Do any runners here row regularly?

Used to row lots. Gave me a fat ass and big shoulders. I'm now ten years older and 28lbs lighter. All the clothes I bought in my early 20s are too big for me. Great work out but not great for running I think.

I rowed as a lightweight for 8 years ... was a faster runner then than I am now at 5k and 10k, but probably not at marathon. I hit 6:28 for 2k on the erg, and ran 33:30 for 10k at that time, without a lot of specific run training. When I get on the erg now it seems insane how much time and effort was spent sliding back and forth on that silly machine. I'd like to go back out on the water sometime, but serious rowing days are behind me.

I rowed in the PAC-10 (class of '90) and found that it kept me in very solid run shape... with very little run specific training, I was able to maintain sub-9:10 3000 and sub-15:50 5000 speed/strength.

When I have access, I will certainly use the ERG to maintain some form of non-weight bearing "high-end" fitness in the off season. Something like 10 x 1000 meters at 28 - 30 spm. This keeps the L.T. system primed but not overworked and without the risk of high impact pace work in the dead of winter. I avoid any sort of endurance work per say, like the long boring 10K crap, becuase I get too burned out. The short "hard" stuff keeps it interesting. I don't row at all (on the ERG) spring - summer when focused on running.

Hope that helps!

here's the deal: If you want to get more buff then row you little self silly. If you care about your running times and you want to improve those times then put the rowing machine in the basement with the ab-roller. Then spend every minute that you would have spent on the rowing machine out on the roads running. Your times will improve.

spikes wrote:

here's the deal: If you want to get more buff then row you little self silly. If you care about your running times and you want to improve those times then put the rowing machine in the basement with the ab-roller. Then spend every minute that you would have spent on the rowing machine out on the roads running. Your times will improve.

No, HERE'S the deal:

I'm 40, and am interested in keeping my entire body fit as I age. Did I mention "buff", "improving times" or "ab-rollers" anywhere in my post?

I made this post so I could get some other grown-up posters' thoughts on this supplement to my primary activity, running. Mostly, I was just interested in some friendly discourse about rowing and what people thnk of it.

Keep your unsolicited smart-ass comments to your self please.

From a prior post:

With the rower, you get your heart rate higher than anything else I've found, and it doesn't interfere with your running, meaning that you can still do a hard workout the next day. I have my athletes use these parameters:

No more than every other day, never the day before a long, hard run or 2 days before a race. Also, I only use this during the build up phase of our training cycle. Once we get into the second half of the racing season we drop the rower completely. It's very hard mentally and not something you can do year round effectively. I have 4 workouts I give the runners that they rotate through. The 4th is a timed 5k that we use to compare with each other.

If its good enough for a marathon trials qualifier, its good enough for me...

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?board=1&id=1664934&thread=1664509

Pat B wrote:

No, HERE'S the deal:

I'm 40, and am interested in keeping my entire body fit as I age. Did I mention "buff", "improving times" or "ab-rollers" anywhere in my post?

I made this post so I could get some other grown-up posters' thoughts on this supplement to my primary activity, running. Mostly, I was just interested in some friendly discourse about rowing and what people thnk of it.

Keep your unsolicited smart-ass comments to your self please.

Looks like someone really does have an ab-roller... and that person woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. HERE'S the DOUBLE DEAL: that guy is right, if you care about your running times then dont spend any significant time on the rower. If you just want to add another good workout then row all day long. Whats wrong with that answer? If you are going to get upset by the answer then dont ask the question.

I row regularly both on the water in a single, double and quad as well as on the erg in the winter.

Erg training supplements the 60-70 miles a week I run in a positive way. It is non weight bearing which can be a pleasant break from running. What I like about it is the way it fires my metabolism while giving my core, legs and arms a real workout. After doing pieces (intervals) on the erg I am way spent. My upper body and core are stronger and leaner and I like facing the challenge of the numbers on the readout. I have no ego invested in erging or rowing the way I do with running so anything I do on the erg is less fraught with the "what the numbers mean" syndrome.

I row on the concept 2. I even enjoy the 10-15k steady states because I erg with a group and the synergy of that (not to mention some good music) makes the k's roll by.

On the water rowing is a whole different animal and its serenity and challenge is akin to running.

if it's good enough for Wildwood Girl, it's good enough for everyone!

made me want to go out and give it a try!

I am in the 55+ age group. I generally row 4k in 20min. every other day on a Concept 2 as part of my recovery days. I find both the range of motion and upper body work helpful to maintaining my core strength and good running form. It also provides some aerobic work without as much stress on the old tendons and joints.

Give it a go. May I suggest you have someone give you a run through on the proper erging technique.

In a nutshell: legs, back, arms through the drive. Arms, back, legs on the recovery. You want good ratio between the drive and the recovery.

www.concept2.com

Wildwood Girl is ______ ______!

Wouldn't you reckon that if a poster wanted you to know his identity, he'd post under his given name?

I would. Sure, some who post under nom de plumes don't care about their privacy as much as others; but why pull anyone's mask off?

Apologies if, in this case, the party's real-life identity was already well-known (like say jtupper or malmo).

Wildwood pulled a power-10 on me...lol.

I was just coming back to add that taking the time to learn the proper stroke mechanics is key to a successful experience with the ERG.

I'll second that!

LEGS - BACK - ARMS (progressive explosion)... ARMS - BACK - LEGS (very relaxed on this part, not fast or rushed)

Pat B wrote:

Mostly, I was just interested in some friendly discourse about rowing and what people thnk of it.

Keep your unsolicited smart-ass comments to your self please.

yea, but your original post said:

I'm just curious as to how many here row regularly and what your impressions are as it relates to your running.

How it relates to your running is what I answered, idiot. I'll say it again, if you care about your running times then dont row too much. If you dont care, row to your little hearts delight.

Anybody have some good rowing workouts? Currently sidelined from runner due to a lower leg injury and looking for some creative ideas.