3 Common Rowing Mistakes: Fix Them NOW

[@davidyoung8058]

Hey Shane. So I bought a Concept 2 in an effort to remove the boredom of riding a bike. I was having trouble getting my heart rate up and keeping it up and could not get what I thought was a sustained workload. Then I watched this video. Wow! I was doing all of these things. Started doing the exercises and applying the changes, it has changed my whole workout! What a difference. Thank you!

[@thomaslecaros]

KEY!! "There is no rush to get anywhere.. The slower you move through the stroke, the more you have to think about being in the right position.." BOOOOM!! LIFESAVER Get the mechanics down..

[@makeit2132]

One way to check that is rowing unstrapped. if you are rushing, it would be hard to get back to the catch.

[@metkagolcman7377]

Even after rowing 7 years on C2, all your videos (also those for beginners) are still very informal and useful. Great job, Shane.

[@andybriggs9535]

I have been rowing disgracefully for years, this video has just showed me that

[@capitalistpig7676]

Being an old whitewater kayaker, learning a whole new stoke has been a challenge.....thanks for any coaching tips!

[@SD_Alias]

perfect presentation! Thank you. At the beginning of my training I got used too many wrong things. I had no one standing by who corrected me. Your videos are great for self training. What helps me further is to film my self from the side with my smartphone. So i can detect my mistakes much better after workout in video…

[@Brittanymorgan4]

You are awesome dude. I'm a coach and a collegiate rower - and you are fantastic. Great tips, coaching, explanation, etc. Love it.

[@ScottLRoyal]

Dude your a great coach. Another well done presentation.

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Thanks Scott! It's really nice to hear this sometimes living in the online space.

[@PEEERRRR]

Ya this is amazing

[@truthhahn6662]

Absolutely amazing video!! This is seriously the best Ergo-Technique-Video I have ever seen on KZbin! Easy to understand and to apply! Heads up!

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Aw thanks Truth Hanh

[@FerPal06]

Wow bro I really appreciate your advices, just got my first ever exercise machine and its a rower, and with your coaching I've learned sooo much

[@darinjohnson3671]

Out of the videos I have seen on this Machine none of them go into detail as you do. I am waiting for my Machine, which may be a few weeks before I get mine. Love the content you teach and when I do finally get mine I will join the membership Crew. Looking forward to it.

[@amandamorris4657]

I'm impressed with your videos and appreciate the way you break down the movements so someone can learn how to do this properly!

[@zugermunch]

Thanks for this video, i think it's going to help me get my posture fixed up a bit. i'm not very limber and have a belly, so getting to 1 o'clock close to the machine is pretty tough. The band thing i think is gonna help a lot. Thanks for the videos.

[@mitch3213]

I give you my vote as coach of the year. This has upped my rowing workout, thank you.

[@hollyibbotson5290]

Right coach, thank you 👍 #2 guilty, I didn't even know I was doing it until it became a habit.

[@ZacharySound]

I just got feature idea for Rogue for the Concept 2. at 14:30 He wraps a strap to the track so his seat doesn't slide further than it should when practicing an effective rowing technique without making mistakes. Rogue should add an adjustable sensor to the track that triggers a beep when you slide too far to assist with proper form and effective rowing.

[@LiceoVillaFontana1]

Revisited this one. Wonderful. 1 & 3 I am gong to keep and eye on. Luckily 2 is long gone...

[@MoLewis57]

I've watched a lot of your videos and Austin's videos, but this may prove to be the one that helps me the most I discovered this video in the middle try to solve the 1st and 3rd problems you listed. I had recently filmed myself doing a 2K, and noticed just how terrible my form was, especially when I was more fatigued at the end. I was definitely wrenching my upper body backwards at the catch and barely using my legs at all ( which frankly, I've realized for a while - the Concept2 force curve always shows a huge spike at the start for me, but seeing it in a video really drove it home ), I'm arching my back way to much at the catch, and sometimes the seat almost moves all the way to my feet on the return. I've been rowing legs only for the last few days while shooting video of myself to make sure I have a proper lean forward the entire time. The good news is ... 1) If I focus on it during the leg-only row, I can mange to keep my body in the right position. 2) The video of the leg-only row shows my lats firing on each stroke. 3) The leg-only force curve is extremely symmetrical. The bad news is. 1) I find I can't row too long legs only in the right position, without my lower back getting too fatigued, but I assume the the more I do this, the stronger those muscles will get. Also, I tried a few time to start doing full strokes ( with the body lean and arm pull ) after doing legs-only for a while, and it is much hard to focus on doing leg first when you know the body lean has to come after that. 2) The video shows may lats are quite small and need a lot of work. 3) The leg only force curve is really small. In any case. I'm going to try the drills from you video. They should help me to gradually increase the the length and power of my leg drive. At this point, if I do a complete stroke with a proper leg drive ( using a body swing and and pulling my arms to my body after the leg drive ), it doesn't give me anywhere near the split times I'm getting with my bad form, but I feel like I'm hitting a wall with the bad form, and on the other side of that wall are back and biceps injuries.

[@Mizzynp]

Your channel ,has been the best so far...to really explain how to row. Thanks

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Thank you!

[@patchMKII]

Tying that band around the slide worked for me. I was sliding too far forward but once I tried a bolt of cloth round the slide, that stopped. I left it on for more than a month through all my workouts. Muscle memory kicked in and it has never been a problem since.

[@DarkHorseRowing]

YES! That's what I'm talking about Garry! I love hearing it from others because it means I'm not just in an echo chamber. Thanks for the note.

[@chadolive1]

This is the breakdown I needed bro love drills love to know proper technique...thanks.

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Great to hear Andy!

[@mikesaliba8920]

Being a guy who used to be obsessed with dead lifts, I think I got this right away, which why I think rowing is a great new alternative for dead lifters who are starting to chill out (aka, getting older)

[@STLSER]

great video! always something new to learn . i actually put a big mirror against the wall so I can observe and correct my form while im rowing, it helped me big time fix mistakes i didn't even know i had

[@stevejodoin9937]

Vlad S I don't have a mirror but I analyze my shadow on the wall. Works great.

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Vlad, ya it f you look in most "Erg Rooms" for any club programs they'll almost always have mirrors so you can self critique. It's a really useful tool

[@squealer42]

Sadly, I'm missing a good wall space in the garage for a big mirror nearby or even to catch my shadow. Then again, if I throw out a bunch of priceless stuff in boxes (junk) that hasn't moved in a decade, I think I can make it happen!

[@marthahartung5167]

Just ordered my rowing machine - EXTREMELY happy that I found this video to make sure that I’m starting off with the correct technique! Great videos :) Thanks!

[@OldGringo]

Excellent coaching points. Much appreciated.

[@DarkHorseRowing]

So glad they're hitting home for you.

[@deneshae]

Watching this years later and after 8 years using the machine at crossfit and the gym, I have my own and I’ve been doing soo much incorrectly!!

[@ilfab8283]

Thanks for your tips !!! Your channel is great ! Greetings from France

[@eriklenh]

Watched three videos in a row. Absolutely great. Thanks mate!

[@superopaz]

Very insightful. the banded row trick is really smart

[@marlashaw]

Ohhh lol that handle up over hump was so me!!!!

[@Zeihold_von_SSL]

Can you predict the future now? I was about to come up with some drills for the most common rowing mistakes I see in our Box everyday. But now I don't have to. I just have to work with our athletes on these drills. :D Thanks Shane. You saved me some work here. :)

[@DarkHorseRowing]

We're actively working on a "rowing to predict the future" program so I guess it's working.

[@michellefout7670]

Love my water resistance rower and new to this type of workout. You've provided excellent resources so that I can develop good training habits. Thanks so much!

[@PeterCharlesworth]

Great video. Something else for you... if your seat moves back (leg drive) before the handle, you are losing potential leg drive.

[@truthhahn6662]

And one last thing :D I would have a video request: Namely, how can you set up mirrors so that you see yourself from the side when you look in front of the erg? I have heard of this, but never actually seen it in a club or fitness center. Maybe you have some ideas and could even make a DIY video. That would be absolutely awesome!

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Love that idea! I'm already thinking of how it could be done.

[@personlady2438]

You're the best coach!!!

[@squealer42]

Your demonstration of bad form is truly top notch. I think I'm guilty of that rounded shoulder technique. But how to catch myself with no mirror, shadow, or real-time coach? Note - Probably my best $4 spent in a long time was on a simple wall clock for the garage, with a sweeping second hand. 5 seconds is a long time to hold a position! That 2 minutes sounds brutal.

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Ha! I think that's a good thing that I'm able to demonstrate poor technique so well? It's tough if you're a visual learner. I would suggest perhaps a cheap full length mirror form somewhere like walmart or ikea and turning it horizontally.

[@stavrosk.2868]

I am considering buying a concept 2 rower but each time I hear it on these videos, it always seems so loud. Is the noise level not annoying?

[@andreaskoenig537]

Thank you

[@mountdoomee]

Good info, I find though that bringing the knees out slightly helps prevent me from collapsing and it keeps my back in a straighter and stronger position. My knees are slightly wider than my elbows and it feels much better than keeping my legs closer together. Is this something other people experience and is it wrong to have them slightly wider (not as wide as you demoed at 7:20)?

[@KSSmithTube]

Great video... these are areas that I know I can improve on... well done.

[@DarkHorseRowing]

We all just need to come back to basics sometimes Kevin, I'm constantly reminding myself of these things.

[@DeanValenzuela]

Fantastic video. Will be ready for 20.1

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Yessir Dean!

[@alvinberard8179]

Great video Shane! Thanks for sharing!

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Glad it's hitting home for you Alvin!

[@adriancarpenter4493]

Great video, now to go fix them!!

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Yes Adrian! Can't wait to hear how they help.

[@adriancarpenter4493]

Well they really helped. I knew I was prone to opening early, but after watching and using the drills I recognised that I was also sliding to far up the rail on the catch. Rowing really slowly 10-12 strokes/minute concentrating hard I felt l was getting it right. I also watched the power curve and got the nice curve @trainingtall talked about in his recent video. My splits were slow but I still burned calories. I can see I have been developing bad form trying for low split times at high stroke rate.

[@PEEERRRR]

Wow........extremely good video as a refresher on my form. Thanks alot.

[@eatandexercise1]

This was so helpful!!!!

[@kenyanexpat]

I'm a self taught rower with close to 3 million meters and I wished I had seen this video sooner!

[@marknicholson7992]

brilliant Sr!

[@bernardoevo]

Really helpful thanks

[@ric636]

Unfortunately I can give only one thumb up. Thanks!

[@phoebeegray]

Awesome video...looks really funny when you try to row badly... :-)

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Well I'm glad you can tell when I'm doing it on purpose :)

[@jennypockets]

Sorry, I'm new to this. What's 'the catch' and what's 'breaking' your arms? ta

[@nereidavarona9937]

Which model rower do you recommend?

[@What_Other_Hobbies]

Great information. Great posture.

[@charliewill889]

Great content as usual, my friend. I'm going to use "Legs are the largest force production muscle group in the rowing stroke"--brilliant! I have my crews start with the reverse pick starting with top quarter as a regular practice warm-up and as the standard on-water race day warm up.

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Charlie my man, it's always so great to see you drop in from time to time in the comments. That reverse pick just really does the trick for getting the sequencing right doesn't it? It primes the mind to move the body the right way.

[@skyantenna]

this is good one!!!! Thanks! a quick question - when I push hard with my legs - I almost bounce at the end (fortunately my feet are strapped to the Concept). Is it OK??? I don't like this feeling of 'over straightening' my legs. But if I stop pushing till my legs are totally straight - it feels like I didn't do 100% of a push. Thoughts?

[@skyantenna]

although... watching how you press the straps from inside - at the end of the leg's push - I think you're having the same effect as I do... so.... it must be OK then..... ok! :)

[@DarkHorseRowing]

It sounds like you answered your own question?

[@skyantenna]

@@DarkHorseRowing well... kinda.... but your confirmation or a comment would be helpful.

[@lukeshaw8868]

Great vid 👍 Hi @Robbie

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Thanks Luke

[@erlend3817]

Legs-back-arms and then arms-back-legs

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Sometimes it's just as simple as that.

[@eleanorwinslow8095]

Great coaching tips. As a coach, I see all three of these on the daily! Question: How can I coach a good catch position for someone with a big belly (either pregnant or overweight)? Follow up question: Someone with tight hips or tight ankles, how do I get them into a good catch position?

[@tealkerberus748]

Eleanor Winslow I'd love to see a fitness coach operate one of these machines while wearing one of those "pregnancy suits" that used to be trendy. A belly full of baby does not squish like a belly extended with fat and water - there's a whole lot of bones in there!

[@dariosame2655]

Awesome 👏

[@marthacollins3707]

I would recommend showing the correct form more time instead of the incorrect version for those of us who are better at learning by seeing ;0) . I've seen 4 of your videos and I am learning and gaining confidence. thanks!

[@jenapartida5620]

thank you! great video

[@truthhahn6662]

Hi, Shane. Have you heard of the KZbin-Channel "Aram Training"? The channel focuses on on-water rowing technique. However, they also produce and sell their on own type of ergo called the "Biorower" where you have actually two oars to pull, in contrast to the the single handle of the Concept2. Maybe you could review of the "Biorower"? Or maybe even do something of a colab with the channel like you once did with "Training Tall"? That would epic. Anyway, love your channel! Best wishes!!

[@DarkHorseRowing]

I have and I've chatted with Aram. I'm hoping one day I can get on one of his machines (probably the next time I'm in Europe) to give it a review.

[@mannyonelover1]

Brother I just started rowing and feel completely lost ... I done a week and my upper body is sore?? I just can’t find to include my legs..? Please keep these vids coming!! I desperately need a low impact workout and I enjoy rowing but I just can’t figure it out..?

[@DarkHorseRowing]

How many of our vids have you consumed so far? I guarantee you your salvation will be found several videos in :)

[@PatrickSavalle]

Nice video but I don't agree. By opening your chest, leaning backward you activate the most powerful muscle group in your body: the glutes. Think 'deadlift'. Probably it's a bit personal.

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Are you saying that the initial movement of a deadlift is opening the back?

[@PatrickSavalle]

@@DarkHorseRowing Yes. Extending the hips first, explode the glutes. Depending a little on your style also. If you stand sumo it's different. Your rowing style is a little unorthodox in that way, when I compare it to olympic rowers here on YT. But again, it's personal too.

[@PatrickSavalle]

@@DarkHorseRowing Here, for comparison, he is extending his hips first. This movement resembles a deadlift initially. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJSQip2ojZmtgM0

[@DarkHorseRowing]

@@PatrickSavalle A deadlift is initiated with a push of the legs into the ground initially while the athlete maintains control of the midline in order to keep the body connected. If you were to open your hips first you would drag the bar into your shins mechanically disadvantaging yourself by creating drag as well as drive force in the wrong direction (back vs up). Understood what you're trying to say, however the example you show of Bernhard he's connecting through his midline to create tension but still initiating the push with the legs. We could go back and forth producing videos of athletes rowing differently for different purposes and from different coaches though but I must disagree that by allowing the hips to open first you disadvantage the rest of the mechanical push of the legs and rely solely on a quick glute driven hip swing as opposed to the length of the entire leg "system" of musculature.

[@Lockhart2000]

It's hard to concentrate on him with that angry face on the wall in the background.

[@Hopperstien]

HAHA. That took me a sec.

[@ilanpi]

To identify problems and assimilate your advice, the person should film him or herself.

[@eringray9349]

Catch position hold for 2 minutes?!?! You are a mean, mean person. 😆

[@MaxMustermann-wk6nx]

I'm in this Video and I don't like it.