One of the challenges of PR1 rowing is that every rower is unique. While this is true in all boat classes, it is even more the case with adaptive rowers. In a normal able-bodied single or other boat you may have some rowers with slightly different proportions, wingspan, or unique way they finish. Despite these variations, anatomically and ability-wise, they are all capable of roughly the same movement patterns and as such the rigging for these boats is more standard and consistent. There are still rigging tweaks, but they are just that, tweaks. A coach and rower can be pretty confident that the evolution of rowing and rigging has produced close to the most efficient setup.
With adaptive rowing, on the other hand, this is not the case. There isn’t a ‘most efficient’ setup for a couple of reasons. Firstly, every rower is different. Different in the sense that their disability affects one part of the body but not another. Take my injury. I am able to walk relatively well, yet I struggle to sit on the floor with my legs in front of me because my core, being one of the last muscle groups to recover, is so weak. That is primarily why I am pr1 and not pr2. Looking at some of the other PR1 rowers, many are in wheelchairs and have little to no leg control, but have a stronger trunk. As a result of this, each of us has different strengths and weaknesses so rigging to maximize our abilities is a challenge.
This past week Tom West came up from Boston to help Sasha and me collect data using the Peach system, a state-of-the-art on-water force detection system. Our goal was to continue to better understand how I interact with the boat and see if my rigging can’t be more efficient. We collected data for two days and then Tom helped us make heads or tails of it all. The main takeaway, in addition to some helpful technique tips, was that I should make the “load” on the oar lighter.
This can be done a number of ways but essentially reduces the torque on the handle by making the inboard longer. Think about the effect of canoeing with one hand held on the end and the other hand gripping the canoe paddle very low vs very high. The lower your lower hand the more power you can apply. It is the same physics for rowing, but the “lower hand” is the pin of my rigger. While it may seem counter-intuitive to reduce the amount of force I am applying, with a lighter load I am able to row at a higher rate so the amount of work I apply will increase even if the work/stroke decreases. This is a balancing act that every rower (and especially small boat rowers) deals with. As I put on more muscle and weight I may be able to increase my load while keeping the rate higher, but at this point, we think it is better to bring my rate up slightly and the best way to do this is by lightening my load.
Training has been going well and I am making progress on fitness and technique. I will be racing at Canadian Henley in two weeks, so I am looking forward to seeing how my times are then! Worlds are 5 short weeks away!