When I first started planning this post, I was going to make it a funny one, showcasing all the ridiculous things you see people doing on the erg. What, after all, is more hilarious to rowers than a gym rower making basic mistakes on the rowing machine? But I’ve had a change of heart – a bit of a Road to Damascus conversion. First there was the humbling experience of seeing the Crossfitters and the gym rowers beasting it at the Great Row, for all their lack of style. And then there was the niggling feeling that it just wasn’t fair to sneer. I’m sure a gym regular could have hours of fun watching me trying to do a squat or a bench press, and Crossfitters could laugh me out of the box with my feeble attempts at pull ups. So instead of mocking I thought I’d try to do something useful. It’s still “how not to erg”, but it’s a genuine attempt to answer the questions that non-rowers have asking me about good (and bad) technique.
If you’ve anything (constructive) to add, or any questions you want to ask, fire away in the comments section or on any of my social media channels. You know I always love a good chat about rowing!
Hooray! Finally a common sense, jargon free, straightforward explanation that can be shared with all the gym-bunny die-hards who *think* they know what an erg is for (but haven’t a clue).
Great video.
Ahhh, thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it x
Thanks for the leaving it on 4 thing. I keep hurting my back and am thinking that’s the reason!
Glad to have helped! Let me know if it makes a difference!
This was so helpful and really interesting! Thank you for this! I’ve been doing a lot more rowing work recently on the erg.
Would be good if you could do a follow up of the drag factor but also another video of you using the erg for about 1 min the wrong way and then then another 1 minute of you using the erg the correct way. Would be good to also see a more close up video of you using it the correct way whilst you’re filmed at different angles. After technique is improved, what kind of tips would you give to increase speed? And what is the point in the resistance going up to 10 when even elite athletes don’t really use it? Wayyy too many questions, sorry!
Thanks so much for this, Mara – really helpful to know what would be useful! I’ll definitely do a follow up. Slightly hesitant about doing one showing the correct technique as I know mine is by no means perfect, but I can perhaps persuade one of the more technically good rowers at my club to help out with this! I’ll have a think about the best way to answer all your questions – and please keep asking. They are all great questions! (not sure what the answer is to the 10 issue, BTW – I’ll ask C2 and see what they say).
There is nothing wrong with rowing at 10. The erg resists against you pulling on it so you can row with hardly any effort at setting 10. It is a good setting for novices to slow down their movements when learning the stroke cycle. It also is easy to learn how to hang with straight arms as you drive with your legs and core. Power athletes use 10 all the time. National team rowers use 10 to train strength and power.
A common fault that should be included instead of not using setting 10 would be shooting your button on the drive. This fault will cause back problems .
Thanks for this insight. The information I gave about the setting came directly from Steve Gunn, head of the GB Rowing Team Start programme – see my post about the workshop I attended with him.
I followed your tips closely today in the gym (in Dublin) and a French student approached me afterwards to ask if I was a rower (which I am not). He said my technique was excellent. He rowed in the French National Championships, it seems.
As regards the settings – he maintained that the 10 on the machine I was using was probably a 5 or 6 on the machines in his rowing club. So I guess the settings can vary.
So thank you.
Ah, this has made my day! And interesting about the settings. I really do need to do that post about drag factor!!
Hello. Good advices. I personally use the « rowing moto » when teaching on the indoor rower. « Legs, back, arms (on the drive), arms, back, legs (on the recovery) », while stating to keep my back at 1 o’clock on the drive and finishing with my back at 11 o’clock at the finish. I also mention to keep a ratio of 1:2 , ex: 1 sec on the drive, 2seconds on the recovery. And of course, as you pointed out, to keep a damper setting of 3-4 and a stroke rate between 22 – 26.
Thank you for taking the time to making rowing more accessible to people.
Thanks, Luc. Look out for more erg vlogs over the winter!