Basic rowing technique

1. The Power Phase

Execution

The power phase of the rowing motion starts in your catch position: body close towards the screen, back hinged forward and arms stretched out.

From your catch position you slowly move towards the starting position:

Do this in the following order:

Legs
Back (hip hinge)
Arms

Next, the order of movement of the power phase will be explained.

Step 1: the legs

The power phase starts in the catch position (see picture) and the first step is pushing the legs down and the hips back. During this part of the rowing motion we use mostly the quadriceps to push away from the screen.

Points of attention

Push the hips back

Engage the core
Keep the hip hinge to the front while pushing

Hang on the handle

Keep the arms straight
Hang on the handle like you’re doing a deadlift

Engage the core

Sit up proud, even while hinging forward
Tighten your core to protect the lower back

Step 2: the hip hinge

The hip hinge starts when the legs are almost fully extended. In this part of the power phase you’ll start using the glutes and the hamstrings to open up with the hips.

Points of attention

Open up with the hips

Open up
Swing the body backwards
Swing with the upper body from 11 o’clock to 1 o’clock
Push the toes into the machine

Hang on the handle

Keep the arms straight
Hang on the handle like the final part of doing a deadlift

Engage the core

Tighten your core to protect to lower back

The hips start opening up when the legs are almost fully extended. Make sure to keep on hanging on the handle.

After the hip hinge, you are leaning backwards, hanging on the abs. The legs-only portion of the power phase ends when the legs are almost fully extended. Make sure to keep on hanging on the handle.

Step 3: the arms

The final part of the power phase are the arms. In this part of the power phase the handle moves back into the starting position.

Points of attention

Let the handle move towards your chest

Open up to the starting position

Sit up proud

Tighten your core to protect the lower back
Chest up

You are now leaning backwards, hanging on the abs.

In the starting position the legs are fully extended, the handle is placed just below the chest (the middle of the upper body), the elbows are slightly pointing outwards and the chest is up for a perfect starting point.

2. Relaxation Phase

The relaxation phase of the rowing motion starts in your starting position: legs stretched, handle at the middle of the upper body, chest up and elbow slightly outwards.

From your starting position you slowly move towards the screen in the following order:

Arms
Back (hip hinge)
Legs

In this blog you’ll read more about the order of movement in the relaxation phase.

Step 1: the arms

The rowing motion starts in the starting position (see picture) and the first step is stretching out the arms to pause 2.

Points of attention

Chest up proud

Sit up proud
Imagine there is a string pulling you up from the top of your head
Shoulder blades together

Handle in the middle of the upper body

Place the handle just below the chest
Place the handle in the middle of the upper body

Stretch out the arms in a horizontal line

Move your handle towards the screen in a straight line
Move the handle like it is sliding over a flat table

In the starting position the legs are fully extended, the handle is placed just below the chest (the middle of the upper body), the elbows are slightly pointing outwards and the chest is up for a perfect starting point.

In pause 2 the arms are fully extended. The rest of the body is still in the starting position.

Step 2: the hip hinge

The hip hinge starts from pause 2 and moves to a pause 3 position.

Points of attention

Keep the back straight

Sit up proud
Imagine there is a string pulling you up from the top of your head
Hinge from the hips
Shift your weight from the back of the seat to the front of the seat
Shoulders are in front of the hips

Move the handle in a straight line

Move your handle towards the screen in a straight line
Move the handle like it is sliding over a flat table

In pause 2 the arms are fully extended. The rest of the body is still in the starting position.

In pause 3 the handle is still at the same height as in the starting position. The chest is still up proud and your shoulders are in front of your hips. This means your weight is on the front of your seat.

Step 3: the legs

After you sit ready in pause 3 you slowly start bending your knees to slide to the front of the machine.

Points of attention

Engage the core

Engage the core
Draw the belly button in
Brace your core

Keep the upper body in a pause 3 position

Sit up proud
Imagine there is a string pulling you up from the top of your head
Only the legs are moving
Keep the hip hinge when sliding to the front

Move the handle in a straight line

Move your handle towards the screen in a straight line
Move the handle like it is sliding over a flat table

Slide with control

Move slowly to the front
Count 1,2 on the slide movement