Advice on form?

[buzbee]

I took a video of a 2K time trial I did today, and would appreciate any advice on my form.

For what it's worth, I'm 60, 5'11" and at least 25 pounds overweight. After 3 decades hunched over a computer monitor at work, I've also got pretty awful "head forward" posture, and in general have very poor flexibility. In short, I'm a "target-rich environment" for improvements .

Anyway, here's the video: https://youtu.be/frKrnYcsQDE, and here's a link to the log record for that workout: https://log.concept2.com/profile/203297/log/37949246

Thanks for any suggestions you might have!

...Bill

[jackarabit]

IMHO, that’s a Steady Eddy (T.C.B. for 7:17.8!) first time 2k ratewise, pacewise, and drive sequence timingwise! Legs, back, arms muscle enlistment is practice-perfected and consistent stroke to stroke. I detected a few soft strokes with less back enlistment and just a suggestion of weakness after 4:50 in the video but a suggestion only. You certainly don’t telegraph your discomfort!

Your layback at finish is pronounced and strong as is your energetic but unrushed and well-sequenced arms away recovery. Chain path in and out is just right! You’re getting most of your length at catch from rounding your shoulders and back and closing up the knee angle to a quote/unquote “weak” position from which to initiate leg push. To which I say, if no resulting back or knee pain, no foul. Posterior chain inflexibility and weight in the midsection can’t help but limit fwd body lean and stroke length but you are making efficient use of the toolkit otherwise, including a good balance of power and aerobic endurance. Now that you are retired (from post in pb thread) and have time to train, improvement of both form and pb pace seems likely.

[jamesg]

Lower feet could help the catch posture by letting you swing forward a little more.

[hjs]

In general very respectable, no obvious faults, pacing and rating also nothing to complain about.

One thing maybe, Hamstring flexibility. You do overreach the knees a bit, and do not close the gap between legs and chest fully. Upperback on the other hand is flexible, at the catch you nicely extend it. And pull it back at the finish.

So stretching the hamstrings could help, learning to rotate the hips comes with that. Rotating the hips is not easy though.

Re hunch, maybe buy a elastic band and do facepulls, google those and you will see. That can help your head position, rowing does not help, it even stretches the current position further....

[jackarabit]

Bill, the video linked is a classroom lecture by a Georgia Bulldogs OTW coach and his on-erg demonstrator. It has helped me work on the hip hinge flex (rotation) and understand how to avoid tucking the butt up under the shoulders during recovery. Take a look.

Also, a strap or bungee secured around the slide is useful in detecting and preventing over-travel of the seat truck and resulting acute shin to thigh angle at catch. This defect in the drive is very common among both beginning rowers and seasoned practitioners and, altho not easy to correct, is worthy of attention. However, as stated above, it was not a dealbreaker for your excellent pb effort.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Js9CwDU1Bi0

[buzbee]

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the time you all spent looking this over. I'll take your suggestions to heart as I begin this next stage of training.
...Bill