Day 10 Concept2 Rowing Beginner

[LindaA]

I've been reading the forum and finally decided to ask for advice.

I'm an older woman 5'2 and recently gained from 130 to 144 by eating too many whole-wheat pancakes with blueberries, slathered in butter, plus other things slathered in butter.

I'm on Day 10 with my new Concept2, and loving it! I can tell that I'm building muscle, but I would also like to see the scale going down. I'm not sure I'm ready to cut carbs, because I'm a vegetarian who loves pancakes & potatoes.

I started out doing 5 minutes every 30 minutes or so on the first day, 20 minutes the second day, 40 minutes the 3rd day, and 1 hour since then. I'm a stickler for technique, so I've been working hard on that. I don't have a clue how to use all of the information the monitor gives me. I do know that I vary from 20 spm to 34. When I first started, I was trying to stay at 28 because I read somewhere that I should do that.

The damper has been set on 3 from Day 1 and has stayed there.

Additional information if it's helpful. I have an entire Precor gym upstairs, treadmill, exercise bike, 2 different styles of elliptical, and a functional trainer (weights), plus some miscellaneous other machines, and I've been at the intermediate level doing yoga for years, but I'm out of practice with that.

I am open to advice and recommendations from all of you who actually know what you are doing, unlike me. I am such a novice at this! Thanks!

[jamesg]

The two most important things are 1 get started and 2 never stop. Longer than a day or two that is.

Calories are the devils in modern grub, and there's lots of them. Work can help stop them climbing aboard, but if you keep them at bargepole distance, you don't then have to get rid and things are a lot easier. Not that sweat aplenty would do you any harm, it's one of the few remedies that really are good for us.

I can't understand your program or how fit you are. Are you rowing an hour a day?

Your accent on technique will be a great help; and keeping the drag low will help you too. The stroke can then be long, which combined with some handle force implies work. If you use Watts, I'd guess 60-80 should tax you enough (= pace 3:00 - 2:40 per 500m) for now; but this is just guesswork.

This program can be of help if you're an absolute beginner, but it wants some hardish work, though short to start with:
http://therowingcompany.com/training/gu ... nditioning

[LindaA]

Thanks, James.

I'll check out that link.

I am fairly fit. Before the Concept2, I would spend an average of 2 hrs/day on my elliptical, cycle, etc. Now I have been spending 1 hr/day on the Concept 2. Starting yesterday, I'm also including 1 hr. on the other equipment, weight-bearing including elliptical.

I'm thinking I'm going to have to cut back on the carbs. I don't want to do it, but I may have to. I eat fruits, nuts, & vegetables, but almost no meat or fish.

I think maybe I expected to lose some weight in 11 days and instead I've built muscle. I can tell that my jeans fit a lot better than they did last week. That's a definite victory.

[macher]

Thanks, James.

I'll check out that link.

I am fairly fit. Before the Concept2, I would spend an average of 2 hrs/day on my elliptical, cycle, etc. Now I have been spending 1 hr/day on the Concept 2. Starting yesterday, I'm also including 1 hr. on the other equipment, weight-bearing including elliptical.

I'm thinking I'm going to have to cut back on the carbs. I don't want to do it, but I may have to. I eat fruits, nuts, & vegetables, but almost no meat or fish.

I think maybe I expected to lose some weight in 11 days and instead I've built muscle. I can tell that my jeans fit a lot better than they did last week. That's a definite victory.

Hi I started on the erg about 6 weeks ago. Not that I wanted to lose weight but I thought I would. Instead I'm gaining lean muscle and losing fat. My waist size is the same but like you said my jeans fit better than before.

[hjs]

If you are working out 2hours a day and still have trouble with your weight your foodintake is going wrong.
Also only doing long slow aerobic work is not the best for general health. Eating yo much carbs and oong o much slow ok i often femal problem. Carbs are just energy its not real food. And slow work does train the fast muscle fibers, use it or lose it...

[LindaA]

Macher and hjs, I can't wait until I'm at the 6-week mark. I think I was a little unrealistic, just getting in a hurry to see results. My scale today, for example, showed a big decrease in fat% and a large increase in muscle strength. I also gained a little weight. I tried James' ideas yesterday and was able to try out most of his suggestions. The most imporant one is "The two most important things are 1 get started and 2 never stop. Longer than a day or two that is."

If I can keep it up consistently and the fat% goes down, muscle strength goes up, it doesn't really matter about the weight, right?

Today I'm going to look closer at my diet. I think I can add a few vegetables and cut a few carbs without much pain.

[hjs]

Macher and hjs, I can't wait until I'm at the 6-week mark. I think I was a little unrealistic, just getting in a hurry to see results. My scale today, for example, showed a big decrease in fat% and a large increase in muscle strength. I also gained a little weight. I tried James' ideas yesterday and was able to try out most of his suggestions. The most imporant one is "The two most important things are 1 get started and 2 never stop. Longer than a day or two that is."

If I can keep it up consistently and the fat% goes down, muscle strength goes up, it doesn't really matter about the weight, right?

Today I'm going to look closer at my diet. I think I can add a few vegetables and cut a few carbs without much pain.

Those fat percentage scales are very inaccurate, on a day to day basis you can see different results, the trend in those numbers ofcourse does matter.
Weight is just a number, if you are fine with that its ok. That is if your weight is within a healthy range. Fitness and strenght does not relate 100% to fat percentage.
If you make changes its often the most easy to make small adjustments.

In the end its about the long run yes.

[jamesg]

slathered in butter

So milk products are within your veg-scope? If you work up to 2 hours a day you'll need plenty of hydration, and that much maligned but excellent natural product, milk, can be a great help. As well as water and butterfat it has protein, salts and sugar too. With plenty of fruit, vegetables and some bread you're not far off a complete diet.

Diet seems to be a question of language, vocabulary, with magic words such as minestrone, peach melba, quiche, banana split, spaghetti alla carbonara... and all can be found in the form of short stories. If we don't know what it's called and how its done, how can we eat it? No need to go back to that pinnacle of English literature, Mrs Beeton, she has plenty of followers.

[LindaA]

You're right about those scales being inconsistent. In the past I've been active 4 hours and the next day my weight would be up and it would show muscle strength and fat % going the wrong way. I've learned not to worry, because the day after that, it seems to figure things out.

Glad to know that the milk is helpful. I love milk!

If I consider all of the things I've eaten recently over the holidays and the AMOUNTS presented to me by friends and family, I think therein lies part of the problem.

I have another question. I think I'll start another thread for it.

[Bob S.]

Glad to know that the milk is helpful. I love milk!

Milk is a great source of calcium and protein, but for a lot of us there comes a time that we no longer produce enough of the enzyme lactase to metabolize lactose (i.e. milk sugar). Then it becomes a problem - mainly digestive upsets. I use to consume a lot of milk, but somewhere along the line - in my 60s perhaps (?) - I began to realize the this problem had started and had to cut back drastically. Nowadays I drink a limited amount once in a while, but use non-fat yogurt as a calcium and protein source. In yogurt, the bacilli have done the job of hydrolyzing the lactose down to monosaccharides for you. Another caveat is that some folks develop allergies to milk proteins. In that case yogurt and cheeses are no longer alternatives to drinking milk since the proteins are not changed that much. Fortunately it is a rare problem, but it is well to be aware of it.

Bob S.

[LindaA]

Thanks, Bob. Good to know.

[macher]

Macher and hjs, I can't wait until I'm at the 6-week mark. I think I was a little unrealistic, just getting in a hurry to see results. My scale today, for example, showed a big decrease in fat% and a large increase in muscle strength. I also gained a little weight. I tried James' ideas yesterday and was able to try out most of his suggestions. The most imporant one is "The two most important things are 1 get started and 2 never stop. Longer than a day or two that is."

If I can keep it up consistently and the fat% goes down, muscle strength goes up, it doesn't really matter about the weight, right?

Today I'm going to look closer at my diet. I think I can add a few vegetables and cut a few carbs without much pain.

I'm doing the Basic Conditioning Program as jamesg posted. Like jamesg said it's hardish work to start out with. In my opinion you can't compare the erg to the other CV equipment, rowing is much harder. I keep my strokes at 120W, 20-21SPM. I'm now at 4X6'. The prgram suggests taking longer rests than 30 seconds and I'm taking 2 minute rests, a complete rest for 1 minute then slow for remaining 1 minute at around 80W/17SPM then I ramp it up when the rest is done to 120W/20-21SPM. The idea of this program is to eventually row for 30 minutes straight at a 'higher power output' per stroke compared to the weight loss program.

[crossetti]

Good Afternoon Linda,
welcome to the indoor rowers family.
I have been a competitive rower (water) all my life and in the last 3/4 years an indoor rower (24-hour fitness center) and I love it. I live 30 miles from the closest boathouse, therefore Concept2.
I suggest you master the rowing technic before anything else. Visit Concept2 web site and look for the training videos: "what to do" and "what not to do", it will make a big difference in the results.
My training is to row 4/5 times a week. I started with 1000 meters of warm up (vent set at 6), each 300 meters: harms only, upper body and harms, harms and legs followed by 3-20minutes sessions with the damper set at 6 first 20 minutes, 7 on the second and 8 on the third, few seconds for water between sessions (I add a tea spoon of honey in my water), I finish with a cool-off session reverse to the warm-up. The damper is set at 6 first 20 minutes, 7 on the second and 8 on third. I keep the spm at 22/24 and effort at 2:20, and work my way down to below 2:05, the last 10/15 minutes.
My training is for endurance and strength, .... and weight loss. So far I lost close to 50lbs, from 230, now I am at 180 and my goal is to go down to 160.
Linda, it will take alot of patience and time to reach your gaols. The damper at 3 is a bit low, experiments at higher number and see what is best for you. 28 spm and above is for racing and if you can keep that speed for 1-hour, more power to you, I would keep it at 22/24 and once a while sprint - once again experiment. Remember that the strike must be 2:1 with the recovery, and breath.
Control your food intake and most of all enjoy life.
I am sure you are getting alot of advice, what boils down is lissen what every body is suggesting and experiment to find your ways.
Regards,
Cosimo
4'-19", 180lbs

[LindaA]

Thanks, Cosimo.

I agree that I need to review the basics again at this point. My goal is to work on my technique and not worry about speed, at least for now. I'll also raise the damper a bit, slowly.

I've been sidelined for a week because I overdid it. I got a little bit overconfident and pulled a muscle. Ten years ago I had a torn rotator cuff, so I immediately stopped rowing, both because of the pain and because I was afraid I had torn it again.

I'm happy to report that I rowed again yesterday, for an hour, at an appropriate level for me. The day before yesterday my shoulder was aching so much that it was hard to sleep. Yesterday it was mildly sore. After I rowed, the soreness went away completely. Range of motion is as good as it was. I'm back ready to go again!

I'm also happy to report that I gave my housekeeper all of the potatoes I had. I'm apparently unable to eat them about abusing all of the things that go on potatoes.

I appreciate all of the ideas from everyone!

[macher]

Thanks, Cosimo.

I agree that I need to review the basics again at this point. My goal is to work on my technique and not worry about speed, at least for now. I'll also raise the damper a bit, slowly.

I've been sidelined for a week because I overdid it. I got a little bit overconfident and pulled a muscle. Ten years ago I had a torn rotator cuff, so I immediately stopped rowing, both because of the pain and because I was afraid I had torn it again.

I'm happy to report that I rowed again yesterday, for an hour, at an appropriate level for me. The day before yesterday my shoulder was aching so much that it was hard to sleep. Yesterday it was mildly sore. After I rowed, the soreness went away completely. Range of motion is as good as it was. I'm back ready to go again!

I'm also happy to report that I gave my housekeeper all of the potatoes I had. I'm apparently unable to eat them about abusing all of the things that go on potatoes.

I appreciate all of the ideas from everyone!

Hi Linda I felt like I was over doing it myself. I'm doing the basic conditioning program and the program says a days rest is important. I wasn't resting, I was rowing 7 days/week. Now that I take a day rest I feel MUCH better. Like you I'm not concerned about speed. My technique is good as I have the priveledge
being the rowing team driver at the University of PA so the heavy weight coach helps me out a lot with technique. Since I'm not concerned about speed but fitness I'm more concerned that my power/stroke is sufficient for a good work out. I work out in the rowing teams erg room and when I look at their work outs on the monitor these rowers are BEASTS even the ladies. When I work out in the gym on campus and check out the common folk work outs I can see that 95% are in the 60-80 watt range. So at least I know at 120 watts(6.40watt'/stroke) I'm getting a better work out compared to similar work outs I notice. I was in the gym yesterday morning and I was warming up rowing and this guy about my age hopped on the rower next to me. It seemed like he wanted to prove to me that he was better because I guess my warm up looked light. After my warm up and I did some stretching I started the core work out. He was looking at me like I was crazy. He was rowing a lot faster than me. He asked me what I was doing, he said it looks like I'm rowing slow. I said to him yes I'm rowing slow but my power/stroke is at a certain 'level'. He was rowing at like 75watts. Him being about the same size as me he tried to row at 120W. He said wow what a huge difference. Not that I'm better but like I said I want to maintain a certain SPM and power/stroke for fitness not speed at this time.