Sweat Management

[[old] lenexa_jayhawk]

Did not see this posted so straightforwardly, so wanted to be blunt.<br /><br />I sweat a lot while rowing. Everywhere. Forehead. Shoulders. Arms. Hands.<br /><br />You get the picture now, I'm sure.<br /><br />I have the new angled handle. Unfortunately, without either bicycle gloves or medical tape (and often both), I would never complete a 30 minute or longer row due to shifting or loss of grip.<br /><br />Has anyone found good solutions to this issue? This is not life or death and certainly does not ruin my workout or enjoyment of the row. It's just a pain in the butt.

[[old] Godfried]

When things get too wet, I dry one hand during the recovery, the other a few strokes later.<br /><br />I try to hook, not grip the handle, so there is some room to get the water out.

[[old] michaelb]

Sweat bands help me, I use them to wipe my head, but I think they help with sweat on the hands too. Also, you should buy a cbreeze, that would help keep you cooler.<br /><br /><a href='http://ps-sport.net/CB_main.htm' target='_blank'>cbreeze</a>

[[old] Byron Drachman]

Check out the photo of Martin using socks on the handles:<br /><br /><a href='http://concept2.ipbhost.com/index.php?s ... 60&st=3345' target='_blank'>http://concept2.ipbhost.com/index.php?s ... 345</a><br /><br />I hook my fingers and keep such a loose grip that it doesn't matter to me if my hands and the handles are wet.<br /><br />Byron

[[old] John Rupp]

Byron,<br /><br />You need to row a bit harder and longer. <br /><br />I wrap the handle with nylon socks, which gives my fingers a great grip all the time -- with fingers and hands relaxed like Byron's.<br /><br />If perspiring a lot then I slip on tennis wrist bands, sometimes 1/2 way through a row. <br /><br />Baseball wrist bands work too and are longer but tended to bother my wrists.<br /><br />

[[old] Byron Drachman]

<!--QuoteBegin--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->You need to row a bit harder and longer. </td></tr></table> <br /><br />Hi John,<br /><br />I agree about the harder. I've been rowing on water since June and have been concentrating on getting the stroke right rather than trying to move the boat as fast as I can. I've seen some local rowers settle for bad technique such as dragging the oars on the water, using the blades as outriggers during the recovery, then doing a flip-catch. They work hard and go pretty fast. I'm not interested in practicing with poor technique. The rowing-on-water season will end shortly around here (Michigan) and then it's time to go back to a training plan and intervals on the C2. <br /><br />Back to the loose grip: I learned, and I believe this, that the oars will tend to find the correct height and position in the water if you just gently drop them into the water at the catch. The trick is to have the blades squared before they drop down. With the loose grip and fingers curled, the blade stays squared through the drive. Of course, you can't have the grip too loose.<br /><br />John, have you tried rowing on water? It's great fun, and a challenge to do develop good technique. Good rowers make it look so easy. It's not.<br /><br />Here's what I'm hoping for: Someday someone will say: "Look at Byron. He doesn't go fast, but isn't that great technique?" I'd settle for that.<br /><br />Byron<br />

[[old] Ray79]

<!--QuoteBegin-Byron Drachman+Nov 9 2005, 11:09 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Byron Drachman @ Nov 9 2005, 11:09 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->You need to row a bit harder and longer. </td></tr></table><br /><br />I learned, and I believe this, that the oars will tend to find the correct height and position in the water if you just gently drop them into the water at the catch. The trick is to have the blades squared before they drop down. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />We used to do this in the 8+ at University. 4 people would row, and the other 4 would do all of the motions but just drop the blade in at the catch position and allow the blade to find their natural position in the water and return to them "automatically" (through the motion of the boat). The blades will indeed "float" in the correct position with just the painted part in the water. It was supposed to teach us about a level draw for maximum efficiency and to discourage against lifting with the shoulders and back through the drive, digging the blade in and therefore making a clean extraction and quick hands recovery more difficult.<br /><br />Anyway, a bit off thread there.<br /><br />As for the sweaty hands issue I agree with Byron and Godfried. I hook my fingers and grip lightly (probably comes from my OTW rowing as do most of my blisters). This seems to prevent my hands getting too bad during long rows.<br /><br />Never saw that socks thing done before I have to admit. But I think I will leave it for now. I get enough funny looks in the gym from the non rowers during 40min sessions on the ergo, dont want to really start them talking or the guys in white coats will be called

[[old] Byron Drachman]

Hi Ray,<br /><br />Thanks for the suggestion. I've done some of that drill in a 4 or 8. The people around here call it the Casper drill. I've been working on keeping the hands level and at the correct height during the drive and the recovery. I've been doing some square blade rowing also. I've got some books with other blade drills. <br /><br />From the Art of Sculling by Joe Paduda, copyright 1992 by Ragged Mountain Press:<br /><br /><!--QuoteBegin--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Simply put, bladework involves putting the oar in the water with the blade squared up at the catch, removing it from the water still squared up, feathering as soon as the blade has cleared the water, and gradually rolling the blade up so it is ready for the next stroke. Piece of cake. </td></tr></table> <br /><br />That's pretty funny. That's what I've been trying to do all summer and fall.<br /><br />Since we're a little off topic anyway, John, have you erged with Xeno's DVD's? Now that you have slides, you'll really enjoy them, I think. I just did his upper body workout on the C2, but that was after 11K on the water. Ouch! With your background you won't find it as challenging as I do, but on the other hand how hard you do the workout is partially up to you. Give them a try, I say. They're great fun.<br /><br />Byron

[[old] lowwall]

Back to the sweat issue. You need airflow to evaporate the sweat. Since you appear to have your own rower, just add a cbreeze and/or a fan. Before Paul invented the cbreeze, I sometimes even used two fans. If this is insufficient, you cann add headbands and/or wristbands. There are some reasonably light and stylish ones available from your racquet sports retailer.<br /><br />I sweat a lot, but a fan plus the cbreeze is enough for normal workouts for me. I'll put on a headband for long hard rows, as I dislike sweat dripping on my glasses. This combination keeps sweat from bothering me even during a marathon row, even though at the end I have visible lines of dried salt on my head and body (drives home the need for sports drinks for long rows).

[[old] Xeno]

Hi<br />What I would use is: Wrist sweat bands and a short or long sleeve shirt made out of some material that immediately dries. Such a shirt is usually close to $40. Install a fan next to you while you row. OR EVEN BETTER (wink wink to Paul S) buy the C-Breeze for your rowing machine.<br />XENO

[[old] John Rupp]

<!--QuoteBegin-Byron Drachman+Nov 9 2005, 08:09 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Byron Drachman @ Nov 9 2005, 08:09 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->John, have you tried rowing on water? It's great fun, and a challenge to do develop good technique. Good rowers make it look so easy. It's not. </td></tr></table><br />Byron,<br /><br />I never have but might try kayaking if ever live conveniently near the water.<br /><br />My wrapping of the nylon socks is like wrapping bicycle handlebar tape.<br /><br />It's a very tight wrap, and looks very close to using a regular handlebar tape.<br />

[[old] John Rupp]

<!--QuoteBegin-Byron Drachman+Nov 9 2005, 09:45 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Byron Drachman @ Nov 9 2005, 09:45 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->John, have you erged with Xeno's DVD's?[right] </td></tr></table><br /><br />Byron,<br /><br />No I haven't.<br />