Having the Lap Band weight loss surgery helps limit the amount of food you eat. But that is only one piece of the puzzle. You need to exercise to lose weight. Everyone has a different approach.
Many patients try to walk to burn off the calories. The problem with walking is that for many people it just does not burn enough calories. A 200 pound person walking at 3 miles per hour will burn 150 calories in about half an hour. The same person using a rowing machine with light effort can burn 300 calories in just half an hour! And moderate effort on the rowing machine can burn more, 350 – 450 calories per half hour.
Also, many of our patients can’t walk far because of arthritis or back pain, knee pain ,or hip pain. A rowing machine is non-impact and easy to use without stress or strain on joints. Let me tell you a personal story:
A few months ago, my father visited us in Texarkana. He had recently had a knee injury playing tennis, and had torn his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). My dad had not had surgery to fix it yet, and hadn’t exercised for some time. I suggested he try the rowing machine I have at home. He got on the machine and rowed for quite some time, working up a sweat because he hadn’t been able to exercise in so long. Even with a torn ACL, he had no limitations on the rowing machine and was able to achieve the entire benefit of a rigorous exercise with no knee pain.
Indoor rowing is a fantastic activity that you can do at your own home in all types of weather, so there is no excuse to not do it! It exercises your entire body, enhancing your cardiovascular fitness, leg strength, arm and back strength, and as well as exercising your lower back and abdominal muscles.
Xeno Muller is a dedicated father, a two-time Olympic medalist in rowing (technically called single man sculling) and now coaches indoor rowing at a gym in Southern California. One of the rowers he recommends is the WaterRower, and if you want to learn more click here:
http://web.me.com/xenoralfmuller/Site/WaterRower_Shop.html .
Click on the video on that page, and note that the rower is so quiet that his infant son is watching the TV while he is doing his workout!
Get the exercise machine that you can do indoors and year round for weight loss and fitness!
(Note – I have absolutely no financial ties to Xeno Muller or WaterRower or anything else mentioned on this page! My endorsement is based upon my own personal belief! Get rowing!)
13. July 2009 at 12:19 am
Hello Ron,
Great to see my photo on the rowing machine.
I look forward to helping people who enjoy motivation and encouragement to row at home.
See you sometime when you come back to visit California!
Xeno
13. July 2009 at 1:25 am
To all Lap Band patients (ours and others), how often can you say you can get fit and have fun under the instruction of a two-time Olympic medalist?
Visit Xeno’s site, and consider buying a rowing machine, and buy his DVDs to learn the best technique. Remember rowing might be your best option for exercise because for many people with knee problems and other joint problems they can’t run or walk very far, but they can exercise on the smooth rowing machine.
9. May 2010 at 4:49 pm
I have been to your site several times now, and this time I am adding it to my bookmarks
Your pages are always relevant, unlike the same-old stuff on other sites (which are coming off my bookmarks!) Rock on!
11. May 2010 at 11:00 pm
Hello Ron and Jed,
Thank you both for mentioning my website. Rowing is such an easy to get into sport. It is with your help that more people will reap the benefits of the sport.
All the best from California.
Xeno