better than nothing and nothing for the past 8 years is whats got me to where I am now.

[Little John]

Hey Phaine - good on you for getting started. I was going to direct you to the interactive workout generator, but it seems to have disappeared? Maybe someone here knows another location? Anyway, it starts you off real slow-and-easy and builds you up.

[Citroen]

Hey Phaine - good on you for getting started. I was going to direct you to the interactive workout generator, but it seems to have disappeared? Maybe someone here knows another location? Anyway, it starts you off real slow-and-easy and builds you up.

It's not gone, it's just not owned by C2 after the split of the UK rowing machine business.

http://therowingcompany.com/training/interactive

[Phaine]

Hey Phaine - good on you for getting started. I was going to direct you to the interactive workout generator, but it seems to have disappeared? Maybe someone here knows another location? Anyway, it starts you off real slow-and-easy and builds you up.

It's not gone, it's just not owned by C2 after the split of the UK rowing machine business.

http://therowingcompany.com/training/interactive

Thank you for this!

[yachty]

Ok I am half way down this from over 300lb starting below the fitness levels for the bottom of the Concept 2 manual. I couldn't row constantly for 2000 m when I started I now think this is a warm up. The key is to not damage your back with bad technique and holt all your progress I stay quit upright. As for rowing I used the pace boat in the re-row function to slowly build up and level out my pace. Then I used cadence training to build up the distance. And I always rowed in cal. mode so you begin to understand how long you have to row to burn of that naughty treat!

There is lots of good advise in the books provided with the rower.

I am minus 65 lb Since may and going further ever week.