Video Analysis - Comparing different styles of rowing and their effectiveness

We got a question from Robert, who is a successful Coach from Poland, now working in Isreal. He asked:" when is the right point of time to open up the upper body? Is there a fixed rule?"
The answer is: No, but.... (as usual)
In this video we have tried to show similarities between sweep rowing and sculling and the main principles of rowing technique as we believe they are.
The aramtraining blog, seminars and coaching: www.aramtrainin...
The rowing machines used in this video: www.biorower.com
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Links to the youtube videos played in this video:
The M4x from the Olympic Games in Sidney 2000 -
• 2000 M4x Final
The M4- at the World Cup Varese 2016:
• M4- domenica 17/4/2016
Music used in this video: Robero - Soul Sister (CCO license)
creativecommon...

[@GamerDemonz]

You need more subs, you make good quality videos, thanks!

[@AramTraining]

Thank you very much Shivam!

[@bryan-zamanizulu-stone3911]

Pleasure Aram! Thanks for the great videos!

[@rushibutt7644]

Very well explained I fully understand and thanks to Aram great contributions

[@robkluvers4020]

I almost agree with your opinion.
There is no perfect time to open up your body as long as it is not at the catch.
But.... the trunk should be active during the entire stroke. To little or to much action at the catch of the trunk, in combination with bad preparation in the recover results in either digging the blades or shooting the slide.
As coaches we see movement of the legs in the first part of the stroke and we attend to applaud that.
Causing the old fashioned movement first the legs, then your trunk and then your arms.
I think it is like this:
The stronger your trunk the sooner you will be possible to open it against the force of your legs.
It makes the leg drive more efficient.
If you have some trunk motion left at the end of the drive to use to excel the boat, do it!!!
If it is only a matter of posture don’t!!!!
This is possibly the most difficult subject in rowing
Most of my crews have problems with this
My standard exercise is to ask them to row with no motion of the trunk. Sit up straight during the stroke and recovery! It feels quite odd at the beginning but when I show them the video’s I make of thisexercise they usually are surprised how ‘normal’ it looks!
If they are really good at it, I ask them to have a bit more movement of the trunk nearing the finish.
I hope this helps you all!
Greetings, Rob (ins&outs rowing)

[@nz1017]

Thankyou so much for these videos

[@AramTraining]

you are very welcome

[@will1x928]

So when should you open up? Were Italians opening up at around 50% through the leg drive would you say?

[@AramTraining]

A certain percentage has turned out to be a bad general advice.
If I know what I want to achieve, I will do it effeciently in a natural way.
General idea:
Long body motion throughout the drive which stops where you lose full force connection on the foot stretchers.
The "when" depends on the following factors and cannot be specified with percentages:
# body proportions
# relation of leg strength to trunk strength
Principle 1: Not at the catch
Principle 2: Open up the upper body at the point where you
a.)do not slow down the legs anymore (opening up too early would do so)
b.)do not create a substantial blade depth change caused by your shoulder upward movement
c.) are able to keep up the force on your foot stretchers with opening up the upper body.

[@t.purkess9682]

my coach had been telling me recently that when I scull in a single, I open my back early, and I've heard the same being said about some other rowers. is it just a term for leaning back too early?

[@AramTraining]

The way I see it: yes. Basically, you are avoiding full force transfer through your body, and you are trying to move your self instead of moving the boat.
From my experience, this is mostly the case with people who "row" on standard ergs. There they must row inefficiently in order to protect their backs from being overloaded. (Just had another conversation last week with a guy from the US who got his back injured from rowing a regular erg) Inefficiently means lifting the upper body too early during the drive phase, bending the arms too early or having the shoulders overly tight. All of this will force your legs to ease off pressure, because an early lifting upper body, bending arms or cramped shoulders cannot handle full leg power.