Tips to avoid back pain

[Flygrrl]

Hi all, newbie here and looking for advice on avoiding lower back pain. I may be doing too much interval work early in my return to training (4 years of slacking). I’m thinking of switching to a couple weeks of slow and steady to rebuild strength. I’ve scanned the forum and found the following:

- Keep damper <4
- focus on posture
- thumbs above grip?
- core cross training

Thought and additional advice much appreciated!

I.

[jamesg]

Concentrate on your technique: style of action, long quick strokes, low forces, slow sequenced recovery, relaxed and simple, no spurious movement, low drag, low feet; and remember boats and flywheels go by themselves, there's nothing to chase.

Don't try to train; your style will do it for you, if you let it.

[mitchel674]

Keep your core engaged during the stroke.

Do not open your back too early.

Feel the hang on your arms and lats as you initiate the drive.

[Flygrrl]

Concentrate on your technique: style of action, long quick strokes, low forces, slow sequenced recovery, relaxed and simple, no spurious movement, low drag, low feet; and remember boats and flywheels go by themselves, there's nothing to chase.

Don't try to train; your style will do it for you, if you let it.

Low feet? What does that mean? Thanks in advance!

[Flygrrl]

Keep your core engaged during the stroke.

Do not open your back too early.

Feel the hang on your arms and lats as you initiate the drive.

I’ve read about “feel the hang” but I”m not sure what that means...

Also should I be pulling to the sternum or lower and could that affect the back?

Thanks!

[mromero680]

I try to focus on three things throughout each row to prevent low back issues:

11:00 to 1:00 position for torso on each stroke
"Body over" meaning torso follows the hands on the recovery by engaging the core
Someone on this forum recommended visualizing a string attached to the top of your head pulling you upright,

All really prevent rounding your back which is what causes most problems.

[ampire]

If you have the space in your room and the money for it, get some slides.
https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/ ... ies/slides

[jpitchford]

My best tip to avoid back pain: Warm Up Properly! After a year of erging, my back actually feels better than it did before. I attribute this to a full warm-up before every hard workout. This requires at least 5 minutes (10 is better) of “low and slow” strokes on the erg, pace about 40 seconds slower than 2K split. Follow this with at least 10 minutes of stretching, particularly glutes and hamstrings. Coach Will Ruth, author of “Rowing Stronger,” has a useful YouTube video called “Total Body Warmup for Rowing.” Several of these moves are specifically useful to avoid LBP.

[mromero680]

Good point. When my kids were young and time much shorter, I would wake up, put on workout clothes and jump on the rower. Lots of back issues. I'd try to start slow but would look at average pace and go too hard too early. Now I stretch a little, foam roller, and do a 1k warm-up with a hard 10 after 800 meters. Takes less than 10 minutes. No back issues for quite a while.

[Flygrrl]

Thanks for the advice...warming up has always been a weak point of mine but as my husband says, ‘honey you’re not 30 anymore’. Thanks for the reminder!

Lowering the damper so that drag is around 120 seems to help as well.

[Cant Climb]

My .02 cents -

I starting rowing again after about a 3 year break - the break was mainly due to shoulder and wrist surgeries.

Before the break I rowed hard and often with not great form. I thought it was OK and not super bad but it was bad.
I would constantly have a stiff and sore back and this would affect other physical activities like cycling.
I would often have to row after my bike rides to ensure I wouldn't have a fatigued and exhausted lower back on bike rides.

So after my 3 year break I started rowing again. My times were very poor and I started and stopped. I was very discouraged
at my pace/performance on the Model D. I was rowing slower than when I first started rowing.

So i just made the decision i was going to row with the best form possible and not worry about the pace.
Just row a little better as time went on was my mindset - eventually after months my rowing pace was pretty good, but I also had really good technique. So long story short - I can now row 10,000 - 20,000 meters and my back is fine. No soreness ever. No stiffness.
Tired? - yes of course I get fatigued and tired, that is always part of exercising.

How did i learn to row properly?- I just watch the Concept2 videos an some of the Darkhorse rowing stuff. The main thing for me was to not over bend forward at the start of the pull. Have a pretty solid core when start the pull. Do not lean forward into it. Have that natural healthy curve to your back. Also from the Darkhorse rowing guy - I learned to think of my core as "the transmission" of rowing. Even though core seems like it isn't very active at times - it Is. The core really controls the amount of power you can generate, it is very important but subtle at the same time.

[jamesg]

Low feet? What does that mean?

The C2 stretcher has adjustable foot plates so that we can set our feet at a height that lets us get well forward to a comfortable and strong posture at the catch. This is what lets us pull a long quick stroke, of the type used in rowing. See the C2 technique videos.

https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/ ... omfortable

[mict450]

1. keep lumbar spine in neutral position. quit slouching when sitting
2. rock over from the hips, NOT the lower back. learn the difference
3. strengthen your core. I'm partial to Stuart McGill's core exercises
4. technique, technique, technique, NOT speed/pace
5. low drag factor
6. on the drive...better to open back later than sooner
7. keep your chest tall
8. use slides or a dynamic
9. take breaks on longer pieces
10. use skierg as complement to the erg to strengthen anterior chain
11. progress slowly
12. quick drive with the legs followed by slow, lazy recovery

[Dangerscouse]

1. keep lumbar spine in neutral position. quit slouching when sitting
2. rock over from the hips, NOT the lower back. learn the difference
3. strengthen your core. I'm partial to Stuart McGill's core exercises
4. technique, technique, technique, NOT speed/pace
5. low drag factor
6. on the drive...better to open back later than sooner
7. keep your chest tall
8. use slides or a dynamic
9. take breaks on longer pieces
10. use skierg as complement to the erg to strengthen anterior chain
11. progress slowly
12. quick drive with the legs followed by slow, lazy recovery

Yep, that's it perfectly Eric

[mict450]

1. keep lumbar spine in neutral position. quit slouching when sitting
2. rock over from the hips, NOT the lower back. learn the difference
3. strengthen your core. I'm partial to Stuart McGill's core exercises
4. technique, technique, technique, NOT speed/pace
5. low drag factor
6. on the drive...better to open back later than sooner
7. keep your chest tall
8. use slides or a dynamic
9. take breaks on longer pieces
10. use skierg as complement to the erg to strengthen anterior chain
11. progress slowly
12. quick drive with the legs followed by slow, lazy recovery

Yep, that's it perfectly Eric

Thanks, Stu. Unfortunately, hard learned lessons from living with a bad back.

Addendum:
13. if your back is questionable, take a day or 2 break from rowing. better to miss a couple days than miss a couple weeks or months. the reptile part of your brain will try to convince you otherwise. DO NOT LISTEN!!!

Maybe one day I'll be successful in heeding #13.