Don't hunch your shoulders - use them to improve length and connection at the front of the stroke. But take time to build in any extension to a natural reach, and be sure to stretch your shoulders afterwards. And as ever, if it's uncomfortable, don't do it!
Hey Glyn, I'm really pleased this helped. I should really have done a bit about making sure the posture is right too - but maybe that's for another video.
You are a great instructor and I love your channel! Doing your videos [and now your 5k plan] has really helped a newbie like me develop proper form, improve my endurance and reduce my splits at lower and higher stroke rates. I'm 5'4", any lengthening tips for us shorties?
Hiya! I'm so pleased you're enjoying my channel. And that you're finding it's helping! Length is a weird one. You can only get what you can get. You can help get more by being in the right body positon - but it's important to not sacrifice connection in the hunt for more length. What I'm talking about in this video is key. Extend your shoulders - fingers hooked off the handle, that'll give you a lot of length if you're not already doing it. Make sure to actually be tilted over your hips into a 1 o'clock lean to the front. Not only do you need to get to that 1 o'clock - but you need to be sure it's a tilt from the hips, not a rolling of the lower back. If your hips are pointing backwards, but your upper body is trying to roll forwards - you're in no-mans land, neither gaining nor losing length. A good posture - tilt over your hips - shoulders over your hips - and the hips are rocked forwards. Do that, along with the shoulder and fingers - and make sure you slide in on the seat so your shins are vertical. After that, there's not much more you can add. Feel free to send me a video (email to info@rowalong.com) if you want me to take a look.
"This is really what I'm like, sorry". lol Always entertaining, your waffling at the outro's are the best parts of your rows John! :) I still tend to swing my back too early if you're looking for another "form video" to do...
Haha. Yeah, you see the crazy in my eyes enter just around the point of the T-Rex.... I'll try to work out some kind of way to get the back thing right without the need for special equipment.
Be careful to extend your😊 shoulders. This can cause AC arthritis. After 8yrs in rowing, it can (assumption) injury. I am 5’9” rowed for OCC and CAL. Yes shortest rower on record at CAL. In order to gain length, I rolled my shoulders and extended my fingers at the catch. My fingers are also ruined. But, hey, sacrifices. My shoulder didn’t ever hurt when doing this, but my orthopedic said it might of contributed both AC arthritis in both shoulders.
That's a good tip. I think anything that pushed your body past its natural comfort can sometimes result in injury - especially if someone doesn't build into it first. I'll add a disclaimer.
I just discovered the channel and started rowing along. I did think it was interesting that you get the handle to almost touch the throat on every stroke. I can't get anywhere close to that, even when I stretch farther that I should. Must be a height thing I guess.
Or posture. (I just wrote this in a reply to someone else, so I'm going to be lazy and just paste it in here. Apologies for being lazy!!) Length is a weird one. You can only get what you can get. You can help get more by being in the right body positon - but it's important to not sacrifice connection in the hunt for more length. What I'm talking about in this video is key. Extend your shoulders - fingers hooked off the handle, that'll give you a lot of length if you're not already doing it. Make sure to actually be tilted over your hips into a 1 o'clock lean to the front. Not only do you need to get to that 1 o'clock - but you need to be sure it's a tilt from the hips, not a rolling of the lower back. If your hips are pointing backwards, but your upper body is trying to roll forwards - you're in no-mans land, neither gaining nor losing length. A good posture - tilt over your hips - shoulders over your hips - and the hips are rocked forwards. Do that, along with the shoulder and fingers - and make sure you slide in on the seat so your shins are vertical. After that, there's not much more you can add. Feel free to send me a video (email to info@rowalong.com) if you want me to take a look.
@@rowalong Yeah, I should take a video just to see myself. Flexibility is an issue for me, and so I may not actually be able to get into the 1:00 position, even though it feels like I am. Plus I'm working off a bit of a gut, so the belly gets in the way a bit. Thanks for the response!
Hahahah!!! Don't let him see that! Actually, he did say I could review his technique for Form Check Friday's. I wonder if that still stands now I'm no longer rowing for his team...
