Force analysis of the rowing stroke employing two differing oar grips

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Biomechanics
• Human Movement Analysis

Background:

• Rowing boat velocity is primarily determined by the force applied by the athlete's arms on the oar.
• The traditional rowing grip involves forearms in pronation, a technique lacking scientific investigation for efficiency.
• Arm force output is influenced by forearm positioning during the oar grip.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if altering the gripping technique from pronation to a semiprone grip impacts athletes' force output.
• To compare the efficiency of the traditional prone grip versus a modified semiprone grip in rowing.

Main Methods:

• Athletes' force output was measured using both traditional prone and modified semiprone forearm gripping techniques.
• A comparative analysis was conducted to evaluate the force generated under each gripping condition.

Main Results:

• The semiprone grip position demonstrated a significantly greater force output compared to the traditional prone grip.
• Under the study's specific conditions, the semiprone grip proved superior in generating force.

Conclusions:

• A semiprone grip is more effective for generating greater force output in rowing than the traditional prone grip.
• Modifying the forearm grip position can enhance athletic performance in rowing.