Guest post by Shoshana Pritzker, RD, CDN of ShoDelicious, Superstorm Sandy survivor and a new Concept2 indoor rower
You know what really stinks about storms like Superstorm/Hurricane Sandy? Being stuck in your house without power, light, or cable entertainment. Back in my Florida days we’d have hurricane parties to pass the time. Friends would bring over any and all alcohol they could find and we’d just get drunk. Things are much different now that I’m a grown-up and past my college drinking days. I no longer look forward to missing class due to a storm. Instead I worry about how I’m going to get in a workout in the dark.
Home workout equipment comes in handy when the lights go out. However, if you’ve got a treadmill you’re pretty much out of luck as most have to be plugged in to the wall. Not so for rowing machines, though, they don’t have to be plugged in to anything. Score – I’ve got a rower!
This year I got the chance to take advantage of being stuck at home to get on my Concept2 Rower. And think of the positive, if we had been flooded out, my strength and skills I’ve gained from my rower would have allowed me to row to safety (if I had a canoe or kayak) in the event of an emergency.
So with winds howling, trees blowing and rain coming down – I got on my rower for a quick but intense, weight-loss-in-mind cardio workout. Here’s how my candlelit workout went:
5 minutes of rowing
Hop off rower and stretch for a few minutes, grab a drink of water
5 minutes of Power 10s (every minute pull as hard as you can for 10 pulls, then row easy for the rest of the minute)
Hop off rower and stretch for a few minutes, grab a drink of water
5 minutes of rowing
Note: Keep in mind that I’m a new rower. I’ve owned my C2 for about a week and have been using the rower at my gym for about a year and a half. My goal is weight loss and improved cardio endurance. The workout I did here is a tough one (for me) and can be easily added to for a longer workout.
Another option that’s great for those without power (whether by design or circumstance) is the Deck of Cards workout. It’s great for getting a great workout that’s always varied. I’ve added rowing workout options to mine.
Row on!
Want more no-electricity-needed rowing workouts? We’ve got lots on our workouts page. Ever rowed by candlelight, either with or without electricity? Tell us your story in the comments!