Noob question - what shoes do you wear to erg?

[HornetMaX]

I'm kind of wondering if, when I want to row with no shoes, I can row without the foot rest (the thing that can slide up/down depending on your foot size) completely

In that case what will keep your foot from sliding down due to gravity? The fact that you got blisters when rowing while wearing just socks suggests that they do rest on the supports, so they must be exerting some force to keep your feet up. You don't want your legs to have to do any unnecessary additional work to keep your feet in place.

To me the blisters are mostly due to the rubbing when the heels go up at end of recovery. When I tried socks only and had blisters coming, trying to avoid the rubbing made me focus on avoiding lifting the heels too much (which is good in my case, I tend to go too far with my shins).

Footrests are inclined so they provide some support even without the holder.

Anyway, I'll try tomorrow during my 10min warmup. Maybe it just doesn't work.

[Aan]

I found these "Inov-8 Men's Bare-XF 210 V3 - Minimal Barefoot Cross Training Shoes", 0 drop 3mm foot bed. Tried bare foot and socks. Bare foot ended up in blisters and socks were just okay. I'm new to the game but the inov-8 just seem to work.

[HornetMaX]

I'm kind of wondering if, when I want to row with no shoes, I can row without the foot rest (the thing that can slide up/down depending on your foot size) completely

Tried. And no, it doesn't work. At all.

However I tried another weird thing: footrests all the way up, no shoes, foam where the heels rub feet strapped in.
This worked unexpectedly well: yes ,the strap is weirdly close to my ankle (way more up than the usual "over the widest part of your foot"), but this means I barely lift the heel at recovery end, so little to no heel rubbing (and helps me not going too far with my shins).

Today was not a long session (10min warm-up, 4x4min @ 2KP ~1.51/500m) but it was high power (well, for me) so I decided to use the straps. After that I did a 10min cool-down without straps (still foot rests all the way up), no problem.

But yeah, I'm only 173cm // 5'8", shoe size 40EU // 6-6.5US so not the typical rower frame

[johnlvs2run]

Barefoot <--

[HornetMaX]

Barefoot <--

Yeah seen that. I was actually pondering something like the Swing Sling, but with a rubber band.

[Ombrax]

Tried. And no, it doesn't work. At all.

Just out of curiosity, what happened?

[HornetMaX]

Tried. And no, it doesn't work. At all.

Just out of curiosity, what happened?

Just the feet falling down when they are not under enough pressure (recovery).

[p_b82]

Just the feet falling down when they are not under enough pressure (recovery).

Wanted to give barefoot another go, as been having issues with my right foot/leg a bit still.

Just squeezed the footplates out, and turned the straps into slings for my heels in essence; just managed 1:43@33.

Gripping slightly with my toes on raised part that the plates slide through, and the heels very gently supported.