ummmmm… the videos not showing up. Maybe it will show soon?
EDIT: Yep it worked.
LM will probably be able to give you much better advice than I can on your form, but I will give it a go anyway from what I have learnt so far.
Make sure you sit up tall and do not let your back round. Also on the drive phase make sure you initiate it with your legs and accelerate with the legs through the drive phase before opening your back. It seems to me you are drawing your arms too early which is actually inefficient and takes away from the back and the legs. The arms should only be used at the last part of the stroke before you begin the recovery. You seem quite a powerful guy so perfecting technique should allow you to apply that power more efficiently which will help your ergo times massively, especially if you put the resistance at a more appropriate setting.
As I say I am still very much a novice rower so LM feel free to dismiss or add to my advice.
Alright Greg,
Get your hips behind you slightly. Right now you’re rowing very upright which isn’t allowing you to utilize probably 20-25% of your power. You want to have your hips slightly behind you, which means the angle at your hips is slightly narrower. This will allow you to have a much longer stroke as well as be more efficient on the drive (your just wasting lots of power). As far as your sequencing goes, I’ve seen worse but it could be better. Due to your hips being underneath you you never really get the timing down since it looks as though your hands are having to come slightly over your knees at times and there is massive chain whip (massive chain whip shows a lack of control on the recovery and hands moving all over).
Lastly you need to get some ratio. Ratio in the rowing world is drive time to recovery time. You want to maximize your recovery while increasing your drive. Who do you think is more efficient, the guy who pulls a 1:45 split with a 1:3 (drive:recovery) or the guy who pulls it at a 1:1? If you can maximize your recovery you’ll be able to have much more staying power. I’d slow the rate down, get your hips behind you and lower the damper. Your pulling through your shoulders first instead of pressing with your legs because your damper is high.
When you’re all the way out at the finish (arms in) you want to swing out of the finish so that your arms and upper body are over (with your hips behind you) and that way by quarter slide (your knees have just started to break and your body is over) you do not have to move your upper body again until the drive. You want to minimize upper body movement on the recovery once past quarter slide.
I’ve been having more people ask me about erging and what not from a variety of sites I’m on and a few I write for so I’m going to put together a “how to” type video for the erg. Who knows maybe I can even convince them to let me write an article for here.
LM,
When you do the instructional video, do a side shot with the damper at 10 and then one with the damper at 4.
The difference in body positions and technique should be obvious.
TNT
[quote]TNT-CDN wrote:
LM,
When you do the instructional video, do a side shot with the damper at 10 and then one with the damper at 4.
The difference in body positions and technique should be obvious.
TNT[/quote]
To some extent it will be. Keep in mind I know how to row properly at a 10 or a 1. It’s a matter of whether or not my body is working as efficiently in terms of power production at certain rates and how fast my body will fatigue. If I grab one of my kids as a demonstrator it may be a bit more obvious. I’ll play around with the video camera and see.
Hey thanks for the info/critiques guys. I’ll work on those suggestions.
Yeah LM if you got to write an article with a how to video that would be awesome. Rowing is a cardio/fat loss tool that I doubt a lot of people actually use but it is definitely an ass kicker and you dont need much to feel exhausted.
[quote]gregron wrote:
Hey thanks for the info/critiques guys. I’ll work on those suggestions.
Yeah LM if you got to write an article with a how to video that would be awesome. Rowing is a cardio/fat loss tool that I doubt a lot of people actually use but it is definitely an ass kicker and you dont need much to feel exhausted.[/quote]
My only issue is that I may be facilitating more people getting on the erg and trying it out which will of course irritate me when I go to the gym and see someone on there that has no clue what they’re doing and ruining the machine. It’s a trade-off ya know. Depends if nice-LM or jack-ass-LM is out and about. Usually at the gym it’s jack-ass-LM that hates everyone.
[quote]LiquidMercury wrote:
[quote]gregron wrote:
Hey thanks for the info/critiques guys. I’ll work on those suggestions.
Yeah LM if you got to write an article with a how to video that would be awesome. Rowing is a cardio/fat loss tool that I doubt a lot of people actually use but it is definitely an ass kicker and you dont need much to feel exhausted.[/quote]
My only issue is that I may be facilitating more people getting on the erg and trying it out which will of course irritate me when I go to the gym and see someone on there that has no clue what they’re doing and ruining the machine. It’s a trade-off ya know. Depends if nice-LM or jack-ass-LM is out and about. Usually at the gym it’s jack-ass-LM that hates everyone.[/quote]
hahaha that is true. I went into the gym the other day and there were two fat girls on the erg’s… it made me so mad lol
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]LiquidMercury wrote:
[quote]gregron wrote:
Hey thanks for the info/critiques guys. I’ll work on those suggestions.
Yeah LM if you got to write an article with a how to video that would be awesome. Rowing is a cardio/fat loss tool that I doubt a lot of people actually use but it is definitely an ass kicker and you dont need much to feel exhausted.[/quote]
My only issue is that I may be facilitating more people getting on the erg and trying it out which will of course irritate me when I go to the gym and see someone on there that has no clue what they’re doing and ruining the machine. It’s a trade-off ya know. Depends if nice-LM or jack-ass-LM is out and about. Usually at the gym it’s jack-ass-LM that hates everyone.[/quote]
hahaha that is true. I went into the gym the other day and there were two fat girls on the erg’s… it made me so mad lol[/quote]
Please don’t take your anger out on the fat girls. Someday they may be fit hot chicks and then you will be thankful. Isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about??? (just kidding)
TNT
Some of my recent times are 5k in 18.05 which is 1:48.5 split at rate 24. 30 minutes at rate 20 I managed 8046m at 1:51.8 split. Huge improvements from 9 months ago when I only just broke 20 minutes on my 5k and did less than 7500m on my 30 minute ergo.
LM I have really been following your advice doing 4 outings steady state, occasionally technical rather than distance, a week. On top of this we do a compulsory ergo which is 30 minutes at rate 20 or 10k at high intensity. On top of this I have been doing 2 heavy full body weight sessions and also often doing 2 long 60 minute steady state ergos at rate 17 a week. I have bought my steady state split to around 1:58.0 without feeling too bad when I come off. I really want to push off from here and improve all my times on the longer distance ergos before I bring sprint and lactate work in leading up to regatta season.
Would you recommend even higher volume of training if I can fit it in and also what are good types of crosstraining as ways of improving my aerobic base as a change from ergos? Also I am doing a lot of foam rolling but am still finding my hips, glutes and hamstrings getting really tight. What do you recommend to help this?
If you’ve got the time, up the volume. True steady state workouts are 60-120 minute in nature heart rate around 135-155 (very important to make sure you’re in the right training zone).
As far as crosstraining goes - Cycling is one of the best since it does not load the back and you can do it for 3-4 hours at a time. This and cross-country skiing are the two major crosstraining activities the national team does.
Foam rolling hip mobility. Foam rolling helps but unless you are actively working on your mobility and flexibility then you’re really not doing anything to help the tightness in my opinion.
[quote]gregron wrote:
why would you use the rowing machine and not put the resistance all the way up to 10? Thats weak.
Anyone who likes the rowing machine should try rowing 10 minutes (or if you’re bad ass 20 minutes) and keep your 500m split time under two minutes… now thats a kick in the balls. (i did the 20 minute one only once)
.greg.[/quote]
I know this is an old post but it needed to be said. You should really stop talking.
[quote]SILVERDAN7 wrote:
[quote]gregron wrote:
why would you use the rowing machine and not put the resistance all the way up to 10? Thats weak.
Anyone who likes the rowing machine should try rowing 10 minutes (or if you’re bad ass 20 minutes) and keep your 500m split time under two minutes… now thats a kick in the balls. (i did the 20 minute one only once)
.greg.[/quote]
I know this is an old post but it needed to be said. You should really stop talking.[/quote]
And since that post I’d say Greg has learned the problems that come with keeping the damper up at 10.
[quote]LiquidMercury wrote:
[quote]SILVERDAN7 wrote:
[quote]gregron wrote:
why would you use the rowing machine and not put the resistance all the way up to 10? Thats weak.
Anyone who likes the rowing machine should try rowing 10 minutes (or if you’re bad ass 20 minutes) and keep your 500m split time under two minutes… now thats a kick in the balls. (i did the 20 minute one only once)
.greg.[/quote]
I know this is an old post but it needed to be said. You should really stop talking.[/quote]
And since that post I’d say Greg has learned the problems that come with keeping the damper up at 10.[/quote]
I know, Im a dick and should read more of the recent posts before I start talking shit. It was not my intention to give somebody whos obviously eager to learn and get better a hard time and I apologize. Obviously its a sport specific device which is great for all around conditioning. But given what seems to be your background, I am sure you have come across more than your share of db’s who scoff when you tell them putting the damper that high is not the best idea for efficiency/safety reasons.
By the way Liq.Mer what is your rowing background?
Any advice on hip mobility for rowing? I remember a while back you mentioning you were going to write up about it, or I may be mistaken. Might try and fit another steady state erg and some cycling in, but at least my times are starting to head in the right direction as are my numbers in the weight room. Thanks for the advice LM.
Heh, I remember two girls on the C2s at my gym and they were having a conversation. I mean, Jesus, when I’m on there I’m doing my damndest not to vomit. I won the women’s challenge earlier in the year despite being more than 10 years older than the next fastest. I wasn’t going to let those scrawny bitches beat me.
I’ll see if I can post some 500m times here. I’ve been neglecting the rower for too long.
[quote]SILVERDAN7 wrote:
I know, Im a dick and should read more of the recent posts before I start talking shit.[/quote]
couldnt have said it better myself… coming from someone with no pics, videos or even stats in their profile. lol
Good lookin out LM.
I’ve been working on my technique since your video critique and my stroke rate per minute on my last 2k was 23-24… average 500 on that 2k was 1:50… It was my “warm up” so it wasnt 100% all out. Felt a lot more smooth than before. thanks
[quote]SILVERDAN7 wrote:
By the way Liq.Mer what is your rowing background?[/quote]
10+ years at a national level of competition, possibly going to make one more run at the olympics before I’m too old. Coaching now for 7 years on both the collegiate and high school level.
[quote]Ironwarrior25 wrote:
Any advice on hip mobility for rowing? I remember a while back you mentioning you were going to write up about it, or I may be mistaken. Might try and fit another steady state erg and some cycling in, but at least my times are starting to head in the right direction as are my numbers in the weight room. Thanks for the advice LM.[/quote]
I do a lot of side stepping over the bar set to a height that forces me to really stretch my ROM while not clipping the bar and thus racking my nuts on it or falling. I focus on lifting through my knee (imagine someone has a string attached to your knee and is pulling it upwards and then over the bar). I also go under the bar focusing on getting depth through my hips and not from my torso falling over or coming closer to my quads. I also do a lot of leg swings prior to this to get a bit looser.
Been focusing on finishing out the season with my kids, lots of traveling and coaching so I haven’t had much time to work on side-projects like getting a video up of hip mobility or erging. I’ll be at head of the hooch this weekend in chattanooga and then traveling for my other job the next week so maybe when I get some time off after the fall season and I’ll get these vids up for you guys. I truly think it’d help you out. If you have any requests or ideas about what you’d like to see feel free to post them in here.
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]SILVERDAN7 wrote:
I know, Im a dick and should read more of the recent posts before I start talking shit.[/quote]
couldnt have said it better myself… coming from someone with no pics, videos or even stats in their profile. lol
Good lookin out LM.
I’ve been working on my technique since your video critique and my stroke rate per minute on my last 2k was 23-24… average 500 on that 2k was 1:50… It was my “warm up” so it wasnt 100% all out. Felt a lot more smooth than before. thanks[/quote]
I swear your idea of warmup is ridiculous lol. If I was going to erg for a warmup (prior to lifting that is) it’d be 10-15 minutes steady state at an 18 really focusing on lengthening out and firing my muscles in sequence correctly. Personally I think you should focus on the length and connectivity over the next few weeks, really get your technique down, then take a day out and do an actual 2k test.
15-20 minutes extremely light steady state on the erg, hop off stretch, bathroom, maybe some gatorade and then hope on to go. Test around 28-30 base rate and then sprint it out in the last 250 (don’t go earlier then that until you learn force control or you’ll fly and die). Hell, film it and I’ll tell ya how you look at “race pace” which is usually different then steady state or other type workouts.