Can Isometric Training Improve Rowing Technique?

by John Thornell, Grok Rowing Founder, Stonington Crew Girls Head Coach

Using an isometric exercise, I have seen novice rowers search for and find the muscles needed to "hang" on the erg handle. Light bulbs went off as their brains and bodies made the necessary connection. Similarly, experienced rowers have fine-tuned their technique to suspend their bodyweight off the handle effectively.

This made me wonder about using isometrics beyond the original intent of strength training. Could isometrics help athletes develop motor skills and improve their rowing technique? Unfortunately, I couldn't find much information online. I bought a textbook on motor behavior. Nada. I didn't learn much after reaching out to physical therapists or trainers, either.

Searching a website that publishes academic papers led me to David Gabriel, Ph.D., a biomechanics professor at Brock University in Ontario. While Dr. Gabriel was not aware of research on isometrics and motor skills, either, he suggested, "You can use isometric contractions to 'imprint' specific body positions that you deem to be corrections to old or incorrect positions." He added, "Isometric training of those specific positions that you are training to engrain correct technique, is extremely valuable."

Encouraged, I performed some isometric training research of my own. I was both the researcher and the subject. In the format of the academic papers that I found during my online search, the findings are below:

Introduction: Determine if isometric training can help me improve my rowing technique, specifically to develop the skills required to clean up my finish while sculling.

Methods: Using a home-made device and Concept 2 erg, I practiced tapping-down isometric exercises. For two weeks, I performed three isometric training sessions per week. Each session involved ten reps at 30 seconds on/off. All contractions were at maximum effort.

Results: The isometric exercises made the tapping-down motion seem familiar while on the water. I could better focus on using my triceps, lats, and scapular muscles to extract my blades from the water. The latter was new to me. I discovered this while consciously trying to relax my shoulders but still perform a maximum isometric contraction. I also discovered that the grip I used while sculling was too flexible. On the water, I held the oar handles in my fingers and had a slight bend in my wrists. During the isometric exercises, I realized that I re-positioned the oar handle (PVC tubing) under my knuckles to flatten my wrists and get more leverage during tapping-down reps.

Ideally, I could have done more than two weeks of isometric training. But the initial results were assuring.

Given Dr. Gabriel's feedback and my small research project, it appears that isometric training can improve rowing technique. Isometric exercises reduce complexity and allow athletes to increase their focus. The resulting increase in high-quality repetitions accelerate the motor skill development process, ultimately improving athletic control.

Coaches already simplify the rowing stroke by breaking it down into smaller parts. Rowers perform these parts repeatedly as drills, which allow them to focus on a specific motion.

Isometric training simplifies things even further, to a specific position. With laser focus, rowers can consciously activate the desired muscles used at a position. In turn, this strengthens the brain-body connection.

Isometric training could help with other areas of the rowing stroke, too. Static exercises could help develop skills such as raising the hands at the catch, applying power mid-drive, holding the body position at the finish, rocking the body over out of the finish, and more.