How to Row: The Basics

I'm sure you've seen a rowing machine at the gym.

You know, it's that awkward , low-to-the-ground, horizontal medieval torture device stuck in the corner next to a stairmaster from the 1980s.

But this often-overlooked machine can offer as good of a cardiovascular workout as its brother the treadmill, and as good of a strength workout as a weight-training circuit.

To the left are six photos (from concept2.com) that take you through the proper rowing stroke as it should be performed on the ergometer ("erg"), or rowing machine.

Start at the catch, as in the first photo. Your shins should be perpendicular to the floor. Your upper body is bent at the hips at a
40-degree angle with the shoulders in front the hips.

Then, the drive. Here is where the work is done during the stroke. Drive down your legs, until your knees are flat. Don't move your upper body or lower back. This is important, as most rowers sustain injuries during this part of the stroke.

Next, body swing. Once your knees are flat, carry your momentum
through the stroke by swinging your body back through perpendicular until your upper body creates an obtuse angle with your legs.

Then, pull your arms in. It isn't necessary to yank the handle into your body. Just follow through with your arms until the handle brushes your chest, right below where a bra strap would sit.

Finally, finish the stroke when the handle is at your chest by
starting the sequence over again.

As shown in the last photo, slide the seat back up to the catch (the recovery portion of the stroke) and take another stroke.

A successful rowing workout is made up of taking thousands of continuous strokes. Unlike most cardiovascular exercises, rowing engages your arms, legs, back, chest and abs. Some athletes even tout the repetition of rowing as a mental workout.

So try the rowing machine next time you're at the gym. Set the monitor to show your average split (how long it takes you to pull 500 meters, on average, throughout the piece).

Then, pull away. Begin by pulling continuously for 20 minutes. Build your endurance until you can pull 10 kilometers without stopping. Concentrate on keep your stroke rating (how many strokes you take in a minute, shown in the top right corner of the display screen) consistently around 20.

Questions? Let me know! Check back for more dynamic erg workouts. Or, visit concept2.com
for sample workouts and further instruction.

Sex in sports

A few weeks ago, ESPN magazine released its first-ever “Body Issue.”

The regional cover for Florida featured a triathlete who had her leg amputated just below the hip. She is nude and posed to draw attention to her prosthetic leg.

The photo is shocking, but it also represents the theme of the magazine – the athlete’s body is beautiful. Even when scarred or broken, certain people are able to work their body so hard that he or she becomes among the best in the world at a given sport or athletic feat.

Of the five regional covers, three of them feature women. Morality notwithstanding, professional sports, and the coverage of it in the media, is all about money.

Sure there are purists who claim that love of sport should drive everything, but that is simply not realistic. In a sports world where television is king, you have to have something to make people watch.

I am in full support of women and girls of all ages pursuing any athletic endeavor that suits them. And on the amateur level I believe that women’s sports should have just as much support as men’s sports. But in professional sports (read "business"), things are different.

When it comes to attracting the casual fan, who, like it or not, is the backbone of professional sports, women cannot compete with their male counterparts. In virtually every sport, men are faster, stronger and more fluid in their action. Watch a men’s basketball game and then watch women play.

The difference is undeniable.

The casual fan would rarely choose to watch women play if there is no factor besides athletic ability. To give their gender and edge in attracting consumers, women need to bring something else to the table.

In the end, the decision to use sex appeal to attract followers is up to the individual. Women who are uncomfortable with the idea should never feel compelled to advertise in a way that feels inappropriate.

But professional women’s sports need something extra to create and maintain a following.

Without the added interest, it is likely that the few professional leagues that exist for women, such as the WNBA and the LPGA, will fall even farther behind their male equivalents.

Bang for your buck

The healthy life.

Organic produce, gym memberships, recreation equipment, supplements, vitamins, chiropractors, physical therapists, trainers.

It gets expensive. With an eye on my budget lately (it seems to be the thing to do), I've made an effort at cutting back.

And by "made an effort," I mean I tracked my spending for the last month, and made a pie chart to analyze where I spend my money. This is my way of procrastinating, but it did make me realize that my good health comes at a price.

Beyond tuition, rent and utilities, the largest portion of my budget goes to food -- and not for eating out, but for shopping at local stores, buying fresh produce and stocking up on muscle milk for after my workouts.

And after food came a nebulous category that I called "recreation." Here, I spent money to compete in regattas, enter triathlons, upkeep my bike and pay a chiropractor.

So while I'm not likely to quit crew any time soon, I thought I'd make an effort to trim my dietary spending.

Here are a few recipes I came up with at the grocery store this weekend. Cooking for four or more, as opposed to cooking for one, actually saves you money. Store the uneaten portions for meals during the week, or invite your friends over. They'll chip in, and probably wash the dishes, too!

Herb-Crusted Chicken Cutlets

• 1 pound chicken cutlets (about 4 cutlets) ($5.49/pound)
• 1 cup plain bread crumbs (33 cents)
• 4 sprigs each fresh rosemary and thyme (40 cents)
• 4 large eggs (46 cents)
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (54 cents)
• Salt and pepper

Finely chop rosemary and thyme, and set aside. Crack eggs into a bowl and beat. Pour bread crumbs into a shallow dish and add herbs. Dip each cutlet into the eggs, then dredge in the flour and herb mixture, covering both sides. Heat olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place cutlets in the skillet, cook three to four minutes on each side until chicken is done and crust is crispy.

Serves 4.

Total cost: $7.22

Cost per person: $1.81

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salsa

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (54 cents)
• 1 large white onion ($1.29)
• 4 garlic cloves (3 cents)
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes ($1.50)
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained ($1.66)
• 4 ears fresh corn ($2.98)
• 2 avocados ($3.98)
• Salt and pepper

Fill microwaveable glass dish — with lid — with 1/2 cup water and corn. Place in microwave, and cook on high five minutes. Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Chop onion, and add to skillet. Cook until tender. Mince garlic and add to skillet with onion. Add canned tomatoes, cook 10 minutes. Cut kernels of corn off cob, and add to skillet. Add black beans. Take skillet off heat, and add chopped avocado. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 6 to 8. Good over protein, rice or as a side dish.

Total cost: $11.98

Cost per person: $1.50 to $1.99

Breakfast Smoothie

• 1 pound fresh strawberries ($2.50)
• 4 bananas ($1.15)
• 32 ounces orange juice ($1.50)
• Lots of ice

Hull and slice strawberries. Slice bananas. Add a quarter of the strawberries and bananas to blender with 8 ounces orange juice. Fill with ice. Blend until smooth. Repeat to make three more smoothies.

Serves 4.

Total cost: $5.15

Cost per person: $1.29