#strokerate

Minutes into the warm-up you see that one lingering item: 500m row  (wait, I haven't gotten to the workout yet?!). And mutter to yourself “I hate rowing,” “This never gets easier, or maybe you even dare to skip just that piece. Rowing, enjoyable or not, is a win-win. Not only do you strengthen and condition the upper and lower body, you also gain the benefit of a cardiovascular workout without wear and tear of the joints.

Muscles worked

Upper body: Back, abdominals, shoulders, pectorals, biceps, neck, hands, triceps, deltoids, lats.

Lower body: Thighs, calves, glutes, quads, hamstrings.

Think of the row as three functional movements: a leg press, a deadlift, and a row. Not only are the muscles groups in your upper and lower body worked but so is your cardiovascular system.

The anatomy of rowing

Ready.  It’s all in the positioning—feet in the stirrups, knees tucked to your chest, and body positioned as close as possible to the flywheel.

Get set.  Focus on form—hinge forward from the hips, position your neck so that you chin is up, and keep your shoulders tight and back flat.  As you fatigue… Keep focused on keeping your feet flat, chin up, and shoulders back.

Go. A solid start will lead to a solid finish. Driving with your lower body, keep your feet planted on the footboards. As you push yourself back, wait to pull with your arms.

Finish. With legs extended and knees straight, hinge back at the hips with a neutral spine. Keep your core tight, and pull the handle to your chest. 

Getting to know those numbers

Stroke rate. You know that number that looks something like 20 s/m. Or, the number of times you go back and forth each minute. Aim for holding a stroke rate between18-40spm.

So what? Ignoring the numbers on the rower creates a sporadic rhythm.

I still don’t get it… Think about it for a second, one minute you’re rowing at 19spm, then 36spm, and then 23spm. Would you walk like that? One small step. One big step. Then a jump, and a hop. That’s obviously not an efficient or logical approach.

Split times. Each time you pull you should see something like 2:12/500m. This time is a reflection of your stroke rate. If you move with the same force consistently your split time will remain consistent.

So what? This helps you keep pace.