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Rowing Machine

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  • 30-06-2010 2:11pm
    #1
    Patdusty2010
    Registered Users Posts: 124 ✭✭


    Hi,

    What muscles exactly does the Rowing Mahine work on..? Your hand position I presume is important if you want to work different muscles..


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    #2
    cardio,shoot me
    Registered Users Posts: 3,462 ✭✭✭cardio,shoot me


    i assume you mean a cable row machine, and not a concept two rowing simulator.

    the cable row will work your lats, biceps, and forearms, and depending or not if you have a chest plate, your lower back may be stimulated


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    #3
    Patdusty2010
    Registered Users Posts: 124 ✭✭Patdusty2010


    cardio,shoot me wrote: »
    i assume you mean a cable row machine, and not a concept two rowing simulator.

    the cable row will work your lats, biceps, and forearms, and depending or not if you have a chest plate, your lower back may be stimulated

    Yeah the normal rowing machine in most gyms..Does it really matter much what way you hold the cord when you row? A guy yesterday told me to pull the cord up high to work my chest..


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    #4
    cardio,shoot me
    Registered Users Posts: 3,462 ✭✭✭cardio,shoot me


    if its a rowing machine, you wont be working your chest.
    middle-back-exercises-seated-cable-.gif

    pull it towards your belly button, keep your back straight. if you use a supinated(underhand grip) you will work your biceps more, and if you take a pronated(overhand grip) you will work your back more.


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    #5
    Mellor
    Registered Users Posts: 39,355 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    I assumed the OP refered to this kind;

    _38112186_rower.gif

    Which would work leg muscles too


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    #6
    radia
    Registered Users Posts: 360 ✭✭radia


    If it's the type of rower in Mellor's animation above, the Concept 2 website has these illustrations:

    The catch
    m4222_v1_muscles%20catch%20web.jpg

    The drive
    m4198_v1_muscles%20drive%20web.jpg

    m4210_v1_muscles%20drive2%20web.jpg

    The finish
    M4234_v1_muscle%20finish%20web.jpg


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    #7
    Patdusty2010
    Registered Users Posts: 124 ✭✭Patdusty2010


    Mellor wrote: »
    I assumed the OP refered to this kind;

    _38112186_rower.gif

    Which would work leg muscles too

    Yeah I did. I use this machine at the start and end of my sessions. Generally do a few 90 seconds of very high intensity rowing with recovery..the corner of the machine is up around 50-55 if that makes sense..


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    #8
    Patdusty2010
    Registered Users Posts: 124 ✭✭Patdusty2010


    radia wrote: »
    If it's the type of rower in Mellor's animation above, the Concept 2 website has these illustrations:

    The catch
    m4222_v1_muscles%20catch%20web.jpg

    The drive
    m4198_v1_muscles%20drive%20web.jpg

    m4210_v1_muscles%20drive2%20web.jpg

    The finish
    M4234_v1_muscle%20finish%20web.jpg

    Thats great. I wasn't aware that it worked all these muscles..great machine.


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    #9
    Mellor
    Registered Users Posts: 39,355 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    Patdusty2010 wrote: »
    Thats great. I wasn't aware that it worked all these muscles..great machine.
    It's hardly surprising it works all those muscles. You are moving you legs, arms, upper and lower body against resistance. If you move it, then you use it, and you work it.


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    #10
    Muffin top
    Registered Users Posts: 141 ✭✭Muffin top


    ssshh...most people ignore the rowing machine which is great cos it's usually free even at peak times...; I find it quite good for the abs also if you lean as far forward as you can and then stretch back as much as you can, if that makes sense; it's like doing a crunch.

    I try to do 30 mins rowing, 30 mins cross trainer and 30 mins swimming so I figure I hit all my muscles hopefully.

    The intructor siad to keep the speed above 30 for rowing I imagine if should be higher for males.


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    #11
    Colm_OReilly
    Registered Users Posts: 3,577 ✭✭✭Colm_OReilly


    Stroke speed is a terrible indicator of intensity on the concept2.

    Think of it as pedaling a bike. If you spin your legs a lot on a light gear or trudge through it on a heavy gear, it's down to personal preference.

    The rower has a split time if you set it to metres, which will generally be displayed as 2:13/500m for example, which means it's taking you 2minutes, 13 seconds to complete 500m.

    If you want to gauge your progress, use this as a marker. How fast you move on the rower doesn't count, how fast you move the rower does.

    Now, as a general rule, for 500m splits, you're up around 33-35 strokes a minute. For a 2K, around 27-30. For a 5K, around 18-22 is what I was taught.


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    #12
    Hanley
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 21,981 ✭✭✭✭Hanley


    Colm_OReilly wrote: »
    Stroke speed is a terrible indicator of intensity on the concept2.

    Think of it as pedaling a bike. If you spin your legs a lot on a light gear or trudge through it on a heavy gear, it's down to personal preference.

    The rower has a split time if you set it to metres, which will generally be displayed as 2:13/500m for example, which means it's taking you 2minutes, 13 seconds to complete 500m.

    If you want to gauge your progress, use this as a marker. How fast you move on the rower doesn't count, how fast you move the rower does.

    Now, as a general rule, for 500m splits, you're up around 33-35 strokes a minute. For a 2K, around 27-30. For a 5K, around 18-22 is what I was taught.

    Any corresponding 500m times? How long is a piece of string, I know. But say 1m 30s is decent for 500m, what about 2k and 5k, do you know?


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    #13
    sd2002
    Closed Accounts Posts: 47 ✭sd2002


    Hanley wrote: »
    Any corresponding 500m times? How long is a piece of string, I know. But say 1m 30s is decent for 500m, what about 2k and 5k, do you know?

    Piece of string is right!

    You can try this link to see how you compare to others:
    http://www.concept2.com/sranking03/rankings.asp

    Of course, there are a lot of factors involved in determining what sort of times you'll be able to pull. Improper technique can be a major barrier to progress. Unfortunately, most people using gyms will never have been shown how to use a rowing machine properly. Guys especially have a tendency to reef up the drag resistance to 10 and proceed to fly and die!


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    #14
    dartstothesea
    Registered Users Posts: 890 ✭✭✭dartstothesea


    Are rowing machines generally sort of universal in the resistance provided by each setting on the cord (1-10 etc) or could it vary greatly from one machine to the next?


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    #15
    Parsley
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,144 ✭✭✭Parsley


    Hanley wrote: »
    Any corresponding 500m times? How long is a piece of string, I know. But say 1m 30s is decent for 500m, what about 2k and 5k, do you know?

    World record 2k is 5.48, or thereabouts I think. 5k is 15.30ish. Might be a bit off but they're the world class times. Rowers I know at senior level in Ireland have 2k time in and around 6 minutes, up to 6.20 maybe, with some heavier lads breaking the 2 minute barrier.


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    #16
    JayRoc
    Registered Users Posts: 1,613 ✭✭✭JayRoc


    dartstothesea wrote: »
    Are rowing machines generally sort of universal in the resistance provided by each setting on the cord (1-10 etc) or could it vary greatly from one machine to the next?

    The drag on Concept II's can vary quite a lot from machine to machine, it can be down to how old the rower is, or how much dust is in the wheel, or a number of other things.
    Best thing is to just use the same rower all the time and find the drag that suits you best on it
    (You can check each machine's drag by selecting "More Options" on the menu, I think around about 140 or so is suitable for most people)


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    #17
    Parsley
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,144 ✭✭✭Parsley


    JayRoc wrote: »
    The drag on Concept II's can vary quite a lot from machine to machine, it can be down to how old the rower is, or how much dust is in the wheel, or a number of other things.
    Best thing is to just use the same rower all the time and find the drag that suits you best on it
    (You can check each machine's drag by selecting "More Options" on the menu, I think around about 140 or so is suitable for most people)

    120-130ish is generally the best.


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    #18
    Patdusty2010
    Registered Users Posts: 124 ✭✭Patdusty2010


    Colm_OReilly wrote: »
    Stroke speed is a terrible indicator of intensity on the concept2.

    Think of it as pedaling a bike. If you spin your legs a lot on a light gear or trudge through it on a heavy gear, it's down to personal preference.

    The rower has a split time if you set it to metres, which will generally be displayed as 2:13/500m for example, which means it's taking you 2minutes, 13 seconds to complete 500m.

    If you want to gauge your progress, use this as a marker. How fast you move on the rower doesn't count, how fast you move the rower does.

    Now, as a general rule, for 500m splits, you're up around 33-35 strokes a minute. For a 2K, around 27-30. For a 5K, around 18-22 is what I was taught.

    I started doing 500 metre splits on the rower the other day as per your advice. I start off with 500 metres then I do a 2km sprint on the bike, then the same on the rower and bike two more times followed by some weights.


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    #19
    Patdusty2010
    Registered Users Posts: 124 ✭✭Patdusty2010


    Hanley wrote: »
    Any corresponding 500m times? How long is a piece of string, I know. But say 1m 30s is decent for 500m, what about 2k and 5k, do you know?

    Am doing the 500 metres at the moment in 1 minute 46 seconds if anyone is interested.

    Do you row 500 metres in 1 minute 30 seconds?


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    #20
    Hanley
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 21,981 ✭✭✭✭Hanley


    Patdusty2010 wrote: »
    Am doing the 500 metres at the moment in 1 minute 46 seconds if anyone is interested.

    Do you row 500 metres in 1 minute 30 seconds?

    Best is 1minute 29seconds, that was with a bit in reserve cos I knew I was doing more afterwards.


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    #21
    token
    Registered Users Posts: 1,806 ✭✭✭token


    Hanley wrote: »
    Any corresponding 500m times? How long is a piece of string, I know. But say 1m 30s is decent for 500m, what about 2k and 5k, do you know?

    Just going by what I've seen people do at the gym going sub 7:00 on a 2k is similar accomplishment to going sub 1:30 on a 500m row.


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    #22
    Hanley
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 21,981 ✭✭✭✭Hanley


    token wrote: »
    Just going by what I've seen people do at the gym going sub 7:00 on a 2k is similar accomplishment to going sub 1:30 on a 500m row.

    Really fcuking painful so?


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    #23
    token
    Registered Users Posts: 1,806 ✭✭✭token


    Hanley wrote: »
    Really fcuking painful so?

    oh yeah


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    #24
    Patdusty2010
    Registered Users Posts: 124 ✭✭Patdusty2010


    Hanley wrote: »
    Best is 1minute 29seconds, that was with a bit in reserve cos I knew I was doing more afterwards.

    Fair play doing 500 metres that quick, thats a great time.


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    #25
    Torque
    Registered Users Posts: 84 ✭✭Torque


    You should make sure you've the proper technique, as rowing at this intensity with poor technique can cause injury.

    Any way 1:30 is a good split for a 500m piece , 2ks below 7 mins is pretty damn good while 5ks anything around 18 or 19 minutes is alright


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    #26
    dartstothesea
    Registered Users Posts: 890 ✭✭✭dartstothesea


    I think I have the proper technique down but not so sure I'm going from the catch back to the release properly. I have my feet strapped in and when pulling back in with my legs I feel like it's putting too much strain on my ankles. Should I be able to release back toward the fan without even having my feet strapped/braced against the straps etc?
    In terms of hips/back/arms I think I'm doing everything else okay, I just end up feeling like my ankles are being wrecked...
    Thanks for any advice.


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    #27
    Patdusty2010
    Registered Users Posts: 124 ✭✭Patdusty2010


    Parsley wrote: »
    120-130ish is generally the best.

    I went to the more options section on the concept 2 and it said that the drag should be as you said. I did a few rows but my drag was only 65 or so. How do I get the drag to 120-130, do I need to have the rower to the max level? I generally had the rower at level 10 have put it to around 4 the past few days..


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    #28
    Parsley
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,144 ✭✭✭Parsley


    Patdusty2010 wrote: »
    I went to the more options section on the concept 2 and it said that the drag should be as you said. I did a few rows but my drag was only 65 or so. How do I get the drag to 120-130, do I need to have the rower to the max level? I generally had the rower at level 10 have put it to around 4 the past few days..

    take a few strokes, then adjust the slider, take a few more strokes, adjust, again and again until the drag is between 120 and 130.


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    #29
    Patdusty2010
    Registered Users Posts: 124 ✭✭Patdusty2010


    Parsley wrote: »
    take a few strokes, then adjust the slider, take a few more strokes, adjust, again and again until the drag is between 120 and 130.

    Thanks, I will do that later tonight. I adjusted the stroke a few times yesterday but the drag always seemed to be around 55-70. I will just keep at it later until I get it right..


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    #30
    The Guvnor
    Registered Users Posts: 2,800 ✭✭✭The Guvnor


    Muffin top wrote: »
    The intructor siad to keep the speed above 30 for rowing I imagine if should be higher for males.

    That is I am afraid terrible advice and totally incorrect.

    Olympic rowing champions such as Matthew Pinsent would last no more than 6-10 minutes maximum at 30+ strokes per minute.

    For 30 minutes on the erg a stroke rate of 18-22 is more than enough.

    There is another thread on here that discusses technique in more detail, maybe someone can post up the link?


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    #31
    radia
    Registered Users Posts: 360 ✭✭radia


    This one maybe?


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