Form

[momofyr]

This is a stupid newbie question: How important is it for my back to be straight while I'm rowing? I cannot keep it as straight as the person in the training video, either at the 1 o'clock or the 11 o'clock positions. I'm getting a good workout, but I don't want to do any long-term damage. My back muscles get sore before any other muscles, which is why I'm asking. Thanks!

[jamesg]

All you need to do is row long slow strokes at a power that's in proportion to your height, age and sex; however keeping our back straight can help better load distribution and so reduce stress.

[Blaze]

I think you're right to be thinking long-term about the back. It's possible that you're keeping your back straight, but the soreness is just from those muscles being out of condition more than the rest of you. Or, if you're pretty sure that your form is suffering, you might consider dedicating your warm-up to keeping the back straight, even if it takes you out of "1 o'clock and 11 o'clock" positions. As you progress, you'll be able to carry that form into the full stroke, since the way your back feels in proper position will be fresh in your mind.

[brianh]

If you're focusing on keeping your back straight and your back gets sore fast, it might just be from the strength required for the straight back. I had the same problem and just kept at it, and it gradually became easier to keep my back relatively straight, with less soreness. About a million meters after starting to work on that I still wind up rounding my back toward the end of an hour-long session. You just have to build up that specific strength, and it takes time.

Being aware of and maintaining good posture off the rowing machine also helps with this.

This is assuming that flexibility isn't an issue. Stiff hamstrings, lower back, or hip muscles would make you have to work harder to keep a straight back through the forward portion of the stroke. Stretching those out before and after rowing is just a good idea anyway, but if you are less flexible there make it a focal point as well.

[Gman_ROWS]

Keep your back straight or you will hate yourself the next couple of days.
When you are at the finish, don't lean back too far either, or your back will be hurt.

[TheRocketeer]

I agree with everyone who has been talking about how important the back is. Take it easy on your back - you only have one! Straight is best for the long term.

You might want to work on your flexibility and stretching. I've often found that lower back soreness is correlated with not stretching my hamstrings. Stretching my hamstrings usually reduces or eliminates the low back pain either quickly or immediately, and I find that the more frequently I stretch, the less likely I am to get new pain.