First Time On Slides.

[[old] Barry Delaney]

So I got slides for my birthday, tried them out for the first time today. Have been erging about nine months, 42K a week, with a current 6:43.6 2K. <br><br>My impression is that they are entirely different, and entirely the same. My usual stroke rate is around 25 for typical training, really had to work to keep it down around there today. Much more sweating, overall workout seemed harder than a similar session without slides. Expected the sweat and the higher stroke rate, surprised by how much more difficult the session seemed, really dragging toward the end. Much easier to get a deep leg drive with the slides. By this I mean when I really found the rythm I was pushing from the heels in a way that felt strong and proper and unlike my previous leg drive, which seemed to plant higher on the foot. Anyone have any thoughts on if switching back and forth between slides and no slides is a positive thing relative to the differences? Based on my experience today, I find it difficult to imagine approaching my current pbs with the slides, but that is probably because I like to row at a relatively low stroke rate. The timing required to properly execute a stroke seemed to anchor me more in the glutes and the core, as opposed to the back and the quads, which is where I mostly felt the stroke without slides. Overall a positve experience, glad I got them, looking forward to improving my stroke because of them.<br><br>Barry Delaney

[[old] Bayko]

Got slides in April and have some similar thoughts to yours. My wife loves them, much more than I do. All my workouts were on slides until last week, when I began doing one wokout per week off the slides to make sure that I stay in tune with what the race venues are like.<br><br>Initial feeling back off the slides is that the splits are lower (faster) at the same stroke rate. I'm still faster off the slides than on them. Something that may be a positive though is that I feel that I'm using my legs more effectively now. Perhaps the slides have re-trained me a bit. I'm hoping that this is a good thing in that I may be pushing properly with the legs and delaying the pull with the arms & back enough to avoid my chronic upper back injuries. Time will tell.<br><br>Rick

[[old] grandslam]

Always glad to hear from new slide users. Hopefully some day, static ergs will be resigned to the weight lifting section of the local gyms where they belong. Until C2 comes up with a more compact dynamic erg, the slides will have to do. The only time I erg without the slides is for very low rate, high pressure workouts (like in a weight lifting set). Not everyone's scores improve (that's why they are allowed in the rankings). I think it depends on what rate you like to row. You might also play with the weight of the erg on the slides for a different feel. I like to add about 30-40 lbs to the erg supports which gives it a "heavier boat" feel (the extra weight is floating on the slides along with the erg). Lead diving weights work well.<br><br>Good points about saving your back too. Enjoy.<br><br>Cheers,<br>Jeff Sauter

[[old] JimR]

I have a borrowed set of slides I just started using. Both my daughter and I think that they make the legs work harder and we feel it in the upper body too. No difference in the mid-section.<br><br>I was talking to her rowing coach the other day about using them (he didn't know we had borrowed these). His first comment was how we would have to learn to control our butts. I said that after erging so much strapless at 10 meters per stroke that seemed natural (after the first 10 strokes of banging around) but the drive is very different.<br><br>I have been working with ergMonitor as well and find that off slides I have to really focus on leaning forward at the drive to the same curve that just happens on slides. When I clamp the slides it now feels funny to me but my daughter (who rows) doesn't think so.<br><br>Last comment, I can row at far higher rates on slides. The funny thing is that now I can row a little faster rates off slides as well, like the higher rates on slides helps develop the technique better. Still, I'm not sure that going more than 5 spm past 10 meters per stroke makes much sense, taking up the rate to get the pace only goes so far.<br><br>JimR