Row Together
Anti(dad)bodies
Published: 5/5/21
By: Gordon Dawson
The pandemic did a job on the ole body. At least, that's what I keep telling myself. In actuality, my steady weight gain stems back to my late 30's when my body decided it would start creating the infamous "dad bod." My regular ingestion of various foods was not acting so favorable anymore. I noticed slight changes in the mirror and thought it's not bad enough to do anything yet. I continued to eat what I wanted, as often as I wanted. As it's said, "you can't work out a bad diet," and I can attest to that notion. Truthfully, during the 2020 year of craziness, the pounds packed on as my wife and I tried to do our part in keeping restaurants from failing. Combined with the urgency to binge as many tv shows and movies as one can do, further weight gain was inevitable.
I've known many personal trainers, and I've worked in a fitness resort for way too many years to be proud of. However, I did learn of one particular piece of exercise equipment, the rowing machine. Bear in mind; I'm allergic to any form of exercise, much less machines intended to make me sweat and hurt. Happily, though, I gave the rower a chance, and it delivered an exception to an expectation. So if you're like me and hate exercise, hate to sweat, hate to be sore, hate to grow out of already large waist sizes, hate to think 2x shirts will make a visual difference, hate being out of breath while drying off from a shower, hate walking upstairs and feeling like your lungs will collapse, but love to eat...then please listen to the unbelievable benefits from this magnificent machine.
Still, it's taken nearly two years to bite the bullet and buy our rower. I can't tell you how many conversations we've had over this purchase, not only with ourselves but to close friends and family interested in our wellbeing. We thought it necessary to go with the nice one as you find in most fitness facilities. Still, even a stimulus check wasn't gonna cover that, so we decided to go into this purchase with the mindset of gettin' one that is more economical. This way, we give the machine a chance to improve us, and not become unused in the middle of our floor. My philosophy was: even if it breaks down, I can still get six more before reaching the price tag of the best brand. We found a nearly new rower on Facebook Marketplace, made an offer, and surprisingly, brought home our first rowing machine. The Merax P108 has become my nemesis as it's a must that I make the most of this machine.
Now for the benefits.
Did you know rowing machines, also known as ergometers, use up to 86% of your muscles and provides a full-body workout? According to healthline.com a rowing stroke consists of 65-75% leg work and 25-35% upper bodywork. Therefore you're getting a very well-rounded use of your muscles while simply rowing. This makes it awesome for people of all fitness levels, especially a beginner like myself.
It's "low impact," which allows for burning calories without adding additional stress to your joints. It's perfect for those in recovery or anyone with early stages of osteoarthritis.
It can be meditative as there is a mind connection with rowing. This comes from the smooth, gliding motion and repetitive movements that allow the mind to go on autopilot. Additionally, rowing releases endorphins, which are those feel-good hormones used to reduce stress.
Cardiovascularly, rowing is vital in strengthening the heart, blood vessels, and blood as it works hard to transport nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. Clearly, a benefit to anyone currently with heart disease or at risk of developing a heart condition.
It's a great alternative to the treadmill or elliptical. Because I have bad knees, I was always informed the elliptical would be the machine for me to use to avoid the stresses in this area. However, I never found one that didn't make my knees ache with discomfort. Trust me, I've tried many and have been taught the correct way, but the elliptical completely frustrated and hurt me more. When I was introduced to the rower, I thought, "this is gonna hurt." However, this notion was quickly diminished as I gave it a try and found that I genuinely liked putting my body through the paces on this equipment. (Side note: the treadmill focuses mainly on the lower body. While the rowing and elliptical both work the upper and lower half of your body, the rower adds the benefit of engaging your abs, encouraging core strength with each stroke.)
Burn dem calories: according to Harvard Health, in 30 minutes of vigorous rowing, a 155/lb person can burn 316 calories, while a 185/lb person can burn 377. Along with eating healthy, it is a great way to stay active and stay in shape.
Remember, rowing helps build endurance, strengthen the body and improve heart health. The key to any fitness program, though, is to eat healthy enough so that any form of exercise has a chance to make your body look and feel better.
For my wife and I, we're making a 3-week commitment to row in the mornings, watching Youtube videos for beginners to learn proper form, and have a guide to lead our workouts. This allows us to work through as a couple, encouraging each other to push past the inevitable discomfort found through exercise. We're like life coaches for each other, rowing together.
Context
Thoughts
– Thoughts about a rowing machine?
– Do you have a fitness routine?
– If on the water, where would you like to row?
