Novice Questions

[Redfern500]

I have been rowing for maybe a few weeks. Have been enjoying the new challenge (usually a runner), and have gotten my 6k time down to 23:13 @ 160lb / 5'10". Any recommendations on online tutorials for improving form (or ensuring I have any form at all). I haven't received any commentary on my form at all nor have I really looked for myself, so I thought I'd start here.

Side note: I've heard you're not really supposed to use the foot straps to pull yourself back down the rail. Why? Don't you lose speed by easing back slowly?

Sorry for all the naïveté.

[Joebasscat]

Welcome to the Forum!

Google Row Along. John does a good job addressing form with just about every workout he puts out. Others will come along to address your foot strap question in more detail, but do try to avoid that. No need to “ease back slowly” without using the foot straps to pull yourself back. As you get more experience on the rower you may want to try rowing with your feet out of the straps. You will discover form issues if any exist. I row strapless for all my SS sessions (Steady State) at 18-20 SPM. Can go up to 24 or 26 SPM without the straps, but not normally. Some don’t like, others swear by it. I think it’s good feedback and I like it. Since you are relatively new to rowing, no need to rush that if you want to try it. Keep safety in mind if you do.

[Autoland]

Side note: I've heard you're not really supposed to use the foot straps to pull yourself back down the rail. Why? Don't you lose speed by easing back slowly?

Welcome!

Each stroke consists of four phases. Drive / finish / recovery / catch. For me, the most important aspect of maintaining proper form is a controlled recovery that allows for a strong body position at the catch. The catch is a transition point and you really don't spend any time there. You need to be ready for the next drive before you get there.

The portion of the stoke when you are "pulling" yourself back down the rail is known as the recovery phase. The other active phase, when you are traveling up the rail is known as the drive phase. If you're in a boat on the water, this is when your oars are submerged and propelling the boat.

From what I've learned in my short time onboard, unless you're going all out and sprinting, the drive phase accounts for 1/3 of a stroke while the recovery phase accounts for the other 2/3. On the drive, you push hard with your legs and maintain rigidity through the rest of your body to transfer much of that power to the flywheel. On the recovery, you give your body time to prepare for the next drive phase.

Thinking about rowing on the water, you're not losing speed travelling back down the rail because the oars are not in the water. By easing back slowly, you allow time for your body to recover and properly prepare for the catch.

I've gotten into the habit of not using the foot straps on steady state sessions and generally maintaining a stroke rate of 20 SPM.

[JaapvanE]

Thinking about rowing on the water, you're not losing speed travelling back down the rail because the oars are not in the water. By easing back slowly, you allow time for your body to recover and properly prepare for the catch.

It is even worse: a too explosive recovery will kill all speed in a boat as someone is actively pulling it in the wrong direction to overcome his own inertia. On an erg, when strapped in and recovering too agressive, you can make the erg physically go backward (I can still do that, my wife suggested fitting my erg with a GPS). So it isn't the most efficient to start with.

Additionally, think of the flywheel as a swing where in some specific moment in time you can add energy. In rowing, that moment is called "the catch": your speed matches the flywheel speed and thus you increasing speed will accelerate the flywheel. When the swing is moving away again, you can do a lot of movement yourself, but it misses that effectiveness to add a lot of energy to the swing as you basically missed it. When the swing is moving towards you, you'll slam into it. Same goes for the flywheel: a too hasty recovery makes you encounter a fast flywheel, making the catch nearly impossible, greatly reducing the stroke's effectiveness. When your recovery is too slow, you'll encounter a way to slow flywheel, and the catch feels heavy as you slam into the flyhweel. So rushing the recovery doesn't help you, unless you really know what you are doing (like the pro's, that know how to handle a switch from a 28 spm to a 32 spm while maintaining a good catch).

Removing the straps removes nearly any possibility to pull yourself in, forcing you to use gravity and inertia to get back to the catch position.

[gvcormac]

For all but the shortest of sprints, you are energy limited not speed limited. The energy you expend in yanking yourself back in recovery is simply wasted when you stop at the catch. So you want your recovery to be as gentle as it can possibly be. If you want to be faster, yank harder on the drive.

I wear socks and leave the straps in a fixed position that I slip in and out of. They help me ensure I don't lose my footing but I don't use them to pull for recovery. I don't avoid it on purpose, it just doesn't happen. The weight of my calves on my heels provides plenty of traction.

[Dangerscouse]

Welcome to the forum.

For the vast majority of my sessions I row unstrapped, and my shoes are on top of the straps, so they're not even loosely fitted.

It takes a little bit of getting used to, but you need to learn to centre your gravity and not waste energy with too much of it being put into a secondary movements.

I'll happily row up to r26 and circa 1:53 pace, so it's not like I have to go really slow to be able to do it. It's not essential in any way, and lots of very fast rowers never bother with it, but I find it is helpful

[Tony Cook]

I have been rowing for maybe a few weeks. Have been enjoying the new challenge (usually a runner), and have gotten my 6k time down to 23:13 @ 160lb / 5'10". Any recommendations on online tutorials for improving form (or ensuring I have any form at all). I haven't received any commentary on my form at all nor have I really looked for myself, so I thought I'd start here.

Side note: I've heard you're not really supposed to use the foot straps to pull yourself back down the rail. Why? Don't you lose speed by easing back slowly?

Sorry for all the naïveté.

Dark Horse has good row along videos.
As for foot straps, I don’t use them for anything less than a 2k TT or sprint session. I only use them if I know I need to go over 32SPM.
As you are new to erging I think you would benefit from rowing without so you don’t learn one way then have to re learn.
But others will say they’ve erged for 20 years and used straps every time they sat on a machine.

[nick rockliff]

I have been rowing for maybe a few weeks. Have been enjoying the new challenge (usually a runner), and have gotten my 6k time down to 23:13 @ 160lb / 5'10". Any recommendations on online tutorials for improving form (or ensuring I have any form at all). I haven't received any commentary on my form at all nor have I really looked for myself, so I thought I'd start here.

Side note: I've heard you're not really supposed to use the foot straps to pull yourself back down the rail. Why? Don't you lose speed by easing back slowly?

Sorry for all the naïveté.

Dark Horse has good row along videos.
As for foot straps, I don’t use them for anything less than a 2k TT or sprint session. I only use them if I know I need to go over 32SPM.
As you are new to erging I think you would benefit from rowing without so you don’t learn one way then have to re learn.
But others will say they’ve erged for 20 years and used straps every time they sat on a machine.

I've erged for 20 years always use straps

[jamesg]

not really supposed to use the foot straps

At high race ratings on the erg (say over 28) you'll use the straps to pull yourself toward your feet, due to the quick recovery.

But if you train at low rates (18-23) and use the slow rowing recovery sequence (hands away, then swing forward, then slide) the pull by the feet will not be noticed.

The straps are also safety devices: they can stop us falling off the erg or in the water even when almost completely relaxed. If you try feet out in a boat, make sure the rest of the crew keep the boat level.

Feet out exercise can be used on erg as a desperate attempt to prevent some of the worst erger faults; your 6k time suggests you have no faults at all. However if on recovery you lift your hands over your knees, some small correction to the sequence might help posture.