| No piece of fitness equipment works
unless you work it! That's why we have always tried to make rowing fun, effective and
rewarding for our rowers. Over the past 15 years we have devloped a variety of programs
for a variety of folks - from competetive rowers and weekend athletes, to people
interested in general fitness and weight control. To help you get started we've included a
short section on technique. Learning
to Row:
Rowing is really a very natural motion, and most people pick it up very
quickly. Review the technique information below, or email the manufaturer at rowing@concept2.com to request a free technique video.
Having someone watch you row, comparing your body positions to those shown in the
pictures. Don't pull hard until you are comfortable with the technique.
General Notes for Beginners:
- Use a damper setting of 3 for
starters. This may feel light at first, but once you get used to the motion and get the
wheel spinning faster, the resistance will rise.
- Start a training log. Use a
calendar, It will be rewarding to monitor your progress.
- Look for a workout partner. It will
probably make your workouts more fun and will help you stick to your new routine.
- Stretch before and after your
workouts.
- Warm up for 5 minutes by rowing
easily, with a few 10-15 stroke spurts of harder rowing.
The Very First Row.
Resist the temptation to row for 30 minutes the first time on the machine. We recommend
starting with no more than 3-5 minutes at a time. Then take a break to stretch and walk
around. If you feel good - do up to 4 of these short intervals of rowing.
The Second Row.
Begin experimenting with stroke rate and power. Stroke rate is your cadence in strokes per
minute. It is displayed in the upper right corner of the Performance Monitor. Power is how
hard you are pulling. It is displayed in a choice of units in the central display area :
watts, calories, or pace. Try some 3 minute intervals of rowing, varying stroke rate and
pace, as described below.
Workout
- 3 min at 20 spm, comfortable effort;
1 min rest
- 3 min at 22 spm, harder effort; 1 min
rest
- 3 min at 24 spm comfortable; 1 min
rest
- 3 min at 24 spm, harder, 3 min rest.
End with 10 minutes of steady state rowing at whatever spm and power are comfortable.
Be sure to note the power and spm you settle on - you will use it next workout.
The Third Row.
Introduce longer rowing with stroke rate variation.
Workout
Do four 5 minutes pieces, varying the stroke rate as follows
- 20 spm for first 2 minutes
- 22 spm for next 2 minutes
- 24 spm for last minute. Then rest by
rowing very easily for 2 minutes, before starting the next 5 minute piece.
- Your work pace should be faster than
your 10 minute pace from last workout.
The Fourth Row.
Longer steady rowing.
Workout
- Two 10 minute pieces with 3 minutes
rest in between.
- Try to go a little faster than you
did for the 10 minute piece in workout 2. Stroke rate 20-24 spm.
The Fifth Row.
Short intervals for variety and for a chance to see how fast a pace you can achieve.
Workout
- Row 1 minute hard, 1 minute easy for
a total of 20 minutes.
- Watch the central display for your
pace. Stroke rate 20-24.
- Record your paces after the workout
using the RECALL function on the PM2.
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