When you start transitioning your training from the water to land and using the indoor rower becomes your primary mode of training, there are some important points that you should bear in mind:
Stroke Awareness:
Rowing indoors requires the same technical attentiveness as does rowing in the boat. Rowing incorrectly on the machine will only create poor motor patterns that will become unattractive additions to your on-the-water strokes. The machine does not replicate balance or the exact handle movements of the oar but does require the similar use of body sequencing and core muscular patterns as in the natural on-water setting.
Since the machine is stationary and a boat is moving, how your weight acts is slightly different during the recovery. On the machine, you rove your moss, on the water the boat moves under you, as your mass generally remains stable, This is important to be aware of so you are careful with your body preparations and posture when rowing indoors. It is easy to over-reach or dive at the catch because the machine does not need to be balanced and flaws may go unnoticed; the boat does not tolerate this as well.
Hand Positions and Chain Level: The chain moving through the guide on the front of the machine allows you to monitor the level of the on the drive and recovery. The chain should remain steady and level throughout the entire stroke cycle. There is no benefit to change the handle height when rowing indoors. Placing two pieces of tape, narrowing the size of the guide, can serve as a physical cue to keep the chain stable. The chain picks up tension with a minimum of slippage if the catch is taken correctly. If you notice a lot of chain movement before you feel the resistance of the flywheel, correct your posture and work on a better initiation of the legs.
The hand placement on the handle is similar to that of a sculling grasp except that you are unable to put your thumbs on the end of the handle, Keep the handle in the hook of your fingers with the palm lifted off and thumbs gently wrapped under. The back of the hand, wrist, and forearm need to remain level with the handle. Allow the elbows to move laterally as the hands approach the body and keep the handle height at the level of your sternum.
Caution: Over-compression and Hyperextension Since there are no front stops on the seat rail, over-compression at the catch can easily go unnoticed. Placing a piece of tape on the rail can subtly remind you of the limit you want your seat rollers to go. The absence of a solid seat deck can contribute to hyperextension of your knees at the end of the drive. Usually paying attention to this is enough to remedy it.
Rigging Your Rower The adjustments of your erg are as important as the rigging of your boat for optimum performance. You can adjust the resistance level with the damper setting, heel cup height, and the performance monitor position.
Drag factor is the indicator of resistance created by the flywheel; its importance is equivalent to the adjustment of load in rigging a boat. The lower damper settings represent lighter loads; the higher numbers heavier loads. A general recommendation for steady state rowing is a drag factor of 100 -115, which corresponds to an approximate damper setting of 3. Avoid doing short low-cadence power pieces with high drag factors (>130 - 140) which place significant strain on the lumbar spine. It is not recommended to use damper settings above 5. Gravitate to the lightest setting that mimics the sensation of your boot speed.
Set your heel cups high enough so that you can compress comfortably but not so low that there is excessive sloping down of the legs.
The computer monitor is best set up at eye level or slightly above. Encourage yourself to keep your head steady and eyes focused forward. A low monitor screen will cause your head and eyes to drop negatively affecting your posture and application of power.
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