I read in yesterday’s The Times that rowing is back in vogue, both in gyms and on the water. This surprised me, as it is a form of exercise that is notorious for causing back, neck and shoulder injuries. The full-page article (’On the pull: why rowing is hot right now’) by Peta Bee enthused about the fat-burning, body-building and cardiovascular benefits, as well as the latest equipment. Will it also mention the pitfalls, I wondered? In fairness, towards the end of the piece, it did: ‘…common mistakes include raising the legs prematurely, focusing too heavily on arm pull and arching the back too much. Without good technique you are asking for niggles and injuries in the long term. “It’s imperative that you focus on technique to ensure you get the fundamentals right in the early stages,” [fitness coach Allyn] Condon says. “Making the stroke longer and slower is far more effective than pulling too hard and fast. It’s better to be precise and efficient. The whole stroke should blend as a continuous flow.” In Alexander Technique terms, an endgaining approach is harmful and - in the immortal words of Bananarama - “it ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it.”
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