Pushing the stretcher with toes or heels.

[HammerHead Sk8r]

Thanks ....Citroen...

I actually look at all of this stuff like a big salad bar. Not every item there is to my taste so I pick and choose the one's that work and those that don't I just leave them for the next person in line.


Also, rowing for me is a way to get fit for my other sport and its turned out to be a great cross-trainer. I will say though, I wouldn't mind taking a crack a Crash B type race (locally I can race up in Asheville or a few hours over to Chattanooga) but I would have to improve greatly from both a rowing fitness level and technique perspective. Right now my best time for a 2000m is 7:30 so needless to say that's not competitive.

[ranger]

Most of us like to tease Rich about his complete turn around in performance since his 6:27 in 2003 to something worse than 7:04 at the last competition.

All well and good, Dougie.

But it's only teasing if the facts are straight.

Otherwise, it's something else.

The facts:

This last winter (2008), at 57 years old, five years after I pulled that 6:27.5 at Elkhart when I was 52 years old, I pulled 6:37 at Cincinnati and qualified as a heavyweight for WIRC.

I am 170 lbs., not 270 lbs., and have raced a dozen times as a lightweight, including three WR rows.

I suppose I could add this, too:

Over the last five years, I haven't been training to race, although I have been racing nonetheless.

I have been learning how to row (both OTW and off).

ranger

P.S. Sorry about the multiple posts.

[ranger]

(Warning: 2 Year Newbie POst To Follow:)

Ok...I worked on this last night during a recovery 10000 m row (I just started a goal of 750,000m in 10 weeks and have done 55,000m in 4 days)....

I was able to engage the ball of the foot at the catch, be in full contact at the middle part of the stroke, heels down, at the end but I was struggling keeping my toes in contact at full extension. Matter of fact I was literally rocked back on my heels with the ball of my foot not touching the plate at all....I don't use the straps based on previous advice I got so what do I need to do to stay in contact with the plate? Or does it matter?

Nothing wrong with using the straps.

If you shouldn't use them, why are they there?

I suspect you probably have difficulty with timing, though.

Finish your legs before you swing your back and pull with your arms.

When you swing your back and pull with your arms, you are up on your toes, not back on your heels.

The foot waggles--ball of the foot, heels, toes--as your legs drive.

This takes advantage of all of the muscles in the legs: first quads, then hams & gluts, then calves.

When your legs are done (toes pointed!), then, and only then, swing your back and pull with your arms.

ranger

[ranger]

I was struggling keeping my toes in contact at full extension. Matter of fact I was literally rocked back on my heels with the ball of my foot not touching the plate at all.

Your heels need to stay in contact with the plates but not your whole foot.

If your forefeet were kept down, then you wouldn't be able to extend your legs properly.

??

Why not?

I don't understand.

ranger

[ranger]

Yes, my backward movement is checked a bit by the straps.

But that is only at the finish, after the major leveraging is done.

The drive has five beats.

(1) balls of feet & quads
(2) heels & gluts/hams
(3) toes & calves
(4) abs/core & back
(5) arms and lats

Here is what my feet look like doing 1:45 @ 22 spm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKtcs6pihAs

ranger

[ranger]

[removed]

Why not have more posts like this? Or take the next step entirely and not post in the first place, it's about as useful.

Oh, the straps are there due to convention, and in some cases of maximal effort they can be used to get a faster recovery (trade some rate for pace), but as for training, they are essentially not needed at all.

Sure, there is a need for a fast recovery if you are doing 44 spm, or whatever.

But there is no need for an especially fast recovery, if you race at 30-34 spm, as most people do.

That's a very modest cadence.

Not fast at all.

Nonetheless, I don't know of anyone who races on the erg strapless.

Why?

At 31 spm, which is the rate I race at, I am in about a 2-to-1 ratio.

Plenty of time to recover.

1.3 seconds or so?

ranger

[ks]

Here is what my feet look like doing 1:45 @ 22 spm:

So, is this "right"? I don't mean to ignite anything here. I've read the thread a few times and I'm not sure where it landed.

I went strap-free for the first time today and noticed in general my feet did about the same as ranger's video: balls at the catch, rolling to heels for the drive with my toes slightly off the platform, then flat foot on the return.

Thanks.

[Ducatista]

Small people don't like it too much because it increases toe wheel overlap substantially.

It seems that would be more of an issue for those with bigger feet (or longer toes).

Nope. It's more of an issue for smaller riders because they ride smaller frames.

Shorter-trail bikes with offset forks help ease the toe-clearance issue for smaller riders, so I suppose they'd be helpful for people who prefer their cleats further back, too.

[johnlvs2run]

my feet did about the same as ranger's video: balls at the catch, rolling to heels for the drive with my toes slightly off the platform, then flat foot on the return.

That's not the same.
Ranger rocks back on his heels, then raises his heels and pushes off his toes at the of the drive.

(1) balls of feet & quads
(2) heels & gluts/hams
(3) toes & calves
(4) abs/core & back
(5) arms and lats

[ks]

That's not the same.

I agree. I think there is a mismatch between the list and the video.

I definitely do not bring my toes/calves into play after my heels go down. My toes come up a little bit. Good, no-good, or inconsequential? Thanks.

[johnlvs2run]

I think there is a mismatch between the list and the video.

Ah, then it looks like we all row the same.

(1) balls of feet & quads
(2) heels & gluts/hams
(3) abs/core & back
(5) arms and lats