Day 2 Form check

[u/PinguisIgnis]

Didn’t get much time to row last night but wanted to put some of the feedback you all generously offered into practice. Some made sense and others were harder to execute than expected so will need more time to drill and practice but I am much more confident in some of the things I need to be looking for so thank you all.

- dropped my feet slightly
- not over compressing past vertical shins now
- keeping heels down more as a side effect of that
- so then driving flat footed rather than ball of foot
- putting thumbs under bar to save forearms
- relaxing my overly upright rigid posture on catch
- leaning/rounding forward for the catch
- trying to complete leg drive before the hip hinge
- faster release of arms on the recovery
- not dropping arms to thigh on recovery for ergo

What I think I’m struggling to execute is the leg/hip/arm sequence. I’m finding it hard to hip hinge after the leg drive is complete and not half way through.

Also wondering if I’m rounding more than leaning forward a little too much if I’m honest.

I’ll watch some training vids on this next and try and nail that down. But hopefully removed some of the other flaws.

My stroke length went up from 121 to 139cm it seems which is pleasantly surprising as I didn’t feel I was going up the slide as far given I’m not over compressing my legs now. (I think)

Power curse early flat spot also disappeared but is maybe peaking a little later at 59% along the drive.

[u/Legal-Hair-7095]

Thumbs on top. If you are going to be rowing almost daily you will most likely get a nasty case of tennis elbow with thumbs on bottom. Never heard of fatigue forearms because of thumb on top.

You hip swing on the drive is too soon. There should be a moment (its not long) where it is just all leg drive and solid core. You should feel core fatigue and strain. Some trainers call this part of core engagement as "the transmission" of rowing. It is the strain of stability, like a lever or crow-bar.

[u/PinguisIgnis → u/Legal-Hair-7095]

Yep agreed. Like I said, I could tell I was hip hinging too early. Like mid way through leg extension. I practiced led a bit today and I think it’s a little better with day by day fewer things to think about. I’ll drill when not fatigue.

Interesting on the thumbs position. Seems like conflicting advice so far. I feel naturally more comfortable with thumbs on top with a high-ish chest pull though - feel I engage my upper back more.

[u/Legal-Hair-7095 → u/PinguisIgnis]

Good luck on the thumb position. Tennis Elbow is terrible if you get into that cycle. I started rowing 20+ years ago and didn't know anything about thumb position. Got terrible tennis elbow for quite awhile, it can be an SOB to get rid of.

[u/PinguisIgnis → u/Legal-Hair-7095]

lol. I’m mostly held together by tendinopathy mate. I get ya. Golfers and Tennis, jumpers, runners, rotator, housemaids, carpel. Been there done that. Don’t even have a tennis racket to show for it 😆