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Posture and Stroke Length

One of the main elements of the rowing action is posture and length; poor posture and lack of length in the rowing stroke will result in injury and unrealized benefits of rowing.  

It is therefore essential that a strong postural position is maintained with full reach and length throughout the rowing action.

To achieve full range of motion, the user must aim to reach as far forward with the handle and compress the legs as much as possible while maintaining a strong upright position.

Beginning each stroke with the correct posture will ensure a positive workout. To achieve correct posture, the torso is simply rocked at the pelvis from a backward (11 o’clock) position to a forward (1 o’clock) position (this is known as the Rock Over phase and is discussed in more detail later on in this section). 

A common problem when rowing is using movement of the torso to contribute to the range of motion. This is usually done by bending the torso at the lower back, therefore weakening the posture (most lower back injuries occur when work is being transmitted through a weak posture). 

Another problem is the legs often open up to allow for extra reach, this may lead to tightening of the muscles on the lateral part of the thigh and in the gluteals. In the Catch position as seen in the above picture, keep the knees together.