Rowing: will it make me bulky/fat?

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>I have always wanted to try rowing, but after I discussed it with a few friends they pointed out that I will get bulkier/fatter. I would love to row, but having done XC alll my life I am scared about the negative effects it might have on my body. I don't mind being more toned, but I would hate to get bigger (whether its muscle or fat) </p>

<p>I am sorry if I sound vain or if this offends anyone.. I am not sure if my friends know what they are talking about. But I would love to talk to any rowers about what they think about this.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance! </p>

<p>PS. I am a girl... if it makes a difference on how much I can bulk up.</p>

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<p>Nope.......rowers do lots of ergometer times. Calories burn right off.</p>

3

<p>Rowing is mostly cardiovascular, but also can be compared to very high reps of weightlifting.</p>

<p>It isn't going to make you gain much muscle. Reason because because sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (which is enlarged sarcoplasm of muscle cells) doesn't take place to a significant degree above a 15 repetition maximum. This means that if you're lifting a weight, or doing anything for more than 15 repetitions, that you won't gain much muscle.</p>

<p>As for gaining fat, what a stupid thing for them to tell you. It's too bad that these rumours always end up being told to girls. Then they get scared out of doing anything physical, in fear of becoming a big bodybuilder.</p>

<p>Your muscles may increase their amount of glycogen initially, but with this form of exercise, it'd be insignificant. Don't let uneducated friends scare you out of rowing. It will burn fat, and you will have very little muscle gain. You can't accidentally become bulky, especially as a woman. This takes many months even for a male training and eating like a bodybuilder. For a women, it'd take many years.</p>

<p>The reason that you see rowers muscular on TV is because they train in the weight room to be muscular. Meaning 6-12 rep maxes of weights (on top of endurance training).</p>

<p>Hope this helps.</p>

4

<p>rowing helps you lose fat and gain muscle, in all parts of the body. Its a great workout</p>

5

<p>Yes it will make you look like a body builder. Don't do it! Don't do any physical activity at all that way you won't gain any muscle so you will not look fat.</p>

6

<p>^^lol don't listen to those n00bz.</p>

<p>You won't gain muscle unless you have a proper diet, meaning very high protein intake, carb intake, and low fat. I highly doubt you will get muscle just from rowing.. it's like saying you can bodybuild just from lifting.. doesn't work like that.</p>

<p>And by the way, there is no such thing as losing fat and gaining muscle simultaneously.</p>

<p>have fun</p>

7

<p>"You won't gain muscle unless you have a proper diet, meaning very high protein intake, carb intake, and low fat."</p>

<p>Tell that to Lee Priest. He bulked in the offseason with very high protein, very high carbs, very high fat.</p>

<p>As far as muscle building goes, you can't have too much of any macronutrient. But having too much WILL cause fat gain.</p>

<p>When someone is a new lifter, you can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. The microtrauma done to the muscles is taken more seriously, and all efforts by your body is done to build muscle. And if you are subsequently in a caloric deficit, fat will also be burned. And it's pretty obvious kenshi was being sarcastic.</p>

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<p>The women's rowing team at my school looks like a group of men.</p>

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<p>That is because of 2 reasons</p>

<p>1) they are naturally more muscular than the average female, which is why they are athletic in the first place
2) They train with weights under a muscle building regime</p>

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<p>PROTIP: The effects of testosterone are irreversible.</p>

11

<p>The rest of you will probably stay the same but you'll probably get man shoulders. Every (female) rower I know has man shoulders.</p>

12

<p>
[quote]
Tell that to Lee Priest. He bulked in the offseason with very high protein, very high carbs, very high fat.</p>

<p>As far as muscle building goes, you can't have too much of any macronutrient. But having too much WILL cause fat gain.</p>

<p>When someone is a new lifter, you can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. The microtrauma done to the muscles is taken more seriously, and all efforts by your body is done to build muscle. And if you are subsequently in a caloric deficit, fat will also be burned. And it's pretty obvious kenshi was being sarcastic.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>What I meant was, you can't gain muscle without a proper diet. I was just giving an example, you can have 40/40/20 ratio of protein/carbs/fats, or 33/33/33, the point is if your diet isn't consistently having enough protein/carbs/fats to build/repair/fuel your body, you won't grow.</p>

<p>Yes, too much of anything will cause fat gain.. </p>

<p>Theoretically, you can gain muscle on lifting days by eating in a caloric excess, and on the days you rest you can lost fat, but this takes a very long time. It's no different for newbies, the only thing is they can do this faster.. it's known as a body recomp. </p>

<p>The fact is, when you lose fat, you are in a caloric deficit - when you're in a deficit, it is most likely impossible to build muscle, because in order to add mass to your body, you need to be eating in a caloric excess :/ So it sort of contradicts itself...</p>

<p>Then again I could be completely wrong, I'm not a nutritionist..</p>

13

<p>rowing is like going to the gym and doing a million repetitions of the back row exercises.</p>

<p>so yeah it will make your back muscles more muscular and defined.</p>

14

<p>xc is similar to rowing, my friends in hs are split among the two sports and we always argue about which is tougher. similar people do it, i think you'll enjoy it, similar mindset to running.</p>

<p>and none of my friends row are fat...though they are no where near as in shape as the runners (we own them at frisbee because they die so fast)</p>

15

<p>"Theoretically, you can gain muscle on lifting days by eating in a caloric excess, and on the days you rest you can lost fat, but this takes a very long time. It's no different for newbies, the only thing is they can do this faster.. it's known as a body recomp.</p>

<p>The fact is, when you lose fat, you are in a caloric deficit - when you're in a deficit, it is most likely impossible to build muscle, because in order to add mass to your body, you need to be eating in a caloric excess :/ So it sort of contradicts itself..."</p>

<p>I've been a serious bodybuilder since '03. It's very common for new lifters to burn fat and gain muscle at the same time. It isn't the same for new lifters, because of their sensitivity to the micro trauma done to the myofibres.</p>

<p>The method that you outlined wouldn't really work. You need calories on off days, as that's when you're body is actually building muscle. One method outlined in the DOGGCRAPP regime (very respected program) is eating well over maintenance, but doing strategic cardio. You're basically putting on fat and muscle, but at the same time, burning more fat than you're putting on. It really works better for maintaining body fat % than burning fat while you're putting muscle on, though.</p>

16

<p>My D was on the crew team last year. She did not bulk-up, however her legs were as toned as I'd ever seen them, and she was a competitive aerobics champ and pole vaulter in hs. The hours were pretty crazy though. Up by 5am, and on the water by 5:45 6 days a week, and training every day.</p>

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<p>The rowing team at my school is ripped. I don't see how you'd get bulky. You need mostly upper bottom strength, and I know the rowers here do resistance training in addition to rowing practice. You need lean, strong muscles, not bulky ones. </p>

<p>I think you might need to look into it again before taking what your friends say seriously.</p>

18

<p>"You need lean, strong muscles, not bulky ones."</p>

<p>No such thing. Muscle is muscle. You can lose fat to make it more defined, and you can make your muscles bigger. The only difference in muscle forms is type 1 and 2 A myofibres. Which is literally light and dark meat. Light for strength, and dark for endurance. However, the composition is more or less predefined in our bodies. Not much you can do to alter how your muscles grow.</p>

<p>Lean muscle? All muscle is lean. Lean is just the absence of fat. And since muscle isn't fat, it's lean.</p>

<p>The myth is created because bodybuilders do what's called a 'bulk.' They gain fat and lots of muscle at the same time. Whereas most that do high reps aren't on a bulking diet, and only gain small amounts of muscle, without the excess fat. It's more of an illusion, if anything.</p>

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<p>not true AT ALL. there is a such thing as lean muscle. im a runner and we lift specifically to gain lean muscle, it weighs less so you have to carry less mass. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.sixpacknow.com/12weekleanmuscleplan.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.sixpacknow.com/12weekleanmuscleplan.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>You obviously don't understand the concept of the word lean. ALL muscle is lean. Please consult dictionary.com.</p>

<p>And how exactly is that link supporting your claim? It's saying that you can gain lean muscle, and eliminate stubborn fat. What you don't realize is that they are using the word "lean" to describe ALL MUSCLE, NOT A CERTAIN SEPARATE TYPE OF MUSCLE. There is a quote at the link that states The 12 Week Lean Muscle Plan is not designed for building huge bodybuilder sized muscles, it has been developed to appeal more for men and women to gain leaner muscle size whilst keeping body fat levels to a minimum.</p>

<p>What they are basically saying here, is that this program is not designed strictly for sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. They are using the word lean out of context (again, consult dictionary.com). They are using the word learn to describe toned and small. However, this is not a scientific adjective in this case, in that they are merely using it to describe appearance of the muscle, due to the small amount of muscle gain, and lack of body fat, not to describe the actual muscle composition.</p>

<p>Moreover, you also have to realize that the fitness industry has its fair share of companies and their gimmicks. NEVER use a domain like sixpacknow.com to support a scientific argument. They are a business, trying to make money. They will advertise, whether the advertising is false, misrepresented, or legit.</p>

<p>Find me a scientific source for your claim. Really, I'm sick of this hearsay that people use to support these outlandish myths that they believe in. You have no idea how frustrating it is being a bodybuilder, and having to put up with all of these irritating myths.</p>