A tip from personal experience about getting back your fitness and hurting yourself...

I am 39.  I am the proud father of four kids and life goes at one hundred miles per second.  There is little time for personal fitness, partly because my kids are not quite of age yet where I can share the same exercise type and duration that I would need to maintain an acceptable fitness level and body weight.  I am not the type of person who easily chooses to spend time alone to exercise.  I enjoy sharing such quality time with my family and very quickly adjust such time to what works best for the group and this ranges from walking, playground, some tennis. When the kids are in the backyard playing I grab the kettlebell and go at it and this is why I am writing this blog entry, how to overdo it :-)

One attribute I don't lack is personal motivation to exercise.  When time is of essence and I feel horribly guilty for not having done any cardio exercise, I have made a couple painful mistakes by choosing shorter and harder workouts.  From rowing I have a strong back with solid lats which make horizontal kettlebell rows no problem and I don't feel winded quickly when I attack them.  So what do I have to worry about...  my elbows, it must be the lack of use but did I mess them up by pulling back the 60 pound bell like a mad former Olympian.  Now I am seeking some sort of muscle cream to help whatever I messed up.  My lesson learned from this pain, and I hope I won't forget it ever in my lifetime, is that any type of physical exercise that you start up doing after a longer break needs to be brought back to life slowly.  The little joints and muscles will give you major flak if you don't.

So why don't I row more consistently... good point, it is because our house is too small to handle a permanent spot for the rower, and there are other logistical issues that are inexcusable reasons for not putting in the miles.  Writing this makes me wonder about my ability to self-inflict "AHA" moments.  I NEED TO ROW MORE.  Rowing is gentle on the joints, I yell it at the top of my lungs on rooftops all the time.  Rowing gives you range of motion without being hard on your joints.  Rowing allows your entire body to find a rhythm that is dictated by your breathing pattern (and not the other way around!)  Stay low with your stroke rate and increase the resistance by raising the drag factor on the concept2 rower, or add more water to your waterrower.  One of the "special" ways to increase drag on the C2 is dangerous when you have little kids: removing the silver mesh.  You will find double the drag :-) however you will also hear TRIPLE the noise!

Ok now for the business part of it all.   I have a workout library that is available online at www.row2go.com.  You can access over 70 workouts and use my instruction and rowing rhythm to get a great row out of your machine.  In case you are a possessed on the water rower or a psychotic 2K chaser on the Concept2 machine you will enjoy www.xenorowingcoach.com.  In case you want direct downloads have a look at www.facebook.com/row2go :-)
That is it for now!!!


Xeno Muller

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.

Taken from tennis, Federer vs. Djokovic staring in the eye of defeat...

It happened at the US tennis open last September. It was the semi final between Federer and Djokovic at 40/15 on Federer's serve giving him 2 match points. Thanks to the tennis channel I have watched Djokovic's facial expression several times. He overcame the stress of being on the brink of losing the match with a "bring it on attitude." He pulled down the corners of his mouth, slowly nodded his head and squinted his eyes. If I were asked what I could have read in his mind it was: "Ok, this is now all or nothing, this requires a return that shall rock the house, I will either go down with the guns blazing, no regrets, or Federer is going to have his nerves ripped out of his brain on his first match point opportunity."
The latter is exactly what happened. The Serb ended up winning the semi to later take the entire tournament.
This is how one wins athletic competitions, whether it is in tennis, rowing or any other nerve gripping athletic discipline.
Xeno

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.

In the Empire strikes back...

Luke Skywalker needed to be trained to become a Jedi. He had to fly to a distant planet.... and find Yoda.

My name may not be Yoda but my knowledge on the "rowing force" is strongly present in myself and my coaching. Southern California is more pleasant than Planet Dagoba, however SoCal is in rowing BFE so to speak.

I was taught to row fast with the least amount of effort and I now teach it to those who make the journey to Dagoba... I mean Newport Beach, happy new year!

Xeno aka Yoda of rowing.

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.

Hello Rowers,
I would like to wish you a safe slide into the new year.  This sentence is a mix of German translated into English with some rowing flavor.
Our coaching offering can be found on www.facebook.com/row2go for direct download workouts for your rowing machine and competitive rowing.  You can also have access to over 70 workouts at www.row2go.com and avoid boredom when you have to put in your healthy rowing miles during the winter months.  Finally, find your personal coach at www.xenorowingcoach.com.  This last site is for people who want to push their personal limits to new records.  We use video file sharing technology to help with training and technique.
We look forward to working with you.
Xeno Muller
Olympic gold and silver medalist, Olympic record holder.

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.

How physical activity can aide in cancer treatment.

How Physical Activity Can Aide in Cancer Treatment

The National Cancer Institute recently completed and published a study on the benefits and positive effects of physical activity for cancer patients. While many people assume that exercise can help with overall health, there are also additional advantages to engaging in physical activity before, during and after cancer treatment.

Prevention

Regular exercise has been shown to influence the occurrence of cancer in patients. Prostate and breast cancer rates decrease among individuals who regularly exercise. Also, uterine, colon cancer and mesothelioma rates are lower for people who are generally fit through exercise.

Colon cancer is one of the most studied types of cancer. Researchers have discovered that patients who exercise regularly reduce their risk of developing colon cancer by as much as 40 percent, compared to individuals who do not exercise and are primarily sedentary.

Improved Survival Rates

Another benefit to physical activity for cancer patients is that it improves survival rates. In several studies it has been discovered that patients who engage in moderate exercise three to five hours per week live longer than patients who do not engage in any physical activity at all.

In breast cancer in particular, it is thought that regular exercise helps with cancers that are hormone-responsive and helps the body’s natural immune response to cancer. Other findings included insulin and leptin level improvement. Also, women who engage in regular physical activity report that they have less fatigue, feel more balanced overall and feel they have a higher quality of life than individuals who do not get regular physical activity.

Emotional Benefits

One of the aspects of dealing with cancer that often is neglected by doctors and patients alike is the emotional effect cancer can have on an individual. Many cancer patients experience depression and problems with anxiety, along with sleep disturbances and changes in appetite and problems with concentration.

Regular physical activity can not only elevate mood and alleviate anxiety symptoms, but it can lead to feeling better about your body and improved quality of life. Regular exercise has been recommended by therapists for a long time to help patients with mood disorders. Cancer patients often report that simply taking regular walks can help improve their mood.

Physical Benefits

Physical activity can also promote general physical benefits. For example, regular exercise can lower blood pressure and improve lung and cardiovascular capacity. Additionally, physical activity can reduce the risk for heart disease and help prevent early death as a result of stroke and heart attack.

Individuals who exercise regularly also have fewer problems with obesity and weight issues. As a result, they have lower rates of diabetes.

Regular exercise is an important part of overall health for everyone. For cancer patients it is extremely important because of the effect it has on survival rates and the ability to cope with the effects of cancer treatment and the illness itself. This goes for cancer patients trying to conquer cancers with low survival rates like pericardial mesothelioma and cancers that have traditionally higher survival rates like skin melanoma. No matter what journey the cancer patient is going through it is important to keep the motivation and positive thinking going and that is all possible with exercise.

Liz Davies is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer especially interested in health and wellness. She wants to make a difference in people’s lives because she sees how cancer has devastated so many people in this world. Liz also likes running, playing lacrosse, reading and playing with her dog, April.
The National Cancer Institute
uterine,
mesothelioma
Colon cancer
pericardial mesothelioma
skin melanoma

Xeno Muller, Olympic gold and silver medalist, indoor rowing, rowing technique.