CAlves and ankles give out first

[jagmanvdp]

Hi:

I have noticed that on longer rows (about an hour or so in my case) that the lower calves and ankles give out long before the arms, back or thighs. By that, i mean, I can feel the strain and pain there first and have to stop rowing before anything else gives out.

I was wondering what I should be doing to improve things so that I can row longer....without my calves stopping me. I'd love to get to the point where it's my lungs/heart that give out first...rather than my muscles.....

Darren

[PaulS]

Hi:

I have noticed that on longer rows (about an hour or so in my case) that the lower calves and ankles give out long before the arms, back or thighs. By that, i mean, I can feel the strain and pain there first and have to stop rowing before anything else gives out.

I was wondering what I should be doing to improve things so that I can row longer....without my calves stopping me. I'd love to get to the point where it's my lungs/heart that give out first...rather than my muscles.....

Darren

Any chance of you getting appropriate feedback on your technique where you are located? It sounds as if you are overcompressing at the catch and driving off of your toes, trying to hold that through to the finish. The lower leg should be rather relaxed while rowing, the fact that you are fatiguing it more quickly than the more major muscle groups is indicative of a technical problem.

Try strapless rowing to begin with, it won't force you to do everything right, but it can not do anything to hinder the formation of improved technique.

[jagmanvdp]

Paul:

When you start the drive....I was under the impression that the legs are doing the work until a certain point, after which the arms take over and finish it. When using your legs, how should your foot be? Are you pressing off the heel or the whole foot should be flat?

I am confused how the lower leg can be essentially relaxed when one is using their legs to push in the first part of the drive.....

Immediately after the catch and through the first part of the drive....which muscles should I feel doing the work?

Thanks

Darren

[johnlvs2run]

Are you wearing shoes with soft soles or raised up in the heels?

If so, get rid of them.

I always row barefoot and never have any problems.

[PaulS]

Paul:

When you start the drive....I was under the impression that the legs are doing the work until a certain point, after which the arms take over and finish it. When using your legs, how should your foot be? Are you pressing off the heel or the whole foot should be flat?

I am confused how the lower leg can be essentially relaxed when one is using their legs to push in the first part of the drive.....

Immediately after the catch and through the first part of the drive....which muscles should I feel doing the work?

Thanks

Darren

Yes, the generalized sequencing during the Drive is Legs, Torso, Arms; I prefer to use Knees, Sternum, Elbows as a description and it seems to inspire a bit better overall posture and muscle focus.

While the sequence is important, absolute seperation is not, each neighbor overlaps, but all three should not overlap at any givein instant, making the maximum overlap one-half.

If you are capable of keeping your heels down, while at the same time achieving vertical shins, do that, but if they need to rise slightly let them (and continue working on ankle flexibility), the heels will support the majority of the force bing applied and the rest of the foot will provide balance (just as it does as we walk around every day).

The rowing stroke is not an uncommon motion, it's just the orientation of our body that seems to make it confusing. Think of picking up a heavy object off the floor: We extend our hand, pivot at the hips, then bend our knees to rach it (The recovery), grasp the item while firming our core (catch), extend the leg, pivot toward upright, and finally draw the item with our arm for a closer look. (Drive) A quite natural sequence, but with rowing we are seated and the resistance is perpendicular to gravity, but the foot plate has been angled to allow a more full range of motion at the ankle. Imagine picking the same item up, but now you are standing on a 45deg slope facing downhill. Just about every muscle is involved in the rowing stroke at one time or another, due to the opposing directions of movement.