Concept2 Forum

Hey guys

Last winter the gym I trained at always had ergs bolted into the ground so that they couldn't be moved.

This winter I'm training somewhere else and the ergs are "free" to move about. I did 15000m piece without straps at about a 2:10 pace. When I got off I noticed that my erg and I were taking a trip down the hallway... I had moved about 5m BACKWARDS over the course of ~60 minutes.

I'm trying to make sense of it all... I know that people are always "checking" their ergs forward at the catch, but I've never seen the phenomenon I just described. Honestly I cannot even explain the physics of what just happened.

I will soon video tape my stroke again but it has only slightly changed since the spring.

Here is the video(again) from the spring:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgopbYhtcXY

I have mine on a Bowflex Machine Mat that eliminates movement of the erg. I'm sure there are other similar mats out there. Bowflex sent me an extra one when they had a problem with a shipment, and it conveniently works for the erg.

I've not watched the video, but the usual reason for going backwards is pulling yourself up the slide on the straps. It happens a lot when sprinting at high ratings, but is unusual on the rows you are describing. however, if the floor is very slippery &/or the erg is on a slight slope it could happen. The solution is not to drag yourself up the slide, best learned by rowing strapless.

- Iain

How do you get back up the erg, if you don't use the straps.

John Rupp wrote:How do you get back up the erg, if you don't use the straps.

John, this was covered in great detail in a previous discussion when you raised this before. By "Straps" only the strap across the top of the foot is meant. So strapless still allows the heel to be against its support.

The rail is slightly downhill to the catch and there is also tension in the chain.

- Iain

On 'strapless' rowing'. I do all of my long workouts with the straps under my feet. I get into trouble with my feet 'floating' up off the foot stretchers when I don't finish the stroke properly.

Nearing the finish, legs, back & body need to be at full extension so the last thing moving is the arms bringing the handle into the body. It does not take a lot of movement by your back or legs to upset the balance.

While it is possible I get some 'grip' from the heel pieces on the recovery, it does not feel that way.

Cheers. Patrick.

Rowing strapless requires good rowing technique at the finish. I have some lower back issues and I do the first month of winter training strapless, and all my warmups, to reduce the stress on my lower back. I do this drill when I'm rowing on the water too - it REALLY requires proper technique there! I'm sure there are lots of old posts about this topic but briefly, don't lay back very far at the finish (I'm almost vertical), and have quick hands away. Quick hands is the key to get the momentum moving back up the slide. I have a model B with the wood foot platforms, so don't get any grip from the flexfoot heels found on later models, and with proper technique, strapless feels and works fine.

Cyclist2 wrote:I have a model B with the wood foot platforms, so don't get any grip from the flexfoot heels found on later models, and with proper technique, strapless feels and works fine.

ModelB platforms were the best.

I've got wood platforms on the D, with flexfeet and 1/4 strips of wood on the tops screwed into them.
This works much better then just the flexfeet as otherwise they DO FLEX and bend backwards.
But even with this the flexfeet still have bend, and they're not as good as wood stops.

An upcoming project whenever I get around to it, is to make wood stops so the platforms are entirely the same as the B.