How to Increase Your Speed on a Rowing Machine

The rowing machine is, in my opinion, often overlooked as a great cardio machine, not to mention the added strength benefits. I think people generally find them a bit tricky to use, so I'm going to start with talking about proper rowing form, from there we will progress to increasing speed.

Beginning Position

1. For your first row, set the resistance low while you figure out your form, then slowly ramp it up on subsequent rows.
2. Secure your feet on the pads with the straps tight enough so your feet don't move around as you slide.
3. Bring your knees up and slide to the top of the machine. Grab the handle using an overhand grip, but don't hold too tightly.
4. Pull the handle with you as you slide to the end of the machine. Your legs should be straight, but knees should still have a slight bend in them so they aren't locked. Lean back slightly and pull your hands up to your chest, holding the handle so it is right below your breasts, with elbows pointing down against your sides. This is the position where you should begin your workout, and it's also your ending position once you complete a full stroke (see below).

The Catch

5. Move your arms out first, followed by your upper body. Your back should always stay straight, not slumped, with shoulders back and abs engaged as you follow through. As your arms extend out, your upper body position will go from slightly angled back to slightly angled forward.

6. As your arms extend and body leans forward, slide your body forward on the seat by bending your legs. Once you are at the top of the machine, your arms will be fully extended and legs will be bent (see below). This part of the stroke is called the catch.

The Drive

7. To slide back to your finish position, push off with your feet first, so that your legs straighten but your arms are still extended and your body is still slightly leaning forward (see below). The drive is the part of the workout that mimics pulling the oars out of the water and propelling the boat forward, so it's this part that works your leg and core muscles the most.

8. As you continue to push through with your legs, move your upper body so that you begin to lean back (see below).

9. The last part of your body to return to finish position are your arms; as your upper body angles back, pull the handle and bend your arms so that the handle ends up back to touching the front of your chest, just like how you started (see below). Don't grip the handle too hard; the power should be through your legs, and using too much force while pulling the cable can cause hand blisters as well as back problems.
10. Continue practicing your stroke slowly and at low resistance until you get the hang of it! It can be helpful to break the moves down into a sequence of what should move first: "arms-body-legs" as you pull up to the top of the machine and "legs-body-arms" as you push back.

Source

The best way to master your rowing skills is to practice. Like they say, proper practice leads to perfection. Once you are comfortable with the basic stroke you can start working on increasing your speed. Here are a few tips to help you;

Increase your leg power:
You don't want to leave the majority of the work to your arms and upper body. Our legs are much stronger (generally) than our arms. Here are a few exercises to help increase your leg power.

Squat Thruster

Box Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Basically any plyometric leg exercise will work.

We also need to work on your upper body strength. Your core, arms, and back will need to be in top shape. Here are a few suggested exercises;

Hand Release Push Ups

Renegade Row

Pull Up

Plyometric Push Up

Now that you've got the strength, you need to work on your speed, and speed (or sprinting) endurance. The best way to do this is to actually practice sprinting, or excreting high levels of energy for extended periods of time. Here are a few of my  favorite high intensity drills.

Tabata: This is a 4 minute interval, 20 seconds high intensity, and 10 seconds rest, repeated 8 times. You can do this with basically any exercise, be it running, riding a bike, squatting, push ups... Just remember the higher the intensity the better. 

Circuit: There are several different ways that a circuit can be performed. My favorite is 30 seconds on and 3 second transition  alternating between a resistance exercise (squats, push ups, planks...) and a high intensity cardio exercise (buprees, mountain climbers, tuck jumps...) Here is a great one for you. 

Here is a more complete explanation of High Intensity Interval Training. 

Remember to practice rowing at least a couple of times a week, and work in these other helpful exercises on the other days. Some days will naturally be easier than others, but don't get discouraged! 

How to build up to a Pull Up

My clients are always working on perfecting the exercises in my program, and the Pull Up is one that is a challenge for both the men and women. Here are some suggestions on how to build up to a perfect, "cheat" free pull up. 

The primary muscles used in performing a pull up are, as shown below, the latissimus dorsi, and trapezius muscles. 

To perform a pull up you will want to build up strength in these muscles. Along with performing modified versions of a pull up, you will want to do some exercises that will help to strengthen theses muscles.  

Here are just a few suggestions for you.  

Three Point Row

Man Maker

Body Weight Row

Try to use as heave weight as possible, to build up your upper body strength.

The best way to build up a specific skill to practice that skill, here are some modified versions of the Pull Up that will help you to build up to a cheat free pull up. In doing all of these exercises be sure to lower your body as slowly as possible to get the "negative" chin up or pull up in as well. The eccentric flexion of the muscles will help you to build up your strength much quicker! 

Cheater (Jumping) Chin Up

Chin Up

Cheater Pull Up

Until Finally

You can also use an elastic or pull up machine at your gym, or a chair at home. The key is to be sure that you are "cheating" as little as possible, and be weening yourself from the helpers. 

You should practice your skill at least once a week, and be sure to work in your other lat and trap strengthening exercises through out the week as well. 

March Madness

This month my clients and I are working on fitness goals. We have decided to focus, not on body composition, but on a skill. this is a great way to gain strength  speed, flexibility  balance, and probably lose a little weight as a side effect!

Here are the rules for March Madness:

The goal needs to be
*Measurable
*Obtainable (hopefully within the month time span)
*Realistic
*Not having to do with weight loss/body composition (in other words losing 2 lbs or 5% body fat will not work)
*Try to make this a fitness type goal. (memorizing your favorite poem, or leaning all of the choreography to Gangnam Style are not the kinds of things I'm looking for...even though those things are awesome)
*Fun! (I want you to look forward to working on your goal!)
*Something that I can measure for you (running a Triathalon is great, but I can't set one up/measure it for you)

Here are a few examples of what we are working on this month:

*Doing a Handstand

*Doing two unassisted pull ups

*Rowing 500 meters in 1:40

*Running an 8 min Mile

You can also work on sports specific goals like:

*Juggling a soccer ball 150 times

 *Slam dunking a basketball

By taking the focus off of weight loss and putting it on a skill we manage to gain new skills and lose some body fat/weight without really trying! 

Join us by posting a comment of what your March madness goal(s) will be! 

I will post some of the additions exercises that we will be doing (in addition to practicing the actual skill) in a future blog, and I will be happy to post some exercises that will help you reach your goals as well! 

What If Animals Ate Fast Food?

This is cracking me up today, but it got me thinking how us humans would do if we had to hunt, farm, or forage for our food in our current state. I'm afraid it might look a bit like this video.

Chocolate Cheesecake

Chocolate Cheesecake

(AT Meal * 90 minute prep, cool overnight)

What You'll Need:
* 250G fat-free cottage cheese
* 1/2C low-fat chocolate milk
* 4 scoops chocolate protein powder
* 5 heaping teaspoons organic peanut butter

What You'll Do
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a blender, combine cottage cheese and low-fat chocolate milk and blend until creamy and smooth. Remove from the blender and place into a mixing blow. Next, add protein powder and mix thoroughly. Finally, add in the organic peanut butter, one scoop at a time, blending until smooth.

Pour the mixture into a small 4-inch ramekin. Fill a deep oven pan half-full with hot water and place the ramekin inside of the oven pan so that the water comes approximately half way up the outside of the ramekin. Place the oven pan containing the ramekin into the oven and bake for 40-60 minutes, until slightly firm to the touch.

When finished, pull from the oven and allow to cool for several hours. When cool to the touch, place in the fridge and cool over night. Serve cold or at room temperature. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Information (per serving)
* Calories: 337kcal
* Protein: 41g
* Carbohydrate: 14g
* Fat: 13g
* Saturated Fat: 3.1g
* Monounsaturated Fat: 6.3g
* Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.5g

Source 

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I truly love this time of year.

I posted a blog last week asking for nominees to benefit from this fundraiser, I was overwhelmed reading stories of heartbreak and suffering. How does on chose just one family from so many who are clearly in need? I have made small donations to all the families nominated, but in the end we could only do the fundraiser for one.

Meet the Marcellus family.

 Two years ago Donna gave birth to her first, a baby girl, 9 weeks early. Miraculously this little angel survived after several days in ICU, she is now a happy, healthy two year old.
In mid-November Donna gave birth to her second, a baby boy, born 13 weeks early and living only a few hours.
Reading the story of this sweet little family broke my heart, and thinking about the astronomical costs of life flight, surgery, and having their sweet little boy in ICU, not to mention costs of funerals, I knew that I needed to do everything that I could to help this family.
Here is the complete post about Zaine




If you can, please make a donation to this family during this time & share in the true meaning of the Christmas spirit by clicking on the donate button to the right. Any dollar amount will be accepted. 100% of the donations received will be given to to this family.  ALL of the proceeds will be given to the Marcellus family to help them during this tragic time in their lives. The fundraiser will go through Christmas day & I won’t be posting anything else on my blog besides this fundraiser until after the New Year.

 I know that we are put here on this earth to help each other, to lift each other up when times are hard. May each of you find joy in helping others this Christmas season.

 Each donation will receive a healthy dessert e cook book. These recipes are amazing, and if you have ever been to one of my parties you have likely tasted some of this healthy goodness.

Thank you in advance for your support and love.
Please leave me your email address in the PayPal information box. 

Holiday Charity Fundraiser

This year I've decided to start, what I hope to be a long running tradition. An Alaina Wood Fitness holiday fundraiser!
What I would like to ask from you is nominations of families in need. I have a couple in mind that I know would benefit from any donations,but I want to make sure that I reach out to those who are the most in need.
So, here is your part; I need stories of families, or local charities who could use a little extra this holiday season.
You can leave comments on the blog, message me on Facebook, or leave me a message at awoodfitness@gmail.com

Please include some information about the family, including a contact person, so I know where to send the money!

Thank you, in advance, for your help and support!

The Holiday Fitness Survival Guide

It's here—whether you're ready or not. Just look at the seasonal shelves in your favorite store. Retailers like to call it ‘holiday season' but let's be more accurate. 

Weight Gain season has begun and runs straight through New Year's. 

The next two months will bring ample opportunity for you to expand your waistline. Of course the choice is yours. 

Lets talk about some easy ways to ward off the extra holiday inches.

*Exercise: There is no substitute for exercise. Not only will this amazing tool help you to lose fat and tone muscle, but will also keep your heart and other vital organs functioning at their peak!

Try to work out before your holiday feasts. This will ensure that you actually do it, and your body will process some of those less healthy foods much better if you eat them post-workout. 

Make it a goal to workout at least 5 times a week, encourage your family to join you. Since we are all  short on time try doing some intervals, or this great workout that only take 8-15 minutes! 

*Junk food: Simply don't keep it in your house! Instead of making cookies and chocolates for your neighbors give them a fresh veggie platter, or apples dipped in cinnamon, yum! 

When you are given treat plates it's okay to re-gift  just make sure you give it to someone who did not already get it.  

Here are some more easy tips on avoiding the holiday junk food binge! 

*Make healthy replacements for some of the traditional holiday dishes:

Replace your mashed potatoes with this healthy cauliflower mash. instead of a pumpkin pie, enjoy some pumpkin muffins. Instead of making your sweet potatoes with marshmallows and sugar add some cinnamon. 

When filling your plate put the salad on first, and make sure to give yourself a big hearty serving, after that add on the rest of your veggies then get to the more fatty foods. It's okay to "splurge" a little, but keep the portions down. 

You don't have to gain weight over the holidays, you can stay (or even get) trim, fit, and most importantly healthy!

Coconut Cauliflower Mash

This amazing dish came from my friends over at Precision Nutrition. 

It's a great replacement for your Thanksgiving day mashed potatoes. 

Enjoy!

Ingredients 
Cauliflower (rough chopped) 3 cups
Cashews (crushed) ¼ cup
Coconut milk ¼ cup
Salt 1 pinch
Pepper 1 pinch
Cinnamon 1 pinch

Serving Size
Serves 1 large or 2 small.

Preparation Time
2 min. Preparation Time
15 min.  Cooking Time

Introduction
If you like mashed potatoes but worry about the high-carb content, worry no longer. Mashed cauliflower tastes just like mashed potato but has far fewer calories and packs a bigger nutrient punch. In this recipe, we’ve included a crunchy twist to mashed potatoes by adding cashews.

Instructions
Add all the ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Simmer for 15 minutes and then remove from heat. Purée in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time if necessary to get the mixture moving. Serves 1 large or 2 small.

Variations and Options
For a great anytime meal, serve with homemade Sirloin Burgers (pg.90). For a great soup, add a cup of broth to this recipe when blending. Refer to page 266 for instructions on blending hot mixtures. For additional flavoring, try adding your favorite herbs to the mash. Paprika, safflower, or coriander are awesome spices to try in this recipe. If you don’t have a food processor, you can mash with a fork.

Nutritional Information
(per serving)     large     small
Calories (k/cal)     409.4     204.7
Fat (g)     27.3     13.6
Saturated (g)     13.3     6.7
Monounsaturated (g)     8.6     4.3
Polyunsaturated (g)     2.8     1.4
omega-3 (g)     0.0     0.0
omega-6 (g)     2.8     1.4
Carbohydrates (g)     27.8     13.9
fiber (g)     8.6     4.3
sugars (g)     9.2     4.6
Protein (g)     13.3     6.6

Your handy A-K Guide to the 13 vitamins

I get lots of questions about vitamins, specifically symptoms related to vitamin deficiency. I found this info graphic floating around on Pinterest the other day and I absolutely love it!

This is a great little guide to vitamins, the only thing missing is what foods you can find the vitamins in. That post is coming soon. 

Just in case you needed another reason to workout