I had to stop rowing....

[@FastRowerETX]

Keep up the vlogs. Keeps showing what it’s like to be a high level rower.

[@garywhite6900]

I'm hooked on using gloves now and have saved another rower who had your very problem at the ten mile mark in a twenty mile open water race around Cape Ann in Massachusetts, I gave him a bottle of water, a protein bar, and a pair of extra gloves I had on board. It saved him from quitting the race, all because he had overstepped his bodies adaptation ability an entered the Blackburn Challenge that year knowing he was under-trained. He thanked me at the finish because those gloves allowed him to finish instead of getting a "DNF" attached to his record! I know you do not want to stop and fully recover while you are on this exceptional journey. "FYI," I use those thin and cheap Walmart Gorilla or Hyper Tough gloves, so far they have never let me down. Row on!

[@darkblueyank]

Boat speed and erg performance does correlate with grip strength (Will Ruth had an article about this.) Engaging your grip when doing weight work or rowing will activate the muscles that support your joints. Support your local rotator cuff. We hear a lot about having a relaxed grip in rowing and we need to remember that engaging the grip strength when our work is engaged is a necessary part of the stroke.

[@CameronBuchan]

Indeed!

[@Nomads_Rowing]

There’s a reason the Aussies call him Big Dog Jacko - he just draws the tourists in, red rag to the Cam bull and destroys them!! Not great news with the hands, but as we all know - the body had its ways of letting us know when to ease off! Yep, grips have a great part to play so get that sorted. I’m thinking after your recent comments about tension in the shoulders at the catch - as you probably know, possibly a contributing factor is the hands with the death grip which then gives automatic tension in the arms and definitely the houlders. Get comfortable with the gud auld piano fingers hook the handle more with the fingers on the catch and drive (okay, you’re laying down much more power than us mere mortals), but relax the hands and get some chilling in those shoulders. In the meantime time , steal a bike and enjoy some urban road miles (que an Aussie bike trip vid😎). Finally got out for our 1st quad session on the Severn - fantastic to be back on the water 💦 Now, back on the ergo to clock up some more Yamsquad Team Ks for the C2 January challenge - oh yeahhhhhhh 😤

[@roberthoffman3137]

Good morning Cam! Dealing with injury makes a good athlete! Gloves are a good idea, not only to allow the blisters to heal but to afford you a wider and more cushioned grip. Your symptoms relate to tenosynovitis of the digital flexor tendons. You probably have gone to sudden and too intense onto slightly too small oar handles . Trying to correct you catch and drive probably contributed to straining of the tendons. Icing and resting is important. I suggest an anti-inflammatory if you have no contraindications. Ibuprofen is over the counter in the form of nurofen ( always after food!), but maybe Jacko can get a script for meloxicam 15mg through his GP? Make sure you rest enough and do steady rows at low effort when you go back. Best to hold off intensity so not to load the tendons. If all fails targeted cortisone injections into the tendon sheaths can help.... Best wishes from Doctor Robert from Noosa

[@CameronBuchan]

Agreed! Should have been smarter getting back in considering the lack of water mileage in December!

[@lynoreabbott1010]

I always had more blisters and more difficulties rowing on salt water than on fresh. I felt like my hands held on to the moisture and then caught on the oars more. Whereas in fresh water the handles slid better. I have in the past used new skin (burns like hell) to cover the worst parts because your grip is definitely wrong and causes other issues when you try to "work around" the worst of the blisters. This fall I did a 20k race and was unable to train on the water for it. The switch from C2 to real boat and real oars was hell on my hands. Someone suggested I try rowing gloves from a guy in NY who modeled some gloves off of gymnastics gloves. I haven't tried them yet as it's winter and snowing. Good luck.

[@CameronBuchan]

Turns out it wasn’t the blisters it was essentially tendinitis from building up too quickly so a little ice and rest helped!

[@collin909]

Maybe check if your calluses are not getting to thick. And sand them down if needed. Other I'll get blisters under them because of the hardness and once damaged the skin can't keep up with lots of rowing. And yes definitely try not to swap to much handels if I don't row with my own oars (orange C2 grips) I often get a blister.

[@lorraineblough433]

When my carpal tunnel ( combined with arthritis) flares up plunging into ice water and using a wrist brace when I'm resting helps. Nothing like having your thumb and first 2 fingers going numb 15 minutes after starting a long Erg piece😠

[@leroyyoder3494]

Perhaps you could do a vlog on how you take care of yourself i.e. stretching, foam rolling or anything else you do to treat soreness from training.

[@CameronBuchan]

Good idea 💪

[@brianvanhelvert5684]

enjoying the jazzy music

[@mrjetranger123]

Try the Crocker xl grey Grips larger diam for larger hands

[@CameronBuchan]

I use them at home but haven’t had access to them here. Definitely part of the problem

[@juliebailey4749]

Good luck with the hand healing up!

[@neilcollins5930]

O’keefees working hands will help the blisters .

[@davidnewman6912]

Hi Cam, get in contact with Howard Croker, I’m sure he’ll have new grips to you as soon as he can. Cheers

[@CameronBuchan]

Great suggestion! Unfortunately I already have a different set at home and heading back soon!

[@emilyhops2566]

Could it be rsi? I get a weird thing every now and then from driving, if i for some weird reason do the indicators funny or grab the steering wheel weird amd then i have to drive without using that finger, its v strange, then after about a month, it goes away.

[@CameronBuchan]

Definitely could be!

[@JinxLiam]

Try taping them

[@ChrisK-rz1sy]

You hand looks just like mine after my first scull fir a few months.

[@Kroiznacher]

I recommend my rowers to use rowing gloves when they have blisters, so they can continue rowing while the blisters heal.

[@hamishgamble3870]

So does that work? I've always been told you shouldn't ever row with gloves (other than pogies)

[@Kroiznacher]

@@hamishgamble3870 well the newer/specialised ones (like rowtex) do work, but I strongly suggest to only use them when one has blisters - especially open ones. If you only row with gloves you wouldn't get hard/callused hands

[@murray2424]

Maybe just check that you don’t have any infections in through the blisters / calluses? Weird that you mention the pain and bruised feeling. Get well mate. Such awesome water to be enjoying up there 💪

[@CameronBuchan]

That was my thought too rather than the actual blisters themselves

[@autisticroomba1165]

Wait bro I used to row on that river. You’re on the Gold Coast???

[@CameronBuchan]

Indeed! This years episodes all been about Gold Coast adventure

[@lucabeyer8941]

How come you’ve had almost every brand boat except for fillipe? You’ve had hudson, wintech, empacher but never a fillipe

[@Kroiznacher]

There are many, many more brands

[@CameronBuchan]

I have rowed in many filippi boats, at the very beginning of the vlogs and as recently as in France last year, also vlogged

[@markricketts6957]

I've never understood the rowers who view mucked up hands as a badge of honour. Sore hands slow you down.

[@CameronBuchan]

I don’t really know anyone who does that. You’re right sore hands are not good

[@1Hominid]

2024, the year of cheeky titles! 😅

[@CameronBuchan]

Not a lie!

[@andyhall7032]

I hope this comes over as it's meant and that's with absolute respect but I think you can clearly see your hand issue in the footage starting at 1:24...your fellow oarsman is polishing that table...straight out and straight in ( with a minimal amount of left over right ) whereas your hands are...shall we say...clearly causing you issues...maybe take a day to enjoy the land and let them heal up a bit.

[@CameronBuchan]

Doesn’t come across as negative appreciate the comment! I think the less flat rowing is particularly emphasised in this video because side I couldn’t grip the handle but your point still stands!

[@andyhall7032]

@@CameronBuchan thanks and of course I was referring to the fact you had blisters and their impact on your handle heights as opposed to a general comment on your rowing technique!

[@WilliamWalsh-gd7ju]

I’d tape your index and middle fingers together then tape your ring and your pinkie finger together. The added support of the tape should hopefully make it a bit better

[@caractacus22]

At my club, gentlemen do not row bare chested.

[@FastRowerETX]

Must be “gentle” men then 😮

[@markricketts6957]

I'm no gentleman.

[@nathansmith7153]

Staying in the pool doesn't help. That's probably why the locals thought you were nuts. Keep the skin DRY.

[@CameronBuchan]

😂