The Rowing Stoke
Biomechanics Unit Summative
Kellen 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