1

Joy of Sculling 21st Annual Conference

Saratoga, December 12-15th, 2013
www.thejoyofsculling.com

How to improve your technique

with biomechanics
Dr. Valery Kleshnev
Rowing Science Consultant
BioRow Ltd.
www.BioRow.com
kleval@btinternet.com

www.biorow.com
 2

Basic chart of Rowing Biomechanics

Medal Performance Level

Work capacity Technique Motivation Life Style

(Physiology) (Biomechanics) (Psychology) (Management)

Effectiveness = Pmax - Wmin Efficiency = Pout / Pinput

Analysis Level

Rowing Dynamics of Rowing Style / Boat Blade

Power the system Rower’s Efficiency Efficiency Efficiency

Measurement Level

Standards Force Segments’ Boat Velocity Vertical Oar

(Stroke Rate, Velocities Rigging & Acceleration Angle
Curve
Length, Force)

From: Kleshnev V. Rowing Biomechanics Newsletter 2011/10 &

2011. Rowing Biomechanics. In: Rowing Faster, the 2nd ed., ed. Nolte V. Human
www.biorow.com
 4

How we define rowing technique efficiency?

Internal
(muscle)
Efficiency
Mechanical Power Boat Velocity
Efficiency

Minimal required Power

Blade Propulsive Power

Propulsive
Efficiency

The three main parts of rowing as a process of

energy transformation
Efficiency (%) 5
100%

90% O2
Drag Power
80%
Handle power
70% Boat Velocity
60% Handle power

50% Propulsive power

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
Internal Muscle Blade Propulsive Boat Velocity
Efficiency 24±4% Efficiency 82±5% Efficiency 94.5±1%

Efficiencies of the components of energy

transformation process during rowing
 6
Power (W)

2000 Amounts and Losses of 5.3% 1.3%

1667 energy in rowing

1600
(example values)
1200

93.4%
800

400
400 328 310 Internal Losses
Blade Shift Losses
Velocity Fluctuation Losses
0
Total energy Handle Power Propulsive Minimal
consuming Power Required Power

The highest amount of energy 93% is lost in the

rower’s body.
The Rower is the main area to improve rowing
efficiency.
How can we increase the rower’s efficiency
and effectiveness?

 Using of the most powerful muscle groups;

 Optimisation muscles contraction velocities;

 No energy absorption, single-motion movement;

 Decreasing of muscles-antagonists activity;

 Muscles relaxation during recovery phase.

www.biorow.com
 8

What are Rowing Biomechanics “Gold Standards”?

G.St. Angle
Event P (W) Inb. (m) Rate (1/min) Fav (N) Fmax (N)
Time (deg)
W1x 07:11.5 400 0.89 33.0 110 371 713
W2x 06:39.5 400 0.88 35.0 110 354 680
W4x 06:08.5 400 0.87 37.0 110 339 651
W2- 06:52.9 400 1.16 37.0 90 334 641
W8+ 05:53.1 400 1.15 39.0 92 313 601
M1x 06:32.5 550 0.89 35.0 114 464 892
M2x 06:02.1 550 0.88 37.0 114 444 854
M4x 05:33.2 550 0.87 39.0 114 426 820
M2- 06:08.5 550 1.16 38.0 90 447 859
M4- 05:41.0 550 1.15 40.0 92 419 806
M8+ 05:18.6 550 1.14 40.0 94 414 797
LW2x 06:47.0 330 0.88 35.0 106 303 583
LM2x 06:07.2 470 0.88 37.0 110 393 756
LM4- 05:46.2 470 1.15 40.0 90 366 704

Category W (kg) P (W) Erg Score (m:s) Pprop = DF * V3

Open Women 85 400 6:23 P = Pprop / Eblade
Open Men 95 550 5:44
L = Inb. * A
LW Women 60 330 6:48
WPS = P * (60 / Rate)
LW Men 70 470 6:03
Fav = 0.83 * WPS / L
 9

Input of body segments into rowing power

 Legs produce nearly half of
Arms,
rowing power; 22.70%
Legs,
 Trunk produces nearly one 46.40%

third of rowing power; Trunk,

30.90%
 Arms produce about one
fifth of rowing power;

 Legs increase their 50%

Power Shares (%)

45%
percentage of power with 40%
Legs
Trunk
increasing stroke rate; 35%
Arms

 Arms’ power share 30%

decreases, when the 25%

20%
stroke rate increases. Stroke Rate (str/min)
15%
20 25 30 35 40
 10
Utilisation of work-capacity of the body
segments
 Legs use up to 95% of their Utilisation (%)

power. 100%
90%
 Trunk muscles utilize only 80%

about 55%; 70%

60%
 Arms’ utilization is about 50% Legs, Trunk,
Arms,
95% 75%
55%
75%; 40%
30%
(Kleshnev V. 1991) 20%
10%
0%

 This tells us that the largest

capacity for increasing
rowing power can be found
from utilization of the trunk
work-capacity.
 11
Velocity-Force dependence for isolated
muscle (Hill principle)
Force (%) Power (%) 100%

150% Max. 75%

F Power P=FV
P 100% 50%

50% 25%
F = b1 / (b0 + V)
0% 0%
-40% -20% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Lengthening<->Shortening Velocity(%)
 Hyperbolic relationship between velocity and force was discovered in
the 1920s by Archibald Vivian Hill from a study of frog muscles.
 A number of recent researches confirmed that it can be valid for
complex multi-joint movements.
 The highest power can be achieved at 1/3 of max. static force and 1/3
of max. voluntary velocity.
 Utilisation of the Hill principle in rowing
V (m/s) 3 Total V (m/s) 3 Total
Legs Legs
Trunck Trunck
2 2
Arms Arms

1 1

0 0
-60 -45 -30 -15 0 15 30 45 -60 -45 -30 -15 0 15 30 45
-1 -1

-2 -2

Negative power is the most inefficient unless it happens during very short
time.
Too heavy or too light gearing can affect the force/velocity relationship and
thus efficiency.
An optimal body sequence, (i.e. rowing style) matched to the rower’s
characteristics and boat speed plays the most significant role in
rowing efficiency.
www.biorow.com
 13

How we measure velocities of body segments?

 Cable position transducers are attached to the seat

and top of the trunk (at the level L7-Th1 vertebra or
sternum-clavicle joints);
 Arms velocity is calculated as a difference between
handle velocity (derived from oar angle and inboard)
and trunk velocity.
 14

What effective dynamics means?

 Front-loaded drive, trampoline effect;
 Quick acceleration of the rower’s mass first, then
taking the load;
 Emphasis on the stretcher push, “catch through
the stretcher”;
 Smooth “fat” force curve, control through
suspension from the seat;
 Using rower’s inertia for propulsion at finish, “finish
through the handle”.
 15

How the front-loaded drive looks like?

Force/Body mass (N/kg)
 It is important to
1
2
Drive
increase force
quickly up to 70% of
Boat
Acceleration
maximum;
 “Trampolining”
1
2
effect? R3-D1 D2 D3 D4
Boat Velocity

1
2

1. Front-loaded 1. Middle-loaded
www.biorow.com
 16

Why the front loaded-drive is more effective?

6 Force (N) F1
F2
4 F3 A
F
2

0
15 Velocity (m/s) Front-loaded drive (F1):
10

5
V1
V2
 Gives 47% higher average
V3
0 velocity and distance
80 Power (W)
60
P1
P2
travelled during the drive;
P3
40
20
 Creates much more even
0 distribution of the power;
60 Distance P1

40
travelled (m) P2
P3  Provide better utilization of
20 the most powerful muscle
0
groups
 Hydro-lift force on the blade
can be used better.www.biorow.com
 17

How can we analyse the Force Curve?

Normalized Force (% of Max.)
100%

80%
70% of Max.

60% Catch
Gradient Finish
Gradient
40%

Position of
20% Peak Force
Norm.Oar Angle (% to total)
0%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

 Catch gradient defines how quickly the force increases;

 Position of the Peak Force defines emphasis of force
application;
 Finish gradient defines how long the force maintained.
 18

How the Target Force Curve looks like?

Normalized Force (% of Max.)
100%

80% 70% of Max.Force

60%

40%

20%
Norm.Oar Angle (deg)
0%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
 Solid, front-loaded, full, no “humps” or glitches.
 Catch gradient 10% of the Total Angle (11 deg in sculling, 9 deg in
rowing);
 Position of the Peak Force 33% of Total Angle (down to 30% in 8+ and
4x, up to 38% in 1x);
 Finish gradient 32% (up to 36% in big boats, down to 26% in small
boats).
 19

How can we present the Force Curve?

800

 Force vs. time (s) is good for

Handle Force (N) Stroke Rate (1/min)
700
21
600 25
500
400
29
33
37
synchronisation with other
300
200
39
variables, but difficult to
100
0
Time (s)
compare at various stroke
-100 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5

800
rates;
Handle Force (N) Stroke Rate (1/min)

 Force vs. time (% of stroke

700
21
600 25
500 29
400
33
37 cycle) is another option;
300 39
200
100 Time (% of cycle)
0
-100 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Handle Force (N) 800

 Force vs. Oar Angle allows
Stroke Rate (1/min)
700 21
600 25

500
29
33
easy comparison at various
37
400

300
39 stroke rates and useful for
200
100 Oar Angle (deg)
defining position of specific
-75 -50 -25
0
-100 0 25 50
points (peaks, gaps).
 20

Why the stretcher force is positive?

1. Drive phase must be emphasised, because

the system velocity increases only during the
drive;

2. During the drive, acceleration of the rower’s

mass must be emphasised, because it is the
main “accumulator” of the kinetic energy;

3. The stretcher force must be emphasised,

because this is the only force, which
accelerated the rower’s centre of mass;
 21

Why accelerate the rower’s mass during the drive?

 Kinetic energy of the system Ek = (m v2) / 2

increases ONLY during the 3000
Kinetic Energy (J)
drive phase; 2500

 Kinetic energy of the system 2000

D rowers Rowers

decreases during the recovery 1500

Boat

D boat System
phase and we can not change 1000

Drive

it; 50 0

 Amount of kinetic energy, which T (s)

the system gained during the

drive phase, determines
average velocity of the system;
 Rower’s mass is the main
“accumulator” of the kinetic
energy;
Steve Fairbairn (1930):
“Find out how to use your
weight and you will have
solved the problem of how
to move the boat”
 22

Power transfer though the stretcher

P=F*v

Squat: power transfer Legs press: power

through upper body transfer through the
only foot-stretcher only
 In rowing the power is transferred through BOTH
handle and stretcher in the proportion about
60/40%
 23
Analogy with canoeing makes it easier to
understand why the stretcher force is important
1. Athlete apply
action forces

2. Action forces
create opposite
reaction forces
Force
Transfer
3. Reaction forces
Centre move centres of mass
of Mass

Action Forces

Reaction Forces
 24

How blade propulsive efficiency is defined?

F
P propulsive = F V mass centre

F
Propulsive Power
Vm.c.
Vm.c.

F
F V
V Waste Power

P waste = F V
Eblade = P propulsive / P total = (P - P waste) / P
 25

Oar Track during stroke cycle

Drive
Blade Recovery Recovery

Pin

Handle
 26

What we need to know about blade efficiency?

Velocity (m/s) 5
 Hydro-lift force works at sharp angles of
4
attack and contributes 56% of the blade
propulsive force;
3
2
 Drag force works at the middle of the drive
Vblade and contributes 44% of the blade
Vboat 1
propulsive force.
90
Angle of attack (deg)
60
How can we increase the blade
propulsive efficiency?
30

 Use bigger blade area;

Force (N) Flift
150 Fdrag  Use heavier gearing;
100
Fblade total

50
 Utilise hydro-lift effect -> apply more
force at sharp oar angles at catch;
100%
Blade
90%
Efficiency (%)
80%
 Place the blade at the optimal depth
70%
Oar Angle (deg)
under the water (4-6 deg).
-75 -50 -25 0 25 50
 27
Oar blade as a jet engine?
 At the start of runway, the
efficiency of a jet plane is zero,
because its velocity is zero, but
the thrust and specific impulse
are maximal.
 As the plane accelerates, its
Propulsion efficiency increases, and became
100%, if the plane speed is equal
Exhaust Speed to the speed of exhaust gases

Isp = (Vg – V) m / t
E= 2 / (1 + Vg / V)
 28
Specific Impulse as a measure of the blade
performance?
Isp = Ftrust / Prow
 The specific impulse can be
Thrust used together with blade
1500 Force (N) 300
efficiency for evaluation of
Power (W)
1000 200 the blade work.
500 100  A higher specific impulse is
0 0 generated at a lighter
Vert.angle
Handle
2 10 gearing ratio, but at a lower
Velocity 1 5 handle velocity at the same
0 time.
-1 -5
 This could be achieved
Blade specific impulse
Isp (s/m)
either by using bigger blade
0.2
2
area, or by more effective
1
3
0.1 thrust production using a
Oar Angle
(deg)
better shape and/or
-75 -50 -25 0 25 50
utilisation of hydro lift effect.
Isp = (Lin / Lout) cos(α) / Vh
 29

How we analyze rower’s blade work?

Vertical Angle (deg)
Catch Recovery Finish
3

Water Level
0
- 50 - 25 Drive Horizontal Angle (deg)
3
Target Curve
-6 Release Slip

Catch Slip Effective Angle

 Two-dimensional (2D) sensor

measures oar angles
horizontal and vertical planes,
which allows to define a path
of the blade relative to water.
 Criterion -3 deg was chosen
to indicate full immersion of
the blade into the water.
 30

Rotational motions of the oar.

 Rotational motions of
Accelerations
+Az
Yaw

+Ax
+Ay
Gz
+
- the oar were measured
+
+ -
Pitch with BioRow 7D
Roll

Gx
Gy
Angular
wireless sensor;
 The most
Velocities

Oar Accelerations (m/s2)

5

0
understandable and
-5 1
Ax
Ay
Az
informative measured
-10
variable appeared to be
600

400
Oar Rotations
(deg/s)
Gx
Gy
3 the roll Gx, which is
200
Gz
clearly related to the
0

-200
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 squaring-feathering of
2
300 Force (N)
Vertical Angle
5
the oar.
200
0
100 Force
Drive Finish
-5
0
0.0 0.5 Catch 1.0 1.5 Time (s)
 31

When the blade squared – feathered?

Oar Roll Velocity Gx (deg/s) 600

 The squaring takes 0.25-

20.4 400
Stroke 30.0
Rate 35.0 200
37.0

-75 -50 -25

0

-200 0 25 50
0.35s and completed at the
-400 Recovery catch, when the oar change
80 Finish
Catch
Oar Roll
60
direction, but the blade is still
Angle
(deg) 40
Feathering
in the air.
Squaring

Drive
20
 The feathering began, when
0
-75 -50 -25 0 Oar Angle (deg) 50 the centre of the blade
Squaring
0.5
Vertical
Position (m)
Water level crosses the water level and
completed in about 0.15-
-2.0 -1.0 0.0

Finish slip
1.0
0.25s – faster than squaring;
Catch slip Horizontal Position (m)

 The higher the stroke rate,

-0.5

With BioRowTel system, the oar roll

data in conjunction with horizontal and the longer distance of
vertical oar angles allows a full recovery is required to square
reconstruction of the oar movements
the blade.
relative to the water level.
 32

Determination of “Boat velocity efficiency”

Propulsive power

Pdrag = k V3 F
F = kV2
Drag Power
P = kV3
Drag Power

Boat Velocity

The main reasons for energy losses are:

•boat velocity fluctuation;
•non-linear dependence of drug power on velocity
 33

Boat speed during recovery

Hull velocity rel. average (m/s)
Recovery
1.0
 The hull speed increases
Release
0.5
through recovery at higher
0.0
stroke rates.
-0.5
20
26
Angle  The higher the rate, the closer
Drive
-1.0 30
35
the peak speed to the catch.
 The reason for this is in
Catch -1.5 37

Foot-stretcher Force (N)

1000
20
26
interaction of the rower’s and
Drive
800
30
35
the boat masses.
600 37
 The transmission of the kinetic
energy from the rower’s mass is
400

200
Angle
0 to the hull occurs during
Catch Recovery
-200

-400 Release
recovery by means of pull
through the foot-stretcher.
Velocity rel. Average (m/s) Rate 37
 At the higher rating the pull
1

0 force exceeds 200N and

-1 Recovery
Release
Recovery overcomes the drag force
Drive Hull
Rower CM
≈100N at the hull.
-2 Catch System CM
 34
Variations of the boat velocity is NOT the
main reason of the energy losses in rowing
Force (N) There are two main reasons
600 Catch Release of the variation of the boat
400 velocity:
200 Recovery Drive Recovery
 Periodical production of the
0 propulsive force;
Time
4
Accelerations (m/s  Movement of the rower’s
2 mass relative to the boat
0
-2 Time
shell.
Rower
-4
-6
Boat
System
 We can not change these
factors without changing
the nature of rowing
Velocity rel. Average (m/s)
1
 Increase of the boat
0
velocity during recovery
Release
Time caused by transfer of
-1 Recovery
Recovery
KINETIC ENERGY from
Drive Boat
Rower CM
the rower’s mass to the
-2
Catch System CM boat.
 35

How can we help to optimize rigging?

Rigging Calculator www.biorow.com/RigChart.aspx

Thanks to Ian Wilson of Concept2 UK for the idea and

Dick & Peter Dreissigacker of Concept 2 for support. www.biorow.com
 36

What we can measure in rigging?

Span (sculling)
Why rigging is important?
Overlap (sculling)
Spread (sweep) Oar dimensions define
gearing, which determines
Overlap (Sweep)
force/velocity ratio of
Gate Height
rower’s muscles
Height from water contraction;
Heels Depth
Stretcher position is
Stretcher position
Work through related to ratio of
catch/finish angles;
Gate Height Gate height and blade
pitch defines vertical oar
Seat Travel Slides angles;
Stretcher Angle
Angle Stretcher angle and
height defines lift force and
Pitch
kinetics of the drive.
www.biorow.com
 37

What is correct definition of the Gearing?

Inboard Oar Length

Actual Inboard Pin Actual Outboard

Gearing = Actual Outboard / Actual Inboard

= (Out.-SL/2- SW/2) / (Inb.-Hnd/2+SW/2)  The standard definition of the
gearing is the ratio of
velocities (or displacements,
travels) of output to input;
Blade Travel  In rowing, velocity of the
output is defined by actual
outboard, input – by actual
inboard;
 The span/spread does NOT
affect gearing;
 Blade efficiency or “slippage”
Handle Travel
DOES affect Gearing.
www.biorow.com
 38

Is gearing constant during the drive?

12
Dynamic Gearing Ratio  At sharp oar angles only part of
11
10
(Outboard/Inboard) blade velocity is parallel to the
9 boat velocity;
8  Effect of the oar angle is small
7
G(a) = G/cos(a) until 45deg;
6
5  Gearing ratio became twice
4 heavier at the oar angle 60deg;
3
2
 Gearing ratio became three
1 times heavier at the oar angle
Oar Angle (deg)
0 70deg;
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
 Gearing ratio became six times
heavier at the oar angle 80deg;
Blade Velocity
 The most common catch angles
Handle Velocity
are between 55deg (sweep)
and 70deg (sculling).
Boat Velocity
 39

Our history force measurements in rowing

Instrumented gates 2011

1987
1988
2001
1992

2002 Strain Gauges

“+” “-“
1998
Oar Shaft Insert
2005
Handle 2005
2011 Wireless
Oar bend sensors

Stretcher
2005
Force 2012
sensors

Seat Force
2001 sensor 2002
 40

What is measured with force transducers?

 Handle Force gives

the most accurate
power measures, but
Our sensors, FES sensor require calibration of
Axial Force every oar.
Pin Force  Gate force require
Gate inboard for power
Force
calculation, which
Handle could vary during the
Force
Our gates, drive ±5%;
WEBA gate
 Pin Force is affected
Peach Inn. Ltd. by oar angle and
axial force, so power
could me measured
with ±20% accuracy.
 41

What Biomechanical Tools we use?

 BioRowTel v4.5 telemetry system
was created by rowing scientist
for research purposes. It is
accurate, flexible, scalable, based
on “screening” concept, quick to
setup, light;
 Scalable design: one “Master”
unit + up to 8 “Slaves”;
Master unit contains:
 GPS and impeller input for boat
speed;
 3D accelerometer, 3D gyro;
 Wind speed & direction input;
 Sampling frequency 25-100 Hz;
 Resolution 14 bit;
“Master” unit “Slave” unit  Works >8 hours;
 Weight 300g.
www.biorow.com
 42

Thank you for attention

 Dr. Valery Kleshnev

 Rowing Scientist
 e-mail: kleval@btinternet.com

 Rowing Biomechanics Newsletter

 www.biorow.com
 www.biorow.org
www.biorow.com