A Few More Common Strength Training Technique Corrections
Archive post from 3/6/23
The squat and deadlift errors we covered last week usually come from the rower tendency to shift the emphasis to the stronger quads and away from the weaker glutes and hamstrings under fatigue.
Errors in upper body exercises tend to come from shifting to the stronger upper trapezius muscle and away from the other muscles of the mid-back and rear shoulder under fatigue. We want to erg, row, and scull (and therefore strength train) from a more “shoulders down” position, not from a more shrugged-up position. Watch my video from last year here on shoulder position.
Good strength training with attention to technical detail offers opportunities to change movement patterns and improve the strength of neglected muscles to increase their contribution to the rowing stroke. This improves technique and performance and reduces risk of injury.
Rowers often go into “reps by any means necessary” mode with the bodyweight exercises of pushups, bodyweight rows, and chin-ups. Technique, tempo, and ROM are the priorities before reps/load!
All of the GRP rowers started out our off-season phase of training using at least one of: elevated hands on pushups, higher than parallel body position on rows, and band-assist on chin-ups. Many rowers are still using two or three of those modifications because that’s what they can do well. Moving well matters more for rowing performance than increasing load.
Here are the additional technical details I’ve been coaching most.
Pushups: Hip/chest/head all descend and ascend simultaneously, shoulders stay down throughout the movement.
Bodyweight Rows: The same in reverse! No relaxing at the bottom position–maintain that reverse plank torso/shoulder position without letting the shoulders roll forward. Pull the chest to the bar or through the handles at the top position for full ROM.
Chin-ups: Shoulders stay down while moving from mostly straight arms at the bottom to chest/collarbones to or almost to the bar at the top position. Only one GRP rower was able to do unassisted chin-ups for 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps with good technique, 2:1 tempo control, and full ROM, and that was after 8 weeks of training band-assisted or seated to get there.
Like in my training template, we conclude each session with a circuit of shoulder, lateral/rotational hip, and core exercises. Some rowers have said this is the hardest part of the session for the way these exercises hammer weaknesses when done correctly!
Shoulder exercises: Shoulders down, shoulders down, shoulders down. Many have found it helpful to do these facing a mirror for visual feedback. Use movement contrast for learning: shrug them up, then pack them down and try to hold it there.
Glute marching and band walks: Heel contact only to focus on the glutes and prevent forefoot shifting to the quads when landing and pushing off.
Side-lying hip abduction: Toe down to lead with the heel and focus on the glutes.
Seated rockback: Pay attention to perform the exercise exactly as you do (or want to do) the release position and back-end of the rowing stroke. Sit at the front of the seat, sit up tall, keep ribs down, maintain foot pressure, and make the movement happen from the hips around a stable spine.
