OT: Rowing machines?

[algroves]

Well I'm fed up of carrying this gut around with me. Because of the hours I work in the studio, I've had to majorly cut back on my usual exercise (cycle trials), and also because of the winter its too icy to ride over the holiday period.

 

I'm looking at getting a cheap home rowing machine off ebay, like this one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-Hermes-Deluxe-Hydraulic-Rowing-Machine-Rower_W0QQitemZ260066800358QQihZ016QQcategoryZ15275QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

My idea was that I could use it for half an hour when I get up on a morning, and then half an hour before I goto bed.

 

Would I be wasting my time/money on doing this? I'm 20 and I'm sick of having such a big beer gut hanging off me. Plus it sucks trying to find jeans and shirts that fit me the way I want, because I just have a great big pot!

 

I thought about jogging, but I'm pretty sure without some kind of distraction (TV or music on the PC) I'd not stick with it - plus I'd have to buy running trainers and some shorts.

 

Al

[Burn]

Yowwww... You're prolly gonna get a heckload of responses on this, the gist of which will suggest that you need a gym membership and stick to it, that money and time are not valid obstacles and you could even beg in the streets if you are determined enough [i actually read that in a BB forum ], and that there is no easy way to getting lean and muscular, or getting in shape at all.

Well... There actually is no easy way

[algroves]

Heh, I wondered if I might do.

Basically, a gym is out of the equation. I just dont have the time. I'm a sound engineer in a commercial studio, so I'm pulling 10-14 hour days, 7 days a week. There just isnt enough hours in the day for stuff like a gym. Plus, when you add to that the time it takes to travel to the gym etc, its quite a chunk outa my day.

I'm not looking to do bodybuilding or anything ridiculous like that, I just need to find some exercise so I'm not just stocking up weight, but I'm actually burning it off.

Al

[algroves]

^

Al

[JBecker]

Eat less, eat right, move more.

Jogging/running on a treadmill is fine, do it right, stick to it, and eat properly and you'll lose weight. There is no other way to say it. Something like a treadmill or elliptical or even indoor bike is better for straight weight loss than a rower.

[ScreaminSaint]

Put a kiddie pool in the studio (far away from the expensive stuff). get a small rowboat and tie it down to something. row away.

[rhino bucket]

rowing is great exercise, but 99% of home equipment ends colecting dust and ends up in a yard sale.



1st i'll second eating right, should be able get rid of your gut with proper diet. cut out bad carbs, sugar, white bread, etc.



Jesus H Christ man, your 20 {censored}ing years, 10-14 hour days ain't {censored}. should be able to do that, and then stay out all night getting laid.



burn that fat off shagging birds.

[algroves]

Originally posted by ScreaminSaint Put a kiddie pool in the studio (far away from the expensive stuff). get a small rowboat and tie it down to something. row away.

Hehehehehehe

Al

[algroves]

Originally posted by rhino bucket rowing is great exercise, but 99% of home equipment ends colecting dust and ends up in a yard sale. 1st i'll second eating right, should be able get rid of your gut with proper diet. cut out bad carbs, sugar, white bread, etc. Jesus H Christ man, your 20 {censored}ing years, 10-14 hour days ain't {censored}. should be able to do that, and then stay out all night getting laid. burn that fat off shagging birds.

The eating thing is something I'm getting a handle on. Beer doesnt help either, but I'd find it very hard to cut that out.

You try doing 12 hours straight in a studio and tell me your not shattered at the end of it. Then do it for 5 days in a row

It's all very well in theory when I plan to goto the gym or go swimming etc, but it works out to be one hell of a big part of the day. 50% of it is the travel between work and my house and then the gym etc. Thats why I'm thinking having something in my bedroom at home will be good, because I can throw a CD on, do 30 minutes on it in the morning, goto work, then do another 30 minutes on it when I get back.

So an exercise bike would be better for gut-loss than a rower?

Al

[algroves]

The crazy thing is that I could spend a month on my bike, eat MORE than I do now (and more crap food) and still lose the weight. Before I moved away from home, I was training 4 to 5 days a week on my motorbike, and I was pulling 9.5 stone at 5ft10. Now, I weight 11st8, at the same height. I eat a LOT less than I did then. I also remember that within about 6 weeks of giving up the riding/training, I felt {censored}e and had noticeably gained weight. Its just circumstances mean that its something I've had to give up

Al

[potaetoes]

don't waste your time with hydraulic rowing machines. they are all, and i mean every single one of them, garbage.

rowing is an awesome workout, great combination of strength and aerobics. if you're serious about a rowing machine, get an erg machine with a chain-driven fan, like this:



those are excellent machines and will allow you the correct movement, resistance curves and posture to avoid badly damaging yourself. if you don't have the money or space for something like that, there are a bazillion other things you could spend a half hour doing that are much better for you than those POS hydraulic rowers. just go for a half-hour walk at a brisk pace or something.

the only equipment you really need to get in shape is willpower and a sidewalk - if lack of a machine keeps you from exercising, then buying a machine won't help you. a lot of people buy exercise machines thinking they can sit on their ass and get in shape, and they typically end up gathering dust in the garage until they're sold at a yard sale.

[algroves]

Thanks a lot man, thats the kind of advice I was looking for.

I'm trying to construct something I can do at home. It's winter here, and I'm damn sure I dont fancy walking around the park when its pissing down with rain and mud. Thats why the 'machine in the corner' is appealing because its convenient and I can do it whenver I want. The other thing is that because I'm in the studio during the day, I'd have to do my walks very early in the morning and very late at night. Not the safest thing to do where I live.

One thing that has just sprung to mind is skipping. A skipping rope is what,

[rhino bucket]

Originally posted by algroves The eating thing is something I'm getting a handle on. Beer doesnt help either, but I'd find it very hard to cut that out. You try doing 12 hours straight in a studio and tell me your not shattered at the end of it. Then do it for 5 days in a row It's all very well in theory when I plan to goto the gym or go swimming etc, but it works out to be one hell of a big part of the day. 50% of it is the travel between work and my house and then the gym etc. Thats why I'm thinking having something in my bedroom at home will be good, because I can throw a CD on, do 30 minutes on it in the morning, goto work, then do another 30 minutes on it when I get back. So an exercise bike would be better for gut-loss than a rower? Al

dude, when in my 20's i worked 7:30am to 9:00pm doing manual labor outside in the Texas heat and closed the bars down every night then spent a couple hours shagging nurses.

only time i slept was Sat. night, then started up Sun. afternoon on bloodymarys and nurses.



not trying to rag on you too hard, just pointing out that your young and should be enjoying life. the body is very resilient at that at age, start destroying it.

[algroves]

Originally posted by rhino bucket dude, when in my 20's i worked 7:30am to 9:00pm doing manual labor outside in the Texas heat and closed the bars down every night then spent a couple hours shagging nurses. only time i slept was Sat. night, then started up Sun. afternoon on bloodymarys and nurses. not trying to rag on you too hard, just pointing out that your young and should be enjoying life. the body is very resilient at that at age, start destroying it.

Sounds like fun. I am enjoying life though - I LOVE what I do in the studio

Al

[chittypantz]

I highly recommend the Concept 2 rower. I have one and use it 3-4 times per week. Mix that in with some running and you have a pretty good cardio-focused workout.

My wife was a varsity rower in college and knew about Concept 2 from her training. They make a really good, sturdy product and have great customer service & support.

[stanner]

Originally posted by potaetoes
don't waste your time with hydraulic rowing machines. they are all, and i mean every single one of them, garbage.

ummm...pardon my ignorance-but what exactly is the difference between the hydraulics and the others-
and why are they so bad?
thanks if ya know
stain:cool:

[algroves]

Originally posted by stanner Originally posted by potaetoes don't waste your time with hydraulic rowing machines. they are all, and i mean every single one of them, garbage. ummm...pardon my ignorance-but what exactly is the difference between the hydraulics and the others- and why are they so bad? thanks if ya know stain:cool: +1 Al

[Big Hair]

wank with both hands

[starsnuffer]

If you haven't worked out at all before, I strongly suggest you start with something like pilates. You can probably buy the Windsor pilates dvd's used off ebay.

Do them every day when you wake up, and again at night if you have the time. The 20 minute workout is the one you want to start with. I think the package includes an additional 20 minute leg workout and a 20 minute ab workout. After you do the 20 minute beginning workout for 2 weeks straight, you can start to rotate the other two into the mix.

After you do them for a few months, you'll be in way better shape to think about exercise equipment, or maybe you won't even need it.

I go to the gym reguarly and I still use pilates, especially during snowboarding season. It's great stuff for your core and for balance, and it's great for getting rid of the gut.

The only equipment you need is a dvd player, but you can invest in a good mat if you're a softie.

-W

[potaetoes]

Originally posted by stanner Originally posted by potaetoes don't waste your time with hydraulic rowing machines. they are all, and i mean every single one of them, garbage. ummm...pardon my ignorance-but what exactly is the difference between the hydraulics and the others- and why are they so bad? thanks if ya know stain:cool: see how those arms pivot in a fixed arc? bad juju for your back, since you'll probably pull hardest with your arms way up at the top of that arc, and for the entire arc except the worst point, you can't pull straight back. the grips also don't allow natural movement, they just swing in their mechanical arc. erg machines let you pull straight toward your belt with a straight back, and the handles are free-floating so your wrists and elbows are free to move naturally. you also work more of the smaller supporting core muscles since your upper body isn't anchored to anything solid, and the handle doesn't travel along a pre-described path. on top of that, the resistance is exponential, so you can pull hard for huge resistance, or pull lightly for more of a cardio workout, do intervals, power pyramids, etc., and the resistance curve can be steepened or flattened by opening and closing vents on the fan enclosure. on top of that, you actually get a fairly accurate display of your workout details so you can keep track of your progress. they're just awesome machines... by far my favorite indoor workout that doesn't involve naked chicks. anyway, go to a sporting goods store and spend a minute on a hydraulic machine, then a few seconds on something like a concept II, and you'll immediately understand the difference.

[JKD]

Chuck Norris Total Gym

[nrarocks]

Originally posted by potaetoes don't waste your time with hydraulic rowing machines. they are all, and i mean every single one of them, garbage. rowing is an awesome workout, great combination of strength and aerobics. if you're serious about a rowing machine, get an erg machine with a chain-driven fan, like this: those are excellent machines and will allow you the correct movement, resistance curves and posture to avoid badly damaging yourself.

+1
My family just got one for my sister. She's on her college's crew team, and she wanted to have one at home so she can work out when she's at home. The one you posted is the exact same one we have, a concept 2. I tried it yesterday, and it's really great.

[mastercaster]

No equipment needed.

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Navy-SEAL-Fitness/dp/1578261716/sr=1-2/qid=1167166460/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/103-8740724-6908664?ie=UTF8&s=books

http://www.amazon.com/Special-Ops-Fitness-Training-High-Intensity/dp/1569755825/sr=1-2/qid=1167166515/ref=sr_1_2/103-8740724-6908664?ie=UTF8&s=books

http://www.amazon.com/United-State-SEALs-Workout-Guide/dp/0688158625/sr=1-16/qid=1167166544/ref=sr_1_16/103-8740724-6908664?ie=UTF8&s=books

http://stewsmith.com/

[awilson40]

I feel for ya.
When I was 25 - 30 I was working 7 days a week, going to school 3 -4 nights a week , training 1 - 2 hrs a day for bicycle racing ( I rode for a local team at the time) AND was starting a family. I did that for YEARS.

A rowing maching is a great idea, the key (along with watching your diet) is to push your heart rate up for at LEAST 30 min.
Every day if you can.
What you are trying to do is reprogram your metabolism. and thats the way to do it.
Dont get discouraged, it will take a few weeks to really see results.
Good luck, and keep at it.

[9ball]

Originally posted by algroves Beer doesnt help either, but I'd find it very hard to cut that out. You try doing 12 hours straight in a studio and tell me your not shattered at the end of it. Then do it for 5 days in a row

i feel your pain my man.i was heavy when i was your age.-- i got into the navy- and was excercising regularly, but never really got skinny until i got out and got a job in a factory. i got really ripped- because i was sweating literally 8 hours a day every day- i ate like crap but still got ripped-lol.
anyways-- i believe stair climbers are the best at burning calories and fat and making you lose wieght.i read that in mens health somewhere- and i did use one alot in the navy and it did keep me in good shape(i didn't use it a WHOLE lot)
the kind with the handles that you have to pull/push with your hands as well as climb with your feet are the best. "lifecycles" or other 'big' 'heavy duty' machines you will see in gyms are a little expensive,though.
if you are serious about using the thing and losing wieght- you should look into getting an eliptical machine,or some climber that also makes you use your arms.
i have been driving truck for 2 years now, and i am to the point where i have to get something like that too. i dont want to put the extra time in of going to a gym. i already have good wieghts in my basement- but they don't work for wieght loss.
also-- when you start- you just have to start slow and gradually work into it. you don't want to start out fast and burn out.