Henry, Hardy, Bob, thanks for sticking with me! Ken, no problem, I didn't realize it was the same video Hardy posted until it played and it was well worth being made to watch again (but...see comment below)! Any random further comments would be welcome. I'm trying to listen and do what you all recommend in detail and forget about my past. Can't stop saying but you guys have been fantastic for my health!
Forget your pace, it will come, you loose nothing fitnesswise. Re bruises, just touch the lower abs, no slamming, certainly nothing to give you bruises.
More on the issue of the force curve found in the net, for example here:
http://biorow.com/RBN_en_2001_files/200 ... News12.pdf
Here a vid of myself going at various (increasing) SPM-rates. Got some critique regarding my back which should be straighter. But it might illustrate how the speed of the drive stays pretty much the same while it is the recovery that gets faster (and sloppier) the higher the SPM goes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UklsG-X4uu4
WHOA! The abs are too low a target, especially the lower abs, which you mention later in that post. The sternum is the correct ending for the drive and, in any case, you don't actually touch the torso with the handle. The handle should move in that little downward curl just short of the torso.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOPQbP8hFmY I would be in big trouble if I pounded my sternum the way you appear to be pounding your abs. It would probably mess up the wires that were put in to hold it together.
Erg, lots of great advice from these very wise gentlemen. I'm built much like you (skinny arms from years of cycling and about 70kg)
Today's rowing (all df = 110, all unstrapped), more limb/ still some knee stress to work out; stepped off machine and breathing still returns immediately normal so I hope I'll improve a little better before hitting my natural correct level:
Warm-up 5:00 =>1:40X3 zero rest = continuous row: piece 1 = arm (19W 25r), piece 2 = arm + back (39W 23r), piece 3 = all (136W 26r)
Workout 24:00 => 4:00X6 zero rest = continuous row:
Overall 24:00 5777m 181W 25r (7.2W:r) 2:04.6
piece 1 4:00 959m 179W 27r (6.6W:r) 2:05.1
piece 2 4:00 953m 175W 26r (6.7W:r) 2:05.9
piece 3 4:00 954m 176W 25r (7.0W:r) 2:05.7
piece 4 4:00 960m 179W 25r (7.2W:r) 2:05.0
piece 5 4:00 975m 188W 26r (7.2W:r) 2:03.0
piece 6 4:00 980m 191W 26r (7.3W:r) 2:02.4
Bruises... and many surprises lessons learned: Thanks for the cautions! They were the middle abs bruised two days ago.
What I learned: This problem is avoided in my case completely by the following change: Previously, feet were higher in the foot pads (Is their a recommendation for foot position?), Before, four open hole rows were above and the shoe length was rubber pegged in the 5th row. Changed to 3rd row (two open hole rows), lowering unstrapped feet. Fixed another problem unexpectedly: It was much easier to catch in vertical knee-ankle alignment instead of running knees forward and seat hitting ankle sometimes (so no more ankle callouses either). Also helped keep foot flatter rather than being on ball of foot. Handle now comes in front of upper abs, an inch under sternum (about 2 inches under nipple level, which is 1 - 1.5 inch under Lindsay's recommendation).
Locking body into power: Not feeling the lock as I would like, but Henry's comments have me relieved about this subject, so I'm not worried as much anymore since it improved at the same df. Cheers Henry, and thanks for teaching me your attitude, because I was in what we call tunnel-vision until you directed me to forget about things and not worry about the monitor splits. Today I rowed without them on the screen at all!
Posture & CONCERN: Getting a little better with fluid hip swing returning before catch, my biggest failure before. Posture is more erect spine now and butt is rocking and helping position for drive greatly. BIG CONCERN: I have low body fat and lean that I feel I need to put something on the seat to prevent too much pressure on soft tissue leading to the family jewels (men - you know what I'm talking about, right?) What can be done to protect this area which by my new form is receiving pressure in the leaning toward fan, "sitting square and tall" back position?
Force-time PM4 curve: Hardy, great Video of you ... very helpful. Thank you. I thought about it today in my intervals when making slight adjustments. The other bio-link looks pretty interesting and is a treasure trove of formulas, but doesn't address my question about the ideal shape of the curve for me. On further reflection, this question is not important to me until I row more. So far I estimate I have rowed 700,000m all in unorthodoxed and inefficient form. I am going to seek my natural curve while maintaining good form, and use the graph just to avoid any major problems at this point. The 'Dreissigacker' video is interesting to get familiar with looking at the graph, but unless I'm missing something, I'm not sure what he is doing is good for me at this point in my training and it seems more experience is needed and it shouldn't be used in a general sense, but rather one should first learn what least stresses their limbs using a generally good form and I now know there are many acceptable forms done by different rowers and not all are as efficient but they are still competitive anyway. My curve is single, relatively smooth peaked now and not much jerk anywhere. My take away is simply work on flattening the peak at a higher average. Just speaking for myself and welcome opinions, as I understand I do not have the experience to judge in my own context. Not yet.
PM4 Monitor: I do not understand how this monitor is so advanced that it could probably be programmed to warm a coffee pot to the right temperature, but
the 'Force-time curve, upon completion, does not display the area under the curve until the next stroke is finished. Can someone please tell C2 to fix this? Maybe I'm wrong and the Watts digital display gives this, but I am under the impression that the measures differ. That is why you all suggest I take the ratio of W:r, which is clunky and not something to see on the fly. The Monitor should just give the work under the curve. Directly in Joules! They already calculate calories... Why the oversight?
Bob, the woman in the video you posted unfortunately talks a lot and barely rows anything so it was hard for me to get a fix on her form. But she clearly makes the point about her method of pulling and smoothing the "corners" of the linear motion upon reaching the torso and reversing direction, which is good food for thought. Ouch, wire holding together the rib cage. My Dad had staples. In his case we were pretty sure that all was safe after a year, and 2-3 years later, we felt the natural fusion of living bone tissue is actually stronger that regular bone. You are amazing to have not allowed that to get in the way of your rowing!
As usual, any comments are encouraged and very much appreciated and I thank you gentlemen for all your time!
to row so smoothly down to 1:50 at what 23 s/m? Unbelievable. Is she like 190 cm (6'3") tall? Her behind travels so far back on the rail, I'm getting serious rail envy and wondering if my short butt-slide distance is a big handicap. Henry, Thanks again for clearing up everything from before and the good luck which is nice of you. I'm a bit sad after all this to learn I won't be having the elevated feeling I have been getting after each daily row when I've done a daily time-trial race. I actually became addicted to doing that. But I am listening to what you say and will follow the recommendations you've given especially getting the hip and knee bend sooner which was a problem today to coordinate.
