By Jen Murphy | Photographs by Michal Czerwonka for The Wall Street JournalJuly 31, 2021 6:00 am ET
Strong, powerful legs and glutes are the secret weapons of elite rowers. “A rowing workout is most closely related to a squat jump or dead lift,” says Jack Nunn, a former member of the USRowing national team and founder of Roworx Fitness in Long Beach, Calif. “Nearly 70% of the power coming from the rowing stroke is driven through the legs and back,” says Mr. Nunn, whose father, John Nunn, competed in and coached rowing in the Olympics.
The lower-body movement in the rowing stroke helps strengthen the quadriceps and hamstrings, key muscles that protect the knee joint, Mr. Nunn says. If you don’t have access to a boat or a rowing machine, he says, mimicking the lower body rowing motion on land is as simple as adding squats into your routine. “When I underwent two knee surgeries, both doctors told me to start doing standard standing squats to regain strength,” he says.
Core strength and balance also help rowers excel on the water. “We need to be able to balance a 26-foot-long boat that’s only about a foot wide while rowing backward in a straight line,” he says. His coach at the University of California, Berkeley, where Mr. Nunn rowed for four years, said rowing requires the stamina of a runner, the balance of a gymnast and the power of a Greco-Roman wrestler, all rolled into one.
To that end, Mr. Nunn likes to enhance standard exercises like the squat or lunge with resistance bands, Bosu balls and other twists, like a pillow, that challenge balance and coordination. The following exercises focus on building strength around the knee joints while also helping train balance and core stability. He suggests performing three to five sets of each with one minute of rest in between.
The Workout
Dynamic Wall Sit
Why: “Wall sits are an invaluable exercise to build overall leg strength and stability,” says Mr. Nunn. “They are a staple of sports that require leg endurance such as skiing, football, ice hockey and cycling.”
When you are having a strong running season, it is hard to think about slowing down. In 2015, Ray Marquette ran 16 races, including three marathons. He set a personal record of 3:42:28 in Chicago and three weeks later ran the New York City Marathon. Shortly after, Achilles tendinitis flared up and has plagued him on and off ever since.
“I probably wasn’t fully recovered [from Chicago],” admits Mr. Marquette, who works at a global financial-services company in New York City. “You hear stories about chronic overuse but don’t pay attention until you can’t run.”
A member of the New York Harriers road running club, Mr. Marquette, 40, says training and racing are important parts of his social life. Reluctant to stop running completely, he learned to manage his pain, he says. He scaled back from 65 to 25 miles a week and started to go to physical therapy. “I was never as fast and my body never felt great after running,” he says.
He tried cross-training with swimming, spinning, yoga and strength training but couldn’t get excited about any of it. Last summer, after a year of pain-free running, he was struck by a bout of plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the bottom of the foot often caused by a tight Achilles tendon. An MRI revealed a partial tear in the ligament.
Searching for a new endorphin fix, he discovered Rowgatta, an indoor rowing boot camp. “It doesn’t replace a two-hour run, but it’s low-impact, gets my heart rate up and works muscles I neglect when running,” he says. Mr. Marquette hopes a winter of rowing and physical therapy will get him healthy enough to complete a half-marathon this fall.
Jack Nunn is the son of John Nunn, who won the bronze Olympic medal in 1968 with his partner Bill Maher in the double sculls rowing event. I sat down with Jack this week to ask him if he felt like he grew up in his dad’s shadow.
Jack, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today? My whole life revolves around fitness. My father, John Nunn, won an Olympic Bronze Medal in rowing in 1968 at the Mexico City Olympic Games, and he was the Olympic Men’s rowing coach in 1976 at the Montreal Summer Olympic Games. I always grew up playing sports and ended up rowing in 1996 for Long Beach Juniors and the next year where I qualified for the 1997 Junior National Team Selection Rowing Camp.
From there, I went on to star for four years at UC Berkeley with a full scholarship, winning four Pac ten championships and three IRA National Championships. I was a member of the US National Rowing Team from 2001-2006 winning a silver medal at the World Championships Eight Rowing event in Linz, Austria in 2001. When I’m not rowing or teaching on average 15 hours of classes per week, I love to compete in triathlons, marathons, cycling, and Ironman events. So far, I’ve completed fourteen full Ironman competitions and seven half Ironman’s. My motto is: “fight to the finish and do the best you can. What’s possible is what you think is possible.”
In 2017, I completed the most grueling Ironman in the World in Norway called the Norseman Extreme Ironman distance triathlon. The Isklar Norseman Xtreme Triathlon is probably one of the craziest things an individual can put themselves through. This race bills itself as, ‘simply the ultimate triathlon on planet Earth’ and they are right. It’s a total of 226km spread over a freezing cold swim, a brutal ride and a seemingly impossible marathon footrace up a mountain. This is not your everyday ocean swim. You’ll find yourself taken by boat to the middle of a Glacier near the town of Eidfjord, Norway. You are then required to jump into chilly waters off the back of a car ferry and then swim against the current over 2 miles back to shore. The bike ride consists of 10-percent grades uphill with five different mountain peaks and a total of 15,000 feet of climbing over 112 miles. The 26.2-mile marathon at the end of the competition consists of the ascent of Mount Gaustatoppen which is 6,000 feet high. This is where the make or break really happens. By now you’re exhausted, cold, and probably wondering why on earth you thought this was a good idea. This is undoubtedly one of the world’s toughest races. The combination of extreme conditions and unenviable ascents make sure to deter only the most severe or craziest of competitors. This year, I’m taking my challenge to a whole new level and currently training for the Ultraman Extreme endurance race Feb. 15-17, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. I’m doing this race to honor my father’s Olympic Bronze medal that he won at the Mexico City Summer Olympic Games just over 50 years ago. Ultraman Florida in Orlando is a three-day athletic endeavor guaranteed to test an athlete’s physical and mental limits. The race covers a total distance of 322 miles, around central Florida and it is more than a double ironman. It requires that each participant completes a 6.2-mile swim plus a 92-mile bike ride the first day, a 171-mile bike ride the second, and a 52-mile run on the final day. This will be my most difficult challenge yet, and I’m now training 25 plus hours a week for the past several months in order to prepare for this strenuous competition.
Doing a single Ironman competition is tough. Doing several in a single year is tougher. But what if you did 3 in 28 days? Find out what it takes.
The Ironman circuit has offered Jack Nunn many opportunities to travel over the last eight years. Since 2008, Jack has competed and completed 8 international Full Ironman races and the Inaugural Ironman Vineman race this year in Sonoma, California. In 2013, he began racing shorter sprint triathlons, winning his age group in almost every single event racking up his total race count to over 100 events around the world.
He has also moved up in the ranks from a Bronze AWA medalist in 2014 this past year to a Silver AWA medalist in 2015 earning a little more respect along the way. Jack is also the 2015 Clydesdale 220lb+ National Champion and still holds the fastest time in the Olympic Distance Triathlon event in Grand Rapids Michigan.
The reason why Jack decided to attempt 3 Ironman’s in one calendar month was so that he could try and get to his goal of becoming an Ironman Legacy qualifier.
Jack is training for that elusive legacy spot in Kona, Hawaii as the Ironman Lottery was banned last year and the only way to get into the race is to either qualify with time or become an Ironman Legacy. You must complete 12 Full Ironman branded distance events and then you have a chance to be selected for a spot.
Jack also wants to educate people about the benefits of cross training, especially using the indoor rowing machines he utilizes at his business Roworx in Long Beach, California. Jack educates athletes during the year and encourages people to train during recovery blocks throughout the season.
His goal is to help swimmers, cyclists, and runners stay injury free and mentally fresh.
The key benefits of rowing for triathletes consists of maintaining a low impact and total body workout while enduring the pain and high caloric burn of rowing.
Ironman #1- Vineman, Sonoma
The original creator of the Vineman had always dreamed of having the full Ironman distance event with over 2,000 participants. There were 2,100 at this event, turning his dream into a reality after 28 years. Jack completed in 12:02:07, placing 60th in the M35-39 division and 397th overall.
Ironman #2- Kalmar, Sweden
Ironman Sweden, now in its fifth year, is a role model of how every major Ironman race should be modeled. Jack described it as a fun, historical, flat, and beautiful course.
The fan base consisted of thousands of spectators and a supporting community that offered incredibly positive energy towards all of the participating athletes along the course. Jack completed in 11:51:53, placing 196th in the AK M35-39 division and 1,132nd overall.
Ironman #3- Vichy, France
Ironman Vichy, France is now in its 2nd year of operation and offers a unique blend of history and beauty with a very professional and technical course. The Vichy Ironman and 70.3 are held on the same weekend but alternate days as they sold this race to the absolute max with more than 5,000 competitors.
Jack chose to participate in the Vichy Ironman mainly because of his very aggressive plan to complete 2 full Ironman’s in Europe that were only 8 days apart.
Coming off the Kalmar, Sweden Ironman he decided he would try and get his 9th overall Ironman checked off the list as he was very determined to get qualified for the elusive Ironman Legacy spot requiring 12 Full Ironman finishes.
This decision turned out to be the hardest series of race events that he had ever done in his life. Jack felt good mentally after the Kalmar Ironman but his body was broken and he found myself with barely a week to recover between races. Jack completed in 13:18:20 with an overall rank of 1,261.
Jack completed all three full Ironman’s in one month and had an average finish time of 12 hours flat. It was the hardest athletic challenge he had ever done in his entire life and does not recommend anyone try it unless they are in tremendous physical and mental health. It pushed Jack to the edge of injury and nearly broke him but he survived to tell the story to inspire others to use cross training with rowing and other unconventional training methods.
Jack created Roworx after winning numerous medals in various events on the international rowing stage. Jack started rowing in 1996 for Long Beach Juniors and made the 1997 Junior National Team Selection Camp. He went on to star for four years at UC Berkeley, winning four Pac-10 championships and three IRA National Championships. Jack was a member of the first ever undefeated Pac-10 and IRA National Champion Freshman 8 in 1998 and repeated the feat by going unbeaten in 1999. Jack helped his varsity 8 place second at the Henley Royal Regatta in 1999 in the Ladies Plate Challenge Cup in London, England. As a member of the US Rowing National Team from 2001-2004 he placed second at the 2003 Pan American Trials in double sculls and had an outstanding 2002 that saw him claim a gold medal in Senior 8 and a silver medal in the Elite Double at the US Nationals. LEARN MORE: WEBSITE
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Eighteen age-group triathletes raced their way to national titles on Sunday at the 2015 USA Triathlon Clydesdale and Athena National Championships, competing across three distances as part of the Grand Rapids Triathlon set at Thornapple River.
Welcome to the Roworx legacy podcast hosted by Ironman and USA National Team Rower, Jack Nunn. A podcast that inspires and motivates individuals through personal stories from Olympians and athletes of all backgrounds in different sports. Each week we will deliver interviews about various athletes’ true backgrounds and what made them who they are today. This podcast will specifically focus on what identity these individuals have adopted and what they would like their legacy to be. We are going to offer some hard hitting inspiring stories of great athletes and what it takes to be the best.
In times like these we can all use a little stress relief. In this article we will go over the top 5 stress relievers that can help restore calm and serenity to your chaotic life. You don’t have to invest a lot of time or thought into stress relievers. If your stress is getting out of control and you need quick relief, try one of these following 5 tips.
Meditate
If you are looking for a more standard mediation practice then you want to start by sitting straight with both feet on floor. Close your eyes and focus your attention on saying silently or out loud something positive such as: “I feel at peace” or “I am happy.” Place one hand on your stomach and breathe by repeating the positive things. Let any distracting thoughts float by like clouds. You can tell yourself: “Delete” or “Next” to any negative thoughts and or worries.
Get Moving
Exercise is actually a type of mediation that can be very effective to relieve stress. You don’t have to be an Olympian to understand how to get a good workout. All forms of exercise, including yoga, walking, swimming, cycling, and or dancing along with stretching can ease depression and anxiety by helping the brain release feel-good chemicals (endorphins) and by giving your body a chance to practice dealing with stress. You can go for a walk around the block, take the stairs up and down a few flights, and do some stretching exercises with you head, neck, back, and hamstrings.
Be Grateful
Start the day by being grateful and have a positive outlook in any situation that comes your way. Being grateful cancels out negative thoughts and worries. Write down what you are grateful for and have an “Attitude of gratitude” mindset while also thanking other for helping you along the way. Remember: “Treat others the way you would like to be treated.” It works! When you start feeling stressed, think about the positive things that really matter in life.
Crank Up The Music
Research shows that listening to soothing music can lower blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety. If you have access to apple playlist, sound cloud, Pandora, and or even the radio you can create a playlist of your favorite music genres and or soothing sounds of nature (the ocean, rain, waterfalls, and or birds chirping in the wild). Let your mind focus on the different melodies, instruments, or singers in the song. Working out with music can really help rhythm and performance when you run, cycle, dance, and or row to the beats.
Laugh Out Loud
Laughing is perhaps one of the best ways to naturally relieve stress. A good “Laugh out loud” lowers cortisol (your bodies stress hormone) and boosts positive brain chemicals. Lighten up by tuning into your favorite sitcom, video, and or visiting your local comedy club. You can also read plenty of memes on the internet and or talk to someone who is naturally funny. Surround yourself around positive and funny people so that you might learn how to be positive on a daily basis.
Want some more motivation? Check out this 30 minute video … some great motivation and inspiring words in this following video created by Jordan Peterson
Most people are already familiar and intent with what ‘HIIT’ workouts have done form them and the years. But what if there was an alternative training system that had all the same benefits but without the impact? There is a new workout platform trend that is up and coming called ‘HILIT’ (High Intensity Low Impact Training). This high-intensity, low-impact training philosophy will burn more calories while giving you a total body low impact workout in less time. The specific differences between ‘HIIT’ and ‘HILIT’ is the impact on the joints, bones, and overall safety during workouts to reduce the risk of injury. Many traditional ‘HIIT’ classes have large volumes of people who are all about pushing yourself beyond your limits and working as quickly as possible without any attention to technique, alignment, or form. Without proper exercise techniques and or modifications to the workouts these people could be injured very easily.
One of the best total body low impact workouts you can do is indoor rowing. Rowing utilizes approximately 86% of all the muscles in the entire body without compromising the joints and bones from impact. I have had 2 knee surgeries myself and I used indoor rowing class at Roworx Fitness in Long Beach, California as an integral part of my workout routine to rehabilitate from those injuries. Since my surgeries I have used indoor rowing workouts as my core platform system of training to get myself prepared for 16 full Ironman’s (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run) and 1 Ultraman (6.2 mile swim, 270 mile bike, and a 52.4 mile run) triathlon I have completed over the past 12 years. Rowing provides a non-impact, whole-body workout that translates well to almost any endurance sport. Rowing builds strong legs and is great for building swimming, cycling, and running strength for triathlon competitions. The motion also creates an incredibly strong core which helps with all three of the triathlon disciplines. It is easy to get a challenging cardiovascular workout on the indoor rowing machine. If you want to go hard, rowing gets your heart rate up easily.
Find out more workout tips described below on how to use the ‘HILIT’ training system to your advantage during any workout.
First we must decipher the difference between exercise intensity vs. exercise impact
Exercise Intensity refers to how much energy is expended when exercising. Perceived exertion and intensity varies with each person. It has been found that intensity has an effect on what fuel the body uses and what kind of adaptations the body makes after exercise. Intensity is the amount of physical power (expressed as a percentage of the maximal oxygen consumption) that the body uses when performing an activity. When you begin a new workout routine you always need to remember to pace yourself with the workouts. The most common mistake I see in the fitness world is people coming in to a workout routine at full blast and doing way too much too soon. You will also have to remember that there has to be a ‘little pain for a little gain’ in strength gain when starting new workouts. Whatever type of exercise you prefer, increasing the intensity can improve longevity while utilizing high-intensity intervals with almost any exercise. The trick is to alternate short bursts of approximately 1-3 minutes of working very hard with short periods of recovery.
Exercise Impact refers to the downward forces on your joints and bones when your body has to bear its own weight against a surface, usually the floor. While high impact exercises offer plenty of benefits, keep in mind that they are not for everyone. Whether you’re looking to increase the intensity or impact of any exercise, the first step is talking to your doctor about what’s safe for you, especially if you have a chronic condition including osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, balance issues, and other injuries. On the other hand, it is prudent for beginners to build overall fitness first in order to handle high impact workouts without injuring themselves. If you consider yourself fairly active but only focus on low intensity or steady-state cardio, adding ‘HILIT’ workouts such as swimming,cycling, indoor rowing, and cross country skiing can help you boost your overall fitness and performance.
The Benefits Of HILIT
As their names suggest, the main difference between ‘HILIT’ and ‘HIIT’ is the impact of the workout. With ‘HILIT,’ you’ll limit jumping, landing, and other rapid movements. Using the ‘HILIT’ system should prevent many common injuries you tend to see when doing high-impact exercises. When done right, low-impact and total body workout such as indoor rowing can help you lose weight, tone up, and get stronger. For example, when you complete a rowing stroke you are pushing off the foot-boards and suspending your own body-weight connecting the legs through the core, back, latissimus dorsi, and shoulders. The Roworx Indoor Rowing program offers a group exercise that’s low-impact, high efficiency, and great for building strength and endurance. Roworx also utilizes the Concept2 Rowing Machine and light dumbbell weights. Our clients span all experience levels, ages and abilities. Anyone can row as you control your own pace and resistance while knowing you are working out with a common goal in a non competitive atmosphere. The ability to control your own resistance allows you to maintain rhythm with the group, while selecting your own difficulty level. At Roworx we embrace each person and where they are in their fitness journey as well as finding creative ways to get stronger together.
Maximize Your Fitness Results By Blending The ‘HILIT’ System Blend With The F.I.T.T. Principle
How FREQUENT are you training? What INTENSITY are you training at? How much TIME are you putting into your training during each session? What TYPE of exercise are you doing to improve your fitness and strength? Work out early in the morning when the rest of the family and world is still asleep. Never assume you will get it done later as the day always catches up with you and the chances become less as you become tired from work etc. Early morning training is also invigorating and relaxing ahead of the day’s responsibilities. Be consistent in your training and make sure to try to get in at least 30 minutes of training every day with a 90 minute or 2-hour session every third day. Time and consistency are some of the most important aspects of not only fitness training but the keys to being successful in life in anything you put your mind to. Work out with a friend, trainer, or in a fitness class. Who has the time to work out, train, and be disciplined on fitness on their own? Studies show that we are motivated to work harder, show up more often, and push further past our perceived limits when training in a group. The results of one study suggest that endorphin release is significantly greater in group training than in individual training; this seems to be the case even when the individual’s power output, or physical exertion, is the same. Not only is it more fun to exercise with others, but it is safer and more efficient to exercise under the leadership of a good coach. Finally, be realistic about your life and your ability. Work out exactly how much training you can comfortably do in one week and build on that as you consider your job and commitment to friends.
F – Frequency of your workouts. How often is your training and how many days do you take off to rest between training days. It is important to keep a frequent exercise regiment during the week and not skip over 2-3 days in between workouts.
I- Intensity of your workouts. How much intensity are you pushing through your workouts. What hear rate zone 1-5 are you training at as zones 2-4 are most important for general fitness and endurance training. Indoor rowing can be one of the best low impact total body workouts you can possibly do in the realm of fitness training. Roworx also utilizes the Concept2 Rowing Machine and light dumbbell weights. Our clients span all experience levels, ages and abilities. Anyone can row – you control your own pace and resistance. The ability to control your own resistance allows you to maintain rhythm with the group, while selecting your own difficulty level.
T – Time spent during your workout. This is the #1 important aspect of fitness training and one we all try to take shortcuts on.
T – Type of workout. The Roworx Indoor Rowing program offers a group exercise that’s low-impact, high efficiency, and great for building strength and endurance. Roworx also utilizes the Concept2 Rowing Machine and light dumbbell weights. Our clients span all experience levels, ages and abilities. Anyone can row – you control your own pace and resistance. The ability to control your own resistance allows you to maintain rhythm with the group, while selecting your own difficulty level.
Whether it is a ‘HIIT’ or ‘HILIT’ program, the choice is yours to make progress and see results. If you’re not seeing results with your daily workout routine, it may be time to change things up and try something new with an indoor rowing class at Roworx. What are the benefits of rowing and what will this equipment do for you in terms of muscle conditioning and cardiovascular fitness? Whether you already row or are considering adding rowing to your overall physical activity program, want to lose weight, cross-train for another sport, compete on the water, or rehabilitate from injury or surgery, rowing is a complete exercise. Rowing machine benefits include strengthening and conditioning most major muscle groups in the upper and lower body and rowing is virtually impact-free. Beyond choosing a smart exercise regimen in which one that challenges you to continually push yourself while having the right nutrition, sleep, hydration, and recovery are crucial to improving your fitness. Once you identify ‘WHY?’ your routine isn’t working, you can start taking steps toward improving it. While being involved with Roworx Fitness, the health industry, and involved with a lifetime of playing sports I have come to the conclusion that the number one reason why people fall short of their fitness and nutrition goals is the lack of self-discipline and/or willpower. Some people think it is easy for me to preach fitness because it is my job as a fitness owner and instructor, however, nearly 50% of the workouts I do don’t come easy. That is to say if I had the option to NOT workout about half the time I would take that option. Something that my coaches have taught me over the years in college and on the US National Team was the ability to understand hard work and put in the miles day in and day out. The ability to train and ‘grind’ through the daily workouts no matter how bad the fitness sessions were. My coaches taught me the need to work strenuously through challenges and maintain a high level of effort over a long period of time despite failure and other things getting in the way of progress. Knowing how to deal with the highs and lows of the daily workout ‘grind’ is how you will succeed in accomplishing your fitness and nutrition goals. Helping people understand that the daily ‘grind’ to achieve greatness in maintaining a healthy lifestyle habits is the core of the work you need in order to overcome adversity and instill willpower. One of the best and worst quotes I have heard from my father, John Nunn, was that when things got tough for me during US National Team training sessions he would often say: ‘Anyone can train on a good day…It’s when you train hard on the bad days that will get you the results.’
The 11th Annual Aquatic Capital of America (ACOA) Awards Banquet will be from from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, at the Keesal, Young & Logan law offices, 400 Oceangate #1400. Awards will be presented in seven categories.
Olympic reminders surround Jack Nunn, all the way down to his weekly workload. “Every day when I teach a indoor rowing class at Roworx Fitness I’m looking out on the water in Long Beach Marine Stadium,” Nunn says. “That’s where my Alma mater won the gold.” But Nunn isn’t talking about swimming. He jokes that he was cut from the junior high water polo team, a team that didn’t have mandatory roster trimming. Instead, Nunn comes to the multi-sport world from crew, and the waves of Alamitos Bay, near Los Angeles, reflect his family’s past and present.
John Nunn, Jack’s father, moved to southern California in the mid 1960’s to train for the Olympics at a world-class facility, the famed Long Beach Marine Stadium, which was built for the 1932 Games. John earned an Olympic Bronze medal in 1968 in Mexico City, and he subsequently raised his family in the Los Angeles area. Jack picked up the oars in the same bay where his father practiced.
“That changed my whole life,” he says.”That’s my identity. I started rowing in 1996 for the junior national team right there in Marine Stadium. I would go to Long Beach every day in high school and throughout my college career to train.” He won multiple Pac-10 Conference championships at the University of California Berkeley. The Bears represented Team USA on their home water in 1932 and edged Italy by .2 of a second to secure Olympic gold. Nunn, 40, teaches classes at Roworx, the indoor rowing center he owns situated next to the rectangular block of water that constitutes Marine Stadium.
“If you’re a strong rower, you can turn it into being a strong cyclist with the legs and lungs,” he says. Nunn estimates that 70 percent of the multi-sport training comes from his rowing workouts at Roworx Fitness in Long Beach. Part of that philosophy originates from the practical realities of operating a gym. His job, like most age-groupers, requires a significant portion of his time. In his case, the longer hours of a small business owner mean more opportunities for fitness.
“My dad told me growing up, ‘if you want to get better at something, you have to do that thing,’ Nunn said. “The argument is yes, you will improve if you do the actual sport, but with rowing you can get close.” Nunn has raced more than 100 triathlons since diving into his first race, a 2008 Ironman event in Nice, France known for it’s difficult cycling course that features a segment of the Tour de France route. Even as he progressed down the distance ladder to shorter events in recent years, Nunn focuses on rowing as the main component of his training. “I’m a bigger guy. The longer [a race] goes, the worse I get,” he says with a laugh. “My favorite distance is the sprint.” He registered for the inaugural Legacy Triathlon as part of the 2019 schedule. USA Triathlon launched the new event in Long Beach and will continue it each year leading into the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in LA. Nunn earned the bronze medal for his age group in the sprint distance. “It’s cool to race in your hometown at a big USA Triathlon event,” Nunn says. “There was no doubt I was going to do it. I like to compete on that formal level, but it’s an individual sport, which I love. It’s you against you.”
Nunn says he understands skeptics who push for more discipline-specific swim, bike, run workouts, but he also sees plenty of people who dismiss rowing too easily or only use a rowing machine as a warm-up for something else. Five minutes here. Ten minutes there. Nunn points to those early exists as missed opportunities. “Try rowing for an hour,” he says. “Try to get some intervals going for 30 minutes. Everyone
wants the greatest full body low impact workout – rowing will give it to you.”
Welcome to the 
Meditate
Get Moving
Be Grateful
Crank Up The Music
Laugh Out Loud
Fitness
Exercise Intensity refers to how much energy is expended when 
see in the fitness world is people coming in to a workout routine at full blast and doing way too much too soon. You will also have to remember that there has to be a ‘little pain for a little gain’ in strength gain when starting new workouts. Whatever type of exercise you prefer, 
yourself fairly active but only focus on low intensity or steady-state cardio, adding ‘HILIT’ workouts such as swimming,cycling, indoor rowing, and cross country skiing can help you boost your overall fitness and performance.
weight, tone up, and get stronger. For example, when you complete a rowing stroke you are pushing off the foot-boards and suspending your own body-weight connecting the legs through the core, back, latissimus dorsi, and shoulders. The 
How FREQUENT are you training? What INTENSITY are you training at? How much TIME are you putting into your training during each session? What TYPE of exercise are you doing to improve your fitness and strength? Work out early in the morning when the rest of the family and world is still asleep. Never assume you will get it done later as the day always catches up with you and the chances become less as you become tired from work etc. Early morning training is also invigorating and relaxing ahead of the day’s responsibilities. Be consistent in your training and make sure to try to get in at least 30 minutes of training every day with a 90 minute or 2-hour session every third day. Time and consistency are some of the most important aspects of not only fitness training but the keys to being successful in life in anything you put your mind to. Work out with a friend, trainer, or in a fitness class. Who has the time to work out, train, and be disciplined on fitness on their own? Studies show that we are motivated to work harder, show up more often, and push further past our perceived limits when training in a group. The results of one study suggest that endorphin release is significantly greater in group training than in individual training; this seems to be the case even when the individual’s power output, or physical exertion, is the same. Not only is it more fun to exercise with others, but it is safer and more efficient to exercise under the leadership of a good coach. Finally, be realistic about your life and your ability. Work out exactly how much training you can comfortably do in one week and build on that as you consider your job and commitment to friends.
F – Frequency of your workouts. How often is your training and how many days do you take off to rest between training days. It is important to keep a frequent exercise regiment during the week and not skip over 2-3 days in between workouts.
experience levels, ages and abilities. Anyone can row – you control your own pace and resistance. The ability to control your own resistance allows you to maintain rhythm with the group, while selecting your own difficulty level.
me to 
By Jo Murray
Beach as well as winning numerous rowing races on the water during the Long Beach Southwest Regionals and Christmas Regatta competitions. He placed 3rd in his age group at the 
USA Triathlon Magazine Winter Issue January 2020
“That changed my whole life,” he says.”That’s my identity. I started rowing in 1996 for the junior national team right there in Marine Stadium. I would go to Long Beach every day in high school and throughout my college career to train.” He won multiple Pac-10 Conference championships at the University of California Berkeley. The Bears represented Team USA on their home water in 1932 and edged Italy by .2 of a second to secure Olympic gold. Nunn, 40, teaches classes at