Rowing without the feet straps

[jrkob]

I don't know where this should go, so I post it here.

I am a relatively new rower.

I'm seeing some videos on YouTube where some people recommend to row without the feet straps as an exercice, because... and this is where I get stuck.
I understand that rowing without the straps obviously remove the ability to "pull" on one's feet. I tried, and it's hard !

But could you explain why this is a bad thing ? For some reasons I can't find a video explaining properly why. Obviously I am missing something in what rowing is trying to achieve, and I "think" this is what I am trying to understand.

Thank you

- Jean.

[Citroen]

It helps you to stop relying on pulling back to the front with your feet. You have to learn control yourself, you won't fall off the back as your connected with the handle/chain.

Pulling with the feet is a bad thing in a boat, you're likely to end up swimming in the river.

[jrkob]

Ok I'm not entirely clear yet.

In a real rowing boat, do people strap their feet ?

Pulling with the feet is a bad thing in a boat, you're likely to end up swimming in the river.

I think the above confuses me.

* edit: thank you for your explanations and patience !

[JaapvanE]

Pulling with the feet is a bad thing in a boat, you're likely to end up swimming in the river.

It is a certain way to kill all the speed in a boat. So yeah, the rest of the teammates might decide that throwing you overboard and let the coxswain paddle along will be a better configuration for sure.

But jokes aside: on an Erg it certainly leads to a rushed recovery and an ineffective use of the hamstrings as you are using them during a rest period. The drive is explosive, but the recovery shouldn't be. On the water, the coxswain will tell you to "Allow the boat to work". In rowing, a slower recovery will let you encounter a slower boat/flywheel, making the next drive more effective.

Pulling in on the hamstrings often also means that you are in a hunched back position and "shooting the slide", which is a recipe for back injury.

[jrkob]

Okay.

Having a slower recovery lets my body rest a bit more (as opposed to having an "explosive recovery"), making the next drive more effectively.

Did I paraphrase you correctly ?

(apologies for not getting the earlier joke... newbie here... !)

Can I also still ask if in a real rowing boat people do strap their feet ? Out of curiosity.

[mitchel674]

Okay.

Having a slower recovery lets my body rest a bit more (as opposed to having an "explosive recovery"), making the next drive more effectively.

Did I paraphrase you correctly ?

(apologies for not getting the earlier joke... newbie here... !)

Can I also still ask if in a real rowing boat people do strap their feet ? Out of curiosity.

Yes they do strap in.

I always thought of pulling on the straps at the end of the drive as wasted effort and energy. Rowing is about power and efficiency. If you have to use the straps consistently, you are wasting energy which is in the wrong direction.

[JaapvanE]

Having a slower recovery lets my body rest a bit more (as opposed to having an "explosive recovery"), making the next drive more effectively.

Did I paraphrase you correctly ?

Partially. A slower recovery allows the boat or flywheel to slow down as well, allowing you to put more energy in the next drive. When a boat or flywheel is too fast, you have a huge risk of mising the catch.

The best metaphore here is pushing a kid on a swing: when you are too early there, you slam into the kid. When you are too late, the kids is already gone and you can't really push. When your timing is perfect, you gently push the kid while transfering a lotof energy.

In rowing this works the same way, although the timing is reversed: when you are too quick, the flywheel/boat is too fast and you might not even catch the boat/flywheel (similar to being too late in the swing). When you are too late, the boat/flywheel is too slow and you slam into it (similar to being too early on a swing).

Can I also still ask if in a real rowing boat people do strap their feet ? Out of curiosity.

In boats they are strapped during races. But then, stroke rates are so high that even with a perfect motion you need something to counterbalance the rowing person.

As an indication, I row 99% strapless, as do some others. Asides looking less silly when you are exhausted and fall off the rower, it helps for technique. My stroke rates vary between 20SPM and 24SPM, so no issue there. When I go for higher rates (28SPM and upwards) I do need to strap in, but then my technique will prevent me from using my hamstrings pulling me in.

[Dangerscouse]

Rowing strapless is difficult to start with, and there will be twitchy moments when you feel like you might end up on the floor, but it does get easier with practice.

I row strapless unless I know I'm going to be going over r28. It's very good, imo, and in addtion to the Mitchel's and Jaapan's comments, to allow a better of centre of gravity when you row so you use your core more efficiently and protect your back more effectively too.

Having said that, I do know of lots of people that don't ever row strapless and it doesn't seem to have been an issue for them, so it's more of a preference decision.

[jrkob]

Guys thank you for the explanations and analogy, this is what I couldn't find elsewhere. Now I am much clearer and this all begins to make sense. The whole purpose of the mechanics behind rowing was what was missing. I think.

Can I confirm something. Training your hamstrings is important, and you can only train them by rowing strapless, correct ?
Now I remember why when I was rowing strapless, I didn't like it: my hamstring were sore the following day, but I presume that was the point precisely ?

* edit: my post crossed dangerscouse's

[Citroen]

When folks are rowing hard they tie their feet to the machine/boat they're rowing.
When you're training you can row strapless, it should help train your hamstrings.

The important thing is not to slow the "boat" down by pulling against the straps.

[jrkob]

The important thing is not to slow the "boat" down by pulling against the straps.

Perfect.
This is extremely clear !

Thank you.

[JaapvanE]

Can I confirm something. Training your hamstrings is important, and you can only train them by rowing strapless, correct ?

If your stroke technique is good, you will use the hamstrings regardless of being strapped in or not. In the first part of the drive, you will use your quadriceps (the anterior chain). In the second part you will use your back and hamstrings (posterior chain) to move from a forward leaning position to a backward leaning position, followed by the arms. The recovery is this in reverse (so arms out again, lean forward again, contract the legs). For pictures see: https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/ ... scles-used

[nick rockliff]

But on the other hand, just because some people choose to row strapless it doesn't mean it's obligatory.

Over 20 years I've never felt the need to row strapless, never did me any harm.

[gvcormac]

If you are yanking yourself with the top of your feet on recovery, you are wasting energy.

I use straps, but I never tighten them (and I row in socks or bare feet). You should be abile to move yourself back and forth on the seat using just your heels. If not, you are probably recovering too fast and/or have your feet too low.

Then when you row don't try to recover faster than you can, pulling only with your heels.

The only exception to this (for me) is when I do a 100m sprint. Then I yank like crazy with my feet, because aerobic capacity is irrelevant. So waste as much energy as necessary to do as many strokes as possible.

[jrkob]

Thanks for the advice guys.

If you are yanking yourself with the top of your feet on recovery

Yes, I feel that this is what I'm doing. Yanking.

If not, you are probably recovering too fast

I think this is also what is happening.
I'm looking at my Garmin records for my last couple of rowing sessions and it seems I row at an average 22spm with sprints to 27-28spm for 45 minutes to an hour. I consider myself a beginner. Isn't 22spm a little fast ?

I'm not sure what is useful that I could send. Here are a few things for example. The sprints are for me to get some anaerobic benefit by having my heart pump hard enough.