After rowing competitively and coaching for 20 years, the best advice I’ve ever heard is to do a lot of your training without ever bending your arms. It’s the best way to feel the power from the hip hinge. Then we you add your arms back in, the monitor makes it clear that your arms are AT MOST 10% of your power if you’re rowing well.
Were you surprised to see _this guy_ was the world's fastest erger? I know I was! It is 1k though; I didn't even remember they did those. I wonder what the normal champion looks like.
Aha, Ive always thought the upper body lat/rhomboid pull was supposed to be a pretty big part of the total power, will try taking it out of the equation.
You should feel it in the lats for sure, but that’s not where the power comes from. The lats and core support the leg drive and connect it to the handle as the power comes from the legs. If you feel it in the traps, relax the shoulders and keep them lower. The most powerful part of the stroke is actually the hip hinge though, not necessarily the legs (common misconception, even with advanced rowers). The legs build up power and speed on the drive as the boat accelerates, then the hip hinge is where you are really able to feel the “send” and accelerate the boat (or erg fan) to its maximum speed. Then the arms just hold on to the speed that you’ve built to add more length to the stroke.
Oh god, I felt for your poor back. I'm a rower. Rowers destroy their backs with bad technique. Sorry but I don't know where to start in a short comment. Get proper rowing coaching
Awesome! Essentially a 15 minute masterclass from James. I appreciate not only his accomplishments, but his no BS way of breaking down the requirements to generate power, & his generosity to share his knowledge with us. Thanks Mark for bringing this to us & suffering along the way!
4 หลายเดือนก่อน +39
Been rowing for 2 years now and yes, that's exactly what my instructor taught me first... only thing to add is breathing, you should inhale in the resting phase and exhale in the arm pulling step. In order to train this technique, we do warm ups 1minute only arms, then 1 minute hip flex and arms, then 1 minute same but now 40% leg, then 1 minute 60% leg, then 1 last minute all the way; it's 5 minutes, do this twice as a warm up, and that's a good way to build muscle memory for indoor rowing.
This is the first time I’ve seen someone who doesn’t look like a rower / probably has never been a rower absolutely nail rowing technique. Hats off to this guy.
@@MarkLewisfitness I think I'm betting on you against him for any distance, if it's pure running. But, if you do collab with him, you could try running with weight, and then you can try to figure out a weight that would make the race balanced. Too light, you win easily. Too heavy, he wins easily. But somewhere in-between, there must be a sweet spot. That could be fun.
Love it! As someone who does rowing as a sport in school, I've still learnt some things from this! My lowest split so fast is 1 minute, 33 seconds at ( 5 foot 6) and 16 years old, I don't think it's good but hey, still wotking on it!
James is outstanding. It is impressive what he has done. The strength and fitness are outstanding. It doesn't matter that he could never row on water. What is amazing is the pace and fitness. Great work
I have a lot of respect for him too, I just don’t like that people call what he does “rowing”. Rowing involves water, oars, and a boat. He’s using an ergometer, known in the rowing community as an erg. So he’s the worlds best erger over 1000m, not the worlds best rower.
One of the best and most informative videos on the RowErg I’ve watched so thanks for making. Followed the advice, made some tweaks to how I row and already see a difference. At 51 I row a sub 20sec 100mtr and 1m 58s 500mtr though improving all the time. What I struggle with on sprints is getting up to speed and need to work on that initial power uptake.
Interesting to see what we discussed a couple of years ago for your video still getting worked on now. Like you said in this video, and something we discussed way back then, the changes don't happen overnight unfortunately. Keep up the good work. Hopefully in another two years the technique has improved again 💪
Power is proportional to speed cubed. To give you idea of what some of the splits discussed equate to in terms of power. 200W is 02:00 split 300W is 1:45 400W is 1:35 500W is 1:29 600W is 1:23.6 700W is 1:19.4 Over shorter distances it's probably better to think in terms of Watts. For example if you were rowing for say 20 minutes at a 2:30 split (103W) and then decided to increase by 10s that's only going to mean 25W more. But if you are at 1:30 and you try and go 10s faster then you need to go from 480W to 683W
@@IustinPop the cycling movement is completely different. Its far more efficient with there being no recovery. With the power formula being W/t, your power output per stroke is effectively halved (most of the time) because you arent creating any doing any work most of the time.
I watch and learned how to row with RowAlong (John Stevenson) who has been criticized by faster rowers for his [unwelcome] advice. The thing is it's hard to take advice from someone you can row faster than. But rowing is not just technique, but build, and nature makes some people stronger than others. We tend to receive advice more readily from those who row faster than us rather than slower Yet the advice that James Hall gives here is no different from the advice you get on RowAlong. John Stevenson is a truly excellent rower for his size and body weight. He knows what he's talking about, even if he can't row as fast as the really big guys. All he wants to do is help others and improve indoor rowing for everyone (beginners to advanced). He is worth listening to in my (not so) humble opinion.
Quality video, very interesting to learn about the mechanics involved with rowing, not really something you think about as a casual. I’m gonna try a 250m row when I get in the gym and see how it goes.
My advice for you is: Do not stop at back stop position When you reached back stop position, extend your arms quicker and control your pace using your legs You should always finish extending your arms before you lean forward (during the drive) Also, do not stop at front stop position, as soon as you reached there, you should start your leg drive Hope it helps. Sorry for my bad English
One of my all time favorites - THANK you for this one! 1s off my best 250m and 16m more on the 9 by 1:40/20" - two PRs on a Friday evening after work... You and James rock 👏
Mark you're doing awesome!! You really have all the pieces for a great stroke, it's just a matter of fine tuning the timing. Thank you for sharing your journey. I think watching you learn this deceptively complex movement will really help people enter rowing! I rowed for 5 years and coached for 3 years. It took me 2 years to learn to row efficiently. James advice was spot on! I think doing some drills where you isolate the 3 phases of the drive sequence (legs/back/arms - James called it knees/hips/arms) would really help you get a feel for the technique James was demonstrating. One of the ways you'll know you've got the timing is your weight will come off the seat slightly at the instant you initial the stroke. This is an indication that you are fully leveraging your body weight. LMK if you would like some help. I know a couple drills for this.
James Hall is an absolute beast, and he's giving good advice! His execution on the rowing machine however is a different story, but that just goes to show that, while it certainly helps, one doesn't need good technique to row fast on the rowing machine, I've seen it so many times. But that's to be expected though: one doesn't learn how to row on a rowing machine because rowing doesn't happen on a machine and so one can probably never get the proper technique right. It's quite apparent who's a rower and who isn't when you see them on the rowing machine. Just like any competitive swimmer would spot me not being a swimmer instantly.
Thats funny that when i saw the thumb nail i was like "he looks like a smaller eddie hall" to find out its his brother 😂 i love eddie and watching his youtube, i can 100% see him more than willing to do a collab with you! That would be awesome!
Ok, that technical part with the hinge was the best i have ever seen on any video. it is absolutely logic. i always do that when i deadlift. jesus! i will try that next time! maybe a gamechanger for me! thanks a lot for sharing
Dead lifting is probably the best example of how to row fast! Hence why James’s brother basically deadlifts every stroke-given he is the deadliest world record holder 😂
@@MarkLewisfitness yeah i know eddie … i saw him also riding a tank through his town. lol 😆😆😆 but did you watch eddie video was magnus mitbø? he rows nearly the same amount of kg as eddie. eddie was f**king impressed 😆😆😆
My old rowing instructor broke it into the same three movements: leg, hips, arms. You want to lean as far forward as you can and stay forward until your legs are expended, then hinge the hip, then pull with the arms. We'd work on each movement separately, really focusing on each movement individually and then we slowly put them together. I was, by far, the tallest and oldest person in the class, eventually I was also the fastest. Height is a big advantage. Then we'd take the boats out on the lake and have to work in unison...
Definitely don't want to lean as far forward as you can matey. It really should only be to about 11 o'clock, so your back is still in a strong position. You could put your back out if you lean too far forward and then suddenly pick up the weight of the flywheel.
Great video. Nothing you haven't been told before - but often who the coaching comes from can be just as important as the message itself. And it's clear you were lapping up everything James was telling you. Looking forward to seeing if this sticks, as you'll light up the leaderboards!
Looking forward to a follow-up video in a few months when you have had time and practice to absorb the right technique. Thanks James and Mark (and Jen).
Fantastic … this is pure gold Mark, Jen and James … best on TH-cam. I don’t know how you keep coming up with the ideas to do this stuff, but keep doing it 👍
This is a very good example of levers and motion , regardless of what you are doing. Using the strongest force and the lever that is longest gives more force
This was great. I love to see rowing done well. James can really shift. Ii can't wait to see you after a few months of that technique. Keep them coming.
YAY! I can't believe I'm first. I was just thinking about you on my morning run...I, too, have gained weight and let myself go - a little (10 lbs, ugh) and while I was runnnin' I was thinkin', "I gotta go back to Marks channel and watch EVERYTHING again." You worked WONDERS on me last year, if you'll recall. (little old lady from America) Hope you're well over there in England, hello to Jenn.
Thank you for sharing such valuable insights! Your videos always inspire and educate me. I appreciate your dedication to creating content that makes a difference. Looking forward to your next upload!❤❤❤
Excellent video (as always). Very impressed with James' coaching skills and advice, right on the money there. Looking forward to the next one. Brilliant
When I was 20, I was 78kg and the second fastest over 1500m in my college. As a result of bar bet I took on a 500m challenge and did 1:25 (while drunk and wearing jeans). Thirty-five years on I can momentarily get down to 1:35; momentarily but anything sustained is much much slower. The erg is brutal. You can’t hide if you’ve not got it. Glad to see Mark finally getting coached out of his horrible technique.
I was almost exactly the same. 20 years old, around 80kg, and a 500 split of 1:27.8 on a bet. My 2k a month later was 7:02, and that was enough to get me invited to a university fitness challenge, where I think I did 250m in 40 seconds (1:21 pace). 8 years later and I’m thrilled if I can split a 1:45.
For anyone who is new or not sure, the flywheel/fan resistance does not increase the increase the intensity of the excercise, it's only increase the weight of the catch and is only meant to simulate rowing in a heavier boat but ultimately the way to increase the intensity and effectiveness of the excercise is simply to row harder. The intensity is controlled by what you put in not by how it's set. Think of it like running, you can jog but you don't have a setting to make the jog harder, to make it harder you need to jog faster or start running You get out what you put in
I do love the early chuckles in your videos Mark. The idea that you wouldn't help little old ladies get things of the top shelves unless you were filming it made me laugh 😆 Also, as a former rower, it's refreshing to hear James explain 'rowing connected' so much better than many rowers do! What James was teaching you, in rowing we say 'hands, body, slide'.
Loving the video Mark. A really good person I have seen on technique on rowing which is really good is called darkhorserowing. Loads of videos on a step by step breakdown of the technique. Have fun.
The strongest lift a person can do is the deadlift, which is mostly from the hips. Makes sense why the hips are strongest in a rowing movement. Also makes sense why the first man to ever deadlift half a ton would immediately revert to this movement whilst rowing.
Another interesting person to get to know might be Joel Naukkarinen, a Finnish rower. He's taken his excercises to another dimension. Absolutely brutal guy. You can find him as "rowingfinn".
One good way of working on your technique is to go at a much slower stroke rate e.g. R18 or R20 (which means 18 strokes per minute or 20 strokes per minute). Also just think of yourself as a human pendulum rocking gently starting at 11AM and finishing at 1PM (by doing that the legs and arms will follow naturally). Use the force curve and video your technique from time to time. Your improvement in technique from the start to the end of the video is huge!
Love videos like this and look back nostalgiclally at how fit i was in my 20's on these . Used to be able to hold 1.28-1.30 on the 1k and would comfortably do 20-25 mins at 1.50 ish pace. Now at 43 6-7 mins at 2min and i need oxygen 😂😂
@@MarkLewisfitness kudos to the Concept 2 folks...they build a bad ass machine. Great video too. Really shows how elite some of the elite people are and it was cool to hear James contrast what he does vs the people who focus more on sustained speed.
FWIW, I held back on commenting on your rowing form previously 😂. Good on you for continually seeking improvement and the hip swing is definitely a component missed by most on the rowing machine. I’d also add that you should give yourself more credit. Yes, you’re big and tall, but fitness levels need to be exceptional to achieve the times you have. That aspect is beyond a genetic advantage, but rather, something you worked hard at.
A great, informative video thanks!! I would love to better understand James' use of a lower resistance setting - I would have assumed he would set it to 10 (or have a special rower with 11)! Any chance of seeing JH row 1k on 5 vs 10? I'll definitely try it myself next week in the gym anyway!
Just about a balance. 10 means he would be moving slower. Power is force x length over time. If he rows on 10 foot longer than 20 secs he starts to move slower. His force may be greater but it’s about a sweet spot where all parts of the formulae are optimal.
The resistance setting (as in the number on the side when you move the handle up and down) really equates to a drag factor. On a Concept2 you need to go into Settings and Display Drag Factor, run a few strokes and it'll appear. Then adjust the handle, row a few more strokes and repeat until it's where you want it. James says he likes a drag factor of 140, as I understood it somewhere between 125 and 130 simulates an oar in water so as someone who also rowed in a boat this is where I set it. It's important to set this each time you get on a machine because it does vary a lot as machines age and get filled with dust. A 6 on one is not necessarily the same as a 6 on another unless they're both brand new.
@@MarkLewisfitness mate I’m 56 and rank pretty high in the sprints for my age, and you blow me away-plus your channel has been a huge inspiration in my own journey!
i haven't noticed this phenomena before but the mannerisms and the behaviour of siblings is very very similar, the shape of the lips during normal conversation or while pondering or while something humorous is uttered And not forgetting the eyes, these two brothers are very very similar i wonder if other people can tell me apart from my "opposite of smart" brothers.
a was a fairly apt junior rower, won multiple national titles and trialed for the international team, i was fairly light and small (tad under 6 foot and 74-82kg through the year). i had a very succesful rowing career. my fastest 500 was 1:25.6. fastest 1000m was 3:03.7. those were both when i was 20 years old and the fittest i have ever been. none of that is to big myself up, just to give my view point when i say that those world record numbers are truly ridiculous. internatonal rowers rarely take official tests, and when they are public its usually 2k+ in distance, but i can only imagine a handful would be within seconds of hall's world record 1k. truly crazy performance.
also, havibf transferred to running for a few years and went back to an erg now and then, your hip flexor flexibility could be a major limiting factor to your "hip swing", same with ankle mobility, heels on the floor and a good body swing is key in rowing power, neither of which is really addressed in a lot of other exercise.
also also, sorry for multiple comments, but the "drag" ( number on the fan, which can differ wildly on each machine so always check the actual drag factor setting on the machine(its in the settings somewhere)) is set up but concept were 135 is roughly the resistance the water will provide. the split on the screen is only affected by the speed of the fan wheel. some people do better with lower drag and some better with higher drag. can only speak for 2k records but i know the lightweight 2k ( henrick stefenson) was around 135, only a few lightweights have went under 6 minutes, the closest that i know of was jeremie azou, the french use a bit of a higher drag factor occasionally and his best was at 160.. but much lower stroke rate, much like bikers using power over cadence or vice versa, there is a sweet spot for everyone. again these are only 2k records, with the best in the world and lightweight (under 75kg for rowing) for lower distances and heavier weights things can and probably should be different.
You’re funny mark, i’m trying to eat Thai curry and you’re making me choke 😂, great vids, i’m about to hit Hyrox for the second time in sydney on the 27th, good info, cheers 🍻
I’d live to see a collab with Phil Clapp, who holds the 500m world record, at 1:09.8. He’s probably the only guy who has the height advantage over you.
It would appear the #1 thing Mark should improve is the recovery phase. He's lifting the handle over his knees on the return. If he speeds up his hands on the release, it would certainly help.
I know what I’m doing Monday morning 😆 Started using the gym three months ago and rowing as my warm up. Been quite keen to use good form, so think I might do ok at this. Shame I’m not super tall.
Can I just say, strapping down the feet tight will increase your pulling power. If the straps are loose like this and you can't tighten anymore, try strapping Velcro around your feet and the foot plate. Works a treat. No flapping feet.
Interesting! Bet you see progress with the improved technique. I think there was a fault with your rower though, it was making a strange sound every time you used it...
You're actually a lot better than slightly above average! Being 68kgs and not super tall I just can't generate the power to get anywhere near 1min30 pace! Cool seeing the proper technique though!
You should do some of your zone 2 training using the rowing machine to save some of the pounding your body can take on the road. I did 100k 20yrs ago in 10hrs of nonstop rowing, was aiming for 8hrs but hit wall at 50k and just started rowing at a snail’s pace but accomplished it.
Mark you'd benefit from wearing different shoes , low profile with as little sole as possible, something like the new balance minimus cross trainer or similar. Not running shoes with a thick cushioned sole. Good luck 👍
What’s the fastest split time you’ve seen on your rower? 💪
1:22
1:08
@@Veslanjejezivot that’s shifting!!!
i know this isnt about rowing but have u looked into rucking?
1:09
James is such a good coach. No sugarcoating without being a jerk. No words wasted
100%!
agreed
Indeed
After rowing competitively and coaching for 20 years, the best advice I’ve ever heard is to do a lot of your training without ever bending your arms. It’s the best way to feel the power from the hip hinge. Then we you add your arms back in, the monitor makes it clear that your arms are AT MOST 10% of your power if you’re rowing well.
I like that!
Were you surprised to see _this guy_ was the world's fastest erger? I know I was! It is 1k though; I didn't even remember they did those. I wonder what the normal champion looks like.
Aha, Ive always thought the upper body lat/rhomboid pull was supposed to be a pretty big part of the total power, will try taking it out of the equation.
You should feel it in the lats for sure, but that’s not where the power comes from. The lats and core support the leg drive and connect it to the handle as the power comes from the legs. If you feel it in the traps, relax the shoulders and keep them lower. The most powerful part of the stroke is actually the hip hinge though, not necessarily the legs (common misconception, even with advanced rowers). The legs build up power and speed on the drive as the boat accelerates, then the hip hinge is where you are really able to feel the “send” and accelerate the boat (or erg fan) to its maximum speed. Then the arms just hold on to the speed that you’ve built to add more length to the stroke.
Oh god, I felt for your poor back. I'm a rower. Rowers destroy their backs with bad technique. Sorry but I don't know where to start in a short comment. Get proper rowing coaching
Awesome! Essentially a 15 minute masterclass from James. I appreciate not only his accomplishments, but his no BS way of breaking down the requirements to generate power, & his generosity to share his knowledge with us. Thanks Mark for bringing this to us & suffering along the way!
Been rowing for 2 years now and yes, that's exactly what my instructor taught me first... only thing to add is breathing, you should inhale in the resting phase and exhale in the arm pulling step. In order to train this technique, we do warm ups 1minute only arms, then 1 minute hip flex and arms, then 1 minute same but now 40% leg, then 1 minute 60% leg, then 1 last minute all the way; it's 5 minutes, do this twice as a warm up, and that's a good way to build muscle memory for indoor rowing.
This is the first time I’ve seen someone who doesn’t look like a rower / probably has never been a rower absolutely nail rowing technique. Hats off to this guy.
Can’t wait for the Eddie Hall collab how fast can he run 400ms 😂
That may be the one place I could get him 😂
@@MarkLewisfitness Eddie Hall v Mark Lewis cage fight PPV.
@@MarkLewisfitness I think I'm betting on you against him for any distance, if it's pure running.
But, if you do collab with him, you could try running with weight, and then you can try to figure out a weight that would make the race balanced. Too light, you win easily. Too heavy, he wins easily. But somewhere in-between, there must be a sweet spot. That could be fun.
@@andeolevain Swimming as the second challenge and things get interesting. Eddie in water is a frightening sight! :D
Put Eddie on a tower for 100 m sprint...... He is FAST on that one👍
Love it! As someone who does rowing as a sport in school, I've still learnt some things from this! My lowest split so fast is 1 minute, 33 seconds at ( 5 foot 6) and 16 years old, I don't think it's good but hey, still wotking on it!
That's awesome! 💪
Dude a 1:33 500 at 5’6 is damn impressive. Keep it up!
@@AndrewDoesSports Thanks!
@@bredwar2098did you average 1:33 or just get your split to it for a few strokes?
James is outstanding. It is impressive what he has done. The strength and fitness are outstanding. It doesn't matter that he could never row on water. What is amazing is the pace and fitness. Great work
I have a lot of respect for him too, I just don’t like that people call what he does “rowing”. Rowing involves water, oars, and a boat. He’s using an ergometer, known in the rowing community as an erg. So he’s the worlds best erger over 1000m, not the worlds best rower.
I really appreciate your willingness to suffer physical pain to entertain us.
It beats a 9-5 😂
😂😂😂
One of the best and most informative videos on the RowErg I’ve watched so thanks for making.
Followed the advice, made some tweaks to how I row and already see a difference. At 51 I row a sub 20sec 100mtr and 1m 58s 500mtr though improving all the time.
What I struggle with on sprints is getting up to speed and need to work on that initial power uptake.
Interesting to see what we discussed a couple of years ago for your video still getting worked on now. Like you said in this video, and something we discussed way back then, the changes don't happen overnight unfortunately. Keep up the good work. Hopefully in another two years the technique has improved again 💪
Power is proportional to speed cubed. To give you idea of what some of the splits discussed equate to in terms of power.
200W is 02:00 split
300W is 1:45
400W is 1:35
500W is 1:29
600W is 1:23.6
700W is 1:19.4
Over shorter distances it's probably better to think in terms of Watts. For example if you were rowing for say 20 minutes at a 2:30 split (103W) and then decided to increase by 10s that's only going to mean 25W more.
But if you are at 1:30 and you try and go 10s faster then you need to go from 480W to 683W
This is why regular people do not understand why rowing is VERY hard. Top level rowers are incredible athletes.
Wait, 02:00 split is only 200W? How come I can't hit that clean for 20m, while on the bike it's (mostly) trivial?
@@IustinPop the cycling movement is completely different. Its far more efficient with there being no recovery. With the power formula being W/t, your power output per stroke is effectively halved (most of the time) because you arent creating any doing any work most of the time.
I watch and learned how to row with RowAlong (John Stevenson) who has been criticized by faster rowers for his [unwelcome] advice. The thing is it's hard to take advice from someone you can row faster than. But rowing is not just technique, but build, and nature makes some people stronger than others. We tend to receive advice more readily from those who row faster than us rather than slower
Yet the advice that James Hall gives here is no different from the advice you get on RowAlong. John Stevenson is a truly excellent rower for his size and body weight. He knows what he's talking about, even if he can't row as fast as the really big guys. All he wants to do is help others and improve indoor rowing for everyone (beginners to advanced). He is worth listening to in my (not so) humble opinion.
Loved it! Been using the C2 for nearly 20 years and still learned something new AND was greatly entertained into the bargain.
Glad to see the form improvement. I was a college rower and this video was a real treat to watch! Thanks, Mark!
Quality video, very interesting to learn about the mechanics involved with rowing, not really something you think about as a casual. I’m gonna try a 250m row when I get in the gym and see how it goes.
My advice for you is:
Do not stop at back stop position
When you reached back stop position, extend your arms quicker and control your pace using your legs
You should always finish extending your arms before you lean forward (during the drive)
Also, do not stop at front stop position, as soon as you reached there, you should start your leg drive
Hope it helps. Sorry for my bad English
One of my all time favorites - THANK you for this one! 1s off my best 250m and 16m more on the 9 by 1:40/20" - two PRs on a Friday evening after work... You and James rock 👏
Probably one of the best videos I’ve seen you do great insight. Top bloke James 👏👏
Mark you're doing awesome!! You really have all the pieces for a great stroke, it's just a matter of fine tuning the timing. Thank you for sharing your journey. I think watching you learn this deceptively complex movement will really help people enter rowing! I rowed for 5 years and coached for 3 years. It took me 2 years to learn to row efficiently. James advice was spot on! I think doing some drills where you isolate the 3 phases of the drive sequence (legs/back/arms - James called it knees/hips/arms) would really help you get a feel for the technique James was demonstrating. One of the ways you'll know you've got the timing is your weight will come off the seat slightly at the instant you initial the stroke. This is an indication that you are fully leveraging your body weight. LMK if you would like some help. I know a couple drills for this.
Excellent video, is the best explanation I have watched on TH-cam. I'll put in practice your advices. Greetings from Chile 😊
James Hall is an absolute beast, and he's giving good advice! His execution on the rowing machine however is a different story, but that just goes to show that, while it certainly helps, one doesn't need good technique to row fast on the rowing machine, I've seen it so many times. But that's to be expected though: one doesn't learn how to row on a rowing machine because rowing doesn't happen on a machine and so one can probably never get the proper technique right. It's quite apparent who's a rower and who isn't when you see them on the rowing machine. Just like any competitive swimmer would spot me not being a swimmer instantly.
Thats funny that when i saw the thumb nail i was like "he looks like a smaller eddie hall" to find out its his brother 😂 i love eddie and watching his youtube, i can 100% see him more than willing to do a collab with you! That would be awesome!
Ok, that technical part with the hinge was the best i have ever seen on any video. it is absolutely logic. i always do that when i deadlift. jesus! i will try that next time! maybe a gamechanger for me! thanks a lot for sharing
Dead lifting is probably the best example of how to row fast! Hence why James’s brother basically deadlifts every stroke-given he is the deadliest world record holder 😂
@@MarkLewisfitness yeah i know eddie … i saw him also riding a tank through his town. lol 😆😆😆 but did you watch eddie video was magnus mitbø? he rows nearly the same amount of kg as eddie. eddie was f**king impressed 😆😆😆
Mark is looking really fit again!!!
Great editing skill. 🤣
Great coaching o rowing form. I'm looking forward to rowing again.
My old rowing instructor broke it into the same three movements: leg, hips, arms. You want to lean as far forward as you can and stay forward until your legs are expended, then hinge the hip, then pull with the arms. We'd work on each movement separately, really focusing on each movement individually and then we slowly put them together. I was, by far, the tallest and oldest person in the class, eventually I was also the fastest. Height is a big advantage. Then we'd take the boats out on the lake and have to work in unison...
Tall definitely has its advantages in rowing. 👍
Definitely don't want to lean as far forward as you can matey. It really should only be to about 11 o'clock, so your back is still in a strong position. You could put your back out if you lean too far forward and then suddenly pick up the weight of the flywheel.
Great video. Nothing you haven't been told before - but often who the coaching comes from can be just as important as the message itself. And it's clear you were lapping up everything James was telling you. Looking forward to seeing if this sticks, as you'll light up the leaderboards!
Came for sports and information, stayed for humor, sports and information. LOVE your content! 💪👍
No jokes, no point 😂
Looking forward to a follow-up video in a few months when you have had time and practice to absorb the right technique. Thanks James and Mark (and Jen).
Fantastic … this is pure gold Mark, Jen and James … best on TH-cam. I don’t know how you keep coming up with the ideas to do this stuff, but keep doing it 👍
🙏
This is a very good example of levers and motion , regardless of what you are doing. Using the strongest force and the lever that is longest gives more force
yep - real life physics lesson!
Great video. Fantastic to listen to some one who knows there stuff.
That giggle on the force curve had me laughing out loud so hard. Got a C2 as well and I feel Mark seeing this.
😂 someone found it funny
That was expertise. Clearly explained to a level that should work for everyone
This was extremely interesting and enjoyable. James is a great coach.
He was top notch!
This was a brilliant brief masterclass on hip engagement. Awesome!!!
This was great. I love to see rowing done well. James can really shift. Ii can't wait to see you after a few months of that technique. Keep them coming.
Great help for my CrossFit training
Man I really needed this video. Thank you!!
Hey I tried the technique described here and I beat the younger and fitter chaps at my Orange Theory class . Thank you again!
When I got my rower I watched TrainingTall videos explaining rowing on a machine, was quite helpful.
YAY! I can't believe I'm first. I was just thinking about you on my morning run...I, too, have gained weight and let myself go - a little (10 lbs, ugh) and while I was runnnin' I was thinkin', "I gotta go back to Marks channel and watch EVERYTHING again." You worked WONDERS on me last year, if you'll recall. (little old lady from America)
Hope you're well over there in England, hello to Jenn.
😂 Good luck with watching it ALL again - not sure even I could do that!
Brilliant video Mark, great to see insights and how we can all improve and how it takes consistency 🤙
Thank you for sharing such valuable insights! Your videos always inspire and educate me. I appreciate your dedication to creating content that makes a difference. Looking forward to your next upload!❤❤❤
@MarkLewisfitness That segway when he was talking about a 45 second sprint had me rolling around laughing. Very professionally done.
He has high hopes 😂
Excellent video (as always). Very impressed with James' coaching skills and advice, right on the money there. Looking forward to the next one. Brilliant
Thanks 🙏
That was very good explained from an expert, and Mark really needed help!
Easy 😂
Great video, looking forward to the Skierg video
It’s got some great stuff in it
@@kingofkidz me too👏🏼
MEGA!!! Loved that Mark 💪
What an excellent coach..
Fascinating. Want to go try using my hips as a lever point, had never even considered that!
When I was 20, I was 78kg and the second fastest over 1500m in my college. As a result of bar bet I took on a 500m challenge and did 1:25 (while drunk and wearing jeans). Thirty-five years on I can momentarily get down to 1:35; momentarily but anything sustained is much much slower. The erg is brutal. You can’t hide if you’ve not got it. Glad to see Mark finally getting coached out of his horrible technique.
I was almost exactly the same. 20 years old, around 80kg, and a 500 split of 1:27.8 on a bet. My 2k a month later was 7:02, and that was enough to get me invited to a university fitness challenge, where I think I did 250m in 40 seconds (1:21 pace).
8 years later and I’m thrilled if I can split a 1:45.
That was brilliant and educational really looking forward to the skierg
He’s saying exactly what a certain rowing TH-camr was telling you. Very good teacher
For anyone who is new or not sure, the flywheel/fan resistance does not increase the increase the intensity of the excercise, it's only increase the weight of the catch and is only meant to simulate rowing in a heavier boat but ultimately the way to increase the intensity and effectiveness of the excercise is simply to row harder.
The intensity is controlled by what you put in not by how it's set.
Think of it like running, you can jog but you don't have a setting to make the jog harder, to make it harder you need to jog faster or start running
You get out what you put in
looking forward to testing this technique at the gym
You‘re still above average! 💪
And he's a 50yr old man so he's doing well.
Thanks Mark, coming from alot of CrossFit comps i went in too hard, i’ll be smarter about my pacing this time, see if i can beat 1.22? Cheers mate.
Great stuff 👍👍 With 3 weeks practice I hope to get to half of your speed, Mark!
I do love the early chuckles in your videos Mark. The idea that you wouldn't help little old ladies get things of the top shelves unless you were filming it made me laugh 😆
Also, as a former rower, it's refreshing to hear James explain 'rowing connected' so much better than many rowers do! What James was teaching you, in rowing we say 'hands, body, slide'.
That or cold hard cash 😂
Loving the video Mark. A really good person I have seen on technique on rowing which is really good is called darkhorserowing. Loads of videos on a step by step breakdown of the technique. Have fun.
The strongest lift a person can do is the deadlift, which is mostly from the hips. Makes sense why the hips are strongest in a rowing movement. Also makes sense why the first man to ever deadlift half a ton would immediately revert to this movement whilst rowing.
Really enjoying the varied content.
🙏
Another interesting person to get to know might be Joel Naukkarinen, a Finnish rower. He's taken his excercises to another dimension. Absolutely brutal guy. You can find him as "rowingfinn".
One good way of working on your technique is to go at a much slower stroke rate e.g. R18 or R20 (which means 18 strokes per minute or 20 strokes per minute). Also just think of yourself as a human pendulum rocking gently starting at 11AM and finishing at 1PM (by doing that the legs and arms will follow naturally). Use the force curve and video your technique from time to time. Your improvement in technique from the start to the end of the video is huge!
Great video! I need to try this out on the rower next time I am in the gym. looking forward to the SkiErg video because that machine befuddles me.
His information on how to use the ski was superb - I was doing it very very wrong!
James seems like a really nice guy! A total beast too... a lot smaller and more athletic than his brother...
Love videos like this and look back nostalgiclally at how fit i was in my 20's on these . Used to be able to hold 1.28-1.30 on the 1k and would comfortably do 20-25 mins at 1.50 ish pace. Now at 43 6-7 mins at 2min and i need oxygen 😂😂
I like this style of video a lot. More technique videos would be great.
That rowing machine when James is on it is like "kill me...kill me now". Thing looks like it wants to break in half haha
I did wonder if it would hold up 😂
@@MarkLewisfitness kudos to the Concept 2 folks...they build a bad ass machine. Great video too. Really shows how elite some of the elite people are and it was cool to hear James contrast what he does vs the people who focus more on sustained speed.
My god. It’s like a chihuahua sized Eddie Hall!😂
usually once a week I'll do drills that consist of breaking the sections of the stroke down: feet out rowing, straight arm rowing, half strokes, etc
It's not only about technique and efficiency, cardiovascular fitness is huge too.
Worth the wait!
I remember learning this.
Legs -> hips -> arms
Arms -> hips -> legs
Repeat for several months.
Great vid. Very useful!
Glad it was helpful!
FWIW, I held back on commenting on your rowing form previously 😂. Good on you for continually seeking improvement and the hip swing is definitely a component missed by most on the rowing machine.
I’d also add that you should give yourself more credit. Yes, you’re big and tall, but fitness levels need to be exceptional to achieve the times you have. That aspect is beyond a genetic advantage, but rather, something you worked hard at.
@@kopraljono3923 thanks rower dude 😂 👍🏼
Awesome video as always! But for the hip swing strenght is kettlebell swings a good exercise?
Great idea
A great, informative video thanks!!
I would love to better understand James' use of a lower resistance setting - I would have assumed he would set it to 10 (or have a special rower with 11)! Any chance of seeing JH row 1k on 5 vs 10?
I'll definitely try it myself next week in the gym anyway!
Just about a balance. 10 means he would be moving slower. Power is force x length over time. If he rows on 10 foot longer than 20 secs he starts to move slower. His force may be greater but it’s about a sweet spot where all parts of the formulae are optimal.
The resistance setting (as in the number on the side when you move the handle up and down) really equates to a drag factor. On a Concept2 you need to go into Settings and Display Drag Factor, run a few strokes and it'll appear. Then adjust the handle, row a few more strokes and repeat until it's where you want it. James says he likes a drag factor of 140, as I understood it somewhere between 125 and 130 simulates an oar in water so as someone who also rowed in a boat this is where I set it. It's important to set this each time you get on a machine because it does vary a lot as machines age and get filled with dust. A 6 on one is not necessarily the same as a 6 on another unless they're both brand new.
Good on ya'!
Also a round o applause for Concept2 - those ergs can take some abuse.
They did on this day 😂
Your form has definitely improved! (From a low bar mind ), I just wish I had your long levers!
Thanks. I think 😂
@@MarkLewisfitness mate I’m 56 and rank pretty high in the sprints for my age, and you blow me away-plus your channel has been a huge inspiration in my own journey!
I suspect his 'Supplementation' plays a big role.
i haven't noticed this phenomena before but the mannerisms and the behaviour of siblings is very very similar, the shape of the lips during normal conversation or while pondering or while something humorous is uttered
And not forgetting the eyes, these two brothers are very very similar
i wonder if other people can tell me apart from my "opposite of smart" brothers.
Great vid. Just started rowing, hate it but this is helpful...I guess 😩
lol. I don’t love it 😂
a was a fairly apt junior rower, won multiple national titles and trialed for the international team, i was fairly light and small (tad under 6 foot and 74-82kg through the year). i had a very succesful rowing career. my fastest 500 was 1:25.6. fastest 1000m was 3:03.7. those were both when i was 20 years old and the fittest i have ever been.
none of that is to big myself up, just to give my view point when i say that those world record numbers are truly ridiculous. internatonal rowers rarely take official tests, and when they are public its usually 2k+ in distance, but i can only imagine a handful would be within seconds of hall's world record 1k. truly crazy performance.
also, havibf transferred to running for a few years and went back to an erg now and then, your hip flexor flexibility could be a major limiting factor to your "hip swing", same with ankle mobility, heels on the floor and a good body swing is key in rowing power, neither of which is really addressed in a lot of other exercise.
also also, sorry for multiple comments, but the "drag" ( number on the fan, which can differ wildly on each machine so always check the actual drag factor setting on the machine(its in the settings somewhere)) is set up but concept were 135 is roughly the resistance the water will provide. the split on the screen is only affected by the speed of the fan wheel. some people do better with lower drag and some better with higher drag.
can only speak for 2k records but i know the lightweight 2k ( henrick stefenson) was around 135, only a few lightweights have went under 6 minutes, the closest that i know of was jeremie azou, the french use a bit of a higher drag factor occasionally and his best was at 160.. but much lower stroke rate, much like bikers using power over cadence or vice versa, there is a sweet spot for everyone.
again these are only 2k records, with the best in the world and lightweight (under 75kg for rowing) for lower distances and heavier weights things can and probably should be different.
You’re funny mark, i’m trying to eat Thai curry and you’re making me choke 😂, great vids, i’m about to hit Hyrox for the second time in sydney on the 27th, good info, cheers 🍻
Good luck!
I’d live to see a collab with Phil Clapp, who holds the 500m world record, at 1:09.8. He’s probably the only guy who has the height advantage over you.
It would appear the #1 thing Mark should improve is the recovery phase. He's lifting the handle over his knees on the return. If he speeds up his hands on the release, it would certainly help.
I know what I’m doing Monday morning 😆
Started using the gym three months ago and rowing as my warm up. Been quite keen to use good form, so think I might do ok at this. Shame I’m not super tall.
Good luck !
@@MarkLewisfitness managed a 51s 250m. Not bad IMO. Thanks for the new challenge to set myself.
Can I just say, strapping down the feet tight will increase your pulling power. If the straps are loose like this and you can't tighten anymore, try strapping Velcro around your feet and the foot plate. Works a treat. No flapping feet.
😂 it’s a push movement, you shouldn’t even need straps at all!
Interesting! Bet you see progress with the improved technique. I think there was a fault with your rower though, it was making a strange sound every time you used it...
Any chance you could share the resources for the hip pivot flexibility routine? Another desk jockey weekend warrior here suffering the same issue...
You're actually a lot better than slightly above average! Being 68kgs and not super tall I just can't generate the power to get anywhere near 1min30 pace! Cool seeing the proper technique though!
You should do some of your zone 2 training using the rowing machine to save some of the pounding your body can take on the road. I did 100k 20yrs ago in 10hrs of nonstop rowing, was aiming for 8hrs but hit wall at 50k and just started rowing at a snail’s pace but accomplished it.
That’s no small feat, nice work. I’ve done a few 100ks in my day, both on the erg and in a boat. It’s absolutely brutal to keep going for that long.
You know when you watch an old 4:3 video at 16:9 by mistake, that's how I thought the start of this video was with James 😁😁
Loved the video.
Thank you!
Legs - body - arms - arms - body - legs. Drilled into me at volume repeatedly by my rowing coach 😂
Same!
Hi Mark,
could you share your stretching routine for the hips/lower back?
Thank you!
Nothing fancy - just stuff my physio gave me off youtube
Mark you'd benefit from wearing different shoes , low profile with as little sole as possible, something like the new balance minimus cross trainer or similar. Not running shoes with a thick cushioned sole. Good luck 👍