"We" have just bought a rowing machine. It's one of these big fancy ones you find in a gym. My husband decided "we" needed one as he watched me struggle into my jeans. Anyway I bid for a second hand rowing machine on e-bay and was frustratingly out bid in the last 40 seconds. However, the women who actually won the thing, decided to pull out of the sale because she was "too tired" to go and collect it.
In the auction details it clearly said "buyer to collect" and gave the choice of two locations, so she must have realised how far she would have to travel if she won. Mind you, that may not have been the case. Perhaps, as she'd bid so late in the auction she'd overlooked that bit which is something I did once to my cost.
When I was new to e-bay I bid for a bronze ornament in the final few minutes of an auction and won it. I was delighted with my purchase until I realised it was being shipped from Beijing and I live in UK. The postage was eleven times more expensive than the actual item and it is a good story to tell when my family wants a laugh at my expense. Now the location and shipping is the first thing I check.
Still her loss was my gain and so last week end "we" went to collect it, having first removed a few seats in the car as it's a big thing but surprisingly not too heavy.
The woman who was selling it had bought it new and you could see from the condition it had rarely been used. Somewhat worryingly she told me it was because she now had a bad back, but quickly added it had nothing to do with the rowing machine. I guess she must have read my mind.
Anyway, we completed the transaction and brought it home so I now have absolutely no excuse not to exercise. It is actually very easy to use but there is a technique to follow, if you don't want to hurt your back. Posture is very important, as is the arm and leg action, which requires co-ordination.
Rowing machines are actually great because they are the perfect way to keep fit. As well as improving stamina, and burning calories, they are good for rehabilitating muscles, ligaments and joints after an injury.
However, there are many different types available, some better than others and come in various price ranges. The older, piston ones tend to be harder to use and not as effective, but the modern ones, like the one "we" have just bought have advanced technology which mimics the actual real life rowing experience. It's amazing what you can achieve with a bit of air resistance, a fan, a sliding seat, a chain and a handle bar!
Rowing machines exercise the muscles in your abdomen, arms, back, and legs, all areas which I've sadly neglected over the years. They are good for the heart and lungs as they offer aerobic exercise and also strengthen muscles providing anaerobic benefits.
All in all they are an excellent fitness machine and mine will tone up my arms, shoulders and thighs, as well as burn off a few calories and give me some beneficial cardio exercise. At least it will if I use it.
I know any form of exercise is good, and particularly if you are trying to lose weight or have health issues. Dieting is only a small part of the weight loss/health regime, and in our increasing obese society, exercise should be high on the list of priorities, and not just because of the struggle to fit into clothes.
Type 2 Diabetes is definitely on the increase with most sufferers being overweight, and there are now over 200 different types of Cancer. You may be interested to know Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment, so exercising daily and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level.
That's something I shall reflect on when I go on the rowing machine which I now agree "we" really did need.
Jean Shaw writes articles and is the author of I'm Not Naughty - I'm Autistic and Autism, Amalgam and Me See http://www.jeanshaw.com Visit her what a slimming world blog
