If you haven’t had the chance to read (and use) the rowing equipment and rigging tips I’ve been writing about in 2017, no worries. It’s been a crazy crazy
year.
Below are 11 of the tips that resonated the loudest with people, and I thought they were worth sharing with you.
Give one, or all, a try:
- Over-compression is a technique flaw, and it happens frequently with new rowers. There’s a part of your boat that can help put an end to it.
- Your boat’s hull identification number (HIN) can tell you tons. Use it to unlock your boat’s secrets and find out what you MUST know about your shell
- A great relationship with your equipment manufacturer can yield rewards that will probably surprise you.
- Use different size boats in practice for competition because some are as fast as others (Faster) 8+ > 4x > 4- > 4+ > 2x > 2- > 1x > 2+ (Slower)
- Indicate Drag Factor, with tape, on erg cage. This video shows you how to set Drag Factor, (next to last segment) then just mark your cage – but use tape, because Drag Factor can change as the machine gets dirty.)
- Knowing your hull design can help you understand how to coach the rower(s) in it
- The most common injury to rowers is … knee injuries (29%). I would have guessed back (22%)
- A splash guard can make rowing in rough water a little more comfortable.
- Clean your oar handles to make rowing in wet conditions better.
- Cover water bottles to reduce damage to the inner hull of your boat.
- Oil the chain on an indoor rower (aka erg) to reduce down time in practice, extend the life of the machine, and have more fun (yes, I wrote “fun” and “erg” in the same sentence!)
Got suggestions that should be on the blog for 2018? Drop me a note, and let’s share. That way we all get faster, row better, smile more ; )
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