Advice needed!

[Granspeed]

Since I seem to be stuck in a no-run zone for the moment, I have acquired an indoor rowing machine. 😳 I am starting VERY gently.

Anyone out there with experience to share? All tips welcome.

And any Garmin Guru who knows if I can get my Forerunner 235 to track my sessions? There is “Indoor Rowing” on the activity list on Garmin Connect, but I can’t figure out how to implement it on the watch. 🤔🙄

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold]

Yes, would love to hear other people’s thoughts on rowing. I loved rowing which I used to do a bit (before i started running), but as a Hypothyroid challenged person, could never decide if HIIT-rowing would be detrimental for my thyroid, and if doing longer and more cardio.. what program one could actually follow?

(And I had actually looked if there is a rowing group on Health Unlocked, but alas there’s none)

[Granspeed in reply to CBDB]

It’s good fun so far and everything I’ve read suggests it will complement running when I finally get back to it. I quite enjoy my bits of strength & flex (though I’m not very flex 🙄) but I need the cardio to keep me going.

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold]

Oh... and big, warm welcome back! (Love those toe socks, which I didn’t even know existed!)

[Granspeed in reply to CBDB]

Thank you. Glad the toe socks have another fan! 😄

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Granspeed]

Gosh yeah! Just showed them to my husband, as after years of not caring about XMas presents, my wish-list is suddenly filling up with running stuff! (But not sure I can wait! They just look so good!)

[SewMore]

Hello,

I think it might depend on whether you want the watch connected to your erg (if your indoor machine is something fancy like concept 2 / pm5) or if you want the watch to „detect“ that you are indoor rowing, because you pressed the start button after choosing Indoor rowing as your activity.

I found this link, it might help for the connection

—————

apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/...

And this link for rowing workouts

concept2.com/files/pdf/us/t...

——-

I think there were some indoor rowers on this forum in the past? Or maybe it was the WeightLoss one. Anyway have fun with your new toy 😊

[Granspeed in reply to SewMore]

Thanks so much Sarah73uk. 👏🏼 I have a fairly basic JLL200 which I don’t think will connect to anything electronic. So I want the second thing: the watch to somehow either keep track or let me enter stroke & distance data. It will log time under “other” activity & send to Connect when I manually enter Indoor Rowing as an activity. Frustratingly, the Connect displays time & distance (which I enter manually from the JLZl display) & it then shows a circle for “strokes” but there’s no way to enter these! 🙄 Oh well. I will enjoy looking up the workouts! Thanks again.

[linda9389 in reply to Granspeed]

Does this help any?

Q: So do I create the activity when I start the exercise (I am like, brand new to Garmin Connect)? It seemed like it meant for me to create that activity AFTER I was done...

A: You need to add the "Indoor Rowing" activity to your watch selection menu if it's not there already. Then when it's added, you can start the activity from your watch and finish it when your done. During the activity, it will track your strokes, heart rate, and time, and automatically add it into the Connect app when you end the activity from your watch. The same goes for any other activity (running, walking, strength, etc).

[Granspeed in reply to linda9389]

Yes! Only how do I add rowing to the watch selection menu?

[linda9389 in reply to Granspeed]

Sadly, having googled away it seems you can't add a new activity type to the 235, sorry to lead you up the garden path! I can't see anything obvious that will help you I'm afraid. Maybe someone more knowledgeable will come along ....

[Granspeed in reply to linda9389]

Thanks anyway for all your efforts! Unfortunately that is the conclusion I came to after my googling, but I was hoping it was me, not the watch! Oh well....

[CarolineKC]

I am a Gig rower and a runner (and also a gran) and as there has been no Gig rowing between lockdown and a week ago I have been doing more running and indoor rowing.

Rowing - including indoor rowing is about technique. Beginners tend to try and row with their arms - but actually most of the power comes from your legs - you push a boat along not pull - and the same on a rowing machine. Think "legs, body, arms', going backwards and 'arms, body, legs' on the way forwards.

In terms of fitness - all the same things apply as for running - long rows, short rows, intervals etc. Have fun!

[Granspeed in reply to CarolineKC]

Thanks so much. 💕👍 I have found some YouTube videos - fit young men like my grandson 😊 - with “follow along” technique workouts for beginners. They have been really helpful in stressing the need for correct form & showing me how to do it. They all stress your tips! It’s surprisingly fun; I now wish I thought I could ever get on the water!

Edit: Just looked up gig rowing. Fascinating! I’m at Lymington in the New Forest and we have sculls but I’ve never seen gigs in action. Looks much more fun but would need massive fitness, I imagine. 🎉

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to CarolineKC]

Just found this discussion again. 4 months on and I am rowing again and have just dropped a review in the Forum about a beginners video workout. I can concur about arms and legs.

As this might be of interest, here the link :

healthunlocked.com/strength...

[CarolineKC]

Basic rule is that you get fit for what you do - which is why doing different activities is good.

We are on the East Coast and mainly row four person Gigs. To race you do need fitness and stamina (shortest races are 20 minute sprints - longest are 3 hour marathons) most of our race crews are 60+ and coastal rowing is a fast growing sport for over 50's in particular. But not everyone wants to race - you can just enjoy being on the water Niko Niko style!

[Granspeed in reply to CarolineKC]

That would be me: Niko Niko all the way. 🤣 We have good friends at Aldeburgh but I don’t know the rest of that coast. Sounds an excellent sport though! I am enjoying my tiny bit of pretend-rowing as a complement to the trail running I hope to get back to eventually. 😊

[SewMore]

Hello,

I looked a bit further.

If you have the patience to watch this YouTube, it does look like you can install a rowing app.

You need to

- install Connect IQ on PC

- create a Garmin account

- connect your watch to PC

- select your watch in Connect IQ

- search for this app:

apps.garmin.com/en-GB/apps/...

- install App to phone

Etc.

Someone explains steps in more detail the YouTube. Obviously don’t install the beer watch face but the Erg app.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=0nWYp...(Not working as expected?)

Erg is another term people use for indoor rowing.

Hope that helps 😊

[Granspeed in reply to SewMore]

👏🏼🎉 I will look it all up tomorrow. I found Connect IQ this afternoon & saw the rowing app but then got lost. YouTube - and you - to the rescue then! I’ll let you know what happens. 🤔

[SewMore in reply to Granspeed]

Believe me if there was an award for difficult user interfaces Garmin would win! I thought I understood, and had cracked it with my watch, then my daughter got a new Garmin watch, also Garmin and totally different buttons to press. I felt so helpless! Once you fight your way through there are so many options and settings you can have fun with. Good luck 😊

[Granspeed in reply to SewMore]

I think luck is what I need. Thank you! I’ll let you know....

[Dexy5]

If the 235 doesn’t allow you to add rowing Granspeed, could you record it as cardio. At least you will have some sort of record.

Is your daughter doing the marathon at St Giles House? UpTheStanley is doing the 10k but I sold my ticket on so I didn’t do myself more damage by rushing the distance.

[Granspeed in reply to Dexy5]

Yes, thanks - so far I’m recording it as “Other” and then adding in manually the things it allows, plus some Notes of eg stroke rate.

Daughter & her pal were signed up for the HM and as of yesterday were mulling the pros & cons. They didn’t think much of the way it’s been handled. Will let you know -I think today is decision day.

[Dexy5 in reply to Granspeed]

I sold mine on a Facebook site NFM Tickets buying or selling .

[Granspeed in reply to Dexy5]

She’s been trying that. Think they might have sold yesterday.