Rowing Machine Advice

[Lord Bob]

I'm reactivating my workout routine after coming back from a holiday and am seeking a little advice.

My lifestyle means that I workout at home using a rowing machine and dumbbells. This means I can grab a workout even if I only have a spare half hour and can watch a dvd at the same time.

What are the advantages of long rowing sessions verses shorter ones? The longest session I've tried is 50 minutes (the length of the TV show I was watching!) alternating medium pace with some faster sections.

I'm honestly making this up as I go along and would appreciate some tips.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Lord Bob]

Anyway, if I manage to get into any kind of shape and lessen the shame I feel about my body, selfies will happen!

This would be a big thing for me (no pun intended!). I've lived ashamed of my body for pretty much all of my life.

 

[KaraBulut]

Rowing is a mixed exercise- having both the benefits of aerobic exercise (e.g. running) and anaerobic (e.g. weight training).

Generally, the experts will tell you that you need at least 30 minutes per day of aerobic exercise- preferably a continuous block of time. Rowing will contribute to that recommended time.

The limitation of rowing is that it is an exercise that it exercises only the upper body and it is repetitive in a single plane, which can be a stress on the shoulder joint. You should try to vary your routine to work other muscles and add exercise for your core muscles (e.g. situps, pushups, plank exercise) and legs (e.g. walking, running, squats).

 

[Lord Bob]

Thank you, that's good advice. I've been mixing in free weights and abs work as well. Sounds like I need to put in the hard work for the weeks and months ahead and not be impatient for results to come.