Anyone use an indoor rower for cardio?

[Wintermute]

I've heard it's the best full-body workout you can get, so I went ahead and bought an entry-level indoor rower and am stoked to try it. Anyone use this to supplement their strength training or fighting workouts? I'm interested in how to start and progress... any advice is appreciated.

 

[vermonter]

If this were on the S&C forum where I'm a mod and have power I'd ban you for not posting this on the s&c forum.















...wait....

 

[La Paix]

@peter_weyland would you like this moved to strength and conditioning or leave it here with the fatties?

 

[Wintermute]

lol sorry, sure.

 

[BJTT-Rizzo]

I didn't even know there was a strength and conditioning forum here. I'm no fattie but have no input on this subject.

I used to race around lakes in a john boat with oars when I was a kid. Helluva workout. My traps burned something fierce from rowing.

 

[Leigh]

I have used a rower fairly extensively in the past. Its difficult to get your HR in the right zone, as you're only working for half the movement. There is also a risk of injury with bad form, which becomes more likely with fatigue. I pulled something in my sacro illiac area doing 30 mins of higher intensity work on one.

 

[vermonter]

Hmmm not sure what Leigh means exactly... I have no problem getting my heart pounding, but I don't know about keeping it in a zone I actually want.

I like it because I'm a natural at it, but it does require a great deal of flexibility to be done without a big back arch.

For me, they're best for anaerobic work, which I don't really need. But if you enjoy it, it will be effective.

 

[Leigh]

Hmmm not sure what Leigh means exactly... I have no problem getting my heart pounding, but I don't know about keeping it in a zone I actually want.

I like it because I'm a natural at it, but it does require a great deal of flexibility to be done without a big back arch.

For me, they're best for anaerobic work, which I don't really need. But if you enjoy it, it will be effective.

You find it easy to keep your HR in the 130-150 range?

 

[vermonter]

No I'm saying I don't know if I can keep it there. Never tried. It was easy to get my HR high though iirc

 

[Leigh]

@vermonter, you tried this yet?

 

[vermonter]

I don't have ready access to a rower at the moment.

 

[Leigh]

I don't have ready access to a rower at the moment.

You work in a gym

 

[Wintermute]

So, with the rower- granted it's not a high-end concept2 it's just a hydraulic- i can get my HR to 160ish. The workout and range of motion is good so far, it's comfortable enough to do 3 sets of 10 minutes. today i'll try 2 sets of 15 minutes. the main issue is the seat.

I guess a drop in my RHR would be the only way I'd be able to measure the efficacy of the workout, right? Besides subjectively feeling less winded while fighting or something? I've also heard that the speed by which my HR drops in the first 2 minutes after stopping working out is indicative of cardiovascular fitness...

 

[SC MMA MD]

I use a rowing machine fairly frequently for cardio, to help break the routine of running on a treadmill; and as an extra help to strengthen the pull muscles in my back and combat "slouching" posture.
Way back in college my roommate taught me proper technique (he rowed crew). The biggest problem I have is that I have a natural rhythm that I trend back to if I try to go faster or slower, so I have a fairly hard time keeping my heart rate where I want it (I usually wear a chest strap HR monitor when doing cardio). I generally have to stop and adjust the fan resistance to try to make the workload appropriate so that my natural pace results in the desired HR.
All in all, I like rowing- and it gives my knees a break for the day

 

[Leigh]

So, with the rower- granted it's not a high-end concept2 it's just a hydraulic- i can get my HR to 160ish. The workout and range of motion is good so far, it's comfortable enough to do 3 sets of 10 minutes. today i'll try 2 sets of 15 minutes. the main issue is the seat.

I guess a drop in my RHR would be the only way I'd be able to measure the efficacy of the workout, right? Besides subjectively feeling less winded while fighting or something? I've also heard that the speed by which my HR drops in the first 2 minutes after stopping working out is indicative of cardiovascular fitness...

160 bpm is great. Yes those would be decent metrics. One of the best metrics is to measure your power at threshold on a different piece of equipment

 

[Wintermute]

160 bpm is great. Yes those would be decent metrics. One of the best metrics is to measure your power at threshold on a different piece of equipment

What do you mean?

 

[Leigh]

What do you mean?

OK, well say you are using the rower. Before you start the training block, get on a spin bike or versaclimber and see how many watts you can maintain for 30 mins. It will be brutal but get the average number of watts over that period. It might be, say 200W.

Then do your rower workouts. Don't use the bike at all. After 12 weeks (or whatever), get back on the spin bike and check your average power. It will probably go up significantly.

This is really what conditioning means, how much power you can generate and maintain. Mine increased 40% in 6 months just with steady jogging.

 

[Wintermute]

Oh, wow, interesting. I never thought of checking the output that way. Thanks, man!