Balance in rowing
Balance is lost as we age. How can rowers learn balance – in the boat, in life and physical balance? How to balance a quad scull.
Timestamps
03:00 Balance as you age.
Typically it changes around age 50. There is a loss of muscle mass – it affects co-ordination like walking and neuro-muscular aspects like hearing and vision as well.
04:45 Balance can be trained and maintained. Keep your muscles in good condition. Notice changes in your balance.
05:30 standing balance – it’s more challenging.
Exercises to test and train your balance
- Stand on one foot and time how long you can do this.
- Incorporate into rowing training.
- 10 ankle circles per leg during your land warm up daily.
- Toe touching in a star shape exercise. Tap toe in front and behind moving in a circle.
- Yoga tree pose.
- Walk on a 2×4 plank.
- Tai chi and yoga have postures to train
Sitting balance.
08:30 Sitting balance. Use a swiss ball /physio ball.
Sit with hips and knees at 90 degrees. Arms to side in a T position. Lift one leg and extend it.
Does it challenge your balance?
Get comfortable doing this. Then raise both legs off the floor.
11:14 Try a V-sit, sit on the floor raise legs as well as torso. Balance on sit-bones. Can you balance?
How to balance a quad scull
13:00 How to balance a quad scull.
- First check your set up in the boat.
- Then are your oars going in and out of the water at the same time?
- Lastly, your skill handling the oars needs development and practice. Put pressure into the pins.
17.00 ‘Transitioning land to boat – getting into the boat. One leg squats help train strength.
Also concentric & eccentric motion. Lowering your weight to sitting is a good progressive exercise.
21:00 Why a 2x is easier to balance than a single scull.
The boat is wider – it sits in the water with more surface area of the hull under the water. A narrow beam is more sensitive.
23:00 Tension kills boat speed
Further Resources
- How to balance a single scull
- How to carry a single scull
- Balance exercises for rowing
- Rowing balance versus rowing stability
