Rowing is a CrossFit staple. You can bet that it will always make it’s way into the programming which means there’s not a week that goes by that our butts don’t sit on that little black seat.
I’ll be honest though, I had never rowed a day in my life before joining CrossFit. Now it’s something I’m doing constantly. Want to burn a few extra calories? Row. Need something get your body heated on a rest day? Row.
Wondering what to do on a first date? Ummm…. You could always row.
Though it appears to be a very simple movement, there is actually a lot of technique involved. And if done incorrectly, you can waste a ton of effort and energy on inefficiency. So even if you have a love/hate relationship with rowing, you might as well put a little time into learning to treat it right, because it’s not going anywhere.
At the very least, try to avoid these 10 common mistakes (tips given by Coach CT Phelps):
1. Your damper setting is off. Is your name Jason Khalipa? I didn’t think so. Yes, he puts the damper setting on 10, but the everyday CrossFitter is not him. While pulling at a 10, yes, it can give you more tension, burn more calories, and collect meters faster. But think about it this way: Maybe you can deadlift 500lbs…. once. But not for 15 reps. Same concept applies to rowing. Why would you want to put the damper setting at a 10 and get three good pulls when you could set it on a 7 and stay consistent throughout the entire workout?
2. You are gripping the handle too hard. You don’t want to be holding on so hard that your forearms begin to burn. And don’t put your hands close to the center when you grip. Keep them evenly spaced on either side.
3. You are not using your legs enough. Legs. Legs. Legs. Use them to your advantage! Drive with your legs and at the same time, don’t let your butt go solo and shoot back before everything else. Keep hips, shoulders, and ears in a straight line all the way back. Your legs should be a primary source of power on the rower.
4. Your sequence is off. Legs, hips, arms. Arms, hips, legs. This is the sequence of rowing. If you do not move in that order then rowing doesn’t work. It seems simple but it’s actually an easy one to mess up.
5. You are not driving straight back. If your butt is coming off the rower seat or you find yourself tilting, it’s because instead of pushing straight back, you’re pushing up. Make sure you drive straight back.
6. You are shrugging your shoulders up. There is never a need to pull your shoulders up to your ears at any point in rowing. You should be pulling your shoulder blades together behind you not up like you’re going to shrug. This can’t be emphasized enough: Do not shrug those shoulders!
7. You are re-bending your knees too soon. The path of the chain on the rower needs to move in the straightest line possible. We both know that the quickest path from point A to point B is a straight line. If you re-bend your knees too soon, you then have to move the handle over them, thus interfering with the straight path of the chain.
8. You are re-bending your arms too soon. Always drive with your legs first. Keep your elbows straight as you drive your legs. The moment your bend your elbows you’ve lost all the power that translates from your legs.
9. You slam the seat into the back of your heels. Some people who are blessed with extra flexibility have a tendency to do this. Yeah. Just don’t.
10. You don’t know what the heck those numbers on the foot pad are there for. Let’s talk about the foot strap. And the numbers beside the foot pad. This not about the size of your foot. These numbers are there to help you determine whether you want the strap to be closer to your ankle or closer to the front of the foot. Some people like the strap tight and close to their ankle, others feel better when it’s closer to the front of the foot. So when you get on the rower, the first thing you want to do is find your preference on positioning.