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| A Harlem River Regatta |
I know I mentioned a few posts ago that I would talk about
rowing--well now I'm making good on that threat. I've recently started to
incorporate rowing into my training, not as a substitute but as a supplement
and now I’m a big proponent of the benefits of running and rowing.
I don’t think every runner needs cross-training—I have gone
large periods of time without doing any exercise other than running—but if you
can find time to work it into your schedule, I think it can definitely aid your
running. [Note: I AM NOT a
healthcare professional or a certified anything so I offer this all as my
opinion—take from it what you will].
Let’s talk about why rowing is great (I’m speaking about an
indoor rower, but I assume this is all true for real rowing too):
1. It’s non-impact. If you use proper rowing technique, you
can get a great cardio workout while giving your joints a chance to recover. That means, generally, you can row without compromising your recovery during a busy training week.
2. It can improve your posture. A lot of runners have
terrible posture—I am definitely no exception. Rowing helps strengthen your
core and back leading to better posture and better running form!
3. It works your whole body. Rowing works your legs, back,
core, and your arms all at the same time. As someone who doesn’t like (and ergo
rarely does) weight-lifting, rowing lets me get in a little upper body work.
4. It improves your flexibility. Running tends to leave your
muscles pretty tight (especially if, like me, you frequently “forget” to
stretch). The large range of motion in rowing actually improves the flexibility
in the hamstrings and calves.
How do I incorporate rowing? I add it in as a recovery
workout 2 to 3 nights a week. I typically row 5000m but I’ve been doing this
for long enough to have worked up to that point. Rowing is tough stuff started
out so I would recommend starting by setting a time goal for yourself and
selecting a lower resistance like a 3 or 4.
Below the jump is an excerpt from an Active.com article
detailing proper technique.
