Day 12 to 18

I'm getting on well so decided not to do a daily blog, as it doesn't really give me much to say, but between my 11th and 18th session I have rowed 21.5 miles bringing my total distance to a satisfying 50 miles!
I am no longer struggling with the pains, and I even managed a huge hike with the dogs with none of the hip pain that has been bothering me for years.
I've not lost any weight yet, but I am happy because I can feel my fitness improving.
I am sure in time the weight will start to drop off, but even if it doesn't my general fitness is already much better.
I will keep a log of my distance travelled and update this blog at least once a week.
The video below shows you how to fill the water tank.

Good News And A Handy Build Demo

I found this video online showing another water rower being unpacked and built, I thought it might be helpful.
meanwhile I've reached day 10 and did a fairly easy 3 miles followed by a tiring last one, so 4 miles today in 38 minutes. 
Feel more confident using the machine it is getting easier too. 
Day 11 A bit disappointed that I weigh the same as I started, but the tape measure shows a whopping 2 inches off my waist since the day I started on the rower, not bad! 
Very happy with that result and just the boost I needed. I'm starting to get results! 
I've passed the pain point too, not having all the trouble with my back hips or knees now and I am really enjoying the sessions on the rower.
Another 6 miles added during the last 2 days, so I've now rowed  34.5 miles!

Getting Easier....

Day 9 
4 miles 40 minutes 13 seconds, it is getting easier, back and hips still ache but definitely feeling better and I'm not feeling quite so exhausted when I finish.
Starting to feel progress at last.
Total mileage is now 28.5 Miles

Day 8 I'm Still Standing!

Relaxing With The Dogs

A beautiful walk with the dogs, 3 miles on the rower, 31 minutes and 24 seconds, getting better!
Total mileage is now 24.5 miles

One week in...

One week in and my hips knees and back are really paying the price, but I managed to get back up to 4 miles, this took me 43 minutes 46 seconds. 
Working up a sweat and getting totally out of breath, must be good for you, right? Weighed myself... no change there! What! It feels like I should've lost all my excess weight by now!
It really does feel like hard work!
I am a little upset that for all my efforts I've not lost any weight, but I was always impatient, I will carry on....
Now up to 21.5 miles

Day 6

Just 2 miles today, feeling tired after a walk and I'm a bit achy, so it must be working, average now 9 minutes per mile..
Some pain in my lower back, knees and hips as expected, I am hoping it lessens with time.
I've travelled 17.5 miles! 

What Does It Sound Like?

The video above  shows the motion in the tank while you are rowing, I have the A1 model with an aluminium monorail so I get an additional sliding noise.
Unlike creaky and squeaky metal ones, these are so much quieter and smoother.

Day 5, A much better 4 miles in 40 minutes, it's really feeling like a workout, and I can feel it working, feel so tired after a session on the rower, it's probably the best home gym equipment ever! 
Forget the comment on an earlier blog about bringing the bar up to my neck, it's not ideal and the best way to really get a work out is to lean back as far as you can with each stroke, that way you are making the most of using your stomach and back muscles.
Total mileage now 15.5 miles!

Rower Interrupted day 4

I managed 4 miles but a massive 1 hour 13 minutes, it took me much longer than usual because my Mother phoned, so I spent half an hour rowing slowly so she wasn't worried by my heavy breathing, my hips were aching by the time I'd finished but once I got off the rower and moving around I was fine. 
I'm starting to feel a bit more energetic and am enjoying using the rower.

I'm using the WaterRower A1 Home Rowing Machine - Ash / Aluminium. WaterRower offer a number of options when it comes to the design and finish of your machine; both wood and steel. 
Wood has been chosen due to its marvellous engineering properties, primary amongst these is its ability to absorb sound and vibration, enhancing the WaterRower's quietness and smoothness of use. 
Each machine has been hand- finished with three coats of Danish Oil giving a deep lustre and warmth to the wood.
Now travelled 11.5 Miles!

WaterRower A1 Home Rowing Machine Day 3

We had spent the afternoon out on the loch on the Kayaks, so I was already tired when I got to the rower! 
However, today even after a few hours sea kayaking I managed 1.838 miles in just over 18 minutes, not bad, legs feel like jelly and hips are painful... must keep going! 

A day out on the Loch

 Total distance travelled so far 7.5 miles

I am using The WaterRower A1 home rowing machin, designed to mimic the movement of a boat over water and bring you a real rowing experience in the comfort of your own home. 
Thanks to a unique mono-rail the machine encourages natural and fluid motion and helps practice good rowing technique. 
Natural resistance is delivered by the water in the sealed tank, you can adjust this by adding more or less water, at the moment I have mine on the minimum level.
The console display will provides you with feedback on stroke rate, the total number of strokes, rowing duration, distance, intensity and more. 
The rowing machine has been handcrafted from solid ash wood and features pivoting footplates with adjustable straps. 
It also can be folded up vertically for easier storage when not in use and has transportation wheels.
I keep mine stood up in the corner of the room, it doesn't take up much room at all.

Day 2 Waterrower Rowing

Determined to get to 3 miles today, 
I started rowing at an easy pace and realised to get more out of it I needed to stretch more, so I am bringing the handles up to my neck with each stroke, I noticed straight away that it is giving my upper arms, shoulders and stomach a good work out. 
I happily rowed until I'd got to my 3 miles, pleased with myself that I had done it in a similar time to my 2 miles the day before. 

Except, I hadn't! 
 So there is my first niggle, the clock. 
I assumed it would stay on the settings we'd selected, but it hadn't, so my 3 miles was 3km. 
Not a major problem, mainly an oversight on my part, very keen to get rowing you see :) I did another session in the evening and managed another 1.818 miles before dinner in 18 minutes 48 seconds, so for me it seems on average I am doing 1 mile in 10 minutes. 
I hope that improves. 
The workout, it's really good, I enjoy the sound of the water, and once you get a rhythm going it is weirdly relaxing, almost like a meditation session with a workout. 
Aside from actually being out on the loch in my kayak, this is one of the best ways of keeping fit I can imagine

Total miles rowed so far  5.67 miles!

Water Rower Day One

Here we go!

I decided to write a blog to give an honest review of the water rower, so here we are, the boxes in my living room and my vital statistics are killing me! 
14 stone and my waist is now the size it was when I was 9 months pregnant over 20 years ago! 
Honestly I am shocked! 
I've never been one to calorie count and I've never really, properly measured myself, my philosophy was if you feel good why worry? 

Well, I don't feel good, I feel like me at around 9.5 to 10 stone. 
I have got so unfit, it seems to have crept up on me, so here goes, I am determined to get myself reasonably fit before I'm 50! 
 Yes, I am 40 something, and I still don't feel like it, I still feel 20 something, so fit before 50 seems an easy task, it's forever away after all! 

So here goes, I will give honest weekly updates and time myself on the rower. 
When I was a child, I was involved in a serious accident and broke many bones, it took a good 6 months of recovery and physio to build me back up, much of that time was spent on the rowing machine at the hospital, knowing how well that worked inspired me to try it again, so here we are decades and countless operations later and larger than ever! 

 First things first, get it unpacked..... I helpfully watch as my other half puts it all together, it took about 20 minutes to half hour, the syphon that comes with it was not very good so we just used a tube to syphon the water in, then we are ready to go! 

It Begins

Before we walked the dogs, I had a quick go, it felt really easy, much easiser than normal rowing, as we left the house we debated putting a bit more water in.. 

Back home, I thought I would probably do about half an hour. 
Clock set and ready to go, after 30 seconds it already started to feel tough, I was impressed as my initial thoughts were it would be too easy to give a good workout, after 5 minutes of rowing I looked at the clock to see how far I had travelled and could not believe it was just half a mile!! 

I felt like I had done 10 already. 
In the background is my laughing fella, barking orders, "straighten your back, don't just use your legs! Put your back into it, not just your arms" 
I asked him if he would like a whip "yes" he says as he's standing their grinning! 
By the time I had reached that very first mile, I was exhausted! One mile and I was already feeling it, my hips and back were working hard! 
Determined not to stop and one mile I carried on until I got to 2. 
I tried cheating, but on this boat there was no cruising for your efforts, stop rowing and you count stops too, there was no tide to help me either, so with every last bit of energy I finally made it to 2.001 miles in 19 minutes and 17 seconds, my top speed was 10 mph 
(but I didn't keep it there for long) 

It looks easy enough...

Initial reaction? 
It works you! 
I can't believe in less than 20 minutes I hot and bothered and fit to drop. 
It's fun too. 
The love of my life still grinning, so I stood up, smiled at him and said "beat that" 
Then I head off for a shower to cool down! 
I came back downstairs and he had already done 3 miles, so tomorrow, 3.001 miles is my target!

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