The pleasures of rowing in your local gym

Jessica-Red · Post by **Jessica-Red** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 2:46 pm

Oh nearly forgot to say

it did NOT help me today when struggling to the end of my last piece for the days 25k when a powerful tall man sat down beside me and nearly lifted the erg off the floor with his technique whilst his wife beside him turned out to be a member of the GB Team!!!!!

All I could see was out the corner of my eye as they flew along with the rest of us drowning in their wake!!!!!

what were they doing at my council run leisure centre - PM2 monitors on old machines-dont they have some superb training facility somewhere!!!!!!!

they inspired me to try even HARDER!!!!!

webberg · Post by **webberg** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 4:14 pm

JR, you have experienced the antithesis of what most of us have seen.

Normally we are the short/tall, over weight, under weight, scruffy, type shuffling towards the ergo whilst the narcistic power monkeys strutt their stuff lifting very heavy things once or twice before posing in front of the mirrors.

Spotting one of us is usually an irresistible cue to sit on the machine next to us and show the rest of the gym how fit and therefore virile they are compared to the numpty sat next to them.

For us, this is perfect. Start slow with the machine ticking along at 2:10 splits, watch the power monkey up his rate to match. Tweak that split to 2:08 without uping the SPM. Power monkey is now doing 35+SPM and still not matching the rate.

Now be careful on the timing and go for the kill.

Squeeze the rate up a little and hit 2;04 or less.

Glance sideways and watch the pain and disbelief spread. At that point you have a choice - embarrass power monkey completely by smiling at hm and starting a conversation whilst upping the rate again, or slow down and ask him if he's OK as you're enjoying the company and wouldn't want him to stop too soon.

Not that I've really thought it of course.

MaxDev · Post by **MaxDev** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:16 pm

webberg wrote: Spotting one of us is usually an irresistible cue to sit on the machine next to us and show the rest of the gym how fit and therefore virile they are compared to the numpty sat next to them.

For us, this is perfect. Start slow with the machine ticking along at 2:10 splits, watch the power monkey up his rate to match. Tweak that split to 2:08 without uping the SPM. Power monkey is now doing 35+SPM and still not matching the rate.

Now be careful on the timing and go for the kill.

Squeeze the rate up a little and hit 2;04 or less.

Glance sideways and watch the pain and disbelief spread. At that point you have a choice - embarrass power monkey completely by smiling at hm and starting a conversation whilst upping the rate again, or slow down and ask him if he's OK as you're enjoying the company and wouldn't want him to stop too soon.

Before I got my own C2, I used to love this scenario as well... perfect description of what it's like!

They DO thrash along at 35 SPM (oh and ALWAYS up the resistance to 10), but the chain's going slack on the recovery and clattering everywhere, and they go bright red in the face but can't hold a 2:00 split)

My personal favourite when this happens is to up the pace while LOWERING the rate - start going for all technique - 1:55 split at r20 or something like that to make them give it up.

PSims · Post by **PSims** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 9:23 pm

Sorry to have confused...I wasn't suggesting anyone tries a 2:11.
Just that a comparison between your OWN 2k, 5k and 10k bests help you plan out what pace you should use.

Fair play to anyone who can finish it at all!

Jessica-Red · Post by **Jessica-Red** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 10:32 pm

well Ok

I need all you chaps to come with me to the gym and give technique lessons cos I am nowhere near the splits you all talk abt-Ive only got short legs and a long body remember-and another 4 stone to lose -after Xmas maybe when Ive finished my bottle of caramel Baileys-

I need yr HELP

Mike Channin · Post by **Mike Channin** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 12:19 am

Isn't this supposed to be about the METER BOARD????

Nee naw - the forum police have moved this to a new thread

webberg · Post by **webberg** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 12:26 pm

Max, the secret here is to keep that power monkey on the machine next to you as long as possible. Most can't do 10 minutes anyway so I try and start talking to them when I see them faltering.

Gets them everytime!

JR - don't sweat the split times too much.

Power and low splits will be generated by good technique more than muscle bulk. This can only come though after laying down a base of metres.

Ask somebody to video you in the gym and post it here. I'm sure Thomas can help you do that. Then people like Mike C and the racing/training techies can critique you.

Jessica-Red · Post by **Jessica-Red** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 5:16 pm

Thanks!!!

JanetS · Post by **JanetS** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 7:25 pm

JR - don't worry about the splits.....
Concentrate on having completed a HM - respect!

That should see you chomping through most gym monkeys......

Jessica-Red · Post by **Jessica-Red** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 7:29 pm

Hi Janet- thanks !!! please give me some tips on how women can impiove thei rtimes- my tummy and other bits get in my way-

is it a case of lose weight to go faster --I have to lose 4 more stone -I have already lost 3 stone in last 2 yrs!
I LOVE ROWING!!!!

JanetS · Post by **JanetS** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:07 pm

Jessica-Red wrote:Hi Janet- thanks !!! please give me some tips on how women can impiove thei rtimes- my tummy and other bits get in my way- is it a case of lose weight to go faster --I have to lose 4 more stone -I have already lost 3 stone in last 2 yrs!
I LOVE ROWING!!!!

Ahhh - the 'how do I finish without squishing my wobbly bits?' problem!

I am fully familiar with that issue (and have had the bruises to prove it

) Re whether or not losing weight makes you get faster........ I'll report back when I've tested the theory by losing some!

(However hubby has just reported back on the butcher's order for Xmas - so don't hold your breath on that one.....)

Seriously - technique can make a huge difference - any way of getting a vid we can look at? Otherwise it isn't out of the question to arrange a meet - I think you're in the same neck of the woods as me? (I'm Windsor)..........

Jessica-Red · Post by **Jessica-Red** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:29 pm

Thanks Janet- yes Im not to far away -near Oxford-let me get rid of some of my Christmas excess I intend to consume

then see what we can plan!

ptruz · Post by **ptruz** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:22 pm

Janet:

I have something in y way as well....GUT!

It's much better then 6 months ago....but it's still there.

I open my legs to make room......what am I risking?

Initially my ankles used to ache.....no....no real problem

Post by **Thomas W-P** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:58 pm

I am a master of the legs apart at the catch trick too. And to be fair I do have some appendages of my own (that I would rather not) in the chestal region and spreading my legs and sitting up straight helps with that too!

webberg · Post by **webberg** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 11:50 pm

Thomas are you on the lash and a little risque?

PSims · Post by **PSims** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 2:06 pm

Think I've got it wrong then - the power monkeys all know me now - they walk past - I catch them glancing at the monitor, which by 8am shows something like 18,000m with about 1 hour 20 min on the clock, doing a steady 2:08.

They pause, then slope off to a machine at the other end of the gym.

It's either that or they don't appreciate me chatting to them as I cross the 2 hour mark. He he.

Post by **Thomas W-P** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 6:08 pm

webberg wrote:Thomas are you on the lash and a little risque?

No comment.

jlemon · Post by **jlemon** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 6:47 am

In the occasional case where I don't row at home, the gym monkeys all seem to have their monitor set to display calories, not average split. Makes it kind of hard to figure out what they are actually doing.

I did have someone come up and ask me why I didn't have my feet in the straps (I was just rating at 23/25). So as a way of an answer I strapped my feet in and then upped the rating to 36 - I think they turned a little green then.

They all have the damper at 10 also - I've given up trying to educate people about this, it seems to be the case of "the more resistance, the better!"
--
Jonathan

Stan · Post by **Stan** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 8:57 am

One of the bonuses I got from yesterdays 1 hour pb was watching the gym monkey on the machine next to me struggling to match my pace while rating 35 spm to my 27. He gave up after 5 mins (none of them seem to be able to keep going for more than 10 mins) and wandered off to weights machines.

PSims · Post by **PSims** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 1:15 pm

I looked at a gym monkey's split time the other day...I actually thought they were on calories or something. I've never seen a split time of 5:00 / 500m with a SPM of 40 before.....

I wish I had videoed the technique.

Hmm...thinks of FS Fun challenge...what's the WORST split time you can get whilst maintaining 30 spm??

jlemon · Post by **jlemon** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 2:32 pm

Finger Curls!

That's the only thing I can think of - get on the rower, and don't move anything but your fingers (think waving hello). spm=90, avg split 9:00.

--
Jonathan

mash · Post by **mash** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 8:27 am

Guys\Gals

I'm afraid to say that I'm one of those who puts the resistance upto 10 but in my defence I'm only 5' 8" and probably wider thas that so to get a decent split I need to put more power down.

So if you do ever see me in the gym please be gentle with but I WILL keep up with you.

Mash

Post by **Thomas W-P** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:03 pm

In defence of gym power monkeys (GPMs)

GPMs can rate higher than us;
GPMs are probably stronger than (most of) us;
GPMs are better at strutting round the gym than us;
GPMs are very good at really short pieces that need low power;
GPMs that sit down next to FFS (Fat Free Spirits) are good at looking confused and walking away as if nothing has happened.

Any other offers?

Stan · Post by **Stan** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 7:29 pm

erm Thomas - your signature says 6 pounds to go - it used to be 4. Explain yourself

Forget that - my hypocrisy will be too hard to explain

Have to agree with your astute observations though

gunslinger_ · Post by **gunslinger_** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 4:32 pm

Ahhh, I just love it when more than one GPM joins me at a time. I must admit, being the competitor that I am, I taunt and tease all who sit next to me.
There's one mook who's god's gift to the gym, and has to add his advice to all in his sphere of influence. As I'm 10K into a half marathon, he decides that my SR of 26 is too low, and advises me to pick it up some. (He sees my 2:03 rate, and he's got his PM switched over to calories, and thinks his 650/hour is all that and a ham sandwich)
I play along, and ask his advice... switching over to calories myself. He glances at my 980-1000/per hour and decides it must by that my resistance is set to 8, and not 10.
increase my resistance to 10, drop my stroke rate to 23, and proceeded to ask him if I was doing ok, and would he help me finish the next 10,000 meters?
He 'helped' me for the next 2,500m before he had to do some other type of exercise....

The pleasures of rowing in your local gym

OK

Up the monkeys!

Doing the splits wrong

In defence of gym power monkeys...