What weights to supplement rowing?

[Slowboathome]

I run a few times a week and swim (breaststroke).

I'm going to start using a rowing machine to help me get fitter and stronger.

I'm aware that the rower uses many muscles but not all of them. It feels like breaststroke and rowing is developing my 'pull' muscles but not the 'push'.

What dumbbell and/or bodyweight exercises should I do to complement the rowing, swimming and running?

Edit: looking for upper body exercises.

Edited by Slowboathome on Sunday 11th June 08:12

[Maxf]

Rowing (done properly) is mainly a leg sport - you’re core and back need to be strong but the explosive bit comes from you legs. Breaststroke is the work of satan and I can help with that (other to say your assumption of lack of ‘pushing’ feels right).

We spent ages working on our legs and backs when training for rowing - not much else from memory.

Push ups and core exercises would seem to compliment what you’re doing, although someone more knowledgeable will be along I’m sure.

[Louis Balfour]

Slowboathome said:

I run a few times a week and swim (breaststroke).

I'm going to start using a rowing machine to help me get fitter and stronger.

I'm aware that the rower uses many muscles but not all of them. It feels like breaststroke and rowing is developing my 'pull' muscles but not the 'push'.

What dumbbell and/or bodyweight exercises should I do to complement the rowing, swimming and running?

Rowing is a pushing exercise (legs), not a pulling exercise (arms / upper body).

If you want to do supplementary weights, squats and leg press are good. But also do some hamstring stuff for balance.

All of which said, rowing on its own if done properly is pretty good at improving leg strength.

Form is key.

[Slowboathome]

Thanks for the replies. I should have said - it's my upper body I want to work on.

I'll edit my original post.

[Wills2]

Pullups and dips will work all of your upper body

[Louis Balfour]

Slowboathome said:

Thanks for the replies. I should have said - it's my upper body I want to work on.

I'll edit my original post.

Though it's mainly a leg exercise, rowing will broaden your back. It's a pretty good full-body exercise.

[Wills2]

If you're looking to specifically build your upper body then rowing isn't going to be the exercise you'd choose, combining pull ups and dips with rowing will give you much better results, those two exercises work almost all of the major muscles in the upper body and won't take too much of your time which is always a bonus.

[Louis Balfour]

Wills2 said:

If you're looking to specifically build your upper body then rowing isn't going to be the exercise you'd choose, combining pull ups and dips with rowing will give you much better results, those two exercises work almost all of the major muscles in the upper body and won't take too much of your time which is always a bonus.

Dips are a recipe for shoulder problems.

[Yahonza]

Some stuff about rowing...

Edited by Yahonza on Sunday 11th June 19:37

[Louis Balfour]

Yahonza said:

Good stuff.
]

I learned to row at the local rowing club. I didn't join the club, I just paid them a contribution to their subs and one of their rowing coaches taught me.

Once you've got the basics, you can do quite well by putting an erg at 45 degrees to a big mirror and watching yourself, then comparing what you see to the tutorials on Youtube. It's not going to teach you to go sub-6 2k at 18 strokes per minutes, but you can get a half decent technique.

[popeyewhite]

Louis Balfour said:

Dips are a recipe for shoulder problems.

Actually they're one of the better exercises. Keeping the elbows in to the body allows no external rotation, so the weakest part of the rotator cuff isn't exposed to any weight bearing.

[V8covin]

Louis Balfour said:

Dips are a recipe for shoulder problems.

I've had rotator cuff problems but had no issues doing weighted dips

[TheThing]

popeyewhite said:

Louis Balfour said:

Dips are a recipe for shoulder problems.

Actually they're one of the better exercises. Keeping the elbows in to the body allows no external rotation, so the weakest part of the rotator cuff isn't exposed to any weight bearing.

Do them on rings as well for extra savagery. They will make your shoulders feel great.

[Louis Balfour]

popeyewhite said:

Louis Balfour said:

Dips are a recipe for shoulder problems.

Actually they're one of the better exercises. Keeping the elbows in to the body allows no external rotation, so the weakest part of the rotator cuff isn't exposed to any weight bearing.

https://synergyphysio.com.au/five-common-gym-injuries-and-how-to-avoid-them/#:~:text=Dips%20are%20the%20most%20common,underside%20of%20our%20bony%20collarbone.

"Tricep tricep dipsDips are the most common way of injuring the delicate shoulder tendons and bursa! We have 4 small rotator cuff tendons that hold the ball stable in the socket and a bursa that lies nearby to protect the underside of our bony collarbone. When doing a tricep dip, this can force or jam the ball up and forward into the socket which can pinch the bursa and can contribute to wear and tear on the rotator cuff tendons. Tricep dips are our number one cause of shoulder pain in the gym.

Solution: Avoid the Tricep Dip machine and simply try tricep pull downs, or supine overhead triceps to get rid of the bingo wings, this is a much safer way of exercising the triceps without potentially damaging the shoulder."

[Wills2]

Louis Balfour said:

Wills2 said:

If you're looking to specifically build your upper body then rowing isn't going to be the exercise you'd choose, combining pull ups and dips with rowing will give you much better results, those two exercises work almost all of the major muscles in the upper body and won't take too much of your time which is always a bonus.

Dips are a recipe for shoulder problems.

No there not if you warm up and do them properly controlling the eccentric part of the movement, making sure you stretch regularly as well, dips are a great exercise been doing them for over 30 years.

Just don't ego lift with 20kg between your legs as you attempt to impress yourself with 5 really bad reps, you can hurt yourself doing most exercises if you have poor form, ego lift, don't warm up and stretch.

[Animal]

Wills2 said:

Pullups and dips will work all of your upper body

This! Also supplement in some pushups too. However, given that you're looking to augment your rowing performance, not your gym performance, you don't have to go berserk with these exercises. I'd work on absolutely perfect form (scapular control, keeping your core and glutes tight etc, etc) rather than volume, and I'd also suggest doing a little twice a week rather than one big session once every 7-10 days.

[Louis Balfour]

Wills2 said:

Louis Balfour said:

Wills2 said:

If you're looking to specifically build your upper body then rowing isn't going to be the exercise you'd choose, combining pull ups and dips with rowing will give you much better results, those two exercises work almost all of the major muscles in the upper body and won't take too much of your time which is always a bonus.

Dips are a recipe for shoulder problems.

No there not if you warm up and do them properly controlling the eccentric part of the movement, making sure you stretch regularly as well, dips are a great exercise been doing them for over 30 years.

Just don't ego lift with 20kg between your legs as you attempt to impress yourself with 5 really bad reps, you can hurt yourself doing most exercises if you have poor form, ego lift, don't warm up and stretch.

We’re going to have to agree to disagree.

There are enough Physio’s out there saying don’t do them, including the ones I posted above. As I write this I’ve just seen my osteopath, who I am quite confident knows his onions. He has shoulder issues from dips too!

I’ve done plenty of them in my time but don’t do them now.

[Chainsaw Rebuild]

I am getting back into training and my goal is fat loss but my plan, which I have just started, looks like this OP:

Mon: Row

Tues: Train chest, shoulders and triceps with thing like bench press, incline bench press, overhead press and tricep extensions.

Weds: rest

Thurs: row

Fri: back and biceps with things like bent over row, lat pull down, seated row and bicep curls.

Sat: do something active and fun, perhaps a bike ride or a walk.

Sun: rest.

I am also going to spend an hours before or after work in my garden - there is a lot to do and its a mild bonus workout.


I hope that it will let me row and lift. There are no squats or deadlifts because I am rehabbing an ankle and dont want heavy weights for now.

[LordGrover]

Squat, Deads, Press, Bench, Chins.
Pretty much the answer every time.

[popeyewhite]

Louis Balfour said:

https://synergyphysio.com.au/five-common-gym-injur...

So what? This link only indicates that some people who use physios do dips incorrectly, it doesn't enforce your point in any way. In my experience most RC injuries occur from bench pressing, overhead pressing, behind the neck pressing and other lifts where the RC is 'open'.

Dips are one of the more safe exercise for the shoulder.


ETA

Louis Balfour said:

As I write this I’ve just seen my osteopath,

Ahh... .

Edited by popeyewhite on Monday 12th June 10:59