Concept2 Forum

I've read a bunch of posts lately where people have advised rowing without straps for beginner rowers. What exactly does this do? I tried not using the straps for a while during my workout today and felt it a little more in my hamstrings than normal, and couldn't get as much power as normal, but didn't really understand the idea. Any clarification as to why this is used would be much appreciated. Thanks!

It prevents you from going a higher rating, so you can focus on driving hard with your legs at low rates.

There's actually nothing wrong with a higher rating at times, but outside of the straps, your technique had better be flawless as you bring it up. I can think of three other reasons for strapless. It keeps you from depending upon layback too much, which drives too much force downward into the hull of your water craft, tends to encourage rowing the blade out of the water, and sets you up for a crab (if I may indulge in a few water aspects). It forces you to keep pressure on through your arms into the finish, instead of a dead non-accelerating finish. Also it keeps you from pulling yourself with your legs into the recovery. Instead, get those arms out and body over first, and let the momentum of that action be all the initiation you need to break the knees and move down the slide.

When rowing strapless you have to balance the leg/arm power so you don't<br />fall of the machine at the end of the stroke. You need to 'brake' with your arms.<br /><br />Rowing like this with your straps on will make you utilize the 'break power' as <br />it goes into the handle (and thereby into the flywheel) instead of being wasted<br />in the straps.<br /><br />

Here is a similar thread from a few weeks ago, in which I wrote a long response and explanation:<br /><br /><a href="http://concept2.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=3755" target="_blank">http://concept2.ipbhost.com/index.php?s ... 755</a><br /><br />Many of us row strapless for training all the time. It is certainly worth giving a try.

I've been doing more strapless rowing recently (easy for me to say as I had been doing almost none before). I find all of this to be true ... and, I found that my glutes (backside, left and right, above the "sitting surface", where the glutes start to interface with the muscles near the hip on the side of the body) got a heck of a workout ... maybe from the "braking" action?<br /><br />I also found the whole "handle pressure at the end of the drive" to be key to staying on the dang machine at higher paces! But one bad stroke and ... yikes! ... look out below.<br /><br />Wondering if anyone else goes strapless on slides (sounds naughty)? <br /><br />Is it easier or harder on slides?

<!--quoteo(post=56749:date=Feb 22 2006, 10:33 AM:name=mpukita)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(mpukita @ Feb 22 2006, 10:33 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><br />Wondering if anyone else goes strapless on slides (sounds naughty)? <br /><br />Is it easier or harder on slides?<br /> </td></tr></table><br />Dunno, Have never been on an erg on slides.<br /><br />Have rowed feet out in a boat, for many of the reasons mentioned here and in other threads - applying pressure to the oar right to the finish, encouraging arms away, body swing, no rushing etc. I find it alot more difficult in a boat than on an erg<br />

<!--quoteo(post=56751:date=Feb 22 2006, 07:38 AM:name=Ray79)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Ray79 @ Feb 22 2006, 07:38 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--quoteo(post=56749:date=Feb 22 2006, 10:33 AM:name=mpukita)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(mpukita @ Feb 22 2006, 10:33 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><br />Wondering if anyone else goes strapless on slides (sounds naughty)? <br /><br />Is it easier or harder on slides?<br /> </td></tr></table><br />Dunno, Have never been on an erg on slides.<br /><br />Have rowed feet out in a boat, for many of the reasons mentioned here and in other threads - applying pressure to the oar right to the finish, encouraging arms away, body swing, no rushing etc. I find it alot more difficult in a boat than on an erg<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Yes, it is easier on Slides than on the Ground, but quite doable in both situations.<br /><br />It is even more difficult in a boat, firstly because there is no bungee tugging back at the handles to help you get started toward the recovery, secondly because if a blade touches the water it presses us back toward the finish, thirdly the boat hull is being dragged along and our connection to it is minimal.<br /><br />Slides create a situation where momentum control can be practiced in a more boat-like situation. (strapless is easy)<br />Grounded Ergs, strapless, create a situation where we can practice a more boat-like finish. (strapless is harder)<br />Boats obvioulsly are the most boat-like, strapless is very difficult, especially as the rate is increased. Actually being strapless in a boat is not as important as simply making sure that we continue to execute our movements as if we were strapless.<br /><br />There is no good reason for strapping up on an Erg other than when doing a time trial. IMO (Nothing humble about it.) 8)

<!--quoteo(post=56751:date=Feb 22 2006, 04:38 PM:name=Ray79)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Ray79 @ Feb 22 2006, 04:38 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>...<br />Have rowed feet out in a boat, for many of the reasons mentioned here and in other threads - applying pressure to the oar right to the finish, encouraging arms away, body swing, no rushing etc. I find it alot more difficult in a boat than on an erg<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />I've made some strappless OTW, just for the fun of it. There is no chain pulling you back so it's more difficult, and you have to row at very low rates.<br />Not to mention if you get a crab...

<!--quoteo(post=56759:date=Feb 22 2006, 11:27 AM:name=ancho)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(ancho @ Feb 22 2006, 11:27 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Not to mention if you get a crab... <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><b>You just go higher!</b><br /><br /> <br /><br />Funny crab story ...<br /><br />My daughter was coxing a novice eight last spring. They were racing and a guy in the boat next to them caught a crab and got flipped out of the boat ... a boat from the Cincinnati rowing club, a very FAST, WELL TRAINED, WELL COACHED club. <br /><br />All the guys in my daughter's boat were laughing, and she reminded them, cox box volume on 10, that they needed to focus on rowing, not laughing. Well, they were screwing around, and at 300M to go, guess which boat was walking on them like nobody's business? <br /><br />The kid that caught the crab got back in the boat, they cranked it up, and just barely were beaten by my daughter's team. You've never seen a little itty bitty cox yell so hard at her boat as they were taking it out of the water ... she was furious!<br /><br />My wife and I were almost wetting ourselves as we watched the whole thing unfold.<br /><br />

I've tried strapless rowing several times, but only for a minute or so. Today I finally decided to try it out for an entire 30 minute workout. It was the fastest time for a 30 minute workout I have ever done. My pace was about 5 seconds faster than my previous fastest time, and my spm was down from my usual 26, to 22. And before my workout, I didn't even feel that great, so I definitely wasn't 'going for it'. I think it's safe to say, I'll be rowing strapless from now on

<!--quoteo(post=56817:date=Feb 23 2006, 12:34 AM:name=Warduke)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Warduke @ Feb 23 2006, 12:34 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>I've tried strapless rowing several times, but only for a minute or so. Today I finally decided to try it out for an entire 30 minute workout. It was the fastest time for a 30 minute workout I have ever done. My pace was about 5 seconds faster than my previous fastest time, and my spm was down from my usual 26, to 22. And before my workout, I didn't even feel that great, so I definitely wasn't 'going for it'. I think it's safe to say, I'll be rowing strapless from now on <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Weel done!<br />Suppose that's what it's all about, keep it on!

<!--quoteo(post=56817:date=Feb 23 2006, 12:34 AM:name=Warduke)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Warduke @ Feb 23 2006, 12:34 AM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>I've tried strapless rowing several times, but only for a minute or so. Today I finally decided to try it out for an entire 30 minute workout. It was the fastest time for a 30 minute workout I have ever done. My pace was about 5 seconds faster than my previous fastest time, and my spm was down from my usual 26, to 22. And before my workout, I didn't even feel that great, so I definitely wasn't 'going for it'. I think it's safe to say, I'll be rowing strapless from now on <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />Nice,<br /><br />If you are used to it is doesn,t matter if you erg with of without straps. But if you want to do a short piece at full 100% you are better off with. So to say you never use them is mabye a bit to drastic

Have been experimenting with strapless and S10PS ... with more "practice" (i.e. more strapless meters), it gets much easier to go at faster pace and higher rate ... I'm now doing starpless (but not S10PS!) at about the same rate as I can do 5K+ pieces with straps. <br /><br />Haven't tried to pull at 2K race pace yet ... not sure I've had enough practice!<br /><br /> <br /><br />If at first it feels awkward, <b>it is</b>, but keep trying and it will get better!

<!--quoteo(post=56817:date=Feb 22 2006, 06:34 PM:name=Warduke)--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Warduke @ Feb 22 2006, 06:34 PM) </b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>I've tried strapless rowing several times, but only for a minute or so. Today I finally decided to try it out for an entire 30 minute workout. It was the fastest time for a 30 minute workout I have ever done. My pace was about 5 seconds faster than my previous fastest time, and my spm was down from my usual 26, to 22. And before my workout, I didn't even feel that great, so I definitely wasn't 'going for it'. I think it's safe to say, I'll be rowing strapless from now on <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Conversely, as someone who used to 90% of their mileage strapless at 20-22spm, and gravitated somehow back to strapped at 25-26spm in recent months as it was easier on my elbows at the higher rates. I found I have become consistently and significantly slower at all my typical training distances.