Please critique my technique.

foolsquirrel · Post by **foolsquirrel** » May 14th, 2006, 12:56 am

My wife just got me a camcorder for my graduation

. So now I can shoot some clips of me erging for you guys to critique. And here is the first one

Ning (Slowly) Erging

Some background about me. I am 27, 5'7'' and 135lb. I started erging this April, and really like it. I am not overweight, but I haven't exercised regularly in the last several years either. I hope with some time on the erg and generous help from this forum, I can get in better shape, and climb up in the ranking at the same time. I haven't done a time trial yet, but I would guess my 2k would fall in the 8:40 range right now. As eager (and anxious) I am to know where I stand, I want to be sure my technique is half way down before trying to put more power in my strokes.

In this video, I am rowing at 23spm and 140W (or 2:16 pace). This should get me into high UT1 or AT range. I think the biggest problem I have now is that my upper body is not sufficiently supported during the drive, and as a result, the technique tends to break down when I am tired and/or lose concentration. I am thinking of putting at least a couple weeks more time into UT2-1 training, focusing on the technique, before I put the straps on and attemp a 2k trial.

Any comments from you is greatly appriciated. Thank you.

Ning

PS. Clicking the first button after "Size:" will play the video in the proper aspect ratio. Note to self, use 4:3 next time.

johnlvs2run · Post by **johnlvs2run** » May 14th, 2006, 11:38 am

Your form is quite excellent.

Especially you are keeping your arms straight through most of the drive. You are lifting your toes though, and the same time you are breaking with your arms. By keeping your toes down, you can keep your arms straight a bit longer, and extend your power through the drive, while keeping it the same length it is now.

How many levels of holes are showing on your foot pads? You are quite flexible so can have them raised up near the top. This helps the seat to keep more closely a straight line with your feet and not lift up when you're driving.

Your form looks very good so I wouldn't change it much. Focusing on your fitness will help a lot with your times.

foolsquirrel · Post by **foolsquirrel** » May 14th, 2006, 10:30 pm

John, thank you for your advice and kind words.

It is sort of reflex that I raise my toes when I lean back. Sometimes I try to press them down at the last half of the drive, but I don't think it increases my driving power. The problem is that I feel that my leaning back and pulling with arms are generally just hanging on and cancelling the backward momentum from the leg drive, if you know what I mean. I don't feel much pressure on the foot plates once the leg drive is finished. So should I feel considerable pressure on the foot through out the drive if I am doing it right?

I usually have 3 rows of holes showing on the foot plates (I am 5'7 with size 8.5 feet). In the first several sessions when I started, I experimented with the feet position a bit. If I put my feet higher, I couldn't comfortably compress at the catch. If the feet were lower, I often have my shins over vertical at the catch, which I read is bad for efficiency. I guess it's time to start tinkering with the foot plates again, now that I have about 100k under my belt and have a little better idea of what I am doing. I can see that moving my feet up a bit can help keep my toes down. Is there a general rule for foot positioning?

Anybody else has any comment?

csabour · Post by **csabour** » May 15th, 2006, 11:57 am

Ning.

basics look solid. there is a little hesitation at the catch you could do without. i think it would be better for you if the body sway was more dynamic while the legs are finishing up on the drive. however that is just a style i prefer.

like john said, try on the lower rates to keep the toes perfectly down at the finish. now it looks great but still can be improved.

lastly i think you should work on the power/drive ratio. I don't know if you plan to get on the water anytime but that sort of thing is crucial for boat movement. for a rate 18-22 i'd say atleast a 2:1 ration for recovery:drive.

johnlvs2run · Post by **johnlvs2run** » May 15th, 2006, 12:15 pm

Sorry but I didn't say to try lower ratings.

The objective is to keep your form at higher ratings and when pushing the pace along faster.

It is fine to focus on keeping your toes down when rowing along easily, then doing the same when pushing the pace along faster.

Regarding ratio, approximating a 1:1 drive to recovery ratio is more accurate, and you can use this same ratio in all of your rowing.

Competitive world class rowers have a drive ratio of 43 to 48 percent of the stroke.

johnlvs2run · Post by **johnlvs2run** » May 15th, 2006, 12:29 pm

foolsquirrel wrote:Is there a general rule for foot positioning?

There was an article by 3 time world champion Peter Haining that has disappeared but here are a few excepts from it:

"When I was sculling internationally, the pre-eminent lightweight sculler was a Dutchman called Frans Göbel. . I was awestruck by his very simple technique and so I was nosey and went and asked him how he got it. He was very plain “I have little time to train and so I use the Rowperfect”. Frans set the machine up beside the rowing lake and rowed a good power curve on the machine, then jumped in his single and sculled until he’d lost the ‘pattern’ and then he returned to the Rowperfect. This happened several times in each training session.

"I watched Frans scull – his feet were high and steep. I started edging my feet up and my leg power became more horizontal but my shoulders lifted and so I did ‘good mornings’ weight lifting in the gym to help correct this fault and over ride the temptation to lift my shoulders.

"I met Frans again at regattas – and noticed that he was warming up on the machine before races for 40 minutes at 26 – 28 rate. I went over to him and looked at his technique and the thing that stuck out – his arms are straight for ever. They only bend in a relaxed fashion. There was no hoiking. As he was driving he kept the body into the same forward position and all the pressure built into the handle and legs at the same time. All he had to do was relax his arms at the end of the power and his finish was a beautiful circle and up to the next catch. When he sculled he sculled the same way – it looked like a Rowperfect on the water."

johnlvs2run · Post by **johnlvs2run** » May 15th, 2006, 12:34 pm

Haining coaches "a lot of straight arm paddling. The crew has to alter rate and slide length. In the boat this is squared blade or feather. For quads I paddle them 60% of the time at straight arms at 3/4 slide and half slide; altering rate from 18 to 48."

johnlvs2run · Post by **johnlvs2run** » May 15th, 2006, 12:50 pm

You can download a video of long time open class world record holder Eskild Ebbesen here, where he is breaking the world record for 30+ lightweights.

http://look-at-it.com/ee-worldrecord-uk.htm

hjs · Post by **hjs** » May 15th, 2006, 1:28 pm

why can,t you be more like this mr. rup?

ps the technic shown looks very solid. maybe a bit overreaching at the catch. But overall you can build on this.