Concept2 Forum

I’m a hockey player and use c2 rower for general fitness and recover from injury. I have a question on foot position on the c2. I’m quite tall 189cm but most of my height is due to long legs I seem to overreach on my Stoke so that my shins go further than the vertical about the 11 o’clock position if viewed from the left side.

I also use a lot of lower leg flexing when running and my physio think this causes my calf strain and my calf’s tendons etc are strong but possibly too flexible.

Is there a better foot position that will help me combat over flexing during my stroke?

Any advice appreciated

Boomer wrote: ↑

November 6th, 2022, 3:06 pm

I’m a hockey player and use c2 rower for general fitness and recover from injury. I have a question on foot position on the c2. I’m quite tall 189cm but most of my height is due to long legs I seem to overreach on my Stoke so that my shins go further than the vertical about the 11 o’clock position if viewed from the left side.

I also use a lot of lower leg flexing when running and my physio think this causes my calf strain and my calf’s tendons etc are strong but possibly too flexible.

Is there a better foot position that will help me combat over flexing during my stroke?

Any advice appreciated

Do fix the shin past vertical problem. Glad you caught it. Just stop your stroke wherever it is when your shins hit vertical. Don't reach forward at the catch, keep the same forward lean and arm position you reached at the start of the recovery.

Double check you are getting hip rotation. Some good videos on how to sit on the seat to get the hips to rotate. IF you are asking about drive length and foot placement then your hips are likely not rotating like they should.
https://youtu.be/dY3qEXqOAo0 Oddly, how you sit on the seat really effects hip rotation https://youtu.be/00bIjs3FblE

Also look hard at your back. You do not want to curve it to get reach, you want it straight and let your hips do the movement. Strong back rotating around hips, not sitting upright and bending to the front. Your back will thank you. (look at the back position in the first video above. flat as a board, and doesn't change at all during the rowing stroke).

For you actual question, This video is an excellent source for foot position and setting up your foot stretchers. https://youtu.be/MiJxu-lUX90

(videos are from dark horse rowing)

Just tagging this thread for responses too.

This is the one bit of my form I still struggle with. I need to concentrate to achieve this, and am trying to bake in muscle memory during SS, as it feels more comfortable / natural going past vertical. Placement from 3-4-5 seems not to make much difference, generally I use 4, and feel I'm putting too much pressure on the front of the foot rather than heel.

Had considered getting weight lifting shoes with raised heels to help (my feet are pancakes, no arch) as it feels sometimes like adjusting the angle of the foot plates would help more to get the heel down earlier. Don't want to try and just treat a symptom of poor form though.

Dalos wrote: ↑

November 6th, 2022, 9:27 pm

Had considered getting weight lifting shoes with raised heels to help (my feet are pancakes, no arch) as it feels sometimes like adjusting the angle of the foot plates would help more to get the heel down earlier. Don't want to try and just treat a symptom of poor form though.

Weight lifting shoes got a lot of support in a thread earlier. Worth finding an reading if you haven't seen it.

Keeping the heels down is a teaching approach designed to keep your seat from getting too close to the flywheel. Really Excellent explanation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6oYDu3EO6M Get the hips right, its a non-issue. Watch his hips in the video.

"We're here to tell you why you STILL shouldn't lift your heels why you're on the machine! Is it generally accepted to lift your heels in the sport of rowing: yes. Can you lift your heels and still perform the rowing movement properly: yes.

Is is appropriate to lift your heels when you're teaching someone for the first time how to use the rowing machine: NO.

Why? Because the minute that you allow someone to lift their heels, the hips slide underneath the shoulders. The minute you put someone's heels down, you eliminate the possibility of them putting their hips behind the shoulders. Does it shorten the stroke? Sometimes. BUT, we're teaching them good movement.

Heels down teaches them how to press through the entire foot and how to press through the heel and engage the posterior chain. It doesn't dominate the posterior chain, but it helps overcome one of the biggest learning hurdles to the machine: the catch.

By teaching good movement patterns, you can improve over time when flexibility increases, or they lose weight, or they get more range of motion. But good movement practices MUST BE ESTABLISHED FIRST. "

my shins go further than the vertical

This is a serious fault that will stop you doing any work but can lead to injury. Being strong and fit makes things even more risky if you do them wrong.

Tie a rope round the rail at 40-50 cm from your heels, to act as a front stop for the slide.
Get hands away and swing forward after the finish but BEFORE leaving the back stop.
Keep your feet as low as possible.
Use low drag.
Keep the rating down when training (18-24).
Use your legs first in the pull.
See how rowing is done:
https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/ ... que-videos

When all is in place use ergdata to see length, handle force, rating and Watts. It helps if we know what we are doing and how.