Last month we ran the Rhythm challenge which looked at the ratio of your drive over your full stroke. This month we're taking a look at how segmented your rowing is, which is the second most important building block of good rowing technique (right after rhythm). For this challenge you will need the Quiske pod attached on the seat or the frame of the erg (depending on if you're rowing static or dynamic):
Let's look at your swing.
What is swing?
It is the swinging of your trunk (from about 11 to about 13 oclock and back) fluidly happening as you've straigtened your legs during the drive and before you break the knees during the recovery.
How do you measure swing?
We measure this via the timing of your seat at backstop. In other words you need to attach the Quiske pod to your seat.
The “Legs stopped” metric in the Quiske Rowing App shows how segmented your rowing style is, i.e. how separated your swing is from your leg work. You can swipe left in the Quiske Rowing App to see more details about the behaviour of your seat. The time-period where the seat-graph (red) is flat zero is the time you're legs are straights, i.e. your seat is stationary, and this is the time of your swing.
How much swing is optimum?
Your body should start swinging (opening) only after you’ve used most of the oompf in your legs: use your legs first, only activate your torso after having reached max leg speed, and finally pull with your arms at the last bit. Think of a front loaded drive where you push hard and sharp with legs ONLY, and then make sure you keep your seat in place while your body swings back and forth before again sliding back to catch.
Target: At rate 18 SPM aim for seat stopped >42%, this gives a good amount of swing
TIP: Try visualizing that the seat gets stuck into chewing gum at backstop, it can help you keep the seat stationary for longer until your body gets used to the segmented body swing (at that point the seat naturally stays stationary at backstop)
Join the Quiske Swing Challenge
The Quiske Swing Challenge runs until Christmas. You can join the challenge on any type of erg, just make sure to choose the right type in the Settings. Also, to join the challenge, set the recording interval to 2 minutes, and the Coach level to Challenging. Row consistently at 18SPM (i.e. a total of 36-40 strokes). See below a sample screenshot with the metrics for the past October (Drive Rhythm) and the Christmas challenge (Legs Stopped) indicated with arrows:
To score a "10" on Legs stopped (which is how me measure Swing), you need to keep your seat stationary for almost half of the time of the full stroke (at 18 SPM that is). Swipe left for full details including not only the handle and seat speed graphs but also the target metrics for five focus areas.
Take a screenshot of your result and send it to us by email (contact@quiske.fi) before Xmas eve for a chance to win a Remote Coaching Session with a Quiske coach. All participants will also get the new Quiske Guide to Indoor Rowing for free.
Happy Rowing!
Quiske Team
PS. The January Challenge is about Style...