strapless erging

[Bob S.]

You mention the "foot board." Are you using a Model A or Model B? These older machines have a wooden stretcher rather than the plastic flex foot/heel cup assembly that makes rowing strapless possible.

My old model B has a raised wooden strip across the bottom of the footboards. I have found that to be quite adequate for rowing strapless. My new model D doesn't have anything that I would call a heel "cup." It has a hard, narrow, plastic strap that goes around the back of my heel and has resulted in the development of lumps in the back of my heels, sort of like surfers' knobs. I have resorted to erging with shoes as well as just socks and the lumps are receding.

Bob S.

[johnlvs2run]

Does any one here actually row on the water!!!!!

Why would you want to row an erg on the water.

That sounds like a silly idea.

[Gus]

Rowing strapless and at a lower stroke rate will take months to adjust to if you are used to rowing at SR 35 strapped in.

Without making a recommendation for rowing strapless, it doesn't take months to adjust to either strapless or a lower SR. Unless you're Ranger, it shouldn't take long at all depending on the amount you erg and your willingness to force yourself to make the initial change. I would expect most could accomplish this type of change in less than a month especially if they are willing to forget about pace in order to make the necessary technique changes.

[PaulS]

Rowing strapless and at a lower stroke rate will take months to adjust to if you are used to rowing at SR 35 strapped in.

Without making a recommendation for rowing strapless, it doesn't take months to adjust to either strapless or a lower SR. Unless you're Ranger, it shouldn't take long at all depending on the amount you erg and your willingness to force yourself to make the initial change. I would expect most could accomplish this type of change in less than a month especially if they are willing to forget about pace in order to make the necessary technique changes.

Gus is right, all it takes is the decision to go strapless, and a bit of discipline to stick with it. Not sure what he means by "forgetting about pace" however.

[Colin]

hello strapless erging or 'feet out' roing teaches you these two things, finishing with straight and in upright position(thats where you 'work finishes') and pulling all the way through to you finish so your power chart will have a flat spot on the top then a nice steep drop off, also pushing or pointing your toes at the finish helps you stay on your seat

[spaddy]

I rowed 2000 m last night, stapless and it was weird at first, but my time was not that far off of my regular time. I found that my groin was doing more work and that i was slumping when I had the straps on. My stroke rate was way down as well, from the low to mid 30' down to the low 20's.

[Argy]

Good going. Keep at it. I thought it was nuts when Paul suggested it on a thread way way back. The first few sessions I tried it I found very difficult but over time, two weeks or so I found that I was rowing strapless quicker than when strapped in. I now only strap in for 2k or better when trying to do a PB/SB.

I also had the privilige of training for the day with Luka Grubor, his words of wisdom were slow down, how can you rate so highly and yet go so slowly, I think I was rating at 34 spm but only doing 8min 2k's. I was about 6ft 1 and weighing 16 st 8 at the time. With both bits of advice within 3 months I was doing 2k in 7:10.0. Still not great but on the same intensity of training a significant improvement.

regards

Rob

[Gus]

Not sure what he means by "forgetting about pace" however.

What I meant is that when you change your technique no matter what you're trying to change it to, you usually get slower. If you're hoping to keep the same pace when first starting to go strapless or at a slower rate, you're going to get frustrated and likely give up. Ignore the pace no matter what it is. Concentrate on your form and your slower stroke rate and the pace will naturally pick up as your technique changes.

[Raymond Botha]

I rowed 2000 m last night, stapless and it was weird at first, but my time was not that far off of my regular time. I found that my groin was doing more work and that i was slumping when I had the straps on. My stroke rate was way down as well, from the low to mid 30' down to the low 20's.

Hi Spaddy,

Well done for making the decision to row strapless. It took me a long while to do because I thought it was over complicating erging and would detract from the amount of effort and hence enjoyment I would get from erging. After a bout of overtraining I realised its not the effort that makes exercise worthwhile but the return on effort . IOW exercising efficiently or with the least effort gives you the potential to achieve much more with whats in the tank to start with. I've guaged how worthwhile my exercise routines have been for years on how much effort I've expended as apposed to how fast or far I could go on the same amount of energy. What a change in mind set that came out of necessity.

Hence my willingness to try strapless. The slower SR for the same pace felt a lot like a higher DF to me although more satisfying as there was more rest per stroke as my power to return ratio changed.

It makes me wonder how I hung there for so long rowing at a similar SR to you of mid 30's for 21k's ! I have come to realise that our cycling background has taught our muscles to respond this way , not because of cadence but by use of our hamstrings which dominate the cycyling stroke. I just could'nt get my head around the fact that I was'nt helping things by using them on the return !?!? Well you soon find out by the amount of energy it takes ...

I only row strapless now and find I still need to get into a ryhtm at the start of a session as the bad habits are still slightly ingrained. That feeling of flying off the back of the erg is still there as I start to warmup. I noticed one day as I was concentrating on using my quads to greater effect how important it was to end the stroke with the back / arms. I thought I would I would see what sort of pace I could get by using only my legs and holding my arms stationary. I got the fright of my life as I found myself at the back of the erg... What also helped me was concentrating on the return by letting my arms get over my knees before using the hams . It will feel so natural once you get the hang of it.

Again I find a DF of 105 surffices best . I am 90kgs and a little over 6ft.

I can row to about a 1.43 pace strapless before I wonder whats going to happen next !

I wish I had listened earlier..

Good luck and welcome to erging. Its such a great all round exercise.

Ray

[PaulS]

Not sure what he means by "forgetting about pace" however.

What I meant is that when you change your technique no matter what you're trying to change it to, you usually get slower. If you're hoping to keep the same pace when first starting to go strapless or at a slower rate, you're going to get frustrated and likely give up. Ignore the pace no matter what it is. Concentrate on your form and your slower stroke rate and the pace will naturally pick up as your technique changes.

Yes, and that is an excellent observation. In fact this is one of the main problems when trying to get the "big finish" guys in boats to relearn what they should be doing to use oars efficiently. They always say "this [big finish] makes me go faster", but unfortunately they don't realize that their "faster" is hideously slow for the effort involved, and there are so many bad habits ingrained to make their techique work at all they are actually worse than a blank slate when it comes to learning to do the right thing.

Sorry, took a diversion to boats, but once again, the only way I view the Erg is as a tool to improve what we do to move boats.
Hence my complete recommendation of Strapless, 10m Per Stroke (S10PS) for all Erg training, so that ratio and recovery are also being ingrained as transferrable habits.

[Gus]

In fact this is one of the main problems when trying to get the "big finish" guys in boats to relearn what they should be doing to use oars efficiently. They always say "this [big finish] makes me go faster.

My experience is the athletes that need the technique adjustment the most are the ones who resist the change the most. "But Coach, it makes me slower!!!!" I tell them go slower first to go faster later. Some just can't let go of pace and insist on continuing to use improper OTW technique to go fast on the erg. They are also the ones that complain about not being in the first boat even though they have faster erg times.

My advice to everyone who wants to improve on the erg (or OTW) is to become less focused on pace and more focused on your body.

[spaddy]

Thanks to all for your great advice! I did a 30 minute session yesterday, strapless, and I almost equalled a personal best. My stroke rate is way down, but my pace is much better and I am able to cover a greater distance..it is kind of wierd to be able to do so. My heart rate was up there too!

[Dragone]

Am a beginner, started rowing with the straps and then after reading this thread I went strapless. The point about extra energy going to the straps instead of the pull made sense to me. I tried it and it worked for me. I rowed faster and with a lower spm than I had ever done. It also forced me to focus on my form. Thanks for the great advice.

[Raymond Botha]

Am a beginner, started rowing with the straps and then after reading this thread I went strapless. The point about extra energy going to the straps instead of the pull made sense to me. I tried it and it worked for me. I rowed faster and with a lower spm than I had ever done. It also forced me to focus on my form. Thanks for the great advice.

Drag'

Thats really encouraging , I hope others will pick up from your experience too.

[Sasha]

I did. Tried it as soon as I read about it. It required some adjustment of the footbed which I probably should have done with the straps on anyway -- short feet -- but I've never gone back. It affected my form a great deal in a positive way.