ROW FOR RUN

Rowing on the Concept 2 rowing machine is an excellent way to cross train as a means to achieve greater all around muscle and cardiovascular development for a runner. A runner is by nature a stubborn creature who desires only to run and be free of all stress and other worldly issues. Unfortunately, if a runner only runs, they will slowly if not surely, break down so that they become injured.

With the aforementioned stated, its imperative that a runner work to develop the abdomen, the shoulder and arm muscles and of utmost importance is the lower back and lumbar area. The core muscles provide important stability and strength to allow the runner more strength and greater abilities to run longer with more zest and pop in the step.

In order to fully grasp this concept/idea, I recommend going to a gym or visiting someone who owns a rowing machine and trying it out. Now, please do not just jump on it and start pulling with reckless abandon. If you do this you will injure your back or pull something out of whack. The right thing to do is to GOOGLE indoor rowing technique and read about how to use the machine without injuring yourself. Its not hard and simply requires a more concerned effort in terms of focusing on pushing off with the legs and using the powerful quad muscles to their ability rather than pulling with the arms. Though it might seem odd at first, the arms actually do very little. The ratio of power output should be something like 75-25 percent in favor of the legs.

So, before you run too much or find your leg muscles asking for mercy, try out rowing as a means of creating greater overall body strength and staying injury free.