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.”
We had the good fortune of connecting with Jack Nunn and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Jack, what was your thought process behind starting your own business? Over the past 30 years I’ve been extremely lucky and grateful to have known and been coached some of the best rowing coaches in the world. I’ve taken that knowledge and applied it to my business model of teaching indoor rowing classes with an incredible view overlooking Marine Stadium in Long Beach, the rowing venue of the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The idea is simple: teach the general public how to use the indoor rowing machine correctly and effectively to get the most amount of calories burned per hour (all while looking out over the water and sunsets that we have in Long Beach.) Rowing is probably one of the best total body workouts possible because it engages nearly 80-percent of all the muscles in the body during each and every stroke. It’s the most effective cardiovascular workout without the impact.
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more? Roworx offers indoor rowing classes taught by experienced US National Team coaches and rowers. We use the Concept 2 rowing machine (used by Olympians and elite rowers) giving our clients a full hour of heart-pumping workouts while taking in amazing views overlooking the water. We are located at a registered California historical landmark (where the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games rowing events took place.) The LA Coliseum and Marine Stadium are the only two venues left from the LA 1932 Olympic Summer Games.
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 interval training with plyometrics, various mat work, stretching, and light dumbbell weights. Our clients span all experience levels, ages and abilities. Anyone can row, but it’s about controlling individual pace and resistance. The ability to control your own resistance allows you to maintain rhythm with the group, while selecting your own difficulty level. I’m most proud of how I’ve been able to stay in business since 2008 while offering our clients new and create ways to train on the indoor rowing machine. Indoor rowing has becoming more popular over the past 10 years as it is a low impact exercise. It can be used as the perfect cross training tool for any recreation or competition sport. My goal is to teach people the best technique possible on the rowing machine while burning the most calories during each one-hour class. I’ve had many challenges over the years as a fitness business owner, but I would say the best thing I did was take things one day and one task at a time. Over the past 10 years I’ve completed 16 full Ironman competitions and one Ultraman triathlon. Doing these events is a constant reminder of how you can accomplish and finish long events and struggles in your everyday life by focusing on priorities, being patient, having a plan, and being very consistent. I would like the world to know that we offer the best indoor rowing class workout experience.
I’ve also had the best coach possible: my father, who won a bronze medal in Rowing in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. He was also the 1976 Olympic Men’s Rowing coach in Montreal. I was also coached by Mike Teti on the USA National rowing team from 2001-2004. Mike coached the USA rowing team to a gold medal finish at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. When you take a Roworx indoor rowing class, you are in a sense getting Olympic caliber coaching from all the experience I’ve had over the past 30 years in the sport.
Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout? Los Angeles is a massive as many people know, but it doesn’t have to feel that way. As a native, I like to take visiting friends to some of my personal favorites and city highlights. Here’s a sample itinerary:
Monday Tour of Hollywood; Hike Runyon Canyon, or hike to the Hollywood sign; venture to the Hollywood Walk Of Fame; drive through Beverly Hills and Sunset Boulevard; take a drive up the coast and have lunch at Paradise Cove just north of Malibu; and end the day with desert at Duke’s in Malibu.
Tuesday Take a drive to Palos Verdes and head to Albalone Cove and hike down to the beach to explore nature and tide pools. Don’t miss Wayfarers Chapel (also known as “The “Glass Church.”) It was designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s son, Lloyd Wright, and is one of the most beautiful spots on the Peninsula. Next, have a leisurely lunch at Catalina Kitchen or Nelson’s at Terranea Resort.
Wednesday Grab a beach cruiser and ride along The Strand from Redondo Beach through Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Stop for lunch along the way and finish in Venice for people-watching. Make your way to the Santa Monica Pier for a carousel ride, arcade games, and dinner.
Thursday Explore Long Beach Take a Roworx indoor rowing class followed by lunch at The Boathouse along the bay in Long Beach. Next, rent a duffy, an electric boat, and explore the canals in Naples. After, take a tour of the Queen Mary or Aquarium of the Pacific.
Friday Explore Laguna Beach Have lunch at The Deck in Laguna. After, rent a stand-up paddleboard or walk around the town and peruse local art galleries.
Saturday Drive to San Diego and explore La Jolla cove to see the sea lions up-close or devote the day to Sea World. At night, check out Fiesta Island. (You might be lucky enough to catch a fireworks display from nearby Sea World.)
Sunday Downtown Los Angeles. Grab a coffee and explore Row DTLA. For sweeping views of the city and amazing art exhibits, head to the Getty Museum. Make sure to plan ahead and get tickets to a local sporting event at The Staples Center or Dodgers Stadium.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to? I would like to dedicate this shout out to my both my parents. They parents are the people I look up to most in life. Throughout my life they have embodied the perfect balance between studies, hard work, ethics, and sports and instilled these values in me. I’m so proud of my father, an Olympian and Olympic rowing coach, and my mother, a former high school teacher, philanthropist, and drug and alcohol counselor. Between raising five children (I’m the youngest), they had their hands full. Throughout my life my parents have inspired me with messages and encouraging stories of what it takes to accomplish goals, and that hard work and persistence pays off every time.
And Drew Satariano wanted to drive that point home when he served as the master of ceremonies at a recent awards ceremony for water-based athletes.
“In the recent Olympics, held in London, there were more aquatic competitors by Long Beach than any other city in the world,” Satariano said. “We have more aquatic everything — more activities, more participants — than all others.”
He said that at the Aquatic Capital of America awards banquet on Jan. 16 at the offices of Keesal, Young & Logan.
Athlete of the Year went to triathlete Jack Nunn, whose acceptance speech reiterated a point his father, Olympian John Nunn, used to make.
“The journey is the reward,” he said.
Coach of the Year went to Eric Berg, who has been the head coach of Wilson High School’s swim team since 2006, winning the Moore League boys’ swimming championship each of those years. Jason Davison and Sophia Rivera received the Outstanding Achievement award. These Millikan High School teenagers both competed in the World Water Ski Racing Championships in France as members of team USA.
Blair Carty received the Community Service award for her work with the Long Beach Sailing Foundation’s STEM program, which stimulates an interest in science, technology, engineering and math through sailing. Parks Wesson received the Dick Miller Waterman of the Year award and Fairfield YMCA garnered the Organization of the Year award. The Tom Shadden Citizen of the Year award went to Long Beach artists Bob Senske Jr. and Kirsten Anderson.
A Special (in memoriam) Honoree award was given to John Callos, who was on the board of the Aquatics Capital of America. Former Harbor Commissioner Alex Bellehumeur delivered a touching speech regarding Callos’s contributions to the aquatics community.
Seen at the scene: Olympians Kathy Heddy-Drum, Bruce Bradley, John Nunn, and John Van Blom, Dick and Melva Miller, Neale and Dane Hickerson, Scott and Kendra Dixon, David and Jo Murray, Vice President of AES Stephen O’Kane, Jack Cunningham – Chief of Staff for Suzie Price, Assistant Fire Chief Matt Gruneisen, Chief Operating Officer at YMCA of Greater Long Beach Brandi Collato.
Dramatic Allied Arts Guild
Kay Berg and Lesley Scheller, co-presidents of the Dramatic Allied Arts Guild, welcomed 64 members and guests to the DAAG Annual White Elephant auction. The popular luncheon, chaired by Carolyn Powers, was held on Jan. 15 at the Long Beach Yacht Club.
Lynn Danielson, Carolyn Powers, Wendi Vodhanel, Penny Wilds, Beverly Butters, Lesley Scheller, Kay Berg. (Courtesy of Jo Murray)
In keeping with the theme “Eat, Drink and Be Merry,” Kay offered several toasts.
In keeping with the theme “Eat, Drink and Be Merry,” Kay offered several toasts.
“May your troubles last only as long as your diet,” she said.
Nearly $4,000 was raised for scholarships supporting junior or senior students demonstrating artistic and technical expertise in their given field of study. The auction committee included Marissa Autrey, Penny Wilds and Myrna Wigod, and the new provisionals. The next fundraiser, a pop-up boutique, chaired by Jan Foster, will be held March 11.
Seen at the scene: Jo Murray; and the 2019 Provisionals, under the direction of membership chairwoman Gail Meredith: Beverly Butters, Lynn Gesner, Diane Gleason, Betty Hercus, Lorrie Hutton, Gloria Kucenas, Julie Tonks, Susan Townsend
Long Beach Retired Teachers Association
Many of the 71 members of the Long Beach Retired Teachers Association felt it was a déjà vu moment, stating, in essence, that it felt as if they returned to the classroom — as students.
Instead, they were at the Grace Presbyterian Church on Jan. 17 to hear an address from James Mahoney, the president of the California Retired Teachers Association.
Membership co-chairs Toni Tawzer, Janet Wilcox; State President of CalRTA, Dr. James Mahoney; Legislative chair, Tony Diaz, Human Resources Chair, Barbara Harris, and program chair, Frank Dayak. (Courtesy of Long Beach Retired Teachers Association)
Long Beach President Julie Mendell’s inspirational message encouraged realistic resolutions for 2020.
Becky Carroll, Area 10 director, gave brief reports. Membership co-chairs Janice Wilcox and Toni Tawzer noted that a new brochure has been developed. They provided postcards to be given to prospective new members. The winners of the monthly drawing, for those who provide volunteer hours, were: Linda Alexander, Gretta Mahan, Julie Mendell, Pam Sich and Amy Tsubokawa. Sandy Shelly presented each with a beautiful orchid plant.
Program Chair Frank Dayak introduced Mahoney, who came from Sacramento. The California Association has the largest membership in the United States. Mahoney opened his address, stating that the education in the state is in very good hands.
“Each day, newly trained teachers are hired to meet the challenge of technology,” he said.
Mahoney added that over the last five years, $600,000 has been given in scholarships for education. He suggested enlarging the scholarship programs for teacher prospects. His closing remarks stated how proud he is to be in the teaching profession and he is looking forward to continuing to recruit the best candidates for teaching.
Seen at the scene: Cynthia’s Clark who creates the beautiful centerpieces, Mary Ann Erdman, Doug Skare, Sare Forrester, Carol Zuck, Camille Lang, Beth Morse, Victor Backstrom, Masumi Hogan, Emilo Furuta, Helen Hagen, Tony Diaz, Dwayne and Karen Larson, Bob and Carmen Hedges, Jean Bakke, Susan Chadbourne, Jim and Joy Mullen, Marnos Lelesi, Nancy Martinusen, Sonia Woitovich, Cris Witkowski, and Jean Dayak.
News of social events with charitable purposes may be sent to Shirley Wild at spwild@verizon.net or by fax to 562-594-9668. Please include a contact phone number. Send high-resolution jpeg photos, by attachment, to spwild@verizon.net and include group name and identification of individuals from left. Call Shirley at 562-594-9468 for more information.
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.
Here is a list of awards and 2019 winners:
• Athlete of the Year — Jack Nunn, nominated by John Nunn who wrote in the application, “This year has been the highest and most diversified he has ever been able to achieve in the same year. In 2019 he celebrated the 10-year anniversary of Roworx Fitness Indoor Rowing Gym located in Long Beach. He was a 2019 Ultraman Florida Finisher: 6.2-mile swim + 270-mile bike + 52.4-mile run and was featured in 2019 Triathlete Magazine for using rowing as a major part of cross training for the Ultraman Competition.”
Ultraman Florida finisher Jack Nunn shares how and why he did 80 percent of his preparation for the endurance event on his rower.
On February 15, I took on the biggest race of my life: my first Ultraman in Orlando, Florida. So, what exactly is an Ultraman? It’s a three-day athletic event (more than a double Ironman) consisting of a 6.2-mile swim and a 92-mile bike ride the first day; a 171-mile bike ride the second day; and a 52-mile run on the final day. Spoiler alert: I was the largest (6’3” and 220 pounds) to finish—crossing the line after a grueling weekend in 33:24:36. Am I crazy? Maybe. But, for me, it’s all the culmination of the past 10 years of hard work. I’ve completed 14 full Ironman distance events on four continents. Next, it’s all about the challenge of completing the ultimate dream: competing in the 2019 Ironman World Championship as part of the legacy program. For me, the challenge of completing the Ultraman was to honor the 50th anniversary of my father’s Olympic bronze medal at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games.
My Rowing Background
Rowing has always been a part of my fitness regime. I rowed for the UC Berkeley Division I varsity team and won three national titles and four Pacific 10 Titles. Ten years ago, I created a fitness studio, Roworx Fitness, that specializes in endurance training on indoor rowing machines. These workouts are all delivered with my “no regrets” philosophy. Nearly 80 percent of all my fitness training for the Ultraman was done using the rowing machine. My dream is to spread the word of rowing and promote the incredible benefits it can bring to every type of endurance sport (including swim, bike, and run).
Why Use the Rower?
How you use your legs, core, and arms are all key components to becoming a powerful rower. The amount of maximal oxygen uptake that a rower can consume per minute of exercise is among the highest ever tested in any endurance event. Rowers need to contract nearly every muscle in each stroke—76 percent of all the muscles in the body are contracted and that means the heart needs to pump against a high resistance. When the muscles work hard in the body then the heart and the internal wall of the heart gets bigger. As a result of this workload, the volume of blood that the heart must pump throughout the body also gets bigger. The heart and body adapt to the specific workload of a rowing stroke and more blood gets pumped throughout the body more efficiently in a rower than anyone else.
Rowing for Triathletes
I attribute my swimming stamina and strength to my hours spent on the rowing machine. The latissimus muscles engaged from rowing allowed me to swim without feeling exhausted. (The lung capacities of rowers are near or at the very top of the spectrum of all endurance athletes.)
The rowing machine allows runners to do a non-impact form of endurance training. I did only a few brick (bike/run) workouts and only a handful swimming sessions. Nearly 70 percent of all power from the rowing stroke is derived from the legs, making it the perfect cross-training workout for cyclists and triathletes. I turn in top bike splits at every race I enter and I credit this to my row training. For the past few years I have been doing shorter-distance high-intensity interval training workouts on the rowing machine to improve cardiovascular, strength, and muscle endurance. The rower is also a great way to stay mentally fresh! The entire rowing process is completely different from anything you’ll experience in your swim, bike, and run training.
Try My Favorite Rowing Workout
500 meters on 1 min rest x 5-10 intervals
This workout is used to build strength, increase cardiovascular efficiency, and train you to be mentally strong. Start with five repetitions and as you become stronger throughout the month add on a few more intervals until you get to 10 throughout the month.
Tips
Foot Placement The key here is to tie in so that the foot straps come across the widest front part of the shoe near the bend of your foot.
Goal Wattage The rowing machine does not create the resistance when you are rowing, you do. The harder and faster the knees come down as you jump off the footboards from the front of the stroke, the faster you will go. Try to hit your body weight in watts on the machines computer screen and maintain that number throughout the 500-meter workout.
Proper Hand Placement The hands are usually placed on a wide stance setting with the pinkie finger almost near the edge of the handle. The thumbs are supposed to hang underneath the handle to promote a relaxed pull through the latissimus muscles.
Nailing the Form
1. The rowing stroke is commonly compared to a weight lifting clean and or squat. The rowing stroke starts from the finish as the body, shoulders, and hands swing forward and come up past the feet near the front the flywheel. 2. At the front of the stroke the hands are well past the front of the feet with the shins vertical and the shoulders relaxed extending forward with the chin level looking right into the monitor. 3. The heels at this point can come up if the shins are vertical. The heels are designed to come up as the rowing machine manufacturer notes that not everyone is perfectly flexible. 4. Remember that the shoulders need to be in front of the hips as you lean forward to the front of the stroke at the catch position so that you have a nice solid platform to push from. 5. Being long and strong during the stroke is an essential part of the rowing stroke.
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.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you? Not a smooth road. Since I started rowing, I immediately stepped into my father’s shadow and was constantly measured by his success in rowing throughout college and on the national team. My father graduated from Cornell University where he won two national championships and went on to be an Olympic legend in rowing here in the United States. He has been inducted into the Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame and the Long Beach Aquatic Capital of America Hall of Fame. All my coaches knew my father, and there would be added pressure on me to do more every single day. The pressure was intense especially when my father would come to rowing competitions and/or practice sessions. One day I told my father I didn’t want to see him at all and wanted him to hide behind a wall so I could not see he was there. It wasn’t until 2008 when I started doing triathlons and training for them, that I started to create my own path away from rowing. It was something that I loved doing in the world of endurance competition. I always deep down loved when my dad came to see my row, and he’s come to many of my Ironman races (including Mallorca and Norway) to cheer me on. He’s my biggest inspiration and I wouldn’t be the athlete and the person I am without him. My family was worried about me in the beginning, and they were concerned about injuries. There were concerns that I wasn’t a strong enough swimmer for high-level Ironman distance competition. Another major obstacle was learning how to swim long distances and in open oceans with mass wave starts off the beach as 3,000 people would start all at the same time in Ironman triathlons. In junior high, I was on a water polo team whose policy “were no cuts to the roster.” I was an exceptionally bad swimmer and was ultimately cut from the team and had to overcome that adversity by learning how to overcome my fears and insecurities while swimming. Once I finished my first Ironman, I immediately gained confidence and never looked back.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Roworx Fitness – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others? Ten years ago, I created a one-of-a-kind fitness studio called Roworx Fitness, www.roworx.com, that specializes in endurance training on indoor rowing machines. I incorporate nearly 80-percent of all his fitness training using this method and teaches others in the technique. I attribute my swimming, cycling, and running strength and stamina to my hours of training on the Concept 2 rowing machines. I’m most proud and grateful for having the opportunity to work in an industry that I absolutely love and have so much passion in the sport of rowing. I really want to see people succeed, learn to love the sport of rowing (with proper technique and form) and have fun. My classes are for all ages and fitness levels and are taught at the Long Beach Rowing Center. My students enjoy some of my unique motivational stories served with physically challenging workouts all delivered with my “no regrets” philosophy.
So, what’s next? Any big plans? My plans are to always make the Roworx Fitness center a better training experience for everyone that takes a class. I’m looking forward to integrating more technology into the rowing classes along with enhancing the view that we have overlooking the water in Marine Stadium in Long Beach.Marine stadium in Long Beach was the site of the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games rowing venue. UC Berkeley (my alma mater) won the Olympic gold medal in the main rowing event. The LA memorial coliseum and marine stadium in Long Beach are the only 2 venues left from the 1932 Los Angels Olympic Games.
My personal athletic plans are to compete in the 2020 Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii in which I have already qualified and earned a spot through the Legacy program last year by completing 12 full Ironman’s.
I also plan on completing the Ultraman Florida next month and inspire and motivate others to achieve their fitness goals through public speaking, fitness class, and more.
Pricing:
Unlimited Rowing Classes Month To Month $130 (With One Time $99 Initiation Fee)
21 – Class Punchcard $370
10 – Class Punchcard $200
5 – Class Punchcard $110
Single Class – $25
Triathlon Training Monthly Training Month To Month $150
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
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.
Living in Southern California, the likelihood that you’ve met someone who has competed in a triathlon race is pretty high. Due to the required months of physical preparation, the commitment to participate in the three-sport competition is an achievement in itself—regardless of where you finish. An Olympic distance triathlon race, for example, begins with a 1,000-meter swim, followed by a 24-mile bike ride and a 6-mile run.
Of course if that sounds too mild, you could always opt for a half Ironman, which just for fun doubles the Olympic distance, starting the race with a 1.2-mile swim, followed by a 56-mile bike ride and finishes with a half marathon.
The full Ironman—you guessed it—doubles that with a 2.4-mile swim, followed by a 112-mile bike ride and finishes with a full marathon. Add to those distances the extreme conditions of a 55º swim; cold and windy rainstorms; and 17,000 feet of vertical climbs at a 9% to 10% grade. Now you have the Isklar Norseman Xtreme Triathlon.
Growing up in Palos Verdes, Jack Nunn was an active kid. “I grew up skating because of my dad; that’s what he did. So I picked up ice hockey. I really loved it. And then I picked up baseball, soccer, and I surfed,” he says.
In addition to ice hockey, Jack’s father, John Nunn, would also greatly influence his son’s path toward competitive rowing. “He was an Olympian,” Jack notes. “He won a bronze medal in ‘68 in rowing, and he was an Olympic coach.”
At 6’3” tall and 220 pounds, Jack had a rower’s build and picked up the sport with ease. After high school, he went on to get a scholarship to Cal Berkley, where he won three national championships and four Pac-10s. After college he joined the National Team, where he won a silver medal at the World Championships.
When the time came to head back to Los Angeles, Jack began instructing. “I started teaching [cycling] classes at 24 Hour Fitness through their Olympic program, and then I started my fitness center (Roworx) in Long Beach.”
“A couple of years ago [a friend of my dad’s] dared me to do the race. I didn’t even know about it. He’s like, ‘You think you’re tough, try this Norseman race.’”
During that same time—around 2008—a good rowing buddy of Jack’s mentioned he was going to do an Ironman. “I said, ‘Dude, I’m doing it with you. I’ve always wanted to do an Ironman.’”
Ten years later, Jack has completed 13 full Ironman races and six half Ironmans … not to mention more than 100 (and counting) triathlons. Each race had its own challenges, whether from hot or cold weather conditions or tough terrain. During one race, the biggest obstacle Jack faced was his own health as he struggled to compete while suffering from food poisoning.
But it’s Norseman that Jack credits as being his most challenging race to date. And for good reason. “A couple of years ago [a friend of my dad’s] dared me to do the race,” Jack says. “I didn’t even know about it. He’s like, ‘You think you’re tough, try this Norseman race.’”
What makes the race so unique is its intimidating combination of extreme weather and terrain—but also the originality in which the race is set. “They’re very eccentric,” Jack explains. “They take you out on a ferry at 5 a.m., and you jump off in the middle of a fjord. It’s in the middle of the glacier, so it’s 55º. It’s cold. It’s not unbearable, but you have to wear a special wetsuit. And there are no buoys on the course, so they drop you in the middle of the fjord, and they say, ‘OK, go swim.’ It’s hilarious. They had a bonfire on the beach; that was your marker.”
After roughly an hour and 20 minutes in 55º water, Jack transitioned into 45º winds and rains for his 112-mile bike ride up and down five massive peaks. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” Jack says. “It’s totally insane. And you’re hot and cold; it’s very extreme. Every time you go up, you’re getting hot, you’re working really hard. And then you come down, and you get cold.”
With his support crew driving by his side, providing food, water and changes of clothes, Jack completed the 112-mile bike ride and began his transition into the full marathon ahead of him. Where his large build worked against him during the steepest climbs on the bike, the strength he had built as a rower gave him an advantage during the uphill portion of the marathon.
Jack’s place in the race increased as he ran past 15 people in the zones he was told nobody runs. “I was like, ‘I’ll show these guys what rowers can do,’ and I ran up most of it,” he notes.
At the finish line of Norseman, there are no medals. The 250 racers, who are only accepted if they’ve been lucky enough to be pulled from a lottery after applying to compete, are there for something more. They’re looking for an elevated experience … the ultimate challenge. And Norseman gives them that. So how do you quench the thirst of an athlete who’s always looking for next big challenge?
“I signed up and I’m in—so whether I do it or not is one thing—but next year in February there’s a race called the Ultraman,” Jack says. “It’s double the Ironman distance. Actually, it’s more than double. It’s a 6.2-mile swim, followed by a 270-mile bike, followed by a 52-mile run. It’s over three days. You get 12 hours each day to finish each segment divided. So first, you swim 6.2 miles plus a 90-mile bike ride. The second day is a 170-mile bike ride, and the third day is your 52-mile run. That’s the Ultraman. It doesn’t get much press, but it’s becoming a little more popular because so many people are doing the Ironman, and they’re like, ‘What’s next?’”
Also on Jack’s radar is the 2020 Kona Ironman. “I qualified through the legacy program,” Jack notes. “It’s a lifelong goal of mine to compete in the World Champion-ship Ironman.” When he’s not training, Jack is focused on growing his business and Roworx and helping other athletes as a triathlon coach.
JACK’S YEAR IN HEALTH
TYPICAL ITINERARY:
“Weekly, it’s about the same. I teach, on average, two to three classes a day, sometimes four.”
DAILY NUTRITION:
“A lot of eggs, a lot of egg whites, brown rice and corn tortillas. Less dairy, less red meat, but I do eat chicken, fish and turkey. I eat some bagels, and Stinger gels and Juice Plus+ bars—small meals throughout the day.”
WORKOUT ROUTINE:
“People ask me a lot about what I do on my own, but [other than my instructing] that’s about it. Rowing: I push it not only because it’s my business but because I believe in it so much. 80% of my training is rowing. If you have the patience to learn the stroke, then you’ll get so much more out of it.”
GUILTY PLEASURE:
“Lately it’s been Ben & Jerry’s.”
WEAKNESS:
“I suck at basketball, and I’m not a very good swimmer.”
SPONSORS
“Red Ace Organics, Honey Stinger, Rudy Project and Tri Lab sport shop.”
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. My father, John Nunn, is an Olympian who won the bronze medal in Rowing in 1968, at the Mexico City Olympic Games, and he was the U.S. Olympic Men’s team rowing coach in 1976, Montreal Olympic Games. He got us all interested in sports growing up. I have four older sisters, and he coached all of our teams: soccer, baseball, softball and ice hockey. Both of my grandfathers played professional football and my great-grandfather was a rower at Columbia University in the early 1900s. I guess you could say it’s in my genetic makeup to be destined to be an athlete and or rower. Since I can remember I have always wanted to either make the Olympic team and or compete and finish a full Ironman.
About 10 year ago, I started Roworx Fitness in Long Beach as I was burned out of training on my own with the US National Rowing Team and decided to create an Indoor Rowing program for the masses in which everyone can learn and get in the best shape of their lives with Indoor Rowing Classes. The rest is history….
In 2008, one of my best friends suggested that we train for our first Ironman together. I immediately said yes and signed up for my first Ironman in Nice, France. I would later find out that it was– and still is–one of the most grueling Ironman courses in the world. The bike portion of that particular Ironman travels 112 miles through the Pyrenees Mountains, which was insanely hard, especially since it was 95 degrees on race day. Upon completing Ironman France, I was hungry for more and knew that it was just the start of another chapter of fitness in my life. Since 2008 I have gone on to finish 9 full Ironman’s, 6 half Ironman’s, and over 100 various triathlons around the world. Along with managing and teaching classes at Roworx I have created a Triathlon coaching program called Triworx in 2016 in which I offer personalized training and coaching plans for any endurance and or triathlon event. I am also a sponsored triathlete led by Red Ace Organics Beets, Rudy Project, and MG Sport Magnesium.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome? Like any fitness business owner it’s always up to you to keep the classes going and the energy up so that everyone can get the best possible experience. Over the past 15 years of being involved in the fitness industry, I would have to say the most important aspects are consistency, time, patience, and determination. Hiring a great staff and keeping your fellow instructors happy is a must. You have to hold yourself accountable and take responsibility when it’s your own business and learn to put your ego aside while putting the customer first.
Please tell us about Roworx Fitness. At Roworx Fitness we specialize in leading 1 hour indoor rowing classes with spectacular views of the water and sunsets while overlooking Marine Stadium in Long Beach. Marine Stadium is a California historical landmark in which it was the site of the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games Rowing venue. Rowing classes are on fire at exercise studios around the country as it is a full-body workout, low impact workout that burns up to 800 calories per hour. Central to the Roworx philosophy is our focus on teaching an efficient, safe, and effective rowing stroke. Anyone can get a workout by moving back and forth on a rowing machine but the difference us at Roworx you will learn to use the machines the way Olympic rowers do. You will maximize your efficiency, protect your back from injury, create more power, burn more calories, and see results sooner. Each class, from beginner to advanced, begins with a warm-up, interval H.I.I.T. training segments, consistent rowing segments, specific rowing drills, squats, pushups, weights, and some short intense 500 meter pieces to conclude the class as well as proper stretching. Anyone can do try rowing as it works 86% of the total muscles throughout the body and instructors will make sure that you are consistently maintaining good technique. We also offer some foundation classes for new rowers who would like some extra focus on the basics of the rowing stroke.
I’m most proud that Roworx Fitness has been in business for over 10 years and I get to do what I love every single day. Our camaraderie is probably the best aspect of Roworx Fitness as everyone is there to help and support each other and we really have the best members in any fitness center I’ve ever seen. When I coached the Loyola Marymount Men’s Varsity Rowing Team last year one of my proudest moments was having the team captain come up to me and tell me I was the best coach he has every had and that he believed I have a calling for the sport of coaching rowing at any University.
What sets Roworx apart from other fitness centers is the ‘Multi-Million Dollar View.’ We have a panoramic view of the water in Marine Stadium so you really never get bored or find yourself looking at the clock during class as it flies by while getting the best heart pumping workout of your life. All of our instructors have past rowing experience in college and are passionate about rowing and making sure every student is getting the most out of each workout. I have personally been coached by some of the best rowing coaches in the country if not the world. My father, John Nunn, is one of only a handful of American Olympians to have won an Olympic medal in rowing (1968 Mexico Olympic Games Rowing Athlete Medalist) as well as being an Olympic Coach (1976 Montreal Olympic Games Rowing Coach). My collegiate coach at Berkeley, Steve Gladstone, just won his 13th record breaking National Championship with Yale this past month. My US National Team coach, Mike Teti, won a silver medal as an athlete and a gold medal as the coach of the 2004 Men’s Olympic Rowing Eight in Athens. I have had many more famous rowing coaches over my 20-year rowing span and I apply all of this knowledge during each and every one of my Roworx Indoor Rowing Classes in Long Beach.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood? I would have to say it has to be when I was 15 years old and came home to tell my father I was no longer going to play and was going to quit both baseball and soccer varsity teams. My father was sitting down in the kitchen and he told me that I would have to get a part time job or find something else to do. I immediately replied and said what about joining the junior rowing team in Long Beach. My father immediately leaped out of the chair and ran upstairs to call the high school rowing coach and the rest is history. My father was ecstatic and in that moment the sport of rowing would change my life forever and make me the person I am today. Since then I was recruited to Cal Berkeley with a full scholarship while winning 3 National Championships and 4 PAC-10 Championships. Since graduating college, I have traveled to England, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Austria, Germany, Canada, and all over the U.S. for various rowing events. My proudest achievement would have to be winning the silver medal at the world championship with the US National Team in 2001. I worked incredibly hard for six straight years of rowing and won my first international medal continuing down the road to one step closer to making it to the Olympics. The feeling of being one of the best athletes in the world in my sport was amazing while having my father watching the race.
Pricing:
Unlimited Monthly Indoor Rowing Classes For $110 A Month (Plus A One Time $99 Initiation Fee) Month To Month
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
