I had inquired privately of one of my superhero canoe types here on QJ as to his workouts which sound quite grueling. He informed me that part of his workout includes a rowing machine. Naturally I had to get one (of course I did). As I tell my wife....."Well baby cakes we don't have a retirement but we have a nice rowing machine" ;D.

What struck me immediately, and should of been overtly obvious, was how much it mimicked paddling. I mean, DUH, it is called a R-O-W-I-N-G machine after all isn't it? But yea, you sit and pull resistance toward your body. Perfect!

Anyway......I'm pretty high on it. My knee is loving it and has reacted quite positively. I am hoping to use it to strengthen my core to help protect my lower back which did poorly at Isle Royale last summer. It is a low impact full body type machine however and seems to help back, arms and legs as well. The low impact aspect is good for those of us who are approaching old geezerdom (or those who have already arrived ;) )

Look around and perhaps you could find a used one. If you want to get a new one do what I did and say your getting it for "her". My wife is not typically into workout machines and instead relies upon good genes but I have convinced her that if she wants to stay lookin good she needs to have one of these. Worked like a charm!!  ;D

Back when I did exercise the rowing machine was my favourite.  There's something very satisfying about the whole body movement.  Once a rhythm is found it's easy to just keep going.  Great for cardio & strength building for arms, legs & core.

This is great full-body exercise.  It is not uncommon for me to average burning 20-25 calories per minute on a machine like the Concept 2.  That becomes quite a lot of calories over a half-hour or hour span.  You'll never burn them at that rate on an elliptical machine.  A Cybex machine (a cross between an elliptical & a stair-stepper but having variable incline grade & resistance) will come a little closer but it's a rare occasion when I can hit even 21-22 calories per minute on those (again, over an hour's duration).  The rower is also a much more complete upper & lower body exercise.  The muscle groups impacted DO align much better with those you will use while paddling (or at least the ones I use!).

You can "over-do it" on a rower if you are not careful... especially as our bodies deteriorate with age.  I wouldn't do it everyday.  Rather, I've found it works better if it is part of a broader muscle-building and cardio regimen.

There should be LOTS of used ones on the market (e-bay, craig's list, etc.).  Plenty of folks with grand ambitions buy them brand new but they end up gathering dust in their basements or attics.

By the way, anyone interested in "rowing" as a sport or exercise should pick up a book entitled, "The Amateurs" by David Halberstam.  It details the grueling workouts & challenges faced by ambitious, would-be Olympic athletes (a few decades back).  It's a great book if you want to get pumped up about super-conditioning.  What those guys go through is incredible... and inspired me to buy my first rowing machine long, long ago.

Jimbo   8-) 

mastertangler wrote on Nov 11^th, 2011 at 1:14pm:

I am hoping to use it to strengthen my core to help protect my lower back which did poorly at Isle Royale last summer.

I'd be interested to hear how it helps MT.  I need to avoid certain lower back exercise simply because those aggrevate old problems/injury.  The pain shows up after 1-2 days and remains stubborn.

-YB

Well I guess I'll find out. I have a disc problem in my lower back that acts up from time to time. My thinking is to advance the muscle groups in my core and strengthen my back muscles which should help to support the disc. Not sure that thinking is right but I'm going to try it.

I know I have to be careful not to overdo it. My knee started feeling good and I blew it up from way to much biking. 5 days of 6-10 miles and then 3 days in a row of over 20 miles per day really set me back. Ya, I know, I was a big dope. So I'll ease into this........so far (just like the initial biking) my knee seems to love the rowing. Tennis by Thanksgiving? Uh, no  :'(

I have a fairly significant low back issue.  I recommend looking at applicable yoga postures for building core strength.  Blend them into your overall workout routine at least 3X/week.

Jimbo   8-)

If you're trying rowing machines, check out the water rower too.

  (You need to Login or Register

There's no harsh snap as you load-up the resistance, and the sound of water swishing as you workout is pleasing. I got one, and have used many others in gyms before. This one is really different. I like it. But I'd rather workout outdoors if possible.

Jimbo wrote on Nov 11^th, 2011 at 7:59pm:

I have a fairly significant low back issue.  I recommend looking at applicable yoga postures for building core strength.  Blend them into your overall workout routine at least 3X/week. Jimbo   8-)

Some but not all ( Orthopedic issues aside) lower back issues stem from a weak Core and believe it or not tight hamstrings. A yoga/stretching program that addresses this problem might help with some of your problems or at least helps alleviate some of the reoccurring pain.

If after proper warm-up you can't touch your toes or better yet put your palms on the ground, you have tight hamstrings, not just a sore/tight lower back.
Getting and keeping your hamstrings loose may or may not eliminate all your problems, but it won't hurt either and just might do you a world of good.

Another thing to remember is that as we age we don't recover as fast as we once did. Doing back to back hard workouts working the same muscles is a recipe for disaster.
Mix up your workouts and throw in some flexibility sessions as well. A OFF day is a good idea as well. If you want to keep old age at bay as long as possible you need to work smarter not necessarily harder ;)

Wow, tight hammys bad for the back eh? Who knew. That was worth the price of admission. I was getting into the yoga last year but noticed when my legs were stretched out my knee felt unstable.

I'll give it another go this year. Almost caught up on work.....YEAH! Hopefully the knee is actually fixed like the doc said it was. So far you couldn't prove it by me. Ok with the rower but not the stepper....... :'(

Maybe this Yoga will do me some good as far as therapy goes. If not I might have to send my boys over to the docs place and ask him what gives.

Yoga is awesome.  The best exercise around.  If you want to sit cross-legged after retirement yoga will provide.

Quote:

I was getting into the yoga last year but noticed when my legs were stretched out my knee felt unstable.

The human body is a remarkable " machine" ;)
It's able to compensate for muscle weakness and some injuries.
Before your surgery, you had a bad knee that lacked stability. Your body responds by tightening your hamstrings to help limit your range of motion, in effect helping stabilize your weak knee.
The Yoga by stretching out your hamstrings didn't cause instability, it just exposed the weakness.
If your knee is fixed, Yoga can only help if done correctly. Their are a myriad of home yoga tapes that target specific problem areas. I know theres a number for lower back issues.
Nothing the matter with home exercise tapes, but I would recommend a few lessons with a certified yoga instructor to make sure your doing things properly.
Proper form is the key to any exercise you do.
Sometimes the home DVDS are lax in emphasizing that or the camera angles/edit doesn't give you a proper view of what you should look like in a given pose.
Doing your workout with a couple of mirrors for front and side views is a big plus for making sure your body is aligned properly ;)

S_T & Jimbo are right on about core & hamstrings issues. Good advice there. I had back surgery about 20 yrs ago. Good news is your discs dry up and shrink in time,,,like grapes turning into raisins. So pressures can fade over the years. My aches fade during the canoe racing season when my core muscles are in the best shape. Still have tight hamstrings, hate to stretch, my bad.
Another thing that helps me is using pillows for good support while sleeping. While on my side, I use some between my thighs. It keeps the hips from twisting my back. While sleeping on my back, I slide the pillows under my backside about where a wallet would be. You should feel a light stretch to your back as you slide off. Kind of like you tilted a recliner back too max.
Most chiropractors will have pictures in their offices showing the right way to support yourself while you sleep. A stuff sack full of extra clothes works while camping. If you're lucky you find a nice "hip hole".
Good luck and hope this helps. You kind of have to find what works for you.
Jim

[Quote]Yoga is awesome.  The best exercise around.[Quote]

Awesome, yes it is.
Best Exercise, that depends on what your looking for in a workout program?

Flexibility/ muscle tone/ increased lung capacity/ overall body health, yes to them all.

However if your into a sport that requires long term muscle endurance like cycling/rowing/ cross country asking etc, it will help on your off training days but it won't get you in shape for those activities.
The best exercise for you sport(s) is actually doing that activity. If you can't do the activity you want a workout or exercise machine that can mimic the muscles used and body movements as closely as possible.

The best workout regime is one that combines the Big 3, Cardio/ Resistance work/Flexibility.
You can emphasis one or more for the specific needs of your given activity, but there all important and far to often one or more are overlooked.

Even the best exercise machines have there limitations.
Rowing is a great exercise but it does have a drawback?
Like cycling, rowing doesn't put a load on the skeletal system.
Not an issue until you swing that heavy portage pack/canoe/backpack and head off down the trail.
Cross training is the key. Find cardio/resistance workouts that mimic as close to possible the muscles/movements( if possible) of your chosen activities and you'll be on your way.

I didn't read all the posts, so I'm not sure this has been mentioned.  There is a "paddle adapter"  available for the Concept 2 rower, which actually mimics paddling.

Here is a link:   (You need to Login or Register

I have used these before and they are very cool!

WOW.........how cool is that! Who would of thunk it? Thanks PG.