Rowing/Erging as Cross Training

I just discovered this exact erg machine at the PU Rec center and I tired it
briefly this past week, so your post on the details of proper use of the
thing is very much appreciated. Like you, I can see how easy it is to become
addicted to it. In my case it is especially appealing since I am finding
that my ability to tolerate certain water temperatures is decreasing. (My
body fat was just tested by DXA at 6.2% which is a percentage drop from 2
years ago inspite of the fact that I consume mega calories daily and
maintain my normal weight range...another thread). But, at this point, I am
afraid that I already do too much in terms of exercise, so I am reluctant to
add something new into my already crazy routine. IF I had one of these at
home, I could see using it and cutting back on the swimming, perhaps not
even swimming on Saturdays since I have to drive further to get to a pool
that opens early on Saturdays. Yes, I would love to have one of these at
home in addition to a new treadmill (long, cold winters make outside running
unappealing to me). We currently have a recumbant bike that is used
frequently by family members, and my beloved elliptical trainer that I use
daily in place of some of the running because it does not hurt my lumbar
back.

Marianne

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Quoted message said:

I'm guessing that there are probably a few people out there like me,
who've seen a Concept II rowing ergometer in a fitness center and
didn't really know what to make of it.

e.g.

http://www.sport-test.ch/shop/Media/Shop/concept2_b.jpg

I finally learned how to use the darn things, and I'm now hooked. I
think that they are great cross training for swimming, strengthening
mainly the same forearm muscles used for the catch, as well as
pectoralis, biceps (which I try to use to a greater extent than usual
in freestyle swimming, for reasons described previously), lower lumbar
spine (and other back), and quads (starts and push-offs). I have first
hand knowledge of anecdotal cases of elite swimmers using "erging" to
substitute for a few in water workouts per week (in cases of injury),
where the swimmers were able to maintain their fitness and stay right
on their best times.

When you get to understand the display settings, it's really a whole
lot of fun and greatly challenging.

Erging 101:

First thing is the flywheel setting (1-10 scale). Novices always set
it at 10. Elite rowers more often keep it between 3 and 6. 3 is
supposed to approximate the feel of a racing shell.

The physics of "erging" is every bit as interesting and challenging as
the physics of swimming.

http://www-atm.physics.ox.ac.uk/rowing/physics/ergometer.html

So, if you are trying it for the first time, I'd recommend a flywheel
setting of 3. (more on this below)

The next things are the digital display settings on the little screen.
There is an on/off switch. There is also a switch which allows you to
toggle between different displays. The display you want shows METERS
on top, Instantaneous (real time) pace per 500 meters (units are
minutes/seconds per 500 meters) in the middle. And cumulative average
pace per 500 meters on the bottom.

This display is tremendously motivating. Let's say that you are
wanting to row 4000 meters in 16 minutes (a pretty respectable time).
You want to maintain a pace of 2:00 minutes per 500 meters. The top
line (meters) counts down from 4000 as you row. The middle
(instantaneous per 500 pace) should be kept right around 2:00. The
average pace (on the bottom) tells you if you are over/under/right on
your target pace.

Rowing is a sport where you really do want to have a long stroke. In
the upper right hand corner is a cadence (strokes per minute) display.
You want to be 20-23 or so and not 30 or above (until your all out
sprint at the end). You want to increase your speed (pace per 500)
while holding the lower cadence by increasing your strength and
technique (you'll soon find out that acceleration is what produces
results, which is something also directly transferable to swimming,
where you want to accelerate your hand and forearm sweep through the
stroke).

Here's a short video clip, to show the technique (requires Explorer
Browser and Windows Media Viewer):

http://weisenthal.org/swimming/concept_II_ergometer_rowing.wmv

One of the things I really like about it is the motivation factor which
comes from the ease with which one may compare one's times in a myriad
of distances with people of one's same age (and weight) around the
globe:

http://www.concept2.com/sranking03/rankings.asp

There are two weight divisions: Above 165 for men and above 135 for
women is "heavyweight." Below 165/135 is "lightweight." My natural
weight is right in the range of 165-167. I'm going to erg in a
competition in early Feb where I'll be sure to be sub 165 at the weigh
in).

What I'm doing these days is to split my workouts evenly between
swimming and erging. There is a 4:1 correspondence in distance, a 4K
row takes roughly as much time as a 1K swim. So a pretty standard
workout for me is to swim 1250, followed immediately by a 5K erg. I
wear jammers for my swim, so I only have to put on a pair of sneakers
and a T-shirt and I can jump on the erg machine within just a few
minutes of finishing my swim. (I take some paper towels along to dry
off the seat and the rest of the machine, when I'm finished).

I've had some of the most intense workouts of my life on that machine,
which rapidly became an addiction (albeit a healthy one). I think it
puts a decent amount of stress on the hip joints and axial skeleton, so
it's also a nice complement to swimming in that it adds a bone
strengthening effect. But it's also very low impact and I haven't had
any injuries at all in 6 months of doing it, save for some blisters on
my palms, which quickly turned into callouses, which are a physical
mark of honor in rowing.

No, I haven't been on the water in an actual racing shell yet. Not
sure I ever will. What I'd really like would be my own erg machine at
home. They are very affordable, relative to most other home fitness
equipment (and certainly in comparison with a swimming pool).

- Larry W

I have used a rowing machine before. I do like them a lot. I've used an
older model with a chain and a big fan for resistance. They work great
and give you a great workout as you guys suggested.

I used to do this workout where I would vary my grip to use different
muscles. i would do the standard overgrip pull for a minute. Then I
would change to an undergrip pull for another minute. this works your
biceps a little more. Then I would do an overgrip pull grabbing with
the hands closer to each other. Then, I would do an undergrip pull with
hands closer to each other. This way, I would incorporate different
muscles and it would make the workout more interesting. It is great for
crosstraining.

Something else that you can do is pull with your hands higher up and
recover with your hand lower. When you are recovering, you can also
bend your wrist back. This immitates the real rowing motion. Hand are
higher when the oars are in the water, but the hands are lower when you
lift the oars out of the water. The wrist twist is to get the oars
parallel to the water to reduce wind drag during the recovery.

Andres