Help with technique (beginner)

[Bob S.]

I didn't see any tutorial.

It appeared of its own accord after the lady with no technique on the Casall machine. Maybe that was the OP?

The 6 minute video was on a waterrower; technique somewhat exaggerated but certainly he was working hard.

James, I checked it out again and let it ride. Sure enough, another video came up after the Casall bit, but this time it was the regular C2 training video, with the young lady on a model D on a dock. I have seen this happen a lot with videos. You open one to watch it and as soon as it is done another one pops up with a similar theme, but a completely different origin.

[jackarabit]

Great start, mdp! The C2 drill is a a good example of proper stroke sequencing. Trust both the OP and you will keep us up to date on your progess. I am encouraged that you found a document with a glossary of rowing/erging terminology. Always advisable to emphasize that the effort you make to understand Is of far greater importance than the experts' efforts to explain. I may have marginalized the relevance of the responses here by reference to rhe OP's machine. Can't always be certain. Jack

[mdpfirrman]

Jack (and Bob and others),

I went through this thread and the feedback you gave to the OP. Sorry I haven't responded before. With regard to your comment, Jack, about being too machine specific, all of your comments I thought were dead on. I really started looking at my form based on your feedback to the OP and learned a lot myself. Thanks!

I've learned that I was probably not recovering slowly enough and that while my shins weren't going over too much, I did need to work more on the finish. For instance, I was finishing too hard with just my quads, back and arms with no emphasis on my glutes / hammies. This explains why I was trying to row at mostly 28 to 30 SPM to get decent times (my best 2000m so far is around a 7:30 and I think I could have gotten to 7:20 with my current form but not beyond, thus the analyzing of my form). I've since slowed down the SPM to around 24 or so when I'm doing longer pieces (at least part of the time) while trying to maintain a 2:00 pace. That takes power from your hammies / glutes, which I was only doing on the last 100m or so of my rowing workouts (on timed pieces) to push it at the end of each workout to improve my finish. Now, I'm trying to do that more consistently throughout the duration of the workout. Learning how to properly do a more powerful stroke will only help me in the future. I did 10000m last night (not too shabby of a time in 41:39) and really felt it in my hammies / glutes this morning. It's not my fastest, but I worked a lot on form (and slowing down the SPM), which is more important right now.

Anyway, just wanted to follow up and let you know I did learn quite a bit from reading all of your comments and thanks again.

[jackarabit]

10k in 41+'. Well done, mdp.

[Rockin Roland]

I spend a lot of my time rowing on the water and have been very successful both on the water and on an erg.

My advice regarding technique to a beginner is as follows:

Don't copy the technique that is used in a boat for use on a stationary erg, for a dynamic erg yes, but on a stationary erg you'll actually go slower. I modify my technique depending on whether I'm rowing in a boat, C2 static erg or Rowperfect erg. You can get away with the same technique on all of them.......but if you really want to go fast like I do....then each one requires different technique.

On a C2 static erg, all you need to do for a fast result is to keep the pressure on the flywheel to keep it spinning. Don't worry about looking pretty. Pretty boys/girls don't go fast.
Basically all you have to do is to Crank the Handle and Dump the Finnish. This keeps the flywheel spinning. However, it is important while you do this not to jerk or throw your weight around. I get the best results by working on a straight line axis with my power generation and body movement. Any deviation from this straight line axis is a waste of energy and valuable seconds. You don't even need to hold the legs/knees down at the finish. This costs valuable seconds as the chain is already at it's slackest point and no added pressure on the flywheel can be gained by holding the legs down. As long as you can quickly clear the knees in a straight line recovery, that's all that matters.

Take the catch as close as possible to the fan shroud/cage. Give it a good crank, in a straight line, initiallized by your forearms, whilst standing on the footstretcher with most of your weight on the feet and powering/springing back with your head up and back straight during the stroke, until all the tension has gone out of the chain.

This is the best erg technique in the world and will get you great results(providing you are fit and healthy). I should know because I have been using this technique for years. If you have any doubt then just look at my results in the 50-59 age group. And I'm only 84kg in weight.

[Edward4492]

Did anybody notice the lady in the Casall video appears to have switched to an underhand grip at the halfway point of the vid? Or are my old eyes deceiving me. If that's the case, the vid has worse than zero credibilty.

[mdpfirrman]

Roland,

Thanks for your input. It's certainly valued. It's clear to me, even after such a short time rowing (less than a year), that this rowing community is amazing in term of support for each other and help. As I'm reading your input, I'm somewhat surprised I'm understanding what you're saying for one. What you said about not needing to hold the legs down at the finish resonated because that's what I was wondering yesterday. I'll never achieve the times you're doing but my ultimate goal is to get sub 7:00 within a year or so (starting from no experience beginning at 50 on or off the water I'll take that). Also, your comment about taking the catch to as near the flywheel as you can also is something I've wondered about so that helps a lot. The straight axis comment is also something I'm working on as well.

As for the finish, I do think as a beginner, it's hard because you don't have that base of water experience that guys like you have. I think I know what you mean about deemphasizing the finish to get the best times. However, not to counter you at all (you certainly probably have forgotten more than I'll ever know), but I think I wasn't emphasizing ANYTHING on the finish at all before. I was just recovering as fast as I was pulling on each stroke. I wasn't using my glutes or hammies at all. I do think that emphasizing some slower rowing with more power builds that unconscious / competent part of your rowing. Also, for me, I personally didn't realize (and you emphasize this too on the single axis as fast as possible part) how important it is to get your hands back out as fast as you can. By practicing just this more (even if I slow down the finish part), I'm getting more in those better technique habits. I know what you're saying though. When you time a short piece like a 2000m, technique (at least on the C2) is somewhat thrown out. I don't think that means that good technique ingrained into someone's unconscious hurts though. Maybe I'm wrong, but it's helping me to better understand that the speed is coming from power as much as SPM.

Thanks again for your feedback (all of you)!