fitness - I need help

[Barnes]

Have been thinking about getting fit and have been told that a rowing machine would be a good alround machine . Does anyone have any suggestions which one would be good?

My only concern is buying something that will end up sitting in a corner of a room gathering dust .

Cheers

Barnes

[SilvaFish]

Better off going for brisk walks. No equipment required.

[SquatLobster]

Concept II is your only man for a rowing ergometer.
Info here: Concept2 Indoor Rowers: The World's Best Rowing Machines

They're fierce expensive though. If I were you I'd go for a copy of Amazon.co.uk: The Naked Warrior: Books: Pavel Tsatsouline and a good pair of runners and see how you get on for a few months before making that sort of investment.

[paramedic paul]

My 2p.

I suffer with a mild spinal problem so i thought i'll join a gym and lose a bit of weight, can't hurt can it!

I mentioned this to my osteopath who advised me to stay away from the rowing machines. Apparently, unless your technique is perfect they can lead to serious injury. He recommended a good pair of trainers and an MP3 player and off for a good run or two!

I cancelled the gym but didn't do the running bit!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lloydwatkin]

Pop into a local running store and get on a run walk programme. Best bit about running is the longer you stay out the more calories you burn.

Try this.... Cool Running :: The Couch-to-5K Running Plan as a good start.

Nice and cheap. Rowing is good, but it's also hard

[Richard Mason]

Originally Posted by lloydwatkin

Pop into a local running store and get on a run walk programme. Best bit about running is the longer you stay out the more calories you burn.

Try this.... Cool Running :: The Couch-to-5K Running Plan as a good start.

Nice and cheap. Rowing is good, but it's also hard

I'm doing something similar now that Spring & lighter nights are coming:

http://www.pamsmith.com/bonus/walkrunprogram.pdf

And also riding my bike. If it's raining or whatever, I'll be in the garage with one of these, watching the portable TV.

[Hooked_on_diving]

My advice (although I do use the gym too which i like very much and would advise if you can get to one) is to do the following:

1: Swim when you can, properly, as in lane swimming and try to do fixed regimes like medleys and other excercises like swimming across the pool using only breaststroke leg kick and not arms (tip: keep your head above the water ) etc. (look online for some sites with swimming regimes)

2: Look on the internet for sites on bodyweight excercises (there are plenty) and buy some dumbells which there are also plenty sites out there to tell you how to use them properly. This is a very cheap way of getting fit and works VERY well. It also limits how much you can damage your body which makes it better than weights.

3: Run, but do not take running to the extreme as it can have some very bad effects on the cartilage in your knees. Running can be very good when also part of an excercise regime like doing a long distance jog, then sprints split up with press-ups and sit-ups, then finnish with a warm down jog.

This is kind of thing I do on top of going to the gym except I do it as part of the sports I play - Rugby, Judo, Waterpolo, Swimming. So that leads me to a final way of getting fit - Sport. I especially advice joining a martial arts club (judo is great) because usually there will be some body weight excercises as part of the warm up and it is just great fun adn excercise (and useful in the world outside sport)

Thats just my advice, its worked well for me.

Matt.

P.S. I am so happy as I just got my GCSE results back - 9 A*s and 1 A!!!

[Scuttler]

I have a Concept II which I bought second hand for £700 on fleabay.

It's a great machine but you need the space as it's about 7 or 8 foot long. It separates into two pieces so you can store it away but it's still bulky!

It's great for getting fit as you can link it to a PC for online challenges or to a heart rate monitor (upgrade required) for training.

However, unless you have the motivation to do it then it will end up as an expensive clothes horse!

[Barnes]

Thanks guys, some very good points here.

Paul, I've been visiting a back chap for the last three years so he would probably tell me the same.

Scuttler has hit the nail on the head - motivation. Something I'm a little short on with exercise!

I tried Jiu Jitsu when I was at Uni but failed my third belt because I didn't have the fitness to keep up with all the attackers and ended up throwing someone with a knife without dissarming them (always dissarm before you throw!)

The walk/jog programs sound quite interesting. I can definately walk but have only ever jogged when I've lost track of time and had too many swift ones down the local. It's only 200yrds away but with a belly full of ale it has put me off running. I shall have a go at remedying this.

Cheers all.

Barnes

[Richard Mason]

Originally Posted by Barnes

The walk/jog programs sound quite interesting. I can definately walk but have only ever jogged when I've lost track of time and had too many swift ones down the local. It's only 200yrds away but with a belly full of ale it has put me off running. I shall have a go at remedying this.

That's the whole point, the run/walk programme gets you back into it very gradually. You DO have to put an effort in though and you will ache and twinge a little bit and get hot & sweaty and breathless. The trick is to keep the breathlessness within manageable limits, so that you don't exhaust yourself. just like you do when finning against a current. Run at a speed which you can just keep up then turn down the speed a couple of notches.

Also, control your breathing. I find inhaling through the nose for two paces and blowing out hard through the mouth for one pace helps, that way you can get into a rhythm. I too was a crap runner (I'm still not quick) and could never get motivated, then when I was 18, I started seeing my now wife who lived 5 miles or so away and the last bus home was at 9.30PM - this was in the days before you could blithely expect to stay over in your g/fs room (unless she smuggled you in and you snook out at 5.00AM - yes we've all done it).

Anyway, I digress; to be with her for any length of time and socialise, it mean't I had to walk home, which I did 3 or 4 times a week. The stroll became a fast walk, the fast walk became a jog, the jogging became running and before I knew it (well 4 or 5 months) I was running home without really raising a sweat, in sensible shoes and trousers and I've largely managed to maintain that level of fitness, or at least retrieve it when needed ever since, which mean't I was still able to keep up with 20 yr olds on my ARES twice yearly BFAs at the age of 40.

Basically less pies, chips & beer, more effort. Boring yes but really it's the only way.