Rowing
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bostonwolf
Posts: 3,038 Member
We had a rowing class today at the box that was very instructive. I'm fortunate that in Boston rowing is a BIG deal, so we have access to some world-class coaches.
A few tips they gave us.
1. Your upper body should be rotating from about 1pm at full extension to 11pm when you come in. You also do not want to round your upper back. The coach said to pretend that you were rowing in a room where the ceiling was right above your head and try to have your head brush it every time.
2. The emphasis was on driving from your heels HARD each time you push back, then slowly reloading. We focused on stoke count. The first drill was at 18 spm or less. This REALLY feels slow, but is good for perfecting your form. We then did a partner 3000m row switching off every 500. Kept that at 26spm or less. It was interesting to see that you can slow down your strokes and still generate a similar pace with a stronger push.
3. The handle should hit your lower ribcage and then come back to arms extended. Almost like the drill we do from the hang where you pull the bar up to your chest and your arms are just kind of guiding the bar? Same idea after you extend your legs and push off.
Lastly, it turns out that being tall does have some advantages in Crossfit, and rowing is one of them!
My partner Danielle and I (randomly drawn) won the 3000m row going away in about 12:23.
A few tips they gave us.
1. Your upper body should be rotating from about 1pm at full extension to 11pm when you come in. You also do not want to round your upper back. The coach said to pretend that you were rowing in a room where the ceiling was right above your head and try to have your head brush it every time.
2. The emphasis was on driving from your heels HARD each time you push back, then slowly reloading. We focused on stoke count. The first drill was at 18 spm or less. This REALLY feels slow, but is good for perfecting your form. We then did a partner 3000m row switching off every 500. Kept that at 26spm or less. It was interesting to see that you can slow down your strokes and still generate a similar pace with a stronger push.
3. The handle should hit your lower ribcage and then come back to arms extended. Almost like the drill we do from the hang where you pull the bar up to your chest and your arms are just kind of guiding the bar? Same idea after you extend your legs and push off.
Lastly, it turns out that being tall does have some advantages in Crossfit, and rowing is one of them!
My partner Danielle and I (randomly drawn) won the 3000m row going away in about 12:23.
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Replies
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Great tips! I guess I've had some pretty good coaching after all - I've been coached to keep back straight. And me being a shorty was told I have to row more to get the same distance as a taller person. Boo!
I'm going to try pushing hard from my heels - that piece I didn't know.0 -
Great tips! I guess I've had some pretty good coaching after all - I've been coached to keep back straight. And me being a shorty was told I have to row more to get the same distance as a taller person. Boo!
I'm going to try pushing hard from my heels - that piece I didn't know.
Same here. Most of these tips I know/do already, and I have a pretty strong stroke for a relatively short girl so I must be doing something right.
I did a row today just during warm up and thought about pushing with my heels, but it felt so unnatural. When you go in, you do so on your toes, right? At the start of the stroke when you're all the way at the front of the rower, your heel comes up and you have to push out for the first part of the stroke before your heels make contact again with the foot hold. So you'd have to start by pushing with your toes, and then switch on to your heels.
I might try again tomorrow and really slow it down, but it felt not quite right today...0 -
I rowed in college, and when I joined crossfit part of the reason was because i knew they used ergs in their workouts, and I was looking for the same kind of team atmosphere! I love that they incorporate them, because I'm still weak with some of the other parts of workouts, but I can keep up with the rowing parts :happy:
You are totally right about the slower stroke ratings...they are killer! The ones at 18 spm but full power used to be my least favorite for sure!0 -
C2 Rowing is the same movements as a deadlift, only you are sitting. If you follow correct deadlift form your rowing then becomes a matter of pace.
Yes tall people have the advantage in rowing, but us short stocky folks own you all in Oly. LOL
Tall people hate Snatch lifts!
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Great tips! I guess I've had some pretty good coaching after all - I've been coached to keep back straight. And me being a shorty was told I have to row more to get the same distance as a taller person. Boo!
I'm going to try pushing hard from my heels - that piece I didn't know.
Same here. Most of these tips I know/do already, and I have a pretty strong stroke for a relatively short girl so I must be doing something right.
I did a row today just during warm up and thought about pushing with my heels, but it felt so unnatural. When you go in, you do so on your toes, right? At the start of the stroke when you're all the way at the front of the rower, your heel comes up and you have to push out for the first part of the stroke before your heels make contact again with the foot hold. So you'd have to start by pushing with your toes, and then switch on to your heels.
I might try again tomorrow and really slow it down, but it felt not quite right today...
Definitely. I come forward and am on my toes, but as I push I roll down to my heel and that's where I really generate the force. Once you get it right you will feel the difference.
They had us row 500m at an 18 stroke-per-minute pace. This is INSANELY slow. It is the number on the top right of the screen that you have never in your life looked at.
We are doing a "Level 2" class on the 18th where they will do some videotaping of our stroke that I will definitely share.0 -
I rowed in college, and when I joined crossfit part of the reason was because i knew they used ergs in their workouts, and I was looking for the same kind of team atmosphere! I love that they incorporate them, because I'm still weak with some of the other parts of workouts, but I can keep up with the rowing parts :happy:
You are totally right about the slower stroke ratings...they are killer! The ones at 18 spm but full power used to be my least favorite for sure!
My wife rowed in high school and in college at Syracuse, so she is the reason my stroke was relatively clean to start. We would watch the CF games this fall and she would point out "this guy is good, that girl stinks" and tell me why. It really helped a lot.0 -
C2 Rowing is the same movements as a deadlift, only you are sitting. If you follow correct deadlift form your rowing then becomes a matter of pace.
Yes tall people have the advantage in rowing, but us short stocky folks own you all in Oly. LOL
Tall people hate Snatch lifts!
Very true. For the most part the ideal Crossfit male is about 5'10 and weights about 185. Shorter than that and you aren't strong enough to do the powerlifting required (Josh Bridges) and bigger than that (Aja Barto) and you have trouble keeping up in cardio.0 -
C2 Rowing is the same movements as a deadlift, only you are sitting. If you follow correct deadlift form your rowing then becomes a matter of pace.
Yes tall people have the advantage in rowing, but us short stocky folks own you all in Oly. LOL
Tall people hate Snatch lifts!
Very true. For the most part the ideal Crossfit male is about 5'10 and weights about 185. Shorter than that and you aren't strong enough to do the powerlifting required (Josh Bridges) and bigger than that (Aja Barto) and you have trouble keeping up in cardio.
Interesting! I always wondered what the ideal weight/height would be to compromise between cardio and lifting. Do you have a female statistic and examples?0 -
I love rowing in cross fit. I will definitely keep this tips in mind the next time I am on a machine.0
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C2 Rowing is the same movements as a deadlift, only you are sitting. If you follow correct deadlift form your rowing then becomes a matter of pace.
Yes tall people have the advantage in rowing, but us short stocky folks own you all in Oly. LOL
Tall people hate Snatch lifts!
Very true. For the most part the ideal Crossfit male is about 5'10 and weights about 185. Shorter than that and you aren't strong enough to do the powerlifting required (Josh Bridges) and bigger than that (Aja Barto) and you have trouble keeping up in cardio.
Interesting! I always wondered what the ideal weight/height would be to compromise between cardio and lifting. Do you have a female statistic and examples?
No, but take a look at the women you see on the podium. Very strong ladies. Almost guaranteed they do supplemental lifting in addition to CF to build that kind of mass.0 -
Another way to think of it. A lot of advanced CF movements come from gymnastics.
Are there any elite gymnasts who are tall? No. Because physics and size/weight/strength ratio works against you dramatically over a certain height.0
