Upper Back
Rowing Machine
Beginner
Machine
Compound
Upper Back
How to do it
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Sit down and strap your feet in snugly across the ball of the foot.
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Start at the catch: knees bent, arms straight, back tall.
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Drive hard with the legs first until the knees are nearly straight.
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Lean back slightly, then pull the handle to the bottom of your ribs.
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Return in reverse order: arms, then body, then bend the knees.
Common mistakes
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Pulling with the arms before the legs have driven.
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Rounding the back at the catch position.
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Leaning way too far back at the finish.
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Chasing a fast stroke rate until the sequence falls apart.
Tips
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Power split is roughly 60% legs, 20% body, 20% arms.
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Track your 500 m split time as your progress metric.
Secondary muscles
Alternatives
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