Why Row Strapless?

[old] Sparky · Post by **[old] Sparky** » June 21st, 2004, 11:22 pm

I have read a number of postings regarding strapless rowing, but have yet to come across an explanation of why or how it may benefit a person. I am new to the erg and I have tried strapless a couple of times, but am having a little trouble identifying the benefit and what I should be concentrating on when rowing strapless versus strapped in. Thanks in advance!

[old] SteveJohnson314 · Post by **[old] SteveJohnson314** » June 22nd, 2004, 10:42 am

To put it simply, when your feet are strapped in you can use them to kill some of your momentium at the end of each stroke. This is wasted energy that doesn't go into the handle and get measured by the C2. Ideally all of your leg push at the start of the stroke should transfer into the handle through your arm pull at the end of the stroke. Leaving your feet unstrapped in training helps you learn how to do this since any unrecovered momentum at the end of the stroke will result in you falling off the end of the slide. When you race you should strap in since this allows you to pull back up the slide faster on the recovery and achieve a faster stroke rate.

[old] tomhz · Post by **[old] tomhz** » June 22nd, 2004, 3:49 pm

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td class='genmed'>QUOTE (SteveJohnson314 @ Jun 22 2004, 02:42 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>Ideally all of your leg push at the start of the stroke should transfer into the handle through your arm pull at the end of the stroke. Leaving your feet unstrapped in training helps you learn how to do this since any unrecovered momentum at the end of the stroke will result in you falling off the end of the slide.  </td></tr></table> Well said. Several technique errors will result in your feet coming off the plate at the end of the stroke: opening up your back too early at the start of the stroke pulling too early with your arms rushing the slides at the start of the recovery Tom

[old] sockman71 · Post by **[old] sockman71** » June 23rd, 2004, 9:46 pm

I concentrated on what y'all said here for 2 minutes of my warmup today. My splits came WAY down. I focussed using my legs on the intial "drive", then a quick hips, arms (to chest), arms (to feet), hips, "VERY QUICK" legs forward motion. The thing that really brought the time down was the "quick" legs forward. During my piece, I could mentally vision my "lost power" at extension. However, I was doing a time trial and didn't want to risk my chance to crush my PB 10k which I did. I will focus on this Friday.

[old] LacticAcid · Post by **[old] LacticAcid** » June 23rd, 2004, 10:19 pm

Hey SockMan, did you wear socks when ya rowed strapless? Shoes or no shoes, Socks or no socks?

[old] sockman71 · Post by **[old] sockman71** » June 24th, 2004, 7:47 am

No socks. No shoes. No straps.

[old] doc.mark@verizon.net · Post by **[old] doc.mark@verizon.net** » June 24th, 2004, 5:56 pm

I have been rowing strapless for 3 days now, 3 workouts. I am working at exploding through at the drive. The question I have is, how do you keep your feet on the boards at the end of the drive? Is a bit of lift off ok? If so, it would seem that this is a great deal of wasted energy, perhaps even more wasteful than improperly rowing strapped. I'm a bit confused but looking to become the best at this that I can become. Any more words of advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[old] Cran · Post by **[old] Cran** » June 24th, 2004, 6:57 pm

If your feet are not pressing on the foot plate you can't be pulling on the handle... so the energy is wasted if you come off the footplates. When you strap back in you can take advantage of being able to pull yourself forwards, to get a faster stroke rate, but you shouldn't be falling off the back of the erg without straps.

[old] ranger · Post by **[old] ranger** » June 24th, 2004, 6:59 pm

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td class='genmed'>QUOTE (doc.mark@verizon.net @ Jun 24 2004, 04:56 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quote'>I have been rowing strapless for 3 days now, 3 workouts. I am working at exploding through at the drive. The question I have is, how do you keep your feet on the boards at the end of the drive? Is a bit of lift off ok? If so, it would seem that this is a great deal of wasted energy, perhaps even more wasteful than improperly rowing strapped. I'm a bit confused but looking to become the best at this that I can become. Any more words of advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. </td></tr></table> No, there is no lift-off at all. If you use your legs quickly and completely at the catch before you open your back, rotate at the hips, and finish with the arms; the energy from the leg drive goes into the handle and the chain (and the arms and hands holding the handle and pulling the chain). With the force of the leg drive absorbed by the handle and chain, the finish with the arms can be quick; and with an equally quick recovery with the hands and rotation forward at the hips, your feet remain firmly on the footplate. No need for the straps. ranger

[old] doc.mark@verizon.net · Post by **[old] doc.mark@verizon.net** » June 25th, 2004, 11:57 am

Ranger, I've read your response and I'm trying to understand but having a tough time. What might I be doing wrong if at the end of my drive I have to fight to keep my feet planted firmly on the plates. It seems that momentume naturally lifts them right off and I need to fight very hard to keep them on. I'm sorry for sounding thick but I'm just not getting it. Thanks. Mark

[old] tomhz · Post by **[old] tomhz** » June 25th, 2004, 3:30 pm

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td class='genmed'>QUOTE (doc.mark@verizon.net @ Jun 25 2004, 03:57 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quote'> What might I be doing wrong if at the end of my drive I have to fight to keep my feet planted firmly on the plates. It seems that momentume naturally lifts them right off and I need to fight very hard to keep them on.  </td></tr></table> The theory is easy; in real world it is difficult. provided you have some arm pull and back stretching "left" in your stroke at the moment when your leg drive is finished, there is no problem with your feet leaving the plate. When arms, back and legs finishing simultaneously, you do have this problem. Tom

[old] doc.mark@verizon.net · Post by **[old] doc.mark@verizon.net** » June 25th, 2004, 4:05 pm

Feeling quite dumb. The form is still not penetrating this thick skull. Thanks for trying to help though. Mark

[old] PaulS · Post by **[old] PaulS** » June 25th, 2004, 6:19 pm

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td class='genmed'>QUOTE (doc.mark@verizon.net @ Jun 25 2004, 08:05 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quote'> Feeling quite dumb. The form is still not penetrating this thick skull. Thanks for trying to help though. Mark  </td></tr></table> You'll be fine with a bit of practice. What is likely, is that you are not quite getting the notion of 'ratio' with regard to drive and recovery. To most folks thinking in terms of 1:2 (the drive being the 1) will help. This will give you more time to finish out the stroke and begin the recovery in a more controlled manner. i.e. Any attempt to rush back up the slide will be met with your feet lifting off the foot plate. Remember, the handle is the source of resistance and if you need more resistance to stop your backward movement you need to get that early in the drive. Another common technique problem is to start the drive very softly and build pressure gradually, with a yank at the finish which sends you off balance and away from the foot plates. Erg on, Paul Smith

[old] doc.mark@verizon.net · Post by **[old] doc.mark@verizon.net** » June 25th, 2004, 6:43 pm

As you begin your drive, do you give an all-out explosion with the legs and then puul through with arms and legs at the end? Is the leg drive something less than an all-out effort? Man, I think I need a coach!

[old] michaelb · Post by **[old] michaelb** » June 25th, 2004, 8:07 pm

I am not at all an expert on rowing although I have been rowing strapless for the past year. The falling off the back of the erg at the end of stroke is exactly the technique problem that rowing strapless is intended to correct. So to the extent your feet are coming off the footplates, that is a sign you have a problem with your technique. I see this as a question of balance. You can't be leaning back at the end of your stroke. Before you finish with your hands, you need to be "balanced" with your back so as your hands finish you are sitting up and not leaning back, and can then smoothly go into the recovery. I think this means that the back portion of the stroke happens earlier (in the middle) and not at the end. My subjective experience was that my stroke "moved up"; meaning I was working harder at the begining of the stroke and working less hard at the end. When strapped in, you can flop back with your back and use your legs to pull your yourself back upright for the recovery. It is possible that some people may be faster flopping back like this, but that may also be an illusion. Whatever added speed you gain by flopping back is not worth the energy expenditure to then recovery yourself for the next stroke. In my experience, there is no question that rowing strapless made me more powerful; although I haven't really translated that to actually rowing all that much faster (yet).

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