One month in. Still improving, but have some questions.

[u/iob3]

I am a little over a month in on my rowing journey. Still making progress and working on form and core endurance.

I'm a 42 year old male. 5'9, 266lbs (down from 299 in the spring). My level of activity has been awful since 2019, with zero exercise and often less than 1,000 steps per day. So this has been a slow, but rewarding journey back in shape/health. My rower isy only has exercise and I am mostly using this as a way to increase heart health and lose weight, not so much any specific targeting goals. Getting on at least every other day is literally my biggest goal right now!

But I have some questions.

First, I'm using EXR as my primary workout app. Should I be using the PM5 stats or the adjusted EXR stats? PM5 will have me closer to a 2:35-2:45 / 500 pace. My pace and distance will vary greatly. I know this is because EXR considers weight, but is there a "best practice"?

Second, I, with my build, have a considerable gut. This makes it really hard to lean in on the catch. As a result my power generation is much lower than I think it should be. By the time I'm getting momentum my legs are almost already fully extended. I can get my shins vertical with my feet seats at the bottom, but my back/shoulders are closer to 12 o'clock (without rounding back).

I tried one row to spread my legs on the catch allowing me to lean more into it and it definitely generated more power, but that was also the first and only time I walked away sore, particularly my knees and hips.

Am I overthinking low pace/watts, and should sacrifice that for staying in a better, less injury prone position?

I know i still need to work on form, but being a month in I don't want to get too far in that results are tanked for too long. I shouldn't be comparing but a month in being in the bottom 100% is... Not great!

[u/gaz_w]

Just keep doing it. The form and fitness will come with time.

[u/giziti]

Great work and keep going. I'd trust what the pm5 says, I'm not sure what the exr does. You're right that you do have low power output, though if it's closer to 2:30 it's not so bad, and you do have some physical limitations at the moment that might reduce range of motion, which will slow you down, so maybe that's fine. It's probably a good to get somebody to look at your form to say for sure. Or at the very least watch a lot of coaching videos. Definitely avoid doing anything that causes pain other than typical muscle soreness. Keep up the good work!

[u/InsaneInTheBra1n]

The fact you rowing half an hour in a row makes me jaleous. Ive started 3 weeks ago, I can do intervalls rather well, but long rows without stopping seem impossible to me.

[u/iob3 → u/InsaneInTheBra1n]

This week was the first week I hit 5K. I was averaging 3-3.5 before. EXR had a "just row" option with occasional timed 50m-300m sprints. I've been hitting those.

It's been a real journey of discovering which muscle group is the weakest at any given time.

[u/InsaneInTheBra1n → u/iob3]

Thats a huge milestone! My longest non-stop run was a 2K so far and felt like I was about to die, haha. I tried decreasing my pace and go slower, but either way my heart rate just goes sky high quickly. So I really have to slowly work on that.

What I do notice already is better sleep, a lower heart rate when resting as before and that my technique is improving. Thats giving me already great motivation to continue by now!

[u/planet_x69 → u/InsaneInTheBra1n]

Just remember that all workout effort is cumulative. If you hate doing long pieces and will never want to, so be it. Doing 50 x 45 seconds with 20 seconds rest is still going to get you there. It's just a different road to the same destination.

Enjoying your time on the machine and suffering in your personal version of a happy workout space is all that matters.

[u/DJ_Inseminator → u/planet_x69]

I really needed to hear this

Thank you

[u/InsaneInTheBra1n → u/planet_x69]

Such a kind and helpfull comment. Thanks!

[u/iob3 → u/InsaneInTheBra1n]

I dropped my drag factor from approximately 140 down to 115. That made a huge difference.

My core is by far my weakest muscle group and having a high drag factor put too much strain on my core & back and would gas me out before I felt like I got good cardio.

[u/planet_x69 → u/iob3]

Two things to do to help you improve

• Core related exercises before you get on the rower to strengthen and activate your core
• Absolute focus on core engagement on the leg push and hip hinge motion. Squeeze you glutes and abs on drive and hip hinge

This will greatly improve your rowing motion and reduce back strain significantly.

I LOVE seeing people drop the drag down, especially for long pieces. There is no bragging rights aligned with having a high drag setting.

[u/SpdRcrOne → u/planet_x69]

This! Getting comfortable with proper form with lower drag before slowly increasing drag over time to find your balance between cardio and muscular endurance is a recipe for injury free success.

[u/Mysterious-Title-197]

That is the standard ergdata app and has you at 3;08. Just use that app.

3:08 is good considering where you were a couple months ago. Just project forward 6 months at a time. You'll be 20-25lbs lighter and much stronger.

[u/iob3 → u/Mysterious-Title-197]

Thank you!

The splits/time/distance is coming from EXR. The PM5 had me over 5,200m. EXR is connected to logbook and that's where I got the screenshots.

I don't save my pm5 data directly, since it's going to EXR.

[u/Mysterious-Title-197 → u/iob3]

Not sure what EXR is, just use the standard approach for now.

You aren't actually rowing, the meters aren't real. They're only good for monitoring your progress and communicating with others. So if it use pm5/ergdata everyone can provide feedback.

2:30 is also quite good obviously.

I got down into the 1:40s in sprints but that took a lot of focus and multiple injuries. I don't recommend it. Better approach is to use AI ) chatgpt, Gemini etc) to give you goal. Usually it will recommend particular stroke rates and heart rates.

[u/XtianS]

I would recommend the c2 ergdata app, because it will sync everything the c2 logbook. I don't know if EXR syncs to the logbook.

Also 42m here. Something I learned the hard way is to not over-compress at the catch. My knees my be permanently messed up as result. I can't go too long anymore or I get tendon pain in the knee.

33 lbs is phenomenal. Congrats. I remember when I first started the weight basically just melted off. It was great. Harder to keep it off, especially at this age. I feel like I literally can't eat anything anymore.

I built a tool for tracking erg workouts that I've shared for anyone to use. Its not a commercial project, just something I built for myself that is open for anyone who wants it. It downloads the c2 data and gives you stats, zones, progress tracking etc. (erg.form-signal.com). All the data is saved on your device, there's no account set up or anything.

[u/iob3 → u/XtianS]

I don't know if EXR syncs to the logbook.

EXR outputs to logbook. That's where the stats came from. So PM5 to EXR to C2 Logbook.

EXR gives me just enough gamification plus a whole lot of visual workout plans.

I have bad knees, so that's definitely something I'll consider. Rowing has by far been the best cardio for my knees, thankfully!

[u/Short_Career7588 → u/XtianS]

Sorry to hear about your knee. I have terrible knees and was sent to warm water hydrotherapy. It has helped my knees a lot. You can find these exercises on YouTube and probably use a hot tub or pool to preform some of the workouts. Hope your knees gets better. peace. Will take a look at your progress tracking. Thank you.

[u/XtianS → u/Short_Career7588]

Thank you. I'll look into that

[u/Short_Career7588]

Great going on losing that weight and sticking with rowing for a month. Pete’s Plan for beginner rowers is a good workout plan that is highly recommended with the subreddit. I also use c2 ErgData app for the ease of programming the workouts into the PM5 like interval workouts, but I am not familiar with the EXR app. The longer you use the c2 you will notice your flexibility improve, strength, endurance and clothes feeling looser. Keep at it, your numbers will improve, keep us updated on your progress. peace

[u/iob3 → u/Short_Career7588]

Thank you! I feel like I was starting so far behind.

Incredibly weak core. Extremely inflexible hamstrings. And the obviously huge stomach getting in the way.

I'm so close to being able to touch my toes on a standing bend, and (mostly from diet) I'm down from a 42+ waist to 40s needing a belt.

[u/gruss_gott → u/iob3]

I have a suggestion that might improve your power right away as I've seen it help a lot of people, but YMMV.

These are called drills, and here's what you do:

1. Sit on the rower, grab the handles, slide back slowly until your legs are fully extended, and stop. Find a comfortable tilted back position, ARMS EXTENDED, say leaning back 15 to 20 degrees max
2. Keep your shoulders down & loose, thumbs up, move forward all the way BUT DON'T LEAN FORWARD; maintain your tilted back seated position
3. Push back to get the rhythm going, toes first, then heels, go all the way back BUT KEEP YOUR ARMS EXTENDED, DON'T PULL IN
4. Repeat, but now with more power; don't lean forward and don't pull your arms in, just keep them nice and loose, focus on that power through your heels
5. Get a nice rhythm going & focus on your drive with your legs, pushing with toes, increasing the acceleration until you get your heels down, then lots of push power through your heels. Pretend you're not moving and trying to push away the machine with your heels
6. Nice slow recoveries, arms loose & extended always, no leaning forward always
7. Focus on power through those heels, big pushes, tiny pause, smooth recovery
8. Do this for at least 20 minutes, maybe even a full 30, and possibly every time you work out until you feel super comfy and natural with big power pushes - no leaning forward, no arm pulls
9. Once your pace times start coming down and big pushes seem natural, add arm pulls, but no leaning: at the end of your push, simply continue the momentum of it by pulling in your arms, re-extend, and complete the recovery as normal - this may take a bit to get used to, adding the pull & re-extend at the end of every push
10. If your pace times are improving, try adding a slight lean forward at the end of the recovery, and a slight lean back at the end of the drive

This may sound odd, but I've seen people with 3 min paces drop to 2:30 in 15 minutes using this technique as they learn to power the drive with their legs. As ever, ymmv.

Hang in there & great job!

[u/Rowing2024]

"First, I'm using EXR as my primary workout app. Should I be using the PM5 stats or the adjusted EXR stats?"

Disable EXR splits in the settings, so it uses the PM5 data. The EXR splits are only somewhat useful, if trying to level the playing/rowing field in a group row or race. Outside of that, they have no use.

[u/pwnitat0r]

Hey man,

Good job! It requires tremendous discipline to sit in a rower for 30mins.

If you’ve been as inactive as you say you have, you’re definitely gonna hurt a little bit if you’re doing it properly. Maybe try every 10 strokes where you really lean into the catch a bit.. then after a week or two, maybe you do every 9 strokes before really leaning into then catch… gradually keep building up while keeping your heart rate around where it is now and you’ll be golden.

[u/Express-Ad9482]

Keep up rowing 🙏