Form check

[jackarabit]

Jerg writes:

Did 15min at a somewhat relaxed pace with a longer stroke to start greasing the groove, and one thing I noticed is that if I get my hands away quickly, it's easier to tilt my pelvis forward. The arms shooting forward seems to help 'drag' the pelvis forward, while if I move hands away less quickly, it seems like more muscular effort is required and even then I don't get quite as much pelvic rockover as I do when I move my hands away quickly.

Is this common?

A cantilever from a central structure moves the c.g. of the combined system toward the exterior of the central structure and possibly outside it. It follows that a sentient "structure" might observe that extending lesser body parts reduces the perceived effort of rotating its upper stories about the pelvic pivot in the direction of the cantilever. ¿Quien sabe?

15' of seat time finding out for yourself is what I like to hear.

[jamesg]

if I get my hands away quickly, it's easier to tilt my pelvis forward.

The C2 technique video shows the recovery sequence: hands away, then swing, then slide. Keep it all smooth, blended and relaxed, but in sequence.

The backstop drill can help here: first hands alone, then followed by swing only, done at up to 100W at rating 40. The swing comes from the hips so that our cg moves forward and onto the feet.

[mdpfirrman]

Jerg, I think James' advice re: "antagonists" references opposing pairs of muscles such as the quads and hams. Do you find you are using leg muscle to retard your progress down the slide upon recovery? Save your strength; the slide is designed with a slight decline towards the fan housing (the gravitational component) and the chain retract cord has a small towmotor effect on your mass thru the handle. Hands away and body swing after finish also play an important role in initiating reversal of direction of movement of the total body mass.

Yes, to add to this (and James and Jack are right), rowing unstrapped for warm-ups and cool downs to start (and then eventually for all slower steady state work) would help you tremendously. You can see in the video your feet pulling against the straps. This is lost momentum that rowing unstrapped will teach you how to avoid (along with self correct some of the things James is alluding to - quick hands, faster and less deliberate stiff torso movement). I think working on the squats and flexibility like Henry mentioned along with rowing unstrapped will help you tremendously.

[jerg]

Yes, to add to this (and James and Jack are right), rowing unstrapped for warm-ups and cool downs to start (and then eventually for all slower steady state work) would help you tremendously. You can see in the video your feet pulling against the straps. This is lost momentum that rowing unstrapped will teach you how to avoid (along with self correct some of the things James is alluding to - quick hands, faster and less deliberate stiff torso movement). I think working on the squats and flexibility like Henry mentioned along with rowing unstrapped will help you tremendously.

It's hard to tell in the video, but I'm effectively rowing unstrapped. The straps are very loose (I can get my feet in and out without adjusting the buckles), enough to help catch me if I'm falling backwards (maybe, not yet tested), but not enough to actually provide any resistance until my toes are ~2" off the foot boards.

I do sometimes hit my chest with the handle, so there's definitely some wasted energy there.

[jerg]

Updated video after incorporating some of the suggestions. I moved the footstretchers down one notch, so I'm on the last notch now. I'm getting quite a bit farther up the slide, and I'm delaying the arm pull a little bit, so the jerkiness of the chain is now mostly gone.

Going at a UT2 pace here, so I'm pretty relaxed. Apologies for the blurriness of the video. Between the relatively low light and motion, the autofocus was easily fooled. Next time I'll set it to manual focus and it should be much sharper.


Feedback welcomed, thanks.

[jackarabit]

Shins coming to plumb @ catch and getting more length. From recovery arms away looks strong. Work on getting body lean also complete or nearly so before knees break upward. This won't feel natural but necessary to get trunk and back stable and braced at catch prior to leg push. After three yrs. I'm still working to get this timing every stroke, whether fresh or fatigued.

Feet are definitely pulling against straps at finish in this video. Row strapless to force the arms finish to neutralize momentum of strong layback which pulls the feet off the stretchers.

[jerg]

Shins coming to plumb @ catch and getting more length. From recovery arms away looks strong. Work on getting body lean also complete or nearly so before knees break upward. This won't feel natural but necessary to get trunk and back stable and braced at catch prior to leg push. After three yrs. I'm still working to get this timing every stroke, whether fresh or fatigued.

Yeah, closing the hip angle while the legs are fairly straight is very challenging due to poor hamstring flexibility. I can't L sit meaning sit on the ground with the legs flat on the ground and my torso perpendicular to my legs. I'm working on it though!

Feet are definitely pulling against straps at finish in this video. Row strapless to force the arms finish to neutralize momentum of strong layback which pulls the feet off the stretchers.

Straps are very loose. I can get in and out of them without adjusting the buckles. So I'm not sure that my feet are pulling against them (haven't noticed that sensation). That said, I did notice that sometimes my feet, including even my heels, were levitating off the footboards.

I finish with the arms, and in fact, the handle often makes contact with my HR strap. Could be the timing of all the moving parts. I'll have to play around with this some more. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

[jackarabit]

Jerg writes:

I can't L sit meaning sit on the ground with the legs flat on the ground and my torso perpendicular to my legs. I'm working on it though!

I understand. I am no yogi myself. Runner/hurdler stretches are the old standby for tight hams, glutes, lower back but there are many variations standing and prone. The backstops or pic drill linked earlier also useful.

[hjs]

Certainly looks a lot better.
Work on that flexibily further, combining strenght/strechting works well together, the warmer the muscle the better stretching works.
Eat well, a bit extra muscle would help you also.

[jackarabit]

Work on that flexibily further, combining strenght/strechting works well together, the warmer the muscle the better stretching works.

Warming up b4 static stretching is advisable, particularly in the early morning.