THE SKINNY
Posts:506
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| 03/18/2014 09:13 AM |
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anyone else row? i signed up for a learn to row class but with a broken foot i'll have to wait a few months. in the mean time i might try to do some upper body exercises to get my spaghetti arms in shape. |
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| How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. |
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bobswire
Posts:304
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| 03/18/2014 10:27 AM |
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I made up my own pull bars in my back porch to work out my upper body and shoulders, works great as I find innovative ways in using it beyond straight pull ups working off a small step ladder. You can do leg squats working off the second or third step of the ladder by squatting down and outward then using both your arms and legs or in your case leg to pull up.
Or just buy a ready made bar.
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stinkyhelmet
Posts:94
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| 03/18/2014 11:38 AM |
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interesting read
http://cyclingtips.com.au/2011/11/why-rowers-are-exceptional-cyclists/
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THE SKINNY
Posts:506
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| 03/18/2014 12:02 PM |
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| though i'm not an exceptional cyclist, i hope this cyclist makes a good rower. i'm tall (6'-5") and thin (170lbs) which isn't that good for a cyclist but i think would be beneficial as a rower? |
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| How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. |
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Oldfart
Posts:511
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| 03/18/2014 12:22 PM |
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You can even get Shimano spd rowing shoes and not sure what you call the foot holder things. http://rowing.shimano.com/content/rowing_northamerica/english/index.html
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 03/18/2014 12:32 PM |
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Not rowing, but I started doing a few arm and shoulder exercises last fall and am now seeing the gains. For me, the reason is to incorporate weight bearing exercises into my routine to strengthen my bones. (Orthos have been pointing out my bone loss every X-ray for a few years now.) I keep it simple. Bench presses and the same with the bench seat back raised to its highest setting, roughly 45 degrees. That second one is hard! Curls and what I call rows, both standing. The "rows" I do with the bar starting at my thighs, hands together, thumbs touching. I lift to my neck. I also do three lifts with straight arms and light weights: hands in front to overhead, hands to the side and hands to the side while laying on the bench. I do these to strengthen my shoulders (and to get them to not grind as I do them)
You guys would laugh at the weights I use, but it is improving. I'll never be "strong" but I can be at a state where I don't hurt myself wrenching or wrestling with yard work. Should also pay off next crash. I also get to enjoy my body feeling better all the time than it has in years.
Pullups and pushups are on the list. I try pullups occasionally, but I am not at the point where I can do enough to build on yet. (They have always been VERY hard for me. I never got past 5 until I started getting serious in my 30s. Put a bar in my Seattle house and got to 18 at the height of my sailboat racing. Pushups are far easier for me, but I have been very limited by wrist injuries and can tell I am starting sprain every time I do them. At 60, injury free is the name of the game. (On my 22 birthday, last day of undergraduate classes, my roommates witnessed me doing 100. Like I say, they are for me, far easier than pullups.)
Ben |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 03/18/2014 12:40 PM |
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Andy, do they come in a no float version or do I have to wait for either the black LOOK ones or another LA to push Shimano to the next level? 
Ben |
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stronz
Posts:447
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| 03/18/2014 02:15 PM |
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rowed two years in college. Was very into it and the whole rowing culture -- which is an interesting bunch. There is much to being a good rower that makes you a good cyclist. A tolerance for lactic acid threshold-type pain for one. Searing lungs for another. low body fat and high Cardio capacity -- all good things for both. Working together in a paceline is much like rowing in a shell with 7 other rowers.
The differences are significant however -- your hands get chewed up. Blisters then callouses. If you dont use good technique -- and sometimes even if you do -- your back can get seriously messed up. Lower back needs to be seriously beefey to handle the stresses and stretching is a big deal before and after. It is a great cardio workout whether in a boat, ergometer or a tank. And it builds upper body strength -shoulders and lats big time. One thing that made me stop was that I developed a low grade tremor in my hands from holding on to the oar/handlebar -- this was bad for me as I was a surgical resident at the time. Went away after I stopped. |
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vtguy
Posts:298
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| 03/18/2014 04:37 PM |
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| I used row several days a week as cross training during the winter. Great overall workout, and I suspect that you're correct about your height being an advantage. At the races I've been to, the really good scullers were all tall. |
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stronz
Posts:447
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| 03/19/2014 08:47 AM |
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| Being tall is a big advantage. On the lightweight crew I rowed on we had two guys who were 6'2" -6'3" they had to stay under 160lbs which was very hard for them -- average weight for the boat had to be 150-155lbs if I remember correctly. But the extra length of leg and arm gave them great leverage and they would always win the ergo battles. Having said that = the taller you are the more critical is proper form. Flailing around when you have all that leverage is a good way to go very slowly in the water. But with good form - can be a thing of beauty. Good book -- "The boys in the boat" I think I mentioned it somehwere here before. About the 1936 olympic-winning Washington Univ crew that went to Germany and kicked Hitler's ass. |
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huckleberry
Posts:824
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| 03/19/2014 09:33 AM |
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| University of Washington |
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stronz
Posts:447
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| 03/19/2014 09:35 AM |
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| Thanks -- couldnt remember if it was Wash U or Univ of W. funny thing is a spent part of my training at Wash U in St.Louis so I should know better.....ah well. |
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THE SKINNY
Posts:506
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| 03/19/2014 10:28 AM |
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| good recommendation on the book. i'll add it to my list. |
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| How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. |
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zootracer
Posts:833
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| 03/19/2014 12:24 PM |
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| I have a 20+year old Concept 2 rower stashed in my garage. I have not used it so far this year (due to lack of rain, lots of riding). For time spent, you can not find a better exercise. You can get an excellent workout in around 40-45 minutes. I feel real good for about the first 5 minutes, then I crash and burn. Yeah, they are kind of expensive (I think around $900 now). After 22 years all I have replaced is a set of rollers. Only thing for me is I don't like working out inside and it's not exactly what i would call a 'fun' way to exercise. But they work. |
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stronz
Posts:447
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| 03/19/2014 01:55 PM |
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| good ole Concept 2's. Great workout I agree. I had 2 of them -- bought one right after college and finally broke the chain one day (monster strength I had back then) Got another and used it until I had to stop due to tremor see above. Hard as can be if you go to threshold and hold it there. Of course pretty much everything is hard if you do that. |
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