Here is a simple 2 minute cool down you can do after rowing, these are stretching and some movements to get your body nice and relaxed.

Cat/Camel 
Kneel down on all fours with your hands directly underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. Round your upper back while pressing your shoulders
Pause, then slightly arch your back while looking up towards the ceiling. Return to starting position.

Reach Through
Get on a Plank position, reach your left arm under your right arm then reach your right arm under your left arm.

Downward Dog
Begin on your hands and knees.
Stretch your elbows and relax your upper back.
Spread your fingers wide and press firmly through your palms and knuckles.
Exhale as you tuck your toes and lift your knees off the floor. 
Press the floor away from you as you lift through your pelvis.

Piriformis Stretch 
Lie on your back.
Bend one leg at the knee and keep the other leg flat on the ground.
Raise your bent knee up and then move it across your body.
Gently pull the knee with your hand toward the opposite shoulder.

I hope this helps! 

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​

Video below...
​If you see the numbers on top of your screen, in the upper right corner is “Strokes Per Minute” ("s/m" or "spm").

Why is that important?

It’s essentially how many strokes I’m doing back and forth in a minute. So if it's a higher number like 30 or 40, it means I'm going really really quick back and forth, that's like going 20 mph. If I'm going like 24, 20, 18- I'm going slower back and forth. I'm not getting as many repetitions in that minute and that's like 2 mph. It's the SPEED component.

The other numbers on the top next to that, you can see TIME- that's how long I rowed for. The big number in the middle is kind of a key number. That is how much power, how much force I have in that drive on my legs to really be able to move a boat or move the rowing machine. That and the s/m, those two work really good together.

Under that, the 75 meters,  that's how far I went. 6,504 m is if I kept pulling like that, like I was doing, in 30 minutes I would get 6,504 meters. These other numbers, you can pretty much ignore them unless you're like, "Hey, I wanna row for 2,000 meters, I wanna row for a certain amount of distance."

But the big number in the middle, you could kind of think of it like weightlifting; or somebody who's pushing weight over their head.
Are they pushing 10 lbs, are they pushing 20 lbs, are they doing 100 lbs, what are they lifting over their head? 
That number in the middle is how much am I pushing, how much am I pressing with my legs,  it kind of translates that way.
The only difference is it's telling us that information in TIME, so time instead of lbs.
So instead of thinking "Hey I'm lifting 100 lbs ( or whatever kgs)"
It's a TIME measurement instead (per 500 meters).

In a lower time like 1:59 or 1:30, it is going to be a person lifting 100 lbs versus a 2:30 is a person lifting 50 lbs. You can think of it that way.
How much am I pushing with my legs to really be able to transfer that, move the boat and how much force am I getting with my legs to move it or move that flywheel.
And that's essentially what that number is measuring.

Now, the strokes per minute( s/m)   the one on the top-right,that's the SPEED.
How fast was I going? I got 24 strokes in a minute if I kept at that speed. 
Not necessarily the time measurement of how much am I pushing or pulling.

Depending on what screen you have, what machine you have, those numbers might be in different places. 
They might look slightly different, even if you press UNITS on the Concept 2, look up between watts, calories. You're getting different inputs and you're getting it in different ways.

I tend to stick with the screen that I showed you because it gives me a lot of information and usually people are talking about it in that SPLIT 
That big number in the middle, that's how they call it - it's a SPLIT per 500 meters 
So that's your SPLIT or your PACE 
We're usually looking at that number and the strokes per minute 
The rest, "hey, how long did I row, how far did I row?" Those matter too, but the rest,most rowers don't really look at it in the watts or the calories. 

Now if we're doing Cross Fit workouts sometimes it's like "Hey, row for 20 cal."  or and that's when you switch it.

The strokes per minute (s/m) does not impact your SPLIT time and the key is learning that you can control the strokes per minute to be able to push more.

However, some people do say that if they're going faster in the strokes per minute, they're going really fast back and forth, they find that they can get 1:30, they'll get a lower SPLIT and lower is better- more power, more weight. 
But for longer rows, it's not sustainable.
If they're rowing 500 meters, you'll find that people are just going really really fast because they’re gaining momentum and with that momentum, they’re able to push more. 
But in reality, it's not actually impacting it, so it's figuring out " Hey, do I want to just do 500m and sprint it out and then maybe get a lower time or am I trying to do this for 2000m in which case I probably don't want to sprint cause I'm gonna be dead after 500m." 
It doesn't really (impact ) in the long run, but sometimes you can get that momentum for a really, really short distance to be able to have more power, more push.

I hope that helps a little bit, those are the numbers on your Concept 2 screen.

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The rowing machine is great, but it only works some of the shoulder muscles. If you want to keep your shoulder happy, try some of these exercises OFF the rowing machine!

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Ever wonder what the thing is on the side of the rowing machine and what the numbers mean?

I have seen post after post on Facebook groups of people asking what setting to use. And what annoys me is that the first response is always...look at the buffer setting...the damper doesn't matter. Well, what the heck is a buffer setting? I am trying to figure out what the thing on the side is...(damper setting). What annoys me about it is that as a healthcare professional, I am used to explaining things really simply for people. Not only that, but to be completely honest, I don't have an amazing vocabulary. Granted, I know what these two words mean, but most people don't. It's like learning a new language....

One day someone was trying to teach me some words in Spanish. They tried to teach me, "who", "what", "when", "where", "why", "the bathroom", and some others...well, you know what I walked away with?

"Que, el bano"...which translates into..."what, the bathroom". If you teach people too much at once, sometimes we get confused. So rowing is a new language. Slide, damper, buffer, catch, drive, recovery, SPM, split, etc... Why do people assume that when someone asks a question, they want a more complicated answer? Sometimes we need to learn the basics, get an understanding, and then learn the more complicated version of it.

So, since I tend to explain movement patterns, and body mechanics, and injuries really simply to patients, I think I am pretty good at explaining things to those trying to learn. So, I put together a video explaining the damper setting. It can be complicated, or we can start simple. So here is the simple... hope it helps!

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Are you sick of feeling...
sluggish?
tired?
out of breath?
overweight?
bloated?
a lack of confidence?
​defeated?

I am too!

So... I have made it my personal goal to row longer periods of time, and along the way, found that a lot of my clients have similar goals, but they don't know how to get there in terms of rowing.

Some can't row more than 10 minutes, without being out of breath, but they want to row for 30 minutes, so they can start losing weight, staying active, and not get older and be disabled and lose their independence. No one wants to get sick, but when you see your older parents getting sick, having walkers, going to more and more doctors, it really makes us kick ourselves into gear so that it doesn't happen to us.

If you want help being able to row longer, without having to stop, so you can row 30 minutes a day, or more, check out my free checklist to getting you to row longer!

Grab your copy here! It even has a bonus video explaining everything in the checklist, so you can see what I mean, instead of just reading it!

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Do you have thicker thighs?

I DO!!

So, instead of hurting myself by compensating with my form, learn how to still row well, so that you don't get injured. Here's my tricks for rowing as an "obese" woman with thicker thighs!

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Warming up...to do it or not to do it... that is the question.. 😬

Lets face it. Most of us know that maybe we should warmup before working out...but do we actually take the time to do it? I'm not going to lie, I often don't. I know I should, but I'd rather spend time doing the workout and stretching afterwards. What I did find is that if the warm-up takes more effort than the workout, I will skip it. I want that energy to be put into building my strength and into my planned workout. So, if I make the warmup manageable, I am more likely to do it.

Here is an 8 minutes warm-up that you can follow along with and not feel drained. It's more about getting the body moving through it's range of motion and waking it up as opposed to feeling like you are dying during the warm-up. Sometimes I start with the circles/swings and then do some other stuff, but something is better than nothing. I never jump straight in anymore, my body isn't like it was when I was 18. Now I do something!

Check it out, follow along, do part of it, all of it, whatever works. Do something else. I don't care, but do something to wake your body up.

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I had the honor of chatting with a group of people who are in a Facebook support group for people who have gone through or are going to have a Total Knee Replacement (TKR). A question was posed about how to use the rowing machine after a TKR. The group administrator asked me to do a chat on it, so I jumped on and did a LIVE video with some tips to try for rowing after a TKR. It was a great chat, and I answered some questions. Sorry for the quality not being great, I lived a learned, so in the future hopefully it will be better. Here is the video, so check it out.

Additionally, Tony is great at modifying things differently than I think of to do it and he created a video that is similar but discusses different options. Here is the link to his video.

Here is the one I put together. 

Join the free facebook group here.


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EdThis is definitely one of those questions that people ask a lot. You are growing your home gym, or you want a new piece of workout equipment, or you just like rowing and want that at home. The concept 2 is so expensive...do I really need it?

This is not an extensive review of indoor rowing machines as I have not had the honor of trying them all out. However I have been on a few, so I am just putting some of the basics down for you and sharing my thoughts.

First off, here are the common indoor rowing machines.

Concept 2 - They make a few models, A, B, C, D, E, and Dynamic. This brand is considered the "gold standard" for rowing as it is designed to mimic rowing on the water and the numbers on the machine match water rowing most accurately compared to other models. However, people don't always want to spend $1000 on it, so lower price point options are usually a question. Concept 2 doesn't really go on sale, but they keep their value VERY well. When someone sells them secondhand, they tend to go quick, so if you are looking, $650 is usually the lower price point,  but you need to search for them. 
​
Velocity - The velocity magnetic rower is at a lower price point of roughly $539, making it more affordable for a home gym. However, I have used this one in some hotel gyms, and I am not a fan. It doesn't feel like rowing on the water at all, the seat felt clunky, and the control machine is very low, making me want to look down while I row, which is not ideal. I am also short, so the handle felt like it was too high, but it could also be that I am not used to that machine.

Water Rower - This is another big one that people often get. It is known for being in Orange Theory Fitness gyms and they have numerous models for gym owners and home owners. My mom actually has one of these in her bedroom, so I have had the privilege of trying this one out in a few models. First off, I am short, 5'3", my mom is 4'11". So we are both short but we have different views on the machine. I find that the cord hits the bottom of its area sometimes and it worries me that it might fray over time. My mom says she only notices it sometimes. The other part about this machine is that if you have wider hips or shoulders, it may not be ideal. This is because the foot holders are actually closer together than on other machines, so it can force your feet and hips into a non optimal position that could end up causing injuries and imbalances. They do make something you can switch out to make it more wide, but not many people do this. The positive to this machine is the water sound. A lot of people like the whoosh sound and find it more appealing than a machine/flywheel sound. So this is a high contender, but also a little more pricey. I believe you can try it out and return it if you don't like it, but look into it and don't take my word for it. This machine also goes off water resistance as opposed to air resistance, so it gives a different feel to it. 
​
Edit: After speaking with Waterrower - if your band hits, it might be that the recoil belt needs to be adjusted. Contact them and they can help. Good to know!

Stamina - Conversion II - This is a recumbent rower/bike. It gives some back support which is great for people who might need that extra support. It also works as a bike, so that's pretty neat. This one goes for roughly $799, so also a higher price tag, but its multiuse makes it have an added bonus. If you are looking to do water rowing, on the water, this one isn't ideal since it limits your movement that you would need on the water unless you are using adaptive equipment in a boat too. 

Sunnyhealth and Lifestyle also make magnetic resistance machines. I have tried one of each and found them very bulky, not smooth, and didn't feel like rowing on the water at all. Maybe it's the magnetic resistance, but I am not a fan. The cord is higher, the feet are lower compared to the seat height, and that all changes your mobility and flexibility requirements and changes how the rowing form feels. However, I'd say try it and see if you like it.

NordicTrack - They make three models I believe. The RW200, RW500, and RW900. The 500 and 900 come with a screen and workouts. However the price tag on the 900 is is roughly $1600 USD and the 500 is roughly $999 USD. The 200 doesn't have a screen and is about $799. At that price point, I would search for a used Concept 2. To be honest, I haven't tried this machine, so I can't give you much info, but I would search and see if you can try one. If you want workouts right there in front of you to motivate you, it's probably worth it. If you do other workouts and don't need tht motivation or want to watch a movie or something when rowing, than I'd try another machine. 

Hydrow - This is another common machine that people are starting to get as it also includes workout routines. There workouts are designed more to show you someone rowing on the water in order to give you that feel as opposed to a workout gym type routine like the NordicTrack. Unfortunately this one is currently sold out as it just launched, but worth looking further into after people have tried it and written reviews. 

Hope this helps a little, but it's just my views. I haven't been able to try them all, but if I do try a new one, I will give an update and more info.

Here is a link to someone who actually reviewed some of the machines. 

Feel free to share your thoughts and your favorite machine!


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We hear these words being thrown around a lot in relation to movement. Well, what the heck is the difference?

Mobility is usually in relation to the joint being able to move or having movement. Flexibility is in regards to your muscle movement like a hamstring stretch or so forth. People often group the two together.

Here is a video showing some hip mobility you can do to help. Stay tuned for a flexibility video coming soon. 

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