finding a qualified instructor

rtmmtl · Post by **rtmmtl** » September 17th, 2006, 9:44 pm

I am a new kid in southern New Jersey.....any clues on where to find a knowledgeable concept2 instructor in this area?

Rather not try Y's or gyms; too much a possiblility that anyone there does not know that much more than I do.

Thanks

John Hendrie · Post by **John Hendrie** » September 18th, 2006, 8:49 am

Hi Bob,

I can't help you with your search (I am in northern California) but it prompts me to ask a question I have been meaning to post for a while.

I have developed a recurring tingling/numbness in the area of my right shoulder and neck. It comes and goes, is not painful, and is not debiliatting but does cause concern. My doctor (who is into physical fitness) has ruled out circulation problems and has had x-rays of the shoulder and neck (apparently nothing alarming from that). He suspects it might be caused by poor rowing technique and suggested I see a coach.

Can anyone in the Sacramento, CA area recommend a coach to critique my stroke. I only ned advice on my erg technique, am not interested in OTW training.

Thank you

john hendrie

mpukita · Post by **mpukita** » September 18th, 2006, 8:58 am

One thought:

Take a home video using a web cam, digital camera, or digital video unit, upload it to www.youtube.com or another similar site, post the URL for the video here, and you'll get plenty of help.

rtmmtl · Post by **rtmmtl** » October 20th, 2006, 2:09 pm

mpukita wrote:One thought:

:idea:

Take a home video using a web cam, digital camera, or digital video unit, upload it to www.youtube.com or another similar site, post the URL for the video here, and you'll get plenty of help.

:idea:

I have, it's on YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elEScwJPYSg

I would be most grateful for any/all comments. Show no mercy! Thanks.

Bob S. · Post by **Bob S.** » October 20th, 2006, 3:21 pm

rtmmtl wrote:
I have, it's on YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elEScwJPYSg

I would be most grateful for any/all comments. Show no mercy! Thanks.

Get your hands away past your knees before you raise them (the knees that is), i.e. don't start coming up the slide until your hands are clear. You young fellows are always in too much of a hurry on the recovery.

Bob S.

michaelb · Post by **michaelb** » October 21st, 2006, 2:41 pm

I hope PaulS or one of the other rowing experts notices this thread and gives you feedback. I don't pretend to know much about rowing, and I can't get it to play frame by frame so it is a bit hard to break it down, particularly on the drive, which goes by fast.

I agree with Bob though and work on your recovery. Unstrap your feet and try that, many of us row all the time unstrapped. The recovery should be a mirror of the drive, so fast at the beginning and slow as your approach the drive. It seems like your knees break early, before your hands go over them, and I have a hard time seeing much body swing or rotation. I think of it as: hands away clean and fast to start, rotate forward with the body on the hips, get into "finish position" with the body, then come forward with the legs.

Rockin Roland · Post by **Rockin Roland** » October 22nd, 2006, 1:32 am

rtmmtl wrote:

I have, it's on YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elEScwJPYSg

I would be most grateful for any/all comments. Show no mercy! Thanks.

Your using your shoulders more than your legs.

How do I know.

Two technical flaws.

1) Don't drop your head below your shoulders, which I saw you do on occasion. Lift your head up, sit up and relax the shoulders.

This will put more pressure on your legs which brings me to technique flaw no.2

2) Your leg drive is weak because your not completing the stroke with your legs. Your cutting the stroke short. Looks like your trying to tuck your bum under your knees. Hold the legs/knees down longer at the finish. Your rowing the whole of the rowing stroke with bent knees and not lenghtning out.

rtmmtl · Post by **rtmmtl** » October 22nd, 2006, 6:31 pm

All right!

I have received 8 responses to my request, all to the point and informative, I have made a file and copied the text of all eight into it so that I may go back and read them again.

In my own defence several folks have made a comment about me lowering my head--what that is about is---I read somewhere that the seat should come within 7-8 inches of the foot rest, so that is what I was looking for with my head down. I have since been disabused of that notion, so I will no longer be looking down.

When I feel I have improved a bit I will make another video and hope that you guys will look at it and comment on it too.

Thanks to all, I appreciate your time and interest.

I do not know if I am breaking forum rules or etiquette or not; I posted the original request to watch my video in Free Spirits and both the UK and USA forums and I am gonna do the same with this. If this is poor form please let me know.