5 Mistakes You're Probably Making with Your Back in the Rowing Stroke (and How to Fix Them!)

Is it ok to row with a bad back? My back hurts when I row, am I doing it right? Can I row with a previous back injury? We cover all these questions and more in today's video.

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[richrogers]

I can attest to this firsthand. I'm currently rowing through a disc herniation. With good form and proper recovery I'm able to do this quite comfortably. Your videos are really insightful. Thanks Shane.

[robertoppenheimer]

I've had my L5 and S1 replaced from a military injury. Love rowing and havnt had any issues. One of the reasons I love rowing

[DavidFigueredo-jn]

After dealing for years with lower back pain, rowing put me back on track, improving my physical and mental health. Thanks to Dark Horse I feel I can do it safely.

[richardwhitehead]

Practical info, as always. Thanks. Anyway, my back recovery story. Years of rounded back positioning from another activity resulted in a herniated disk situation that put me on disability for months and had me using a cane for the better part of a year. I’d never experienced chronic pain like that before. Fast forward a couple years and I decided to get back on a bicycle after a 25+ year layoff. Wow! This was a revelation. I very quickly learned that riding anything longer than a mile or two required me to assume the classic pelvis rolled forward, shoulders squared, bend forward ONLY from the hips position. Maintaining this position on 5+ hour road rides (especially fast-ish group rides) required a lot of core engagement. This subsequently lead to improved core strength which subsequently helped me maintain correct pelvis and shoulder position which further helped my core strength, and so on. A virtuous circle. By the end of that first summer of road cycling my back issues were 100% gone. Talk about an ‘ah ha moment’. Now, fast forward to the pandemic and a pivot to home workouts. I purchased a concept 2 rower and bike. The bike was of course immediately familiar, but the rower took more time than I thought. However, as it turned out, the back and shoulder and pelvis positioning, which is all ‘glued’ together by core strength, turned out to be EXACTLY the same as what I use on the bike. How cool is that?! It’s all about the same elements. Keep the pelvis rolled forward. Shoulders back and moderately squared, I.e. no ‘rolled’ back. Constant engagement of core. Pivoting from hips only. This has changed my life. Sorry for all the words.

[casquilho]

Rowing helps my back! Ditto various comments below - rowing is an antidote for desk-jockeying! I also cycle and use rowing to build core strength. I'm prone to lower back spasms that can be really painful and take weeks to subside, and the addition to of yoga and good rowing technique have helped a lot.

[bertorr]

Shane I have had frozen shoulders due to repeative strain as a paramedic and saved for a rower during recovery.
Your tips and vlogs have given me the confidence to tackle improving my technique and workout at home, being in my 50s this means a lot to me. Thanks mate and keep up the great work!

[gordonv.cormack]

I got into rowing in 1988 because of l5/l6 disk problems and sciatica. For physiotherapy they suggested I warm up on an exercise bike, but the gym had Concept 2 (Model B) that I became hooked on. I bought my own rower (Air Row by Inside Fitness, now defunct). It was great but I wore it out in 15 years. So I bought a Concept 2 Model D in 2003 (its first year) and it is still going strong, as is my back. I occasionally have attacks, and I can't use the rower while having spasms, but otherwise it is great. I don't have a complete log, but I'm well over 10 million meters.

[camilaramos]

A small contribution :). I have been rowing consistently both ergs and on the water for about a year and a half. As I started to add more and more training sessions (5 times a week or so) I developed a lower back pain which eventually made it difficult to even lift the boat as I used to. Technique seemed OK according to my coach, but my physiotherapist's diagnosis was that my hip flexors were extremely tight and shortened as a combination of lifestyle (I spend several hours sitting for PhD work) and exercising in a sitting position. If you have weak hip flexors and struggle to fire your glutes whilst rowing, it's very likely that the lower back will take most of the strain of the movement. This is of course not something quick to fix, but I'd say that what's worked for me is to combine rowing with other exercises that will target glutes and other muscles that become weak from sitting. And also, STRETCH. Hope it helps someone who still hasn't figured out why their back hurts.

[jackflash]

Got into rowing because of former leg injuries and back issues. Started with your videos and have been critical on my form from the start. My back is in much better shape now and I have had no issues in the last few months at all which is a huge positive swing.

Rowing and Dark Horse have been great for me. Thank you

[Biblelover]

Just started about 4 months ago. You’re a big help. Thank you for your videos!

[ridethecliche]

Used to row a little bit in college and switched over to cycling, but decided to come back to it again while rehabbing a knee issue. I've had back surgery so I'm nervous about things and definitely have low back soreness after some longer sessions.

Thanks for these videos. I keep coming back to them to remind myself form cues and try to spend time in every warmup and cool down trying to do form checks/drills.

[candicejohnson]

Thanks for this, Shane. I’ve had back issues forever. I find that the combination of your stretches and the movement of rowing makes a huge difference. And then there is strengthening the core. Even if it’s only several hundred meters, I feel better. I always appreciate your encouragement.

[mehmay]

I've enjoyed adding a rowing machine to our home gym SO MUCH - Struggled with LBP on the right side only ?! when I started but now - about 2 months in 3x a week I've settled in and don't feel it during/after workouts any longer! I really focused on each individual component of my movements - and now I've found my comfort zone - it feels right now. Love your channel - thanks for such great concise info. 👌👌😊

[MakingaStink]

Excellent video as always. I’ve struggled for a long time with upper back pain (lower trapezius) probably due to being a desk jockey and since starting rowing I feel like my upper back feels better than ever, rowing seems to have helped. I was getting on lower back issues around the sacrum when I was sitting on my tailbone and not my butt bones so tilting the pelvis helped with that. Posture endurance has been a thing for me. I feel like I can keep it together quite well, but today 3k into a 5k I felt myself getting sloppy. Muscle soreness is a funny thing I tend to get sore (the good kind) after sprinty workouts in my rib cage in the inter coastal margins as well as lats. -Chris

[leanorayoga]

Great tips, thanks! I am recovering from a rotator cuff injury, likely due to not using lats/serratus to support my joint & rowing is really helping me get better - I think a lot because of your arms & body drills built into so many of your videos! Thank you for making great content for us!

[Burps___]

I just got C2 slides. Much easier on spine. Much! Moving the 60 pound erg on every pull rather than the 160 pound body has a more positive effect than I even imagined.

[higdolini]

Just the reminder I needed. Thank you so much for this, Shane☀️

[gittabertram]

I have started to implement all the points you mention in my rowing and some more: making adjustments to the equipment like damper setting, using slides and adjustments of the oars in the boat, using a braced forward movement of the trunk, engagement of the lat, but also making sure not to grab with the hands. I have rowed only as much and only very smoothly without much pressure listening to my body and experimenting for a year, until I could maintain longer sessions and then I progressed to intervals. Strength training and stretching of psoas and other hip muscles. Additionally, I have also used a Citius Remex seat pad, both on the erg and in the boat. It has been a game changer for sure. I am still on that journey and finding new things to do to make sure I can row without pain.

[joegilmore]

Shane great video. I am 2years down the line from a serious back injury. And use to follow your channel all the time prior to the injury . Rowing wasn't my main focus but used as a tool for work outs. Mainly a cross fit style training. Only ever tried a 2k timed once at 6m.38sec but had no idea of pacing etc. Anyway after a year of the Injury and loosing all my strength and physical capability I used your videos to go back to absolute basics. And mean like day 1stuff and built up with your pick drills and over and over your techniques. Use of thera bands around legs and everything you say. . And slowly thanks to your teaching I got to the point where I started to row again. I won't lie no where near where I was but apart from this I hadn't been able to any gym workouts and thanks to dark horse I could achieve a lower level of return to exercise and most importantly enjoy it with out to much discomfort during the workout or later on that evening. The back still isn't fixed and sadly lock down has meant no rowing for months now. The back is booked in for more specialist but I guarantee if I could turn back the clock instead of hammering 500m 1min r constantly at max pace. Stop and go back to absolute basics. We are all so focused on getting in and getting a workout done but backs are an absolute nightmare. Please I wouldn't want to wish it on my worst enemy. So please please listen to Shane. And Shane thank you so much dude. Your content is awsome 👍sorry this is a long comment never ever commented before but felt I needed to urge people to listen.

[johnmason]

Really useful video. Thanks for your help.