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Kettlebell Swings/snatches vs. C2 rower

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I have experimented with a rowing machine and liked it as a warmup a lot. It activates everything thoroughly. I cannot spend more than 10 minutes on cardio equipment though. I would rather be active outside walking, hiking, biking, sking, etc.

I have been curious about sking machines since I saw one. It would be good to prep for a few weeks prior to the start of the season, with my other drills. Nordic Sking is one of my passions since moving to Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Last season the season was short, and conditions less than ideal, but I still logged over 500k. I have logged over 800k in a good season. Here we have access to hundreds of kilometres of world class groomed Nordic Sking and back country Ski Touring. The best part is it is free, unlike expensive, extremely overcrowded ski resorts. Once you get five kilometres in you hardly see anyone on the trail. The Rockies and Foothills in Southern Alberta and British Columbia are magnificent, and can be very dangerous.
 
Good on you. As a kid I would cross country ski on snow covered golf courses. Three miles would leave me dying for days. Lol.
 
@ShawnM Nordic Sking is very technical, but many enjoy getting outside and shuffling. It is a very affordable, healthy, rewarding activity. You can work your butt off, or use great technique and traverse the terrain efficiently. That is part of the fun to use the most efficient stride, kick, and poling to suit the conditions and terrain. Using the proper gear, clothing, skis, poles and wax is the other half of the equation.

Using the wrong kit, or changes in conditions can make a great day turn into a frustrating slog. More than once I have left on a cold morning, only to warm up many kilometres later turning the skis into snow shoes. Making for a long, exhausting return trip.

30-50K is a good day on groomed trails for me, but just getting out and active is great. I am not a small guy, but many years of Olympic Weightlifting transferred well to XC Sking. Many people have told me I have a powerful kick. When I go with my wife, or less skilled friends it's a joy just to go at a leisurely pace, and help them to improve there skills.
 
This YouTube page was very helpful while learning to row on a C2 Rower.


And this video from a Canadian Olympian


I recently found this video and thought of this post. Brian Shaw is superhuman, but it is amazing.
 
Funny watching a guy as huge as Brian Shaw break the 100m record. He wasn't gassed or anything. I wish I could get out and ski. Living in Virginia Beach we don't get enough snow and I would have to drive hours to get to decent snow. I miss having the four seasons I had growing up in New England.
 
I know nothing about rowing, save having done it in a rowboat a few times. Has anyone found it to be a problem for lower backs that don't like flexion? The "11 to 1 o'clock" movement shown in the first video seems to happen at the sacrum and lumbar spine, not the hips.

-S-
 
@Geoff Chafe @ShawnM Many times the past few years I have considered hanging up the snowboard and getting some cross country skis and/or snowshoes. The crowds, lift ticket prices and varying New England conditions just aren't worth the headache anymore.
 
Steve Freides said:
I know nothing about rowing, save having done it in a rowboat a few times. Has anyone found it to be a problem for lower backs that don't like flexion? The "11 to 1 o'clock" movement shown in the first video seems to happen at the sacrum and lumbar spine, not the hips.
-S-
Click to expand...
The most common injury is low back tweakage. Many quit rowing after some time due to that. BUT/AND I think and hope and seems to me to be true, that you can row without flexion of lumbar spine. It just requires careful and constant attention to postural muscles and holding neutral spine. So far, couple months every other day, I have been able to keep the 11 to 1 o'clock movement concentrated in the hips. Time will tell of course. What has somewhat messed with my back is I just got out ab wheel again and hmmmm, puts a heck of a strain on holding posture!
 
If your butt isn't sliding back and forth on the seat, then I don't think you can be doing it with hip flexion. The idea of not flexing the lumbar and SI is the you "attach" them to your hips and the whole thing moves as one unit.

I imagine one could also dial down that component, e.g., pull with the legs, pull back with the arms, but keep the posture closer to a single position.

-S-
 
GeoffreyLevens said:
What has somewhat messed with my back is I just got out ab wheel again and hmmmm, puts a heck of a strain on holding posture!
Click to expand...
I agree with you there - one has to be careful to keep a hollow position and not let the lower back sag. It's one of my favorite things about this exercise - I really feel like I get my hollow position practice.

-S-
 
Not sure what you mean and unfortunately have no way of videoing myself "in action".
But your butt does not need to slide on seat because the seat slides in relation to everything else (along the track). It is the "other 1/2 of the hip" i.e. femur, that is doing the movement in relation to SI and lumbar. And yes, always a limit on how far any movement can go before some other part needs to join in.
 
Then again, maybe there is always going to be some lumbar flexion during rowing but key is solid control of support muscles to minimize the amount and to keep the load where it belongs i.e. on those support muscles
 
@GeoffreyLevens, if your butt stays planted on the seat, and your rib cage moves from 11 to 1 o'clock, something's gotta be moving in your back. I would be the last person to claim anatomy expertise but that seems how it must work to me. It's not forwards/backwards with the seat, it's your back moving in relation to the seat.

-S-
 
Yes, and my pelvis does rock back and forth on seat, much to the dismay of my "sitz bones"! And all that (lumbar, rib cage, ischium), I hope is moving as one unit in relation to my femurs.
 
In the video of the Olympian she rounds her upper back but her lower back stays pretty flat. I liked her technique and practiced that.

We train so much in extension. In the last few years I have included some round back postures with Jefferson curls, round back deadlifts, odd object lifting, back extensions, pendelay rows, etc. It can be benificial to train some flexion as long as you use appropriate loading, and technique. My back is one of my strongest assets, and gives me very little trouble.
 
Yes, @Steve Freides with my limited experience with straddle deadlifts I have noticed it is harder for me to get the chest through, and up in the start position.

I like straddle deadlifts with kettlebells, and various grip implements also.

Some powerlifters deadlift round backed so they do not have to pull the bar as far to lock out. Powerlifting is all about cheating the movement as much as possible to maximize weight lifted, like extreme arch and wide grip on bench, sumo good morning squats, and sumo deadlifts.

Maybe you can tell I am not to keen on powerlifting.
 
It's safe to round the upper back in a PL DL - I do this, work well for me.

-S-
 
I think where the rower shines is the lack of any plyometric or eccentric loading. Because it's all concentric, you can hit it pretty hard pretty regularly and not beat yourself up.

I also really like the SkiErg. It pretty much is the yin to a rowers yang in my experience. I cannot do it as intensely as frequently though.
 
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