Being centered during rowing...what does it mean? Some sort of zen of rowing?
Well, that's not what this posting is about. Yesterday I happened to look down while erging and noticed that I was sitting off center. I was directly above the right edge of rail. I shifted around until my body was centered over the middle of the rail, but it wasn't comfortable. When I settle comfortably on the seat, I am off center. So there must be something asymetrical about my butt.
Anybody else ever notice this? Do you think it might be a bad thing? Should I work to improve it? Or move the seat an inch or so to the left?
bw
Being Centered
When my butt's centered on the seat, my legs are totally asymmetrical in relation to the rail. It's annoying. I assume it's due to leg length discrepancy—I keep meaning to stuff a pair of socks or something under the foot of my shorter leg, but by the time I think of it I'm already sitting there with my feet in the stretchers and I don't feel like getting up to grab the socks.
This whole asymmetry business has bugged me for a long time. This morning I finally went to a sports med doc (an allopath) and said, hey, straighten me out. And he did! Well, he diagnosed my problems, anyway. His assistant, a Licensed Athletic Trainer, did the actual straightening.
Turns out I don't have much of a leg length disrepancy (under 1 cm, totally normal), but I do have a crooked pelvis, thanks in part to mild scoliosis and in part to loose ligaments/SI joint issues. The LAT used Muscle Energy Technique to line me back up, and then gave me a series of rudimentary Pilates-style exercises to strengthen my core.
It always comes down to the damned core!
The LAT showed me how to do the MET moves at home (I'll enlist my husband's help, though there are ways to do them solo, too). Cool! I'm interested to see how I line up on the rail tonight. I don't expect to see a dramatic difference right away—though you never know. My one-legged stand SUCKED pre-MET and was significantly better after, though that's far from a blind test so I may've queered the results.
My history of follow-through w/PT exercises isn't so hot, but I'm pretty motivated to fix this, so maybe I'll do better this time. The LAT pointed out that core exercises with a twisted pelvis aren't terribly effective, and can in fact be counterproductive, so I guess it's not all bad that I've been slacking in that department.
Now's the time to mend my ways.
The loose ligament business turns out to be the source of the ankle pain I bitched about on another thread. Got some remedies for that, too, which I'll post in that thread.
Turns out I don't have much of a leg length disrepancy (under 1 cm, totally normal), but I do have a crooked pelvis, thanks in part to mild scoliosis and in part to loose ligaments/SI joint issues. The LAT used Muscle Energy Technique to line me back up, and then gave me a series of rudimentary Pilates-style exercises to strengthen my core.
It always comes down to the damned core!
The LAT showed me how to do the MET moves at home (I'll enlist my husband's help, though there are ways to do them solo, too). Cool! I'm interested to see how I line up on the rail tonight. I don't expect to see a dramatic difference right away—though you never know. My one-legged stand SUCKED pre-MET and was significantly better after, though that's far from a blind test so I may've queered the results.
My history of follow-through w/PT exercises isn't so hot, but I'm pretty motivated to fix this, so maybe I'll do better this time. The LAT pointed out that core exercises with a twisted pelvis aren't terribly effective, and can in fact be counterproductive, so I guess it's not all bad that I've been slacking in that department.
Now's the time to mend my ways.The loose ligament business turns out to be the source of the ankle pain I bitched about on another thread. Got some remedies for that, too, which I'll post in that thread.
-
johnlvs2run
- Half Marathon Poster
- Posts: 4012
- Joined: March 16th, 2006, 1:13 pm
- Location: California Central Coast
- Contact:
I was reaching farther forward with my left arm and hand for while and finally traced this to having moved the computer trackball to the left side a few yards ago. This frees my right hand up for taking notes, writing, eating, and drinking.
Upon this discovery, I moved the trackball to the right side for a few days and, viola! my reach is again the same length on both sides.
Now I just periodically switch the trackball from one side to the other.
Upon this discovery, I moved the trackball to the right side for a few days and, viola! my reach is again the same length on both sides.
Now I just periodically switch the trackball from one side to the other.
bikeerg 75 5'8" 155# - 18.5 - 51.9 - 568 - 1:52.7 - 8:03.8 - 20:13.1 - 14620 - 40:58.7 - 28855 - 1:23:48.0
rowerg 56-58 5'8.5" 143# - 1:39.6 - 3:35.6 - 7:24.0 - 18:57.4 - 22:49.9 - 7793 - 38:44.7 - 1:22:48.9 - 2:58:46.2
rowerg 56-58 5'8.5" 143# - 1:39.6 - 3:35.6 - 7:24.0 - 18:57.4 - 22:49.9 - 7793 - 38:44.7 - 1:22:48.9 - 2:58:46.2