I recently purchased a Peloton Row and have been blogging about the experience. I am new to rowing, and realized after my first class on the row that I had a lot to learn about form and the Peloton metrics. I am now focused on completing the You Can Row Program on the Peloton Row and just finished the first week of the program. Keep reading to learn more about Week 1 of the You Can Row program and my review of the You Can Row program so far.
I recently posted my thoughts about the Peloton Row after my first class (check it out here). As a short summary, I was very excited to start rowing but after my first class I felt very frustrated by the metrics. The Peloton bike metrics are intuitive, but the Row metrics really need a detailed explanation and I just wasn’t understanding the metrics at all. I was hoping that after taking more classes, the metrics would begin to make more sense to me. After my first class, I was feeling indifferent about the row.
Because I was new to rowing, I thought a set program to learn about the form would be a great place for me to start. I heard about the You Can Row Program though a Facebook group I joined when I purchased the row and it seemed to fit exactly what I wanted to do- learn proper form and understand the metrics. I also thought the program would be a good introduction to all of the row instructors.
The first week of the program was six classes over three days. Not all of the classes are on the row, two are stretches.
Here is the breakdown of Week 1 of You Can Row program:
| Day 1 10 Minute Intro to Rowing with Ash Pryor 5 Minute Post Row Stretch with Katie Wang |
| Day 2 Rest |
| Day 3 15 Minute Beginner Row with Alex Karwoski (I added a 5 minute Warm Up Row with Matt Wilpers and a 5 Minute Post Row Stretch with Adrian Williams after the 15 Minute class) |
| Days 4 and 5 Rest |
| Day 6 5 Minute Warm Up Row with Matt Wilpers 15 Minute Pop Row with Ash Pryor 5 Minute Post Row Stretch with Adrian Williams |
My Thoughts on Week 1 of the You Can Row Program
After the classes on Day 1, I was feeling frustrated by the metrics. Read my full post about my first class at home here. I would have liked a intro video on the metrics. Instead, I spent some time on the Peloton website reading all about them.
Day 3 of the program was my first class with Alex Karwoski. I really liked his calm energy and the class was a good introduction to the row. I like how he explained props form. I definitely began feeling more comfortable with my form. I (somewhat) started to grasp the concept of the new metrics (I think), but I still did not understand how stroke per minute and pace were different, which was frustrating.
I really enjoyed the class with Alex and want to take more classes with him in the future. I enjoyed his class so much that I wanted more than just the one 15 minute class, so I added Matt Wilpers Warm Up (which was on the schedule for Day 6), just so I could keep rowing and then did a stretch with Adrian Williams. The muscles you use while rowing are different from cycling and it was nice to have a stretch targeting those muscles. I have been taking Adrian’s strength classes for a while now, so I am excited to see how he will be on the row. He is a no nonsense instructor with fun energy, so I can’t wait to take a class with him.
I then followed the scheduled program for Day 6 (5 Minute Warm Up Row with Matt Wilpers, 15 Minute Pop Row with Ash Pryor, 5 Minute Post Row Stretch with Adrian Williams) I really began to feel more comfortable with my form during this ride. I did not have to think through every single move and was able to get into the flow of the row. My row form was becoming more natural.
Review of the You Can Row Program after Week 1
I think the You Can Row program is a really good program if you are starting out. I know I have a lot to learn about rowing and I think this program is exactly what I needed. I really focused on learning form with the classes in the program this week. The program is a slow introduction- each class is short. This is a good thing, as learning form is mentally exhausting. These classes pack a lot into a short period of time and in addition to listening to the instructions, you are trying to apply that knowledge as you move your body. The short classes also give your body time to adjust to a new work out.
However, since the classes each day in the program were short, I did not feel like I had a strenuous work out during Week 1 of the program. I did not break out in a sweat during any of the classes. However, I know that I was moving very very slowly due to my inexperience rowing. I was really listening to the instructors and focusing on form over speed. I can definitely see how with some speed and power, the row classes will give me a great workout, but I am not there yet.
After my first class, which I detailed about in my post here. I was frustrated with the metrics. After Week 1 of the program, I feel as if I somewhat understand what each of the metrics mean. However, I do not know how to really increase or decrease the metrics based on how I row. I am still not clear on how pace and stroke per minute are not the same measurement. I am hoping that metrics is a focus of Week 2.
From my first class (which left me feeling indifferent) to the end of Week 1 of the program, I am no longer feeling indifferent to the row. Rather, I am excited to get on the row again and start Week 2. I had two challenges with the row- learning form and learning new metrics at the same time, which was overwhelming. I think Week 1 helped me work on form and begin to feel comfortable with rowing. I do not have to think about every move on the row and can just enjoy being on the machine. Now I just need to understand the metrics and how to increase/decrease the metrics.
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