“We Don’t Just Talk About Rowing
We Actually Row!”
“We Don’t Just Talk About Rowing – We Actually Row!”
Written by Laura Tanley - RowingCrazy.com
Certified Indoor Rowing & Erg Instructor (UCanRow2), Experienced Indoor & On-the-Water Rower & Licensed Physical Therapist
Laura is a mother of two, Certified Indoor Rowing Instructor, Licensed Physical Therapist with concentration in Orthopedics and Vestibular Rehab. Laura has years of rowing experience both indoor and on the water. She is excited to join to share her knowledge with the indoor rowing community.
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Hello, everyone, I’m Laura Tanley, a certified indoor rowing coach and erg instructor, an experienced on-the-water rower, and a licensed physiotherapist. Today, I’m going to talk about the basics of indoor rowing workouts and the best rowing drills for beginners.
Indoor Rowing Drills & Workouts for Beginners by Our Expert Rower Read More »
Hi friends! Anyone who knows me knows I love a good laugh, but anyone who knows my mother knows that she is infamous for bad puns (and bad rowing jokes).
52 Funny Rowing Puns – A Stroke Of Humor Read More »
Many rowers who leave the sport often cite injury as their main reason for leaving – back pain being one of the major complaints.
How to Improve Your Rowing Posture to Prevent Injury Read More »
Hi friends! Glad to see you again.
What Is the Drive Phase in Rowing? Read More »
Before I started rowing on a regular basis, I had very little idea about what a rowing machine really was. I saw them at the gym and since I live near the water, I also saw people rowing their boats or kayaks, but I never really made the connection between indoor and outdoor rowing machines.
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Hi friends!
If you’re new to rowing, you might be wondering how you know if you are using your rowing machine correctly. Or are you reading this because you’ve got a new rowing machine, but it makes your lower back (or arms or even your wrists) ache?
Maybe you’re thinking about taking up rowing, but you want to get some information first before you buy an indoor rowing machine. No matter what your reason is for reading this article, I want to welcome you to the world of indoor rowing!
Learning how to row isn’t very difficult, but it’s important that you get it right, otherwise, as you’ve probably guessed from my intro, you might have pain in places you didn’t expect.
Of course, I’ve got a real passion for rowing, but even if you’ve never even seen a rowing machine before, you can learn to do a rowing workout in just a few hours, sometimes in just a few minutes!
Some people catch on quickly, other’s take a bit of time, but I know you will get a great workout and will feel so good that you’ll want to do more, so why not learn how to use your machine correctly.
Let’s talk about the common mistakes people make and how you can avoid them, as well as how to row properly.
Are you ready? Let’s get ready to rock and row!
Witness expert rower Rachael Taylor as she shares her Top 10 Rowing Machine Tips:
There are several different kinds of rowing machines, air rowers, magnetic rowers, and water rowers being the most popular. Each type is a bit different, and even among the same type, such as water rowers, each model might have different features.
While I don’t have the space here to talk about every model that I know of, let me just gloss over the basics. If you have a different machine, or what I describe here isn’t at all like your machine, you can refer to your owner’s manual.
Similar to assault bicycles, an air rowing machine uses a fan inside a housing to create resistance. Perhaps the most popular air rower is the Concept2.
You can adjust the drag on this type of indoor rower controlling a knob or a lever, usually located on the fan housing. Beginners will want to adjust the damper so that you don’t get too much airflow. The more air, the harder it is to row.
This is another very popular type of rowing machine that uses a flywheel inside a housing or tank containing water. Almost like a small washing machine!
Most water rowers have a set amount of water that the manufacturer suggests, but if you are super fit, you might want to add more water to the tank to increase resistance.
Alternatively, if you are a beginner, you can remove a bit of water from the tank.
How much water you want will depend on your fitness level.
Some water rowing machines, such as Ergatta, have computerized programs that control some of the resistance, or they direct you as to how hard you will work out.
These are also very popular machines for the home gym. They are nearly silent and have a smooth action to them.
Most magnetic rowing machines have some type of knob or lever to control the resistance. Beginners will obviously want to place the resistance very low, and those at higher fitness levels will want to increase the resistance.
If you’re lucky enough to own a smart rower, such as Hydrow, the computer will take over this function so you only need to focus on your rowing form.
Now that you know a bit more about your type of rowing machine, let’s talk about how to row properly.
Watch our video and learn from Olympic Rower Rachael Taylor on Proper Rowing Form:
You wouldn’t suggest to a beginner that they start off on a treadmill using all fours or that they should keep their head down and look at their feet, right?
Rowing is almost the same thing. You want to have the proper technique so that you don’t injure yourself and you get all the benefits that rowing machine workouts have to offer.
Let’s talk about the 4 phases that each rowing stroke entails, the catch, the drive, the finish, and the recovery:
The body movements are the same no matter what type of rowing machine you are using. On a side note it is also important knowing how do you breathe when rowing as this will improve your workouts as well.
Practice makes perfect, friends, so take a deep breath and keep on rowing with that proper form!
Remember that no one is born knowing the proper rowing technique. Everyone had to learn and practice, so take your time. Before you know it, you will be an expert.
One of the best ways I’ve found to nailing down the proper technique is to either use a mirror or film yourself as you row.
If you belong to a gym, you can ask a personal trainer to help you perfect your form. Otherwise, there are lots of instructional videos, such as this one, that can help you improve your form.
The most common mistakes that people make when they first tackle the rowing motion include:
If you feel low back pain, don’t lean back on the finish. Your core muscles and glutes need to get stronger so that they support the lower back. You might also try stretching your hamstrings before and after your workout to help release pressure on the lower back.
Watch our full video by Rowing Expert & YouTube Influencer Max Secunda:
Although everyone is different, I think most people know when they aren’t doing the strokes correctly because something ends up hurting.
If you’re feeling knee pain, you might have iliotibial band syndrome. You can read about IT band syndrome here.
If you are doing rowing workouts every single day without rest, you can feel pain anywhere, but most often in the lower body. Always give your body at least one full day each week to rest and make repairs.
During your first month or two, don’t focus so much on your split time. Practice your form and work on generating power with your legs. Within a few weeks, you will start to notice that you can row longer and not get exhausted.
Our Expert Rower Max Secunda Shares His Simple Rowing Machine Leg Workout:
Be careful, however, because rowing is very addictive! Don’t row to excess! Listen to your body and let it rest if you are tired or if your body aches.
In short, if you aren’t feeling any pain, then you are probably on the right track and doing your workout properly!
The rowing machine can be intimidating, especially if you’ve never used one, but once you get the hang of it, it’s an effective way to spice up your cardio routine.
But while the rowing machine, aka ergometer, is a calorie buster (about 280 calories in 30 minutes for a 130-pound woman) and a good leg and core workout, improper form can lead to all types of injuries if you’re not careful.
Start off slowly and don’t be in a hurry. Your body is building muscle and getting a terrific cardiovascular workout in every stroke. Over time, you will get stronger, and you will be able to go faster.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to warm up, cool down, and stretch every time you do a rowing workout. I’ve seen many people develop injuries because they were in a hurry.
Always give your body at least one day each week to rest and build new muscle mass.
I hope you found this article helpful, friends. A rowing machine is the most fun you can have while remaining seated!
If you are interested in a new rowing machine for your home gym, check this out.
Stay happy and keep rowing!
How to Use a Rowing Machine Read More »
Anyone who knows me knows that I really love a good laugh. Life is too short to be a sour puss so I thought that, for a change, I would post a few jokes poking fun at rowing life.
If this sounds like a good time to you, then you are in the right place.
Get on board our latest rowing shell – now officially named the Yuk-It-Up.
OK, so some of these are real groaners, but we’ll make fun of some rowing terms and hopefully put a smile on your face.
Some call these dad jokes, but I always wondered why. In my house, it was my mother who made the worst jokes ever, but I smile now whenever I think of them.
Ah, the erg! The exercise machine you love to hate! Let’s poke some fun at our ergs. After all, it’s that OAR nothing. (There’s one of my mother’s frequent jokes!)
Those weren’t quite the groaners that the previous set was- I can tell if I’m improving OAR not.
I think I’ve got a few more I can entertain you with. Get your ducks in a ROW, folks, and let’s go!
Ok, some of these were stinkers, but you still laughed, right?
The following 5 jokes have to be my all-time favorites:
I guess you have to have a rowing sense of humor to find these funny, but what can I say? I think I’m funny, but some days it seems like I’m the only one.
I hope you liked my best rowing jokes. Putting these together is hard work, but if I don’t write something daily, I’m afraid I’ll go under!
Just kidding. 😉
Feel free to share these these with your friends and fellow rowers! If you have any other funny rowing jokes that you’d like to share with our rowing community – whether you find them on Facebook or Instagram, or you invent some yourself – please feel free to email them to us via our Contact Page, Facebook or YouTube Channel. We would love to see them!😊
Keep rowing, friends, like there’s no tomorROW.
35 Rowing Jokes: The Funny Side of Crew Read More »
Rowing is by far the most fun you can have while sitting down (well, in my opinion anyway) and even though it is a low-impact exercise, is rowing hard on your hips?
Rowing, by itself and when done correctly, is not bad for your hips. In cases when you feel hip pain while rowing, you are wise to stop and refer to your fitness coach or doctor immediately.
I don’t believe I’ve ever met anyone who stopped rowing entirely because of hip pain, but I have heard some people talk about nagging hip pain when they use their rowing machine.
Does this mean rowing isn’t good for your hip joints? Not necessarily. There’s a bit of a complicated twist to this issue that prevents it from being an easy yes or no answer. In today’s article, I want to talk about rowing, hips, low back pain, and other problems associated with rowing.
The answer here is yes and no. No, rowing itself doesn’t cause pain; yes, neglecting to address tight hip flexors and inadequate stretching can cause pain while rowing. Let’s get into more detail here.
One of the problems with rowing is that you spend most of your time playing this sport while sitting. Other sports, let’s say baseball, will require you to stand, run, walk, and jump. You get a break, so to speak, from playing baseball when you sit in the car or watch TV.
When it comes to rowing, however, this only means you do even more sitting than most. If rowers do not make an effort to loosen their tight hip flexors, then they will experience hip pain when rowing.
Rowing in itself doesn’t really cause hip pain; the results of rowing without taking care of tight hip flexors can lead to hip pain (or groin pain) while rowing.
If rowers do not do something about hip flexor tightness, then this can lead to a common problem called Snapping Hip Syndrome, or SHS. The most noticeable characteristic of this problem is that you can feel or hear (or both) a snapping sound or sensation when you row. There is internal SHS and external SHS. SHS doesn’t always hurt, but it is a super annoying problem in the hip joint.
The most common injury is to the tendon at the top of the rectus femoris, which is one of the quad muscles in the front of the thigh. This muscle is what helps you bring your knees towards your chest, so there is no doubt that overuse of this tendon or a lack of stretching exercises can cause hip pain.
Your hip flexors refer to the muscles of the rectus femoris in the quadriceps and the tensor fasciae latae (TFL), as well as the psoas and iliopsoas tendon. Rather than go through this list, it’s just much easier to say hip flexors.
The rectus femoris is the main muscle of the quadriceps and it does most of the work when rowing. This is a two-joint muscle, connecting both the knee joint and the hip joint.
As I mentioned above, a few reasons why many rowers have chronically tight hip flexors is that they spend most of their time sitting, either at home or in the boat! When you sit on the rowing machine without proper stretching, the muscles and connective tissue become tight, causing pain when you row. Side Note: Elliptical rowers are another great alternative if you suffer with hip pain, I also have a full article all about the Teeter Power 10 Elliptical Rower that you might like to read.
Is hip flexor tightness the same as bursitis?
Don’t confuse hip flexor tightness with bursitis. Bursitis is caused when the bursa sac becomes inflamed. One way to tell the difference is that bursitis will hurt with nearly any movement of the hip, including bending over to tie your shoes. Hip flexor issues often cause an ache or a burning near the top of the hip after rowing for more than 10 or 15 minutes.
If you aren’t sure which might be the cause of your pain, speak to your physician.
You absolutely can!
Foam rolling is perhaps one of the best ways to loosen up those hip flexors and restore your complete range of hip motion.
Foam rolling is a type of self-massage, if you will, that keeps muscles and connective tissues, such as the tendons, loose and flexible.
This type of stretching and massage works on the quads on the front leg, the hip flexors, the glute muscles, and, to be honest, nearly every part of the body.
If you haven’t done foam rolling, you will be addicted once you start. I always recommend foam rolling to rowers who experience pain or are interested in injury prevention.
Watch our video and Improve your Rowing Technique with Olympic Rower Rachael Taylor:
Exercise is vital for the joints, including the hips, when it comes to pain management. Weakened hip muscles will no longer be capable of supporting the lower body and the joints, and thus cause pain.
Strengthening exercises, such as the low-impact type you get from rowing, is a great injury prevention tool. When the muscles supporting the hips, such as the rectus femoris and the glute muscles, are strong, the joint works better.
If rowing does not cause you hip pain, it can be a terrific way to strengthen the legs, core muscles, as well as the glute muscles to avoid painful hip flexors.
When speaking about hip flexor tightness, there are certain things that will only make tight hip flexors worse and cause you hip pain.
Some things to avoid would include:
Of course, many people today have desk jobs, sitting in front of a computer all day. While you can’t avoid your job (unless you hit the lottery, then you should call me) but you can counteract the effects of sitting by getting in regular exercise, such as rowing.
Most low back pain when rowing comes from the lack of proper form. If you’re new to rowing, you should take a few basic classes on how to do the strokes properly. You can also find free instructional classes online. Set up a mirror and watch your form as you do the strokes. Don’t concentrate on your speed right now, that will come with time.
If you’ve been rowing for some time, don’t lean back so far on the Finish phase. Try keeping your body at about a 1 o’clock or 2 o’clock position. This should help stop your back pain. Another option is to try some of the inversion boards, such as this one. These have helped my back and neck pain tremendously. I love my Teeter FitSpine Inversion Table so much, if room permits I take it with me wherever I go!
Is Rowing Bad for Your Hips? Read More »
Hi friends!
Today I want to talk about love and rowing. Not really the love of rowing, which is what I usually write about but rather, when rowers try to woo the object of their affection with witty pickup lines.
Using my usual blend of nautical wit and athletic charm (ahem), I’ve come up with these OARsome one-liners designed to make a splash and leave hearts afloat.
So, whether you’re an experienced rower seeking a coxswain for life or simply someone drawn to the allure of rowing, come join me into the world of rower pick-up lines and discover how love can truly row your boat!
The word best is relative, is it not? I think these are the best pick up lines I’ve heard in years, but then again- I haven’t dated in many years!
Are you grimacing?! Come on! I would have laughed if my husband had used any of these lines!
If you didn’t like my favorites, let’s try these!
Come on, friends! Some of these are downright funny! Well, funny if you like all things rowing, I suppose. Gotta row to more Power Tens below!
I’ll work on being less cheesy and more ROWmantic, ok?
Were those any better? You’re a tough crowd, let me tell you!
Alright, I’m going to give it my best shot here. Let’s see what you think of these.
You’re really loving these, aren’t you? I can tell. That’s because I write ROWmantic lines!
If you want to impress that special someone you think is OARsome, try one of these non-fail pick up lines.
I hope you liked these pick up lines and that they really get things ROWing for you!
I don’t want to sound like your mother, but please use these pick up lines with good intentions. No one wants to be thought of as a stalker, right?
By the way, let me tell you about two pick up lines that have had guaranteed success.
So, there you have it, the 52 best rowing pick up lines. Whether you’re a rower yourself or just looking for a way to impress someone who is, these lines are sure to get a laugh. You might even find yourself rowing off into the sunset with your new rowing partner.
But remember, these are just pick up lines. They’re not a guarantee of success. So if you use one of these lines and it doesn’t work, don’t take it personally. Just try a different one. And who knows, you might just find the perfect rowing partner for you.
Have an OARsome day, and happy rowing-partner hunting!
52 of The Best Rowing Pick-up Lines to Make Your Heart Race! Read More »
Hi friends! My name is Petra and today, I want to talk a little bit about what rowing does for the body.
Is rowing primarily an anaerobic burst of power or a sustained aerobic endurance exercise?
The quick answer is-
“Rowing is both aerobic and anaerobic! It is a centuries-old sport and a popular fitness activity.”
Is Rowing Anaerobic Or Aerobic? Read More »
Rowing is a great way to get in shape, but it’s also a lot of hard work. If you’re a rower, whether indoors or out, you know that the pain is real. But even though rowing can be tough, it’s also a lot of fun. And there’s no better way to celebrate the love of rowing than with a good meme.
Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good belly laugh so finding these gems was a real pleasure for me.
Whether you’re a seasoned rower or just starting out, these memes will hit home. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.
The Seven Stages of Rowing: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Zoom Technique Videos, Depression, Acceptance, Rowing Like a Pro
The only sport where you’re rewarded for making yourself suffer.
The only sport where you can feel like you’re dying and still having fun.
The sport where you’re constantly questioning your sanity.
The sport where you can be both in shape and out of shape at the same time.
When you’re a rower, every day is leg day.
Try rowing, they said. It’ll be fun, they said.
Brace yourselves. The last 500 is coming up.
There is a hell. I’ve seen it.
Hi THIRD!!
Rowing: The only sport where going backward is the way to win!
Rowing: Where ‘catching crabs’ is a sports term, not a seafood activity!
Newbie mistake: Thought the coach was talking about dinner.
42 Funny Rowing Memes – From Real Rowers! Read More »
If you’re new to the world of indoor rowing, you aren’t alone. Rowing is very quickly becoming the top-selling piece of home exercise equipment, and there are many good reasons for this.
Rowing workouts are one of the best ways to blast away fat, burn calories, and work your cardiovascular system, just to name a few.
There are as many different rowing machines available as there are users so you might have some questions about your rowing machine and how to use it. Let’s also talk about how to set up indoor rowers and how to find the optimal settings for beginners.
In this article, I will try to cover all the bases, answer the most common questions, and give away a few secrets that I’ve picked up over the years to get the most out of your rowing experience.
Sit down and hold on tight because we’ve got a lot of ground (or should I say water) to cover!
When you sit down in a car that you haven’t driven before, such as a rental car, what is the first thing you do?
You adjust the seat so you can reach the pedals and steering wheel comfortably. Then you adjust the inside and outside mirrors. You might even take a quick look and familiarize some of the controls, such as headlights, wipers, and door locks before you turn the key.
The same is true with your rowing machine.
Elevate Your Rowing Game with Olympic Rower Rachael Taylor’s Form Tutorial:
Take the following steps to set up your indoor rower so that you will be ready to choose a rowing workout and get started.
Now that you have your machine ready to get started, let’s talk about some other settings that you may want to consider before you even sit down.
Click Here to See the Rower Everyone is Talking About!
If you have an air rower (such as Concept2) or even a rower with dual types of resistance and one of which is air (such as the Aviron rowing machine), there is a setting called the damper that you will need to adjust first.
The damper is like a window that allows more or less air to reach the fan. The more air that the fan receives, the heavier your boat will feel.
The less air you allow into the flywheel housing, the less drag you’ll feel. If you use different machines to work out, make sure you adjust the damper setting each time.
Many people make the mistake of leaving the damper open so they get maximum airflow and maximum drag factor. This might be fine for a seasoned professional, but for beginners, you’ll definitely want to adjust the damper setting. Side note: Read my article on weight categories for rowing if you are interested in starting competitive rowing..
Explore Expert Tips: Top 10 Rowing Machine Insights by Rachael Taylor:
If you leave the damper completely open, you will be exhausted very, very quickly. This would be like trying to run a 5K with a 40-pound weight on your back.
Each machine is different, so I can’t give you a set number or setting that would be perfect. However, if you own a Concept 2, most people will start off with a damper setting somewhere between 2 and 4. Start off with the damper in the number 2 spot and if you feel your workout is too easy, you can move up from there.
Higher damper settings will give you a harder workout since the flywheel will feel heavier, while lower damper settings mean an easy rowing workout.
The damper setting controls the machine’s drag factor or resistance. Once you’re comfortably rowing at a particular damper setting, you can check the resistance value at that level by selecting Display Drag Factor. Next time you row, you can go directly to that setting.
Depending on which model of rowing machine you have, you will see different numbers on the display, and some of them can be confusing.
Nearly all rowing machines will use metrics such as your stroke rate (or strokes per minute), intensity or speed, distance, time, and calories burned.
You should get used to talking in meters since rowing is measured this way.
Some rowing machines will allow you to toggle between speed units of meters per second, miles per hour, 500- and 2,000-meter split times, power in watts, and calories burned.
The most common metric you will see is time per 500 meters (often written as /500 meters), better known as your split time. Your split time is how fast you can row 500 meters. The lower the number of minutes, the better you are doing.
Some rowing machines will read the distance you have traveled until you stop. Other displays will allow you to set a certain distance in meters (for example, 2,000), and as you start to row, the display will count down until you hit zero.
HIIT or high-intensity interval training is one of the best ways to lose weight and improve your overall fitness level. The idea is to row hard for shorter periods of time, alternate with easy rowing, and as a result, burn more calories than when you perform regular rowing workouts.
Some rowing machines will allow you to set up (or they might have preset HIIT programs) so that you can work for a set number of minutes, then rest for a set period of time.
Not all rowing machines offer this but if yours does, it’s a terrific way to get in a workout without using a timer on your watch or staring at the clock!
Many rowing machines either have built-in heart rate monitors or are Bluetooth-enabled so that you can set up your own. Some models have their own heart rate monitors, such as the Hydrow offers.
The best rowing machines will allow you to use a heart rate monitor that will display your settings on the screen so that you don’t have to keep glancing at your watch (read more on the hardest rowing machine settings).
Heart rate monitors are useful tools for losing weight. By keeping your heart rate in your fat-burning zone, you can burn fat faster. You can find out more details about your maximum heart rate and how to burn fat here. FYI Read My Full Ergatta Fitness Reviews here!
When it comes to using a rowing machine, if you don’t learn and practice the proper rowing stroke, you might end up with a backache.
There are four phases to a rowing stroke. The proper rowing technique is as follows:
Many newer rowing machines offer beginners programs to help you learn the strokes, such as the ones that Hydrow and Ergatta offer (be sure to check our reviews on both rowing machine brands)
If yours doesn’t offer this feature, you can sign up for a class at your local gym or watch some of the many online videos available.
Here are some of the best tips to help you learn the proper technique:
Remember that your torso should be straight except for the Catch position. If you keep your back rounded as you row, you will get a nasty lower backache.
The more familiar you are with your rowing machine, the easier it will be to operate it.
When you start rowing for the first time, it’s best to take your time learning the rowing stroke. It will help to understand what the numbers on your performance monitor mean, but don’t be too concerned with your strokes per minute or calories burned. Everything will follow after you’ve put down the proper rowing form and technique.
You will quickly discover that rowing is fun and love the way you look in a few short weeks!
Stay safe, friends, and happy rowing!
Indoor Rowing Machine Settings for Beginners Read More »
It is a common misconception that moving your body faster up and down the slide with a higher stroke rate will provide a better workout and make you a faster, better or more powerful rower.
Stroke rate on the indoor rower is not a measure of power, and moving our body faster does not always equate to more power. So why then do we care about our strokes per minute on a rowing machine, and what exactly does it mean to improve it?
Stroke rate is the number of strokes you do per minute. In simpler terms, it is the number of times your seat goes up and down the slide within a minute.
When your body moves very quickly through the rowing stroke (read more on how to improve your split time ), your stroke rate increases, and when your body’s movement slows down, the number decreases.
What is the ideal stroke rate for rowing on a rowing machine?
There is not a simple answer to this question. It depends on many factors, including the following:
Typical stroke rate ranges widely from 18-30 strokes per minute (SPM) for training workouts and from 30-38 SPM for race pace.
So does “improving” your stroke rate mean increasing the number of strokes per minute?
No!
Once again, stroke rate is not a measure of power or how hard one is working. Improving stroke rate refers to consistency and control.
Rowing at a very high stroke rate, with your body moving very fast, expends more energy. If your cardio/fitness level does not meet the expenditure needs, your body will burn out and fatigue before you finish the workout.
On the other end of the spectrum, you might be rowing at a very low stroke rate but still trying to produce your ideal split times or wattage. If your strength/fitness level does not meet the expenditure needs, your body (or most likely legs) will burn out and fatigue before you complete your workout.
It means that you need to know how your body performs at different stroke rates because this awareness is crucial in helping you plan your workout accordingly. Being able to control and maintain the desired strokes per minute helps to maintain power and avoid fatigue for the duration of the workout.
Watch below experienced erg rower Max Secunda:
The connection is significant! The faster you move, the more difficult it is to maintain your proper rowing form/technique. New rowers (and some not-so-new rowers) often find that when they try to increase their stroke rate, their form begins to fall apart.
Why is this so?
The ideal ratio of Drive:Recovery is 1:2 or 1:3, which means that you should take twice (or thrice) longer to recover than the time you performed the drive. What happens is that often, this ratio changes to 1:1 or 2:1.
When form falls apart and/or the ratio changes, efficiency is lost and therefore power is lost (splits increase or wattage drops). And if you are rowing for distance ( see our distance calculator ), it will take much longer to reach your goal.
If you are aware of the ideal stroke rate that allows you to maintain your proper rowing technique, every stroke you take will be more efficient and capable in generating more power to add on the meters.
You might be wondering what a good target stroke rate is. There are varied stroke rates for varied workout goals, as you will see below. If you are –
Watch our video on Correct Rowing Machine Form with Olympic Rower Rachael Taylor:
Time for a form check!
Practice this:
Try some rowing workouts vs “just row”. The rowing workouts given above as examples for improving control and consistency are a good place to start. You can find many goal-oriented rowing workouts online, and depending on your rowing machine/erg, there may be some programmed into your monitor.
Time for a form check (read through the tips above)! Pay close attention to that Drive:Recovery ratio. Sometimes, counting during the stroke can be beneficial to improve consistency.
Watch my above video to learn how to do the Pick Drill
The simple answer is no. There is really no reason to “move faster” if you are comfortable rowing at a certain stroke rate, able to maintain good rowing technique, producing the power you want, and getting a good workout.
However, if you are having an issue with any of these factors, then maybe you need to increase or decrease your SR. More importantly, you should work on control and consistency and re-evaluate.
Most of all, enjoy the row!
Improving Your Rowing Strokes Per Minute – from an Expert Rowing Coach Read More »
