- Welcome back this week to Dark Horse Rowing
and we are talking about why you still
shouldn't be lifting your heels when you are on the machine,
but the time when you can lift your heels.
Alright, let's address this.
Now we coach that you shouldn't
lift your heels on the machine.
Now before you go leaving all sorts of hate comments
down below this video, listen to
what we have to say about it.
Why do we talk about not lifting the heels?
Now, is it a generally accepted principal
that in the sport of rowing you lift your heels?
Absolutely, we're not denying that.
Is it possible to lift your heels when you are
actually using the rowing movement properly?
Sure, absolutely.
Is it appropriate to lift your heels
when you are teaching somebody for the first time
how to use this machine?
No, and that's where we come from.
So stick with us and let's address why we use the
queue of heels down rowing and when it's appropriate
to allow the heel to lift.
Now when somebody is turning to us for the first time
to learn how to use the rowing machine,
one of the most egregious errors that we see
is the lifting of the heel and the hips
sliding underneath the shoulders, this catch position.
Okay, now for those of you who've hung out
with us for long enough, you know
that this is not a good position.
That a strong catch is being able to have the foot
nearly flat, the hips behind the shoulders,
and maintaining a strong midline, okay?
Now what do we see 80% of the time
with somebody that's never learned how to use this machine?
It's this, I'm talking about the gym goers,
the crossfitters, everybody who uses this machine
and has never tuned into rowing knowledge.
So why do we talk about heels down rowing?
Because the instant I put somebody's heels down,
look at what it does to my hips?
It pushes them behind my shoulders.
It eliminates the ability for somebody to even have
this error by pushing the heel down.
Now does that shorten somebody's stroke?
Sometimes it does.
But guest what.
I'm teaching them how to get into a good catch position,
even if it's half slide, three-quarter slide,
or full-slide catch.
And what we need most in this world, in this sport,
and in teaching people how to use this machine as a tool,
because there are so many more people out there
using this as a training tool for not rowing
and simply for fitness purposes,
we need to get them using this machine comfortably.
So guess what, we're gonna use queue heels down
because it teaches somebody how to get their
hips behind their shoulders.
The instant the heels lift, it is literally,
if you give them an inch they'll take a mile, okay?
So you keep those heels down because
it teaches a couple things.
One, how to press through the entire foot.
And two, it teaches us how to press through
the heel and engage posterior chain.
Now do we dominate with posterior chain?
No, but it does help us to produce some
vertical force as well as horizontal force production.
So, it accomplishes that and it accomplishes
getting the hips behind the shoulders,
which is overcoming one of the biggest
learning hurdles to this machine,
is teaching somebody the catch position
because the catch is critical to establishing good movement.
So if I miss the catch, there's no way I'm ever going
to learn the rest of the stroke properly.
We have to start with the catch.
And that's why we coach heels down.
Now over time, once somebody has established
good movement patterns,
let's say that they can only get to half slide catch,
and that they can only row to half slide
keeping the heels down, well guess what?
I'm okay with that because we've created
a good movement pattern.
You can improve on good movement patterns
as flexibility increases, as they lose weight,
or they get more comfortable with the position,
you can add more range of motion and
get them deeper into the catch and get the length
that everybody is so concerned with.
That length will come, right?
But we have to establish good movement practices first.
It's kind of like if I were teaching somebody to squat,
I wouldn't want to teach them to squat to their toes
just because they aren't comfortable with that movement.
I'm going to teach them to squat by pushing the hips back,
and keeping their weight somewhat in their heels,
basically on their entire foot and you know what?
If they can't squat all the way down
into a seated position, then I'm going to teach them
to squat to a box and then over time
that range of motion will start to increase
as they get more comfortable with it.
It's the exact same principle on this machine.
We teach heels down.
As somebody commits to the technique,
and as they get better over time,
and they understand how to press through the entire foot,
and not just the toes, then I'm going to start
to allow them to flash that heel as they get better.
Because now they can flash the heel with intent
and with purpose rather that just because
rowing says that the heels are supposed to lift.
The heels should lift with a purpose, not just because.
And that is why we teach heels down for
everybody that comes to us to learn
how to use this machine for the first time.
We teach heels down because it is the fastest,
most effective way to get somebody into good position
and get into good movement.
And as they improve, yeah, allow that heel to lift
to get a little bit more length.
But by now you've established good movement
and you know how to commit to it without deviating
and getting into poor position, alright?
That is why it is still not okay to lift the heels
for a beginner, but as you get better, sure,
let those heels lift and start to improve on that length.
Guys, as always, this has been a fun one.
We love this heels up discussion.
Leave your comments below 'cause we want to know,
agree, disagree, let's hear it out, right?
We're always open to hearing other points of view.
But that's why we do what we do.
Guys, make sure you go sign up for our newsletter,
the Hustler's Guide to Rowing on our website
DarkhorseRowing.com where you will get our latest
video and blog article every Tuesday in your inbox.
And also there you can find our Dark Horse Academy
for coaches to be able to become the experts
on this machine and teach their athletes
how to use it effectively and for athletes who need
programming and coaching to learn how to use this machine.
We got you guys covered.
Alright guys, as always, we'll see you on the other side.