I am a 20 year old rower and have recently discovered that I have a chest condition which is having an impact on my rowing.
I went to see my GP fearing I had asthma again (I had nocturnal asthma as a child) when I got heavily into training and really struggled with the cardio side of things - I'd be really out of breath but my muscles were fine and could carry on going with the exercises if it wasn't for my breathing. I was told that I have a chest condition (I can't remember the name) where my rib cage drastically caves in at the sternum, causing my lung capacity is less than it should be, and resulting in asthma like symptoms. There is nothing that can be done about it, as the condition is not severe enough for surgery to correct my rib cage. So I have been prescribed a blue asthma inhaler to use when I'm training to open my airways, but seems of little benefit.
And this is where I would like your help.
Are there any routines or specific exercises that I could do not only to build up my cardio stamina, but also that would build my lungs up to be as powerful as they would be was it not for the condition (not sure about my choice of words here but I think you'll know what I mean). I don't want to use meds or become reliant on them, I want to improve myself by my own means.
I already do landtraining once a week doing running, hill sprints, super circuits, ergos and weights for 2-3 hours and I try to cycle or swim once or twice a week too but don't always get the chace. As for on the water traning I do 1hour 2 mornings a week, and 4 to 6 hours on a saturday.
Just to give you an idea of where I suffer most - when I run I can go for a max of 5min without having to stop. I'll start again 30secs-1min later, but will have to stop again and again. I can continue with this stop-start for hours (same with other cardio exercises) as my body isn't tired, I just get ridiculously out of breath. We had a 2.5K race last month and I was exhausted by 1km but kept going and we came 3rd (!), but I lack the ability to push myself past the barrier when not in a race situation when I know I CAN'T stop. We have races coming up that are getting longer and longer and I'm worried I won't be able to endure them. I'm talking 4.5Km min up to 8Km.
Obviously I don't expect my lack of stamina to soley be down to my chest condition, it's my fitness levels too, but I feel that the condition is a large contributor in preventing me from performing better in rowing.
If its of any use to you, I'm 5ft 10" and fluctuate between 72-74KG (74 now after Christmas indulgence!) and am of a large build for a female (as in large bone structure, not fat!).
I also ultimately want to lose weight as that will mean less weight in the boat. I know that will all come part and parcel with sorting out my breathing so I can exercise for longer, but in the mean time do you have any suggestions?
I already eat a lot of greens, fruit, juice and health foods, and don't really eat fatty food as the fat just makes me feel ill. But I am guilty of having a sweet tooth and having 1 sweet thing a day. I would like to get down to 68KG, based on that I used to model at 70KG and my agency wanted me to go down to 65 but I refused as I would have looked plain ill (and I doubt I would have been very healthy). Is 68KG still a healthy target?
Please help!
Thank You =)
(Sorry for this being so long winded!)
I went to see my GP fearing I had asthma again (I had nocturnal asthma as a child) when I got heavily into training and really struggled with the cardio side of things - I'd be really out of breath but my muscles were fine and could carry on going with the exercises if it wasn't for my breathing. I was told that I have a chest condition (I can't remember the name) where my rib cage drastically caves in at the sternum, causing my lung capacity is less than it should be, and resulting in asthma like symptoms. There is nothing that can be done about it, as the condition is not severe enough for surgery to correct my rib cage. So I have been prescribed a blue asthma inhaler to use when I'm training to open my airways, but seems of little benefit.
And this is where I would like your help.
Are there any routines or specific exercises that I could do not only to build up my cardio stamina, but also that would build my lungs up to be as powerful as they would be was it not for the condition (not sure about my choice of words here but I think you'll know what I mean). I don't want to use meds or become reliant on them, I want to improve myself by my own means.
I already do landtraining once a week doing running, hill sprints, super circuits, ergos and weights for 2-3 hours and I try to cycle or swim once or twice a week too but don't always get the chace. As for on the water traning I do 1hour 2 mornings a week, and 4 to 6 hours on a saturday.
Just to give you an idea of where I suffer most - when I run I can go for a max of 5min without having to stop. I'll start again 30secs-1min later, but will have to stop again and again. I can continue with this stop-start for hours (same with other cardio exercises) as my body isn't tired, I just get ridiculously out of breath. We had a 2.5K race last month and I was exhausted by 1km but kept going and we came 3rd (!), but I lack the ability to push myself past the barrier when not in a race situation when I know I CAN'T stop. We have races coming up that are getting longer and longer and I'm worried I won't be able to endure them. I'm talking 4.5Km min up to 8Km.
Obviously I don't expect my lack of stamina to soley be down to my chest condition, it's my fitness levels too, but I feel that the condition is a large contributor in preventing me from performing better in rowing.
If its of any use to you, I'm 5ft 10" and fluctuate between 72-74KG (74 now after Christmas indulgence!) and am of a large build for a female (as in large bone structure, not fat!).
I also ultimately want to lose weight as that will mean less weight in the boat. I know that will all come part and parcel with sorting out my breathing so I can exercise for longer, but in the mean time do you have any suggestions?
I already eat a lot of greens, fruit, juice and health foods, and don't really eat fatty food as the fat just makes me feel ill. But I am guilty of having a sweet tooth and having 1 sweet thing a day. I would like to get down to 68KG, based on that I used to model at 70KG and my agency wanted me to go down to 65 but I refused as I would have looked plain ill (and I doubt I would have been very healthy). Is 68KG still a healthy target?
Please help!
Thank You =)
(Sorry for this being so long winded!)