I decided to try indoor rowing the other day and I hardly broke a sweat. Am I doing something wrong?

Row harder.

Please tell me this is a troll post. No activity is more or less than another activity. If you work hard enough then you will sweat. You also wouldn't be sweating much if you would walked a 5k compared to running one. Next time, don't slack off while rowing.

How is swimming not a good cardio workout?

hbuhbuh wrote:

Please tell me this is a troll post. No activity is more or less than another activity. If you work hard enough then you will sweat. You also wouldn't be sweating much if you would walked a 5k compared to running one. Next time, don't slack off while rowing.

How is swimming not a good cardio workout?

INCORRECT!

Different activities utilize different muscle groups and, most importantly, different sized muscles. Try working up a good sweat by wiggling your pinky really, really hard!

swimming is more about technique.

Some Things Should Be Obvious wrote:

hbuhbuh wrote:

Please tell me this is a troll post. No activity is more or less than another activity. If you work hard enough then you will sweat. You also wouldn't be sweating much if you would walked a 5k compared to running one. Next time, don't slack off while rowing.

How is swimming not a good cardio workout?

INCORRECT!

Different activities utilize different muscle groups and, most importantly, different sized muscles. Try working up a good sweat by wiggling your pinky really, really hard!

If your arms and chest are as developed as your pinky (as they are in most distance runners), then you'll never break a sweat by using those muscle groups. Science.

Were you using a rowing machine or a boat?

Top Noticer wrote:

Some Things Should Be Obvious wrote:

INCORRECT!

Different activities utilize different muscle groups and, most importantly, different sized muscles. Try working up a good sweat by wiggling your pinky really, really hard!

If your arms and chest are as developed as your pinky (as they are in most distance runners), then you'll never break a sweat by using those muscle groups. Science.

INCORRECT!

1) While arm and chest muscles of many runners are not particularly well developed, they are still VASTLY larger than the muscles that control the pinky. Therefore working them hard will result in VASTLY greater power output than working out by twiddling your pinky. And you WILL work up a sweat.

1a) Working out using these muscles will develop them anyway so yours is a moot point (in addition to being INCORRECT).

1b) Rowing, the activity in question, relies heavily on the muscles of the quads, gluteus and back, all generally reasonably developed in runners (making your point moot two times over in addition to being INCORRECT).

R2D3 wrote:

Were you using a rowing machine or a boat?

indoor rowing usually implies a rowing machine.

concept2? wrote:

R2D3 wrote:

Were you using a rowing machine or a boat?

indoor rowing usually implies a rowing machine.

Maybe using a boat indoors was why he didn't break a sweat.

concept2? wrote:

swimming is more about technique.

That's why swimmers are bone skinny and never sweat.

Rowing is for wussies.

Set it at 5, not 7. Do about 25-30 strokes / minute. Push w/ legs, snap back, pull/lean, and come back forward. Search some videos for good form. Try and average sub 2:00 for 500 meters as long as you can. In 45 minutes you will have rivers of sweat all over the floor. Think that's something, then try ~1:50-53 / 500 meters. That's elite level rowing for 45 minutes. Also if you row a 5:00 mile that's about a 4:30 mile equivalent for running. It grades out to be a little harder.

Bump. Switch from m/s to time per 500m. This is the metric used by crew teams. Averaging sub 2 minutes for 45 minutes will break any beginner.Also your legs will begin to look like tree trunks rather than toned runner legs.- RowedCrewInCollege- ShouldHaveStuckToTrack

Oregon 2000s wrote:

Set it at 5, not 7. Do about 25-30 strokes / minute. Push w/ legs, snap back, pull/lean, and come back forward. Search some videos for good form. Try and average sub 2:00 for 500 meters as long as you can. In 45 minutes you will have rivers of sweat all over the floor. Think that's something, then try ~1:50-53 / 500 meters. That's elite level rowing for 45 minutes. Also if you row a 5:00 mile that's about a 4:30 mile equivalent for running. It grades out to be a little harder.

Why is the Erg suddenly a torture machine that creates fear after this mysterious distance at maximum effort?The data I just gave may be wrong. See in.I guess I must use some kind of program or something? I just used the Time program and put it on 30, without modifying the resistance levels. Thank you very many guys! I'm really loving the discovery of the rowing machine!

Where you have the resistance on the fan isn't as important to what your drag factor is. For that, you need to go to options and display drag factor. You would want that to be around 110-130. 30 stokes per minute is also very fast for over 45 minutes and you probably not getting good power with your strokes. You should look on youtube for some technique videos.

I've rowed competitively and run competitively. A 2k rowing race on the ERG leaves me hurting a lot than a mile race on the track.

My brother told me that a good benchmark workout was to try to get 2k in under 7 mins (which he barely managed on his first try with no rowing background). I tried doing 500m in 1:45 (same pace) and it was challenging enough that I can imagine a good sweat being built up after a few minutes. I think you need to be rowing harder.

Very true, sub 7 min for 2k is the benchmark. I have weak little runner arms and don't ever row but can pull off about 7:11-7:12. Pretty good time considering how weak I am but my rowing muscular endurance is awful. I'm spent after 2k. It's hard as hell after about 2 minutes. My wrists/knuckles burn. A lot of cardio work for sure.

Brad wiggins just rowed 2k in 6:20 ish. Try that and see what you had for lunch a 2nd time. Good luck!

concept2? wrote:

Why does everyone say that indoor rowing is a real good workout? I'm not saying that it isn't and I know my technique was probably real bad, but I did it for about 45 minutes and was sweating a bit but nowhere near as drenched as I would be if I were on the treadmill or elliptical. I don't remember what my splits were but I was doing around 30s/m. I think I had it on the 7 resistance setting. Even if I worked on my form, is indoor rowing a real good cardio workout or is it more of a technique thing like swimming. Or does it take awhile to build the muscles to get to where you can do a decent pace?

The erg is one of the best pieces cardio-equipment ever created. I worship the engineers of this machine everyday and hope that they find their 69 virgins in paradise.

Concept2 has a wealth of information about technique and workouts on their website. Use it, and you'll be puking out your guts and exploding your heart in no time.