Kettler ST2520-64 Exercising with the Kettler Coach, Advantages of rowing, Exercise intensity

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Exercising with the KETTLER COACH

The KETTLER COACH rowing machine provides all of the advantages of “real life” rowing without the trouble or expense of “taking to the water”. Rowing is a sport that improves not only the performance of the cardio- vascular system, but also improves stamina and endurance. The following points should be observed before commencing a course of training:

Important

Before commencing a course of training, have your family doctor check that you are fit enough to exercise with the COACH. The result of the medical check-up should be used as a basis for planning the exercise programme. The following directions are only to be recommended to healthy persons.

The advantages of rowing

As mentioned above, rowing is an excellent way to increase the efficiency of the cardio-vascular system. It also improves the ability to absorb oxy- gen. In addition, rowing is also suitable for “burning off” fat by calling up the fat reserves (in the form of fatty acids) to be transformed into energy. Another important advantage of rowing lies in the strengthening of all of the body’s important muscle groups, whereby the strengthening of the back and shoulder muscles can be considered especially beneficial from the orthopaedic point of view. The strengthening of the back muscles can help prevent such orthopaedic problems as are encountered all too often nowadays. Exercising with the KETTLER COACH is therefore a compre- hensive way to exercise. It improves endurance and strength while at the same time not putting the joints under stress.

Which muscles are called on

Planning and controlling your rowing

The basis for planning your course of exercise should be your actual state of fitness. Your family doctor can put you through an endurance test to determine your physical performance. The results of the test should be used to plan your exercise programme. If you do not go through an en- durance test, you should avoid excessive exercising stresses at all costs. The following principle should be follow in your planning; endurance training can be controlled as much by the extent of effort as by the level of effort and the intensity.

Exercise intensity

The effort intensity when rowing can be determined by checking the pulse. The intensity of the rowing exercises can be varied on the one hand by altering the number of strokes per minute, and on the other by altering the resistance of the tension device. The intensity increases both when the stro- ke rate is increased, and when the resistance in the tension device is increased.

Beginners should therefore avoid exercising at high stroke rates or at high resistance levels. The optimum stroke rate and level of resistance should be determined using the recommended pulse rate (see Pulse diagram), which should be checked three times during each session. Before starting, check the resting pulse, about 10 minutes into the session check the effort pulse (which should be in the region of the recommended level), and after finishing exercising, check the recovery pulse.

Regular exercising will soon show a reduction in both the rest and the effort pulse rates. This can be taken as a sign for the positive effects of the endurance training. The heart is beating more slowly and more time is available for the heart to take in blood and for the blood to circulate through the heart’s own muscles.

10

7

9

Pulse		Pulsediagramm
		Fitness and Fat Burner
220
200		Maximalpulse
		(220 minus Age)
180
160
		Fitnesspulse
140	(75% of Max.Pulse)

1

6

5

8

3

4 2

The movements in the rowing exercise call on all of the body’s muscle groups. Although some are concentrated upon more than others. These groups are shown in the lower illustration.

As can be seen in the illustration, rowing activates the upper and lower body to the same extent. In the legs, rowing exercises the extensors (1), the flexors (2) and the shin and calf muscles (5, 4). The movement of the hips also calls on the seat (gluteus) muscles (3).

In the torso region, rowing calls primarily upon the latissimus (6) and the erectors (8), but also on the trapezius (7), the deltoid (9) and the arm extensor muscles (10).

The KETTLER COACH can also be used for other special exercises to concentrate on further muscles groups. These are described in one of the following sections.

24 GB

120
100
	Fat combustion pulse
80
		(65% of Max.Pulse)

20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 90 Age

Extent of exercise

By extent of exercise, we refer to the length of the exercise sessions and their frequency per week. Experts consider the following extent of exerci- se to be especially effective:

Sessions per week	Length of session
Daily	10 minutes
two or three times a week	20 - 30 minutes
once or twice a week	30 - 60 minutes

Exercise sessions of 20 -30minutes/30 - 60 minutes are not suitable for the beginner. The beginner should increase his/her extent of exercising only gradually, with the first blocks being kept relatively short. Block exercising can be looked upon as a good variation at the beginning.

A typical beginner’s programme for the first 4 weeks could be something like the following: