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Hi I’m Tanya, I currently hold the World Record for the fastest 100m on the Concept2 Rower (Lightweight/40-49 Age category). A fundamental part of achieving this World Record was using consistent warm up drills such as rowing ‘feet out’. Let me explain why you should row feet out!
Why row ‘feet out’.
A drill that helps to ensure the abdominals are being used at the finish is to row without any foot straps i.e. rowing “feet out”! This awesome drill helps to develop an efficient stroke with correct power distribution.
The foot strap secures you to the indoor rower for the finish position, where the abdominals stabilise the body, and the glutes and quads are contracting. The foot straps allow for more layback in the stroke, but the core muscles should be engaged for primary stability. If you are delivering power efficiently then nothing about your normal technique should change and you should be able to row as efficiently as you would with your feet strapped in. If however you are at any point in the rowing stroke mistiming your sequence, you are opening your hips too far, or not pushing your hands away fast enough on the release phase, then you are going to be falling off the back of the rower!
Next time you’re warming up on the rower give this drill a go and see what feedback you get.
Article by: Tanya Haeffele, Combat Fuel Athlete since 2019
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EAA+ in Strawberry & Lime
