The Rowing Stoke

Biomechanics Unit SummativeKellen Brenchley

PSE 4U1

Focus Point: The Handle

• When analyzing the rowing stroke we will be focused on the handle of the erg.

• The handle is most important because when your in a boat the speed of the handle directly relates to the speed of your boat.

Preliminary Movement

• Since the stroke is a cycle we will start the movement at the catch.

• Muscles involved: - Flexion of the phalanges - Contraction of gastrocnemius and

soleus - Contraction of the hamstrings

Critical Instant • The oar entering the water this is the critical instant, as

this if the moment when the force is applied. • The muscles begin to contract explosively and this

begins the stroke.• Muscles involved: - Rhomboids - Quadriceps - Hamstrings - Gastrocnemius - Soleus

Force Producing Movement • The force producing movement in the rowing stroke is

the drive.• This uses all the major joints in the body from largest to

smallest, creating the maximum velocity and force. • Muscles involved: - Trapezius - Hamstrings - Deltoids - Gastrocnemius - Triceps - Soleus - Rhomboids -Quadriceps - Pectoralis Major - Wrist Extensors and Flexors - Rectus Abdominus - Gluteus

Recovery/Follow-through/Backswing

• The rowing stroke has two main components, the drive and the recovery. The recovery, the follow-through and the backswing are all part of the recovery.

• Muscles involved: - Deltiods - Hamstings - Triceps - Quadriceps - Biceps - Pectoralis Major - Rectus Abdominus - Internal and External Obliques - Wrist extensors and flexors

Planes and Axis Used • A rower always moves in a straight line. When the boat

is moving through the water and when the rower is moving up and down the slide he will aways be moving through the sagittal plane.

• The rower might tip from side to side if s/he is unbalenced this would be movement through the frontal plane

• The axes used is that of the antereoposterior axes. The rotation occours in the hip joint and in knee joint

Levers

• The main lever used in the rowing stroke is that of the oar in the water, this is a first class lever.

Free Body Diagrams

Velocity and Acceleration

Logger Pro Graph

7 Principles Biomechanics• Five of the seven priciples are used in the rowing stroke• Stability – Keeping the boat steady and level. • Maximum Effort – Joints used: Ankle, knee, hip and

shoulder• Linear Motion 1 – Pulling the oar through the water, the

harder you pull the faster you go• Linear Motion 2 – The movent occours because of the

high force applied to the oar.This force results in movement in the opposite direction

• Angular motion – In order to have a powerful stroke you must swing through your hips.

Newton's Laws• The Law of Inertia- Objects that are in motion tend to stay in motion unles an external force is

applied to it- Eg. The force from the oars move boat, but water apposes the movement of

the boat

• The Law of Acceleration- A force applied to a body causes an acceleration of that body of a magnitude

proportional to the force, in the direction of the force, and inversely proportional to the body’s mass

- Eg. The harder you pull the oar the faster you can move the boat

• The Law of Reaction - For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. - Eg. Push the water with your oars and the water pushes back just as

hard.

Final Analysis

• Tecnical improvements from the Video- Explode out of the catch - More lay-back- Straighter back