Joint Mobility in Rowers

Jonathan JenkinsWashington College

Head Strength and Conditioning Coach

What’s the Secret?

• Muscle Isolation?• Supersets?• Flexibility?• Circuit Training?• Body Weight Exercises?• Power Training?• Mobility?• Crossfit?

Where S&C is Heading

Movement Approach

vs.

Joint-by-Joint Approach

Mobile, Stable, Mobile, Stable, Mobile

Shoulders: Stable

T-Spine: Mobile

Lumbar: Stable

Hips: Mobile

Knees: Stable

Ankles: Mobile

Dysfunction

• Ankle loses mobility = knees suffers

• Hip loses mobility = lumbar suffers

• T-Spine loses mobility = shoulders suffer

Rowers L5 and S1

Increased Ankle and Hip Mobility for Rowers

• Greater flexibility down the slide• Optimal leg angle coming into the catch• Greater overall lumbar spine stability• Less likely to shoot your tail• Less likely to overextend back at finish

What to do?

• Proper warm-up– Foam Roll• TFL, Glutes, IT Band, T-Spine, Lats

– Hip/Hamstring/Quad Stretches – Overhead Dowel Squats– Squat Holds– Unilateral vs. Bilateral Exercises (single leg/arm vs.

two leg/arm)– Supine vs. Prone Exercises (stomach vs. back)

Every Athlete is Different!

Val DiLisi

Vs.

Ashley Myles

Key Takeaways

• All rowers need a proper warm-up protocol• Don’t be sucked into the fads• Stress proper technique• Recognize and stop poor technique• You need as much strength as you do mobility

What We Do

September: Instruction, developmentOctober: Building strengthNovember: Building strengthDecember: Building strengthFebruary – Mid-March: Hit our peak strength levels Mid-March-Mid April: De-load, higher load, low volume, promote powerMid-April: Increased mobility, flexibility protocols, lighter weights, short circuits promoting muscular enduranceMay: National Championships