I've been rowing for @5 mo and am in need of feedback from indoor rowers who know what they're doing. i've tried to improve my technique based on watching rowing videos, but still need a more experienced eye. My pb from a few months back is 7:17.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 0939637935
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 1194945263
One thing that i immediately noticed in these videos is that my wrists bend at the end of my drive, because i don't want my hands to hit too low on my abdomen. but i'm uncertain if i should correct the problem by keeping my hands higher at the end or by sticking my elbows out more. thanks for watching.
Pls critique my technique
David,
I am not an expert, so strictly on a for-what-it's-worth basis:
1. It looks to me as if your forward angle is all from your lower back—which seems to be doing all of the bending (at the lumbar spine?). I see very little if any pivot from the hip joint. I understand this is how a lot of back injuries on the erg start, so this is the most worrisome thing I see.
To try to fix, start with the orientation of your pelvis. It looks as if you are sitting "behind" the "sitz bones", instead of on them (which means the only way you can create a forward body angle is from the lower back
). Try sitting on the sitz bones, and at the forward edge of the seat, making yourself as tall as possible, shoulders down, sternum & collar bone up/chest out. Maintain a stable, strong, tall torso that doesn't bend w/ your abs & lats. Instead it swings from the hip joint and is supported in its strong position by strong abs and lats.
2. I would be less concerned about the hand thing, but if you want to address that as well, focus on keeping the unit composed of your forearm, wrist & back-of-hand level with the floor and stable. Think of allowing the elbow to lead toward a wall behind you—the elbow won't stop until the handle is against the bottom of your sternum. Try the elbow-first movement without the handle while you're maintaining the "strong torso position," and feel what your back and shoulder-blades will do if you allow your elbows to go back as far as they can when you do that—the back swing and back muscles will lead very naturally into the elbow/forearm/wrist/back-of-hand motion backwards.
If your elbows need to flare out a bit (but only a bit) that's fine.
HTH,
Alissa
I am not an expert, so strictly on a for-what-it's-worth basis:
1. It looks to me as if your forward angle is all from your lower back—which seems to be doing all of the bending (at the lumbar spine?). I see very little if any pivot from the hip joint. I understand this is how a lot of back injuries on the erg start, so this is the most worrisome thing I see.
To try to fix, start with the orientation of your pelvis. It looks as if you are sitting "behind" the "sitz bones", instead of on them (which means the only way you can create a forward body angle is from the lower back
). Try sitting on the sitz bones, and at the forward edge of the seat, making yourself as tall as possible, shoulders down, sternum & collar bone up/chest out. Maintain a stable, strong, tall torso that doesn't bend w/ your abs & lats. Instead it swings from the hip joint and is supported in its strong position by strong abs and lats.2. I would be less concerned about the hand thing, but if you want to address that as well, focus on keeping the unit composed of your forearm, wrist & back-of-hand level with the floor and stable. Think of allowing the elbow to lead toward a wall behind you—the elbow won't stop until the handle is against the bottom of your sternum. Try the elbow-first movement without the handle while you're maintaining the "strong torso position," and feel what your back and shoulder-blades will do if you allow your elbows to go back as far as they can when you do that—the back swing and back muscles will lead very naturally into the elbow/forearm/wrist/back-of-hand motion backwards.
If your elbows need to flare out a bit (but only a bit) that's fine.
HTH,
Alissa
-
eyespliced
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I have to say this, more body angle especially towards the end of the drive. I also agree with alissa on what she said.
one more thing that I noticed was that you were not getting very much compression at the beginning of the drive. (well that's what it looked like anyways)
just curious, what was the stroke rate/500m split? I'm just curious.
one more thing that I noticed was that you were not getting very much compression at the beginning of the drive. (well that's what it looked like anyways)
just curious, what was the stroke rate/500m split? I'm just curious.