Concept2 Forum

Hi everyone.

About 12 years ago I bought a Model D and I got fairly fit on it. Sadly, my business failed and I had to sell it to make a mortgage payment and my life changed greatly too.

I divorced, moved back down south and went back into engineering from my sedentary job of driving instruction. My weight naturally lowered and I just fluctuated between two slightly lower weights than previously, depending on how much effort I put into life!

I have since remarried in July 2016 and I got down to 14 stone 9lbs although eventually married at 15 stone exactly. I haven't rowed for 11 years but feel it's now time to make a commitment to it. I'm back at 17 stone 4lbs and now working abroad in Saudi Arabia. I got here on 27th December and was nearer 18 stone then. I'm flying home on 19th March and really want to have made a huge dent on my weight by then.

I'm not totally unfit. I have been doing a fair amount of incline walking and go for daily walks around my compound. I dont want to start off too easy but neither do i want to kill myself in the process! My diet will be low carb/high protein and I'm looking at committing to the rower 4 or 5 times a week with 3 weight training sessions per week also.

Has anyone got a decent regimented training session I could follow that will lead to good results?

My previous name on here was Fatbloke but for some reason my details are not being recognised.

Thanks All

Hi Johnny, good for you to take the leap and get back on the erg.

For me personally, I found training within a UT2 band (in my case circa 140bpm) for long sessions (HM and further) had the fat dripping off me. It's not for everyone and it consumes a lot of time but it worked without having to cut out food, in fact I ate more than ever and I probably lost about 1.5 stone in 6 months.

I gradually increased the distances and did longer rows on weekends with the aim of a 10 mile or HM session twice through the week.

If this is too time consuming or just not something you would want to consider, the Pete Plan is possibly a good option too but I have never done it so I can't say for sure.

Best of luck

Thanks for replying Dangerscouse. I do remember a kind of training programme within the concept 2 website but haven't stumbled upon it yet.

Good Day,
Congrats on getting back to it. Seems all of us were fit at one point, then life happened, now its time to pick up the pieces. Just know you are not alone and it can be done.

@danger hit it on the head. Long, steady state rowing will melt the fat off of you. However, I have found, I follow the Pete Plan which there is a thread for and you should look at it, intervals tone the muscle and skin a bit more and you will see some muscle growth. This is especially important once the fat is coming off.

Anyway, anything is better than nothing, but the UT2 band is the way to go, then add some intervals.

Finally, weight loss is 80% in the k*tchen. Even an hour of rowing (1000+ calories) wont help you lose any weight if you sit at your job and eat like crap. I'm down 40+ lbs from September all on the Pete Plan.

David

Johnny6162 wrote:Thanks for replying Dangerscouse. I do remember a kind of training programme within the concept 2 website but haven't stumbled upon it yet.

You're probably thinking of some of the programmes on the UK Concept2 site, which are now on the Indoor Sports Service site.

Dave

Well, it's the first day of a new week in the Middle East, and despite wanting to go another day without rowing, I downloaded a programme based on my weight etc from the Interactive Weight Loss Programme and gave it a go.

Having only used the erg for 500 metre warm ups over the past 11 years, I was blowing like a train even during the 10 minute warm up but my breathing steadied and I completed the warm up to then carry out 3 x 6 minute AT and a 10 minute warm down.

The advice does tend to point towards long and steady but I'm hoping this Interactive Weight Loss Programme is an ok programme to follow?

I feel better for getting it out the Way! Onwards and upwards!

Well done. The important thing is you got stuck into something, but only you will be able to tell after a while whether the programme is the right one for you or not. If your goal was for a specific 2k event in the future, then the 2k programme might be better, but if your goal is weight-loss, then by definition you have chosen the right one.

I'm surprised your first session was the 3 x 6'AT - from my reading of the plan that comes in after 3 weeks of UT1 work. It's up to you whether you follow the exact order obviously. The key is to do something that is sustainable and keeps you interested and coming back for more punishment.

As for quality of the interactive plans, it does look like Concept2 put a lot of work into developing the training guides in the late 90s / early 2000s. So unless others have a different view, I think you can trust the programmes to help you hit your goals.

Cheers
Dave

Hi Dave,

I was a bit surprised too, when the plan started with AT work but im putting it down to me not being totally new to fitness as I've been doing other stuff, just not rowing. I'm hoping I haven't bitten off more than I can chew but hopefully if I can hang in for 2 weeks I might see enough health improvements to hang in for the long term.

I fly home 8 weeks today, so really want to have reached some kind of target by then. I'm only home for 10 days and then I'm next home for a family holiday at the end of May. By then I really want progress!

Looking on here, and from my previous experience, I think it looks very possible.

If you're looking for variety in your programme you should have a look at the monthly Cross Team Challenge. The challenges change every month, and are normally quite a variable mix of intervals or longer / shorter single pieces.

Also, you might want to consider joining a virtual team - Forum Flyers come to mind, but I am biased (their forum thread is here). Might help with motivation, and also a good place to get training questions answered, or get ideas on what other people have been doing on the machine.

If you can stick with a regular plan for 8 weeks, you should definitely feel the benefit even if it it isn't immediately visible.

Dave

No matter what program you follow, I would suggest something balanced. By this I mean that it includes days of long steady state and days of intervals. The harder days will add a little muscle and tone you a bit more. Every lb of muscle (.45kg) burns 50 calories extra per day. So that's free weight loss right there. You'll burn extra calories simply by existing.

balance in training and diet.

just fast twitch stuff (HIIT, etc.) will bring you the quickest results (fitness wise), but will leave you far from your potential.
just slow twitch (slow and steady) will bring you the aerobic fitness, but not speed.
normal ratio is about 80/20 (slow/fast)

neither will be able to overcome bad diet..

Day two was completed after work today.

8 minute warm up
2 x 15 minute UT1
8 minute cool down.

My diet is clean and I'm sweating. My fitbit tells me I was hitting around 155 bpm and I'm hoping this is about right. My resting heart rate is about 58 bpm these days.

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Four days into the interactive weight plan and I'm seeing small changes. Today I repeated day 1 and it's getting a bit easier. Long way to go still!

Keep chipping away Johnny, and looking out for the small changes. This will keep you motivated and focused. Gold.tk hear it's getting a bit easier

started out doing the Beginner Pete Plan but changed to the interactive weight loss one.
did the 30 min SS at UT2 last night for 7100m which is day 2 of week 1. looks like the program is a 3 day a week and then repeat if you do 4,5 or 6 days in a week. also added a 1000m warm down at the end.
Ive been rowing since mid Dec and have noticed a gradual weight loss over that time. weight has dropped from 127kg to just under 120kg. which is a weight i have not seen for at least 10 and more like 15 years
aiming for under 100kg.
will get back for day 3 tonight but have to go to another branch of my gym as my one caught fire last night about an hour after i left and it wasnt me lol