Great video and I like the informal, unscripted approach. You mention engaging and firing the glutes often in this video. Obviously this is a very important part of the stroke. Could you possibly do a short video of how to engage the glutes correctly, and how it should feel please? It’s quite a dark science and I’m trying to sequence my muscle groups to work together, but I’m not sure I’m on the money yet. I’ve watched a million rowing videos and nobody specifically targets the sequencing as a stand alone. Cheers
The reason it’s harder to contract a muscle when it’s stretched is because muscle fibres (actin and myosin) form cross bridges to contract, so when a muscle is lengthened there’s the least amount of fibres overlapping to pull themselves together - it’s called sliding filament theory So you’re right :) eccentric exercise is thought to potentially add sarcomeres (muscle fibre units) which lengthens the muscle as well as improve your strength through range so you can use it better which is why RDLs are just 10/10 amazing for improving hamstring flexibility
Older indoor rower with a history of lower back/sciatica issues working with a physio now to get things sorted. His path to recovery for me has been a lot of hip flexibility work then building strength in the glutes/hamstrings so I'm stronger through the extremes of the rowing stroke, which is pretty much what you've described here. It's been at the back of my mind that although he's a good physio, he's not a rower and might not be fully understanding the demands of the rowing action, but you've totally reassured me! Thank you.
Hey Jack, thanks for the great in depth video again. Love to see your perspective and opinions about different rowing styles and methods. You mentioned gripping the handle in your palms more compared to in your fingers and how that translates tension to the rest of your body. This is something I always have struggled with. Would you consider making a video about grip positions on the erg and in the boat? I always have the feeling my ore(s) or handle can slip out at any second (and that has happened to me numerous times). Would love to see how you approach it. Thanks.
One change you made that helped with your glutes was how you sit on the seat. You started off sitting "on your pockets". The current video shows how you shifted slightly forward so that you are now sitting on the top of your femur. It might be a change of an inch but it allows you to rock forward more easliy and use your glutes properly.
LID! This was a great video, I would love to hear more about hand positioning throughout the stroke on the erg. As a smaller rower, 5’4” & still a novice. I would like to hear some best practices that could carry over into the boat. Thanks!
Great points on range of motion in the hips and strength in the hips. Do you think mobility in the ankles/calves is also important at the catch to try and get the heels as flat as possible? Or is that really not costing me much compared to my grip on the handle and maximizing range of motion in the hips?
I think that ankle mobility / keeping the heels flat is overrated and comes from technique in weight lifting. If you can get shins perpendicular at the catch, with your pelvis rocked forward, that is more important IMO. Definitely an idea for a video, thanks.
thanks, mate. you got some good form
Thanks for sharing these insights. Suggestion for future - breathing tips
Great video and I like the informal, unscripted approach. You mention engaging and firing the glutes often in this video. Obviously this is a very important part of the stroke. Could you possibly do a short video of how to engage the glutes correctly, and how it should feel please? It’s quite a dark science and I’m trying to sequence my muscle groups to work together, but I’m not sure I’m on the money yet. I’ve watched a million rowing videos and nobody specifically targets the sequencing as a stand alone. Cheers
Will add it to the list.
The reason it’s harder to contract a muscle when it’s stretched is because muscle fibres (actin and myosin) form cross bridges to contract, so when a muscle is lengthened there’s the least amount of fibres overlapping to pull themselves together - it’s called sliding filament theory
So you’re right :) eccentric exercise is thought to potentially add sarcomeres (muscle fibre units) which lengthens the muscle as well as improve your strength through range so you can use it better which is why RDLs are just 10/10 amazing for improving hamstring flexibility
Ooohhh thank you for that! Stealing it.
Older indoor rower with a history of lower back/sciatica issues working with a physio now to get things sorted. His path to recovery for me has been a lot of hip flexibility work then building strength in the glutes/hamstrings so I'm stronger through the extremes of the rowing stroke, which is pretty much what you've described here. It's been at the back of my mind that although he's a good physio, he's not a rower and might not be fully understanding the demands of the rowing action, but you've totally reassured me! Thank you.
Hey Jack, thanks for the great in depth video again. Love to see your perspective and opinions about different rowing styles and methods. You mentioned gripping the handle in your palms more compared to in your fingers and how that translates tension to the rest of your body. This is something I always have struggled with. Would you consider making a video about grip positions on the erg and in the boat? I always have the feeling my ore(s) or handle can slip out at any second (and that has happened to me numerous times). Would love to see how you approach it. Thanks.
Thank you for the idea.
This is a gold mine 😮
One change you made that helped with your glutes was how you sit on the seat. You started off sitting "on your pockets". The current video shows how you shifted slightly forward so that you are now sitting on the top of your femur. It might be a change of an inch but it allows you to rock forward more easliy and use your glutes properly.
Yes this is true, that does help! I would say that was a result of being more mobile in the glutes, rather than just changing how I sit.
LID! This was a great video, I would love to hear more about hand positioning throughout the stroke on the erg. As a smaller rower, 5’4” & still a novice. I would like to hear some best practices that could carry over into the boat. Thanks!
Great points on range of motion in the hips and strength in the hips. Do you think mobility in the ankles/calves is also important at the catch to try and get the heels as flat as possible? Or is that really not costing me much compared to my grip on the handle and maximizing range of motion in the hips?
I think that ankle mobility / keeping the heels flat is overrated and comes from technique in weight lifting. If you can get shins perpendicular at the catch, with your pelvis rocked forward, that is more important IMO. Definitely an idea for a video, thanks.
Great stuff, keep these coming. Could only be improved by cameo appearance from Tokyo…
He joined me on the latest Podcast recording 😂