- Correct hand and wrist position: To perform a perfect rowing stroke, it is important that you adopt the correct hand and wrist position. Your hands should be on the outside of the rowing handle and your wrists should be flat. The handle should be pulled directly below your chest to ensure optimal activation of your back muscles. It is important to maintain this position to perform a powerful and effective move. Incorrect hand and wrist position can cause injury and reduce the effectiveness of the rowing stroke. Therefore, you should make sure that you master the correct technique to get the most out of your training.
- Ideal supine position: In order to achieve a perfect rowing stroke, it is crucial to assume the ideal supine position. An 11 o'clock or 1 o'clock supine position should be aimed for, with the shoulders remaining behind the hips. Balance is very important here - you shouldn't lean back too far to avoid straining your lower back, but enough to activate your abdominal muscles. It is important to maintain a strong and stable position to ensure a smooth transition between rowing strokes.
- Grip Lowering During Recovery: During the recovery phase of rowing, you should focus on lowering the grip. As you move up for the next punch, lower the handle with your arms straight while tilting your upper body forward. This technique is very important to avoid overuse of the arm and shoulder muscles and ensure a smooth and sustainable rowing experience. By lowering the handle with your arms stretched, the load is evenly distributed across the muscles, thus avoiding overload. The tilt of the upper body also ensures that the muscles are relieved and rowing becomes more comfortable. With this technique you can increase your performance while preventing injuries.
- Forward Complementary Torso Angle: As you approach the front end of the stroke, be sure to maintain a complementary torso angle of 11 o'clock or 1 o'clock. This means that your upper body is tilted slightly to the side and your shoulders are parallel to the rudder blade. In order to achieve a harmonious rowing movement, it is important to synchronize this angle with your supine position. Maintaining this angle will help ensure a smooth transition between the front and back ends of each shot. A consistent upper body posture is therefore of great importance for successful rowing technique.
- Keep your hands up and aligned: When exercising on the rowing machine, you should take extra care to ensure that your hands are up at the front of the machine and in a straight line with the chain or belt. This position requires your hands to be relatively high, which promotes a strong connection between your body and the machine from the start. Additionally, make sure you feel the stretch in your lats to activate these powerful back muscles and deliver an efficient punch. With this technique you can improve your rowing technique and make your training even more effective.
- Legs first, upper body tilted forward: The most difficult part of rowing on a rowing machine is mastering the correct technique. To achieve this, it is important to push with your legs first while keeping your torso leaning forward. You should make sure that the seat and handle move together to avoid “slipping” of the seat. In addition, the shoulders should be kept in front of the hips and the legs should be almost straight before the upper body leans backwards. By consistently following this technique, you can use the rowing machine effectively and achieve optimal training results.
- Acceleration through the Hips: To finish strong, it is important to accelerate the force generated by a powerful hip swing. You can feel how your hips, buttocks and torso activate. While you swing your shoulders into the supine position, your arms should be kept stretched. The pull of the arms should be a natural completion of the momentum created by the hip swing.
Conclusion: Congratulations! You now have the essential tools to achieve a perfect rowing stroke. Reflect on these seven key points, identify areas for improvement, and see how your rowing technique changes.
