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Coming off a long layoff after a rough motor vehicle accident 3 and a half years ago, I started to work on increasing my fitness on the Concept 2 Erg…see the earlier post. Well the first 2K I rowed, my VO2Max was recorded at 14 ml O2/kg/m….this is really low fitness for sure since the scale is 15-70! What V02Max determines is ones level of aerobic capacity measuring how much oxygen can me transported to and used in the working muscles during exercise.
10 weeks later, my VO2Max is recorded to be 41 ml O2/kg/m, which is above average…the concept 2 website has a great calculator that considers your age and weight and best 2K time to calculate the number.
So in 10 weeks I have gone from horribly low off the scale fitness to above average fitness on about 33,000 m of hard rowing per week (5 days a week).
I am excited about this beyond that as well since I am losing weight and firming up. I have lost inches from my waistline and I am on the road back to my fighting weight!
That’s it for now!
Neil
Neil as you know I am a big fan of the Concept2 and am using it with a client who has MS and is confined to a wheel chair. The exercise is good for his upper body but we are getting no leg action. His legs have minimal function and appear to be getting worse. Do you have some suggestions that would be helpful for his legs and feet?
Claude
Comment by Claude — April 1, 2009 @ 12:29 pm
Claude, as you know, MS comes and goes in terms of flair ups and quiescent periods. In general, I would approach exercise more vigorously when the disease is in remission. The Concept2 can be used as a legs only tool by situating the trunk and arms as they would be at the end of the stroke, and then you can have him simply use the legs to generate power. I would also increase the setting to 10 so that the legs had something to push against. Hope this helps.
Neil
Comment by Neil Chasan, PT, MMT — April 1, 2009 @ 3:47 pm