Perfect Exercise For the Whole Body - Indoor Rowing

I hope You are doing well and keeping up with Your new year resolutions... if You made them. If You set no new goals for Yourself to improve Your physical and emotional health, I just might have something for You! This past weekend I got so inspired by my 15 year-old nephew. I am so excited to share with You that we have a new champ in our family! Yay! My nephew, Georg, just won the second place in indoor rowing competition, in his age group, between the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania). Wow! What an exciting event that was. My mom - Georg's grandmother - shouted so loud that she managed to almost lose her voice... but she did not mind... as long as she was able to cheer her grandson.

It has been so amazing to see Georg change so much over the past year. He used to be quite grumpy, getting into mischief from time to time, but now he is truly alive. He is so much more content with himself. He has a worthwhile goal to work towards... though, to be honest, he is only starting to learn about goals. I guess it has been a pleasant surprise to himself that he actually has got a talent for rowing. Thus far he simply enjoyed it as a sport. Now the competitive element is starting to kick in as well. And yes, he really loves it when we are excited for him and go to see him compete.

I was so inspired by his rowing that I decided to share a bit more about the sport. Did You know that indoor rowing is one of the most perfect sports available? This is due to the fact that it works out the whole body. Also, it is great that one can take it up at any age... and do it right at home.

Hear what some rowing fans have to say about the sport:

Elsie Ardry, USA: "I will be 68 years old in August, 2005. I began rowing while at a spa retreat and absolutely fell in love with it. I started using a local fitness center's Concept 2. But, after about a year, I decided to buy my own."

Fred Koene, The Netherlands: "I have recently bought my own indoor rowing machine. I planned it already quite some time ago. I used to run rather frequently but due to an ankle injury that wasn't possible anymore. I got acquainted with the C2 at the gym at my work, but time was short to use that very often. Having two young children makes it difficult to go to a fitness-centre. So I decided to buy my own C2. Since then use it very often. I love doing sports again. Rowing sure feels like a great workout."

Nalini Rhea, USA: "Rowing was my answer to a major mid-life crisis. At the age of 45, I joined Gold's Gym in Woodbridge, VA in February 2003 because I'd gained 34 pounds and was devastated at what the weight had done to me, both physically and psychologically. Largely due to workouts on the erg, I've lost 41 pounds in less than two years. In April 2004, I became a member of the Prince William Rowing Club in northern Virginia. Part of a women's novice sweep 8+ boat, I quickly came to love rowing. I've just completed my second season in sweep rowing, and am now concentrating on sculling."

Kathi Strichman, USA: "In April of 2001, I was 40 years old, weighed 270 pounds, had never exercised a day in my life and literally lived to eat. A very good friend, Jack (a man who lived 3000 miles away, and to whom I had only communicated with via e-mail and the phone) said exactly the right thing at the time that I really needed to hear it and he inspired me to start changing my lifestyle. In December of 2004, we were trying to workout at our local gym. All of the cardio machines were being used except a C2 erg. I eventually gave in and decided to give it a shot. I rowed for half an hour and believe it was the best workout that I have ever had. By February 2005, we had our own erg in our home and were rowing on an almost daily basis. By April 2003 I had lost 100 pounds and was living a healthy, very rewarding lifestyle."

The Many Benefits of Rowing

Whether you already row or are considering rowing to keep in shape, to lose weight, to cross-train for another sport, to compete on the water or rehabilitate from injury or surgery, rowing is the complete exercise for you.

Arms, legs, chest, back, abs — even your mind. Your whole body gets a complete workout from the efficient, rhythmic motion of rowing. Rowing is such a great exercise in so many different ways.

• Low-impact (easy on the knees and ankles)
• High calorie burner (because it uses so many muscle groups)
• Great for joint health (joints move through a wide range of motion)
• Upper body (completes the stroke)
• Lower body (the legs initiate the drive)
• Works the back and abs too!
• Superb aerobic fitness (great for cardiovascular fitness)
• Relieves Stress (for overall health and well-being)

This is different from the rowing you may have done as a kid in a rowboat. The difference lies in the sliding seat. Your legs compress and extend with every stroke – in addition to the more obvious work being done by the back and arms.

Legs: You begin each stroke with your legs compressed and your shins vertical. You initiate the drive with the powerful muscles of your legs, and finish with your legs fully extended. Rowing promotes both strength and flexibility through this wide range of leg motion.

Arms: At the catch, your arms are outstretched; at the finish of the stroke, they have pulled the handle into your abdomen. As with the legs, this range of motion promotes both strength and flexibility.

Core: chest, back, abs: At the start of the stroke, the power of the legs is connected to the handle by means of the arms and the core muscles of the body. Then the back is more fully involved as it swings open through the middle of the stroke. Finally, the body is stabilized at the finish by the abdominal muscles.

Your Mind: Customers tell us that the rhythmic nature of rowing helps clear the head and ease the stress of the day.

Rowing compared to other forms of exercise

	Low Impact	Lower Body	Upper Body	Core	Full Range of Motion
Indoor Rower	***	***	***	***	***
Treadmill		***		*	**
Bicycle	***	***	*	*	***
Elliptical	***	***	*	**	**
Stair Stepper	**	***		*	*
Recumbent Bike	***	***		*	*
Ski Machine	***	***	*	**	**
Swimming	***	***	**	*	**

If You haven't found a sport to enjoy, I hope You got inspired by this wonderful exercise machine. Try it out in Your local sports club... and who knows, You might want to get one for Yourself, to give a complete work-out for Your whole body and to de-stress Your mind. All information has been obtained from: http://www.concept2.com

Whatever You pick as Your chosen activity, do make time for physical exercise 5-7 times a week. It not only improves Your physical appearance, it improves Your whole outlook to life, not to mention de-stressing from day's events and providing You with a restful sleep.

I wish You all better physical, mental and spiritual health than You've ever had before,

Eve
Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fitness & Beauty in Organic Way
http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net