Rowing Gloves?

[LJWagner]

Should not get blisters from friction.

For OTW, get the blades square, then adjust your grip until the back of your wrists are dead straight. Should be the same as if hanging for a pull-up. Then on drive, their should be no rotation from the hook of your fingers. On the finish, you must get so your wrists bend, but your fingers do not slip. Then on squaring the blade, it is back to the same position. You'll not blister.

On C2, again get your wrists straight with the chain under light tension. Then go.

Moisture can be a problem, but friction will not.

Interestingly, there are three finger archery gloves with double thick fingertips (the whole end of the finger), and a leather palm, velcro wrist strap. Some of you with really bad problems might want to consider those.

[FrankJ]

Sorry but most people do not start sculling with expert technique. While I'm learning I experiment with different hand positions and that means new wear points. If the callouses are not there it is then possible to get a blister. I don't understand why you say that you should not get blisters from friction as that is exactly why you get blisters.

I also prefer thinner gloves as I do not want to lose the feel. I think thick archery gloves would be a real pain to use rowing.

On the erg the wear points aren't a problem but I sweat so much I prefer gloves.

Frank

[TPMcT]

Years ago somebody on the forum suggested using FootJoy WeatherSof golf gloves. I bought a pair -- it can occasionally be an adventure to find a right-handed one -- and I've been using them ever since.

Like Frank, my problem is sweat more than blisters. And the FootJoys are thin enough that I don't lose the feel of the handle.

I tried the hand grips from NewGrip.com and hated them. They were too thick to feel the handle, and I sweated all over the place -- and that was just in the warmup.

[LJWagner]

Your hand position should give you straight wrists on the drive, blades square in the water, oars positioned correctly in the oarlock. There is really only one good position in terms of wrist angle. Set it like this, then roll into the recovery, and that is has to be your norm. The hands are hooks that maintain oar control.

Try that, and learn to pay close attention to when your grip slips small amounts, and re-position. I found getting this right let me row a lot more and blisters were the rare occurence. It can be done.

[FrankJ]

Years ago somebody on the forum suggested using FootJoy WeatherSof golf gloves. I bought a pair -- it can occasionally be an adventure to find a right-handed one -- and I've been using them ever since.

Like Frank, my problem is sweat more than blisters. And the FootJoys are thin enough that I don't lose the feel of the handle.

I tried the hand grips from NewGrip.com and hated them. They were too thick to feel the handle, and I sweated all over the place -- and that was just in the warmup.

Tim,

I took a look at the Footjoy WeatherSof golf gloves and bought myself a right hand and left hand. They are really supple and the XL fits my long fingers and thumb without being loose across the palm. Tried them on the erg tonight for a break in and will give them an OTW test tomorrow morning. Looks like my Ironclads are relegated to be work gloves.

Frank

[TPMcT]

Frank,

Glad to be of service. I use several pairs in rotation, so that they have time to dry out. That way, I get a good nine months out of them before they become too brittle.

A word of caution, though. If you fall in love with them, as I have, be sure to stock up before the winter months. It's a pain trying to find right-handed gloves when it's too cold to play golf.

[Gus]

I am curious as to why you decide to wear gloves rather than row without them and let the hands toughen up to the point that blisters aren't an issue for all but those with the most sensitive hands?

[FrankJ]

I am curious as to why you decide to wear gloves rather than row without them and let the hands toughen up to the point that blisters aren't an issue for all but those with the most sensitive hands?

Gus,

I'm curious as to why you are concerned. Right now I am aerobically fit enough to row for 1 to 1 1/2 hours but my hands can't take anywhere near that much oar handling. My solution is to wear gloves. Also the next race I'm doing is a 10 miler and I figure that gloves will be needed for that one or I will have a new blister or two by the end.

I also wear gloves when I split wood with a maul since I never do enough of that to build callouses. You should try wearing gloves as it is a good way to keep from having callouses on your hands.

Frank

[Bob S.]

I am curious as to why you decide to wear gloves rather than row without them and let the hands toughen up to the point that blisters aren't an issue for all but those with the most sensitive hands?

Gus,

I'm curious as to why you are concerned. Right now I am aerobically fit enough to row for 1 to 1 1/2 hours but my hands can't take anywhere near that much oar handling. My solution is to wear gloves. Also the next race I'm doing is a 10 miler and I figure that gloves will be needed for that one or I will have a new blister or two by the end.

I also wear gloves when I split wood with a maul since I never do enough of that to build callouses. You should try wearing gloves as it is a good way to keep from having callouses on your hands.

Frank

Personally, I would go along with Gus. I did almost 2 hours Monday, a 10' warmup, over one and a half hour HM, and a 10' cool down. I lost 4 or 5 pounds of sweat, but my hands stayed dry. I fear that with gloves, my hands would have been as sopping as the rest of me.

However, I think that there is a lot of individual variation. I never did trust gloves on the water and never used them in my college rowing days in the 40s. The few blisters that I got at the beginning of the season soon healed up and my hands got heavily calloused - enough that I would file or even pare them down to keep from getting blisters under them. Many of my teammates seemed to have a lot more of a problem with this. I still have a lot of admiration for those who would return to the dock with bloody oarhandles. Gloves were not in vogue at the time, but in later years a lot of the rowers there got into using them. In the forties it was taping. The fellows that needed (or felt they needed) protection for their hands would drop into the trainer's office to get their hands all taped up before they caught the bus to the boathouse. It seemed like an awful nuisance and I was glad that I could avoid it.

Bob S.

[Gus]

I'm curious as to why you are concerned.

Not concerned...just curious as to the different reasons why one would choose to wear gloves. I thought there might be a reason that I wasn't aware of as a possibility. Preventing blisters and/or calluses is probably #1. I know some rowers who have very sensitive skin and even with hours of time rowing, still get blisters. Their hands are always a mess. Or, very cold weather could be a reason. My area is hardly ever that cold. So few wear gloves either on the erg or on the water that it's always a surprise to see them.

I can see wearing gloves when chopping or splitting wood as it's something that is not done very often. Though even with gloves I have ended up with blisters. However, if you're rowing regularly, I would think your hands would adapt if given the chance. I admit I have never worn gloves while rowing and think they would lessen the "feel" of the oar. I know some college coaches won't allow their rowers to wear them just for that reason.

Do the gloves start to feel slippery when wet?

[FrankJ]

Personally, I would go along with Gus. I did almost 2 hours Monday, a 10' warmup, over one and a half hour HM, and a 10' cool down. I lost 4 or 5 pounds of sweat, but my hands stayed dry. I fear that with gloves, my hands would have been as sopping as the rest of me.

However, I think that there is a lot of individual variation. I never did trust gloves on the water and never used them in my college rowing days in the 40s. The few blisters that I got at the beginning of the season soon healed up and my hands got heavily calloused - enough that I would file or even pare them down to keep from getting blisters under them. Many of my teammates seemed to have a lot more of a problem with this. I still have a lot of admiration for those who would return to the dock with bloody oarhandles. Gloves were not in vogue at the time, but in later years a lot of the rowers there got into using them. In the forties it was taping. The fellows that needed (or felt they needed) protection for their hands would drop into the trainer's office to get their hands all taped up before they caught the bus to the boathouse. It seemed like an awful nuisance and I was glad that I could avoid it.

Bob S.

Bob,

I guess that is the point that I'm trying to make. I do so much heavy work with my hands if I didn't wear gloves they would be heavily calloused. Personally I find that very uncomfortable when I'm doing precision work as in model railroading. If you guys want callouses that you have to file or pare down that is your choice but I prefer light callouses at most. You know if you go barefoot your feet develop very heavy callouses and you won't have to wear shoes.

Frank

[LJWagner]

If the callous moves over the skin, it will pull back and forth, and blister under it. I played basketball in the gym in high school, barefoot occasionally. 20 minutes or so was ok, but in a few more minutes a few times, I lost the callouses I had to massive blisters under them, about 2 inches across. That always took a couple weeks to heal. I probably went through that idiocy once a year.

Chopping wood or using other similar tools, you have a firm grip with one or both hands on something that can slide through your hand sideways. The oar handle should not be slipping at all laterally in your hands, nor your hands rotating on the oar.

Also, if one is fortunate to only row on smooth water, the likelihood of a wet oar and hands sliding is reduced. I suppose those of us who had calm water and blister free hands never realized how lucky we were.

I stroked a four occasionally that that was not always stable. The boat had an angle of a nut for the steering line that protruded just above the gunwale. I had my left thumb pound that nut corner periodically, and it bloodied the top of my thumb in a spot not quite 1/4 inch across. I still have that scar. It was like getting jabbed with a chisel, and when hit, of course my oar handle was on the other side. A few times a workout, a few times a week. I'm lucky it never got infected. I should have turned the nut, or filed it. Never remembered after a workout.

If gloves let you row, congratulations for finding the right solution.

A NBA basketball guard claims to have practiced with heavy gloves. Very talented, but he also is infamous for some of the worst passes ever made. Maybe he should go back to gloves.

[FrankJ]

The oar handle should not be slipping at all laterally in your hands, nor your hands rotating on the oar.

LJW,

That is a statement that begs a question. Since the oar pivots on a point doesn't the oar handle move in your hand? Unless you follow the change of angle exactly by pivoting your wrist and/or arm the angle of oar handle will change quite a bit from the catch to the release. Should I be working on keeping the same angle of my hands to the handles or as I am doing with a loose grip letting the handle angle change in relation to my hands?

I have less than 20 hours OTW rowing and my technique is suspect so I am looking for some expert guidance here.

Frank

[sledgehammer]

Frank - I assume you are now sculling otw. Congrats! (although this may be yet another place where I will someday be forced to row in your wake)...

Some good stuff on hand position in sculling here:

http://www.sculling.com/HOWTO.htm

or

http://www.sculling.com/Peinert_sculling_primer.pdf

I believe that the experts would encourage you to feather the oar by lightly rolling fingers back and foward over the oar handle while minimizing wrist movement.

Best, Ernie

ps...thinking about otw racing? you would enjoy it.

[Gus]

The oar handle should not be slipping at all laterally in your hands, nor your hands rotating on the oar.

...I am looking for some expert guidance here.

Frank

Maybe LJWagner is not an expert in this matter. Perhaps most of us would consider anyone in an Olympic final qualified as an expert? Watch this video clip that Xeno has supplied of the Olympic singles final. There are enough close ups for you to see the wrist movement on some of the participants. After the finish they show a slow motion close up of Xeno. You can watch what he does.

http://homepage.mac.com/xenoralfmuller/ ... ater1.html

I found it particularly interesting that his hands recovered at such an apparent difference in speed. Perhaps the slow motion made it look more dramatic than it was?