My Model D creeps forward as I row - sign of bad form?

[sheridan_rower]

Happy new year!

I'm a relatively new user of a Model D and am wondering if this problem is typical or not. My location for the rower is such that the front is only about 10 inches from a dresser. About eight minutes or so into a row my rower has already managed to creep all the way to dresser, and every stroke results in the flywheel banging against it - very annoying! Is this a sign of bad form? It's on a HW floor, so I imagine carpet would be a lot grippier. Does anyone else have this problem? Short of laying a towel over the dresser or getting a rug, any suggestions?

[Citroen]

If your floor is very slippy Concept2 UK do a floor mat (don't know if the C2 USA shop does that). The other way to cure the sliding is to wrap some gaffer tape round the feet (sticky side out) so that will hold the machine to the floor (at the risk of leaving nasty sticky patches on the flooring).

But, unless you're pulling 1:20 splits it's normally a sign of a technique issue. Try rowing strapless without tying your feet down.

[johnlvs2run]

Home Depot and similar places have nonstick gripping *** DELETE - SPAM *** drawer liner for $2 a roll.

It's good stuff and would help keep your erg from sliding forward when you row.

As to rowing, make sure you're not banging into the catch at the end of recovery.

[sheridan_rower]

Thanks for the feedback. I don't think my floor is especially slippery, and and am sure that my form is pretty inefficient. That's the likely culprit. In any event, a grippy drawer liner or some kind of mat is the way I'll go for now - good idea for me to have something on the floor anyway.

[philrow]

To elaborate on what John said, watch your catch and recovery. During winter training, my crew would line up 8 ergs along the side of our school gymnasium along the same strip of paint. The (bad) stroke of my lwt v4+, nicknamed "Shorty McRushRush," would usually end up half way across the gym after his pieces -- he simply kept a bad ratio of about 1:1 and rushed his catches. While your floor could definitely contribute to your moving forward, as it did in the gym, perhaps try to refine a 1:2 ratio between the speed of your drive and your recovery, which you can adjust as you become more comfortable, and especially focus on a slow last few inches up to the catch.

Phil

[johnlvs2run]

he simply kept a bad ratio of about 1:1 and rushed his catches. While your floor could definitely contribute to your moving forward, as it did in the gym, perhaps try to refine a 1:2 ratio

The top rowers I've checked have kept very close to a 1:1 ratio, during erg and Olympic competitions.

A 1:2 ratio "might" help to improve at a 1:1 ratio but I've never found it to be so, as those who train in such a manner seem to have a very hard time rowing smoothly at the 43 to 47 percent drive to stroke range.

IT seems to me that training intensely at a 1:2 ratio would make a 43 to 47 percent drive to stroke ratio more difficult to perform smoothly, and increase the likelihood of banging into the catch, because of neglect of recovery and transitions and not being used to the smoother rhythm and movement that's required.

[PaulS]

Happy new year!

I'm a relatively new user of a Model D and am wondering if this problem is typical or not. My location for the rower is such that the front is only about 10 inches from a dresser. About eight minutes or so into a row my rower has already managed to creep all the way to dresser, and every stroke results in the flywheel banging against it - very annoying! Is this a sign of bad form? It's on a HW floor, so I imagine carpet would be a lot grippier. Does anyone else have this problem? Short of laying a towel over the dresser or getting a rug, any suggestions?

Something with more grip may help as suggested, however if it takes 8 minutes for you to move 10 inches (if the movement is only in the one direction) it doesn't sound as if you are doing too much wrong on a rather slick surface. If you can get a piece of 2x4 that is long enough to run under the dresser and provide a stop for the Erg Foot against the wall (center it well) it will also eliminate the problem. Our ergs sit about 10 inches from the wall on a HW floor and a small block like this works well.

[philrow]

John, I agree, top rowers can certainly row closer to 1:1. But, I have seen problems when bad rowers or novice rowers do so. I personally tend to intentionally vary my "ratios" widely depending on what I am trying to achieve. Oddly enough, I don't actually know what "ratio" I tend to row in a 2k... I guess I just go.

Do you think there should be a difference in drive/recovery ratio on-the-water?

[johnlvs2run]

I have seen problems when bad rowers or novice rowers do so.

I would imagine that anyone's form defects would show up more the closer to a 1:1 ratio.

Do you think there should be a difference in drive/recovery ratio on-the-water?

I haven't rowed on the water but feel the principle would be similar.

When I learned piano at a young age, the instructor said to practice difficult passages at least 5 times slowly for every 1 time up to speed. Later I played trumpet and did the same. If a measure or two needed more practice, I would play that sequence over and over 20 or 50 times however many it took until perfect, aiming for the proper speed at the end and then blending it in.

Of course the object was not to play everything slowly all the time, but to learn the proper sequence and timing and then be able to perform perfectly from then on at the intended speed of the piece. I feel the same principles apply to rowing and training.