Help me figure out a good work out centered around compound movements.
I'm a soft bodied sloth lately :( But back when I was not, my two favorite exercises were dead lifting and this other one I don't know the name of where you use an Olympic bar With weights on only one end. Hold the bar just below the weight, and use the non weighted end as a hinge at the base of the floor and wall. Then you almost do a lunge to one side, stand up right, then do the other. It kills your entire body. Not sure I explained it well enough to make sense.
With the second exercise you're describing, do you a set of lunges on one side of the body, then switch and do the other set? Or are you switching the lunging foot between reps? I've recently started going to the gym for powerlifting and general strength training, having only done bodyweight strength training before, and I'm really digging it. Would be nice to have another exercise in the old repertoire.
Ok, and are you facing the weight and holding it in front of you, at waist or shoulder height? That's the only way it makes sense to me.
I'm a rower on my school's team, so a bit of insight: the rowing machine is really for one thing, rowing. There are plenty of great workouts you can do, anything from long steady state to high intensity intervals. But if you're just starting out on the erg, you have to commit to learning the techniques and fundamentals of rowing. Not to turn you off from trying out the sport, but to tell you better what you're getting into. If you're still interested, start by googling some tutorials on erg technique. You should be able to find some good videos from some respectable crew teams. For workouts, you can do anything from pick a preloaded workout on the machine, to googling "erg workouts" or something. I think concept 2 (the company that makes the machines) has some good exercises on their site. PM me for rowing questions if you want, and welcome to the club! PS I second nemo. If you want to get generally fit, do SL 5x5.
So I'm hearing a lot about form and different machines, but why is rowing so good for you?
Yeah, technique has been something I've been reading up on.. What interests me about rowing machines is that rowing is a compound exercise. I'd like to create a full-body workout based on mostly these kinds of movements (including chin-ups, pull-ups, etc.). I'm looking for general conditioning of course, but more than anything, functional strength.
There are some good crossfit-type circuits out there, with something like Row, squat, pushup, crunch, repeat in different amounts. Those'll beat hell out of you, not something to do every day. If you're looking for conditioning, make sure you integrate other exercises, particularly running. Rowers, kind of famously, can't run at all, so make sure you don't end up like us.
I have zero experience with rowing machines. But I started swimming a bit and I've adopted mk's 25 pushups prior to every shower routine. kleinbl00 -have you also adopted this? It's stupid simple. I haven't run in about a month and I'm signed up to run a four mile thing tomorrow night. should be interesting. Good luck with the rowing humanodon!
I'm up to 10. Embarassing. I used to be able to do 15 pull-ups. Need my damn chin-up bar, but that requires having a door frame that doesn't suck. humanodon - I owned a Concept 2 Model C. 'twas the shizzle. I sold it when I moved into an apartment complex with a Model E, but I kept the wind shroud (an aftermarket thing that makes all the wind blow at you). I wholeheartedly recommend them. It was great when I had the apartment in NoHo 'cuz you could sit on it for like an hour and a half and watch Adult Swim and get a full body workout. You can buy 'em on craigslist for about $350-$500 and they're totally upgradeable to the e-series computer, which allows you to interface with other rowers on the Internet'n'stuff. Also, they'll take a heart rate monitor (Polar). If I had more space I'd get another one. They're dope. They have like seven moving parts, Concept 2 sells them all, and you can completely overhaul one in about two hours with a 1/2" wrench and a screwdriver.
This is exactly what my apartment building has. I'm the only one that uses it, so that's a plus. I've been doing sets of 2000 meters and trying to best my time with each set (while maintaining technique of course). As it's the apartment building's machine, I can't upgrade it.
Yeah, but you don't necessarily need to. Something to keep in mind - if it's got the old-style computer you can't really measure your technique as well... and that if you're looking for cardio of any kind, 2000m isn't quite enough to do it. Slow and steady is a lot better, which you'll discover if you throw on a heart rate monitor.
Swimming? Do you just swim laps or do you have a training program? I'm gonna start swimming a bit more seriously by my self and I'm wondering it you have any tips.
Yeah, like b_b said, good to see you. I should clarify that I am a HORRIBLE swimmer and by saying that I've "been swimming," I basically mean a lap in an Olympic pool. Literally ONE LAP. But, every journey starts with one step, right? I ran 4 miles tonight, so that's not nothin'. Good luck with your swimming. I, unfortunately, have no tips for you. HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?
I have been very well considering the circumstances. I am quite a good swimmer, it was the sport I kept on doing for longest and I even competed a bit. I am quite proud of the fact that my butterfly stroke is well, in working condition. I suck at running however. I hate it with a passion.
That is some self-control/motivation you have there. Fun story! (code for me going on a rant) My homeroom teacher in high school was well trained as hell and put up with a ridiculous amount of shit. Both from the administration and students. Once she said that one of the reasons she loved to run was that she couldn't mark/plan lessons when running and thus did not feel guilty about not doing those things. Ever since then I've associated running with being under pressure and extremely stressed. I don't think she doesn't enjoy running, and well, I doubt that was why she was running but it was national testing season and she was pretty obviously sleep deprived as hell. Along with all other teachers who had to correct stuff. One of the teachers who is the kindest person I've ever met and also the person with the lowest self esteem I've ever met. Think Miss Honey. She told us a story that stuck with me - and that was that she had when she was studying to be a teacher gone home for Christmas, eaten Christmas dinner and then went up to her room and studied for the rest of the evening. And here in Sweden Christmas Eve is a big frickin' deal. She told us that story before Christmas break and tild us not to do that because that was self-destructive. In june she was falling apart and other teachers were basically walking into our classroom and giving her hugs. Okay, that got off topic fast. Short story - I associate running with women who were stressed into oblivion and a certain kind of destructive perfectionism.
There's an untested correlation between ultramarathon runners and addictive personalities, to be sure... for me, the attraction of running is super-low buy-in and high aerobic reward. And I've never once gotten shin splints. Despite the fact that I'm not built like a runner, I have no problems running a lot.
Yep, running is just awful. Though this view is probably shapedbby the fact that my body is not made for running. It in fact sucks at even walking. Or standing. I have walked way to mush on thia vacation, and well... Now my hips hurt. Ugh. And my painkillers are in Sweden. However I've biked like 5 miles each day and theb spent the day creativly diving into the water and swimming. My body is built for swimming. And laying in bed. It's really good at that to.
I'm currently sitting on my couch. I want to get up and go to bed but my legs are so tight and sore from running that I am putting it off. I made a podcast/video with steve a while back titled, "Running Sucks." Check it out: eightbitsamurai:
I used to do orienteering when I was younger and I did enjoy running then. I enjoy running to things, but it varies on what mood I'm in and since my certain kind of madness is a fuckin' clockwork I can basically say that I enjoy running to things in summer and around Christmas/new-year and am a slow little zombie in fall/early spring. Yay for predictably!
"I haven't run in about a month and I'm signed up to run a four mile thing tomorrow night. should be interesting." Sounds like me I did a 15k once, my training max was about 3 miles. I told myself 15k is basically running 3 miles 3 times easy... Then I would go to the local bar for post workout beer.
I love the erg (rowing machine...don't ask me what it stands for! hah.) Actually, what I love is outrigger canoeing, but the erg is the closest thing I can get to it in the gym. The most important thing is technique. It's great for doing distance training or sprint training.
Ten sets for time: Row 250m
10 kettle bell swings I use a 35 pound kettle bell for this exercise, but adjust accordingly.