The secrets of the rower

May 03, 2024

Lizzy Carson, a coach at Concept Fitness in Oceanside, New York, holds multiple world records on the Concept2 indoor rower. She conducts rowing seminars, teaching athletes how to maximize their performance. Lizzy also participated in the 2021 CrossFit Games in the 40-44 age group.

The Hybrid Letter chatted with Lizzy about proper rowing technique, common mistakes, and how improving your rowing can help every aspect of your race.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Hybrid Letter: What got you into indoor rowing and developing a passion for this machine?
Lizzy Carson: I was introduced to the rowing machine in CrossFit, which I started late in life. The highly technical movements in Crossfit, like muscle ups or walking on my hands, were difficult for me to learn. If I wanted to excel, I had to be really good at the more basic movements like burpees and rowing. Although I had decent rowing form, it wasn’t until I met my husband, Rob, that I really got into rowing. He was a New York City police officer and got hurt on the job. He had two really bad hip injuries and found rowing during his rehab. I made a post on Instagram about how much I love rowing. In CrossFit, I knew that if a workout had rowing in it, I would win. He reached out to me and offered to help me with my rowing. Rob came to my gym, and we did an hour-long row together. The rest was history for us.
Rob helped improve my form, which made me even better at CrossFit. I have always been able to lean back on my rowing skills through various injuries. No matter what the injury was, I was able to row. I was able to keep my aerobic capacity up even if I couldn’t run. As soon as I was able to run again, I was just as good as I was before. The rower changed my life.
There are so many lessons to be learned on the machine. It’s almost like surrendering. Used properly, it forces you to meditate.
THL: Starting with the basics, what are some of the initial guidance you give to athletes you are to improve their rowing?
LC: A lot of times, I’ll meet someone, whether they’ve been a rower for years or not, and I’ll pretend that they’ve never rowed before. I'll say, entertain me here. Let me pretend like you've never seen this thing before. And they start from scratch. I'll start with where you place your foot stretchers and how to get in and out of the machine in the most efficient way. Then I talk about the rowing stroke — 60% legs, 30% hip and 10% arms.
I start going over drills with them — a legs-only drill, a hips-only drill, and arms-only drill. Then we always go over the pause drill, where we do arms away, shoulders forward, and then the stroke.
THL: Damper settings are a source of confusion for many athletes. How do you explain how the damper works on the rower?
LC: I would say 85 to 90% of people should have the damper at one setting no matter what. Usually, if I find someone who comes into my facility and sets the damper up to 8 or 9, that usually means that they have no experience with rowing. If somebody has a damper setting of 3 or 4, then chances are they really know how to row.
The damper setting is the amount of wind resistance that you allow into the flywheel, and it's controlled by the damper on the side. Ten is maximal wind resistance, and most people's form will break down at such a high setting. If a 300-pound man is going for a world record of 500 meters or less, and they've been rowing for a really long time, and their form is good, then they might be able to get away with it. But for most people, it’s not going to yield a great result.
Most people accidentally set the damper too high because they just have no idea what it does. If their catch position is poor, they might need a slightly higher damper setting. We use the wind resistance as tactical feedback. It's like me tapping them on the shoulder and saying lean forward.
THL: Can you explain the catch position?
LC: The catch position is where the row begins. It's when the person's handle is as close to the flywheel as possible. I'm looking for engaged lats, a proud chest, and a flat back. As they begin the drive phase, you want to see the handle and the seat are heading back together at the same rate and that the angle of their hip doesn't change until their leg is fully extended. The drive phase is 60% legs. Then you finish the stroke by swinging the hip open, tapping the handle to the chest, and releasing. In the catch position, I'm looking for engagement. It's almost like you are going to be shot out of a cannon. The shoulders are forward and the chest is up. You are getting ready to drive with their posterior chain, hamstrings, and glutes.
THL: A lot of people with less experience on the rower rely on a high stroke rate to improve their time. What do you think of that approach?
LC: There are three components that go into becoming a great rower. There's form. That comes first, and that's understanding that it's legs, hips, arms, then arms, hips, legs. Then there's power, and that is what happens in the drive phase. Then there's the speed of the stroke. But you don't actually get any meters for speeding back into the catch position. What I tell people who are trying to get better on the rower is that you can't run before you walk. It's form, then power, then speed.
THL: You train yourself and other athletes for Hyrox races. How do you think about the 1000 meter row in the context of a Hyrox race?
LC: We base all of our programming on a 2K test. The athlete has to complete 2000 meters as fast as possible with good form. We use that rest result for all their training. So, if I hold a two-minute pace per 500 meters on my 2K tests, that would give me an eight-minute 2K. Then, I would use that two-minute pace as a baseline for my training.
My athletes are going to get on that rower in a Hyrox, and they're going to go right to 2K plus 10 seconds. They're gonna roll with good form, probably at about 26 to 28 strokes per minute. They're going to use it as a recovery so that they can jump off of there and get right back to that run without losing any time. That's the way that I did it too. I've done a couple of Hyrox races, and I'm not trying to break any 1K records. With good form, I executed at about a 2K plus eight pace. It's not taxing to my central nervous system, so I'm able to start running again.
THL: When you have people training for Hyrox, how do you help them improve?
LC: More rowing is always going to be the answer. By rowing more with intention, you'll not only do better in the 1K at Hyrox but also at all the stations. The pacing you learn on the rower can help with everything else.
I know what the 2k test feels like for me. That is a red line. It’s possibly the most painful test in the world. You hold your absolute max effort for six to nine minutes. For something like Hyrox, which is much longer, I start my race thinking to myself 2K plus 15. Then when I’m doing burpee broad jumps, I’m thinking 2K plus five. When I’m doing wall balls, at the end, I’m putting what feels like my 2K pace. I’m going to allow myself to let my heart rate come up, knowing that I can hold that feeling for seven minutes and wall balls won’t take that long.
With more time on the rower, you learn what the red line feels like and how long you can stay there so you can better execute your race.
THL: What are some of the most common mistakes you see when you start working with athletes?
LC: The most common mistake I see from rowers is an early hip. They're leaving out of the catch with their shoulders rather than their legs. We do a couple of drills to fix that, one's called the sticky catch.
The other major fault that I see is bending the knees early on in the recovery. That also causes a host of problems because you arrive back at the catch position not prepared for your next stroke. Your body is not in the catch position because you bent your knees early and didn't have your hamstrings recover. Your next stroke is also not going to be as powerful as the one before it.
THL: Can you explain how to get in and out of the rower efficiently?
LC: It takes about one to two seconds to get in and out of the rower efficiently and set the straps perfectly. It’s called quick release. It always amazed me how long it would take athletes to get in and out of the rower. They leave the straps super loose, which is wildly inefficient because your feet are your main connection to the machine.
Slip your feet in, and pull the straps tight around the widest part of your foot. When you want to get out, you press your thumbs on the clips, raise your toes up, and slide your feet up and out. It is something that we practice on a regular basis. We teach it in seminars and cut up to 10-11 seconds off of getting in and out of the machine. It’s a game-changer. I have won CrossFit workouts simply because of quick release.
THL: Can you talk about where you should sit on the rower seat?
LC: A lot of times, you will see people sit on the seat like they’re talking on their cell phone, so they are sitting on their tailbone or butthole. For men, I you sit on your taint. For women, you sit on your vagina. I use the graphic language because that resonates. You should sit on the seat like you would a bicycle, with your thighs and the end of your glutes on the seat. Some people will even benefit from reaching back and picking their butt cheeks up so that they feel their hip bones touch the seat. If you are sitting on your tailbone, you will never get the proper catch position.
THL: How do you feel about sports like Hyrox getting more people interested in indoor rowing?
LC: Every gym should absolutely have a Concept2 rowing machine. I think every hotel should also have a Concept2 rowing machine. They're great bang for your buck. You work 86% of the muscles in your body in a single stroke.

Sports like Hyrox and CrossFit open the door to this kind of fitness to the masses, and that is incredible. But then we see improper form and execution on the machine, which I find heartbreaking. I just hope more people will try to learn how to do it properly.

You can follow Lizzy on Instagram to get more rowing tips and tricks.

Hyrox hits the New York Times

Hyrox was featured in the New York Times last Sunday, reflecting its growing popularity in the United States and around the world. Much of the article compares Hyrox to CrossFit, which has some of the same exercises and equipment. It notes that while Hyrox consists of "simple movements," CrossFit "involves many complex Olympic lifts and gymnastics skills, which can be difficult to master and, to some, dangerous to learn." Further, CrossFit only hosts one in-person event per year, the annual CrossFit Games, which is only open to elite athletes. Hyrox hosts dozens of events around the world that are open to everyone.

The article gets a bit off track, however, when it claims that "[m]any of the racers on the Hyrox podiums are also elite CrossFit stars, including Mal O’Brien and Mirjam von Rohr, two of the top CrossFitters in the world." O'Brien, who finished 2nd in the 2022 CrossFit Games, participated in mixed doubles in Hyrox Houston with her agent, Cooper Marsh. They did finish third but nearly 10 minutes behind the winners, Lauren Griffith and Isaac Sanderson. Von Rohr has had significant success in Hyrox, but has never made the CrossFit games. This year, Von Rohr is prioritizing CrossFit, where she is excelling. But, perhaps as a result of focusing her training on CrossFit, Von Rohr has not fared well in major Hyrox races.

Most racers on Hyrox podiums are not "elite CrossFit stars." Thus far, no elite CrossFit athlete has been able to break into the top ranks of Hyrox. Which isn't to say it could not happen. Sydney Wells, who finished 28th in the 2023 CrossFit games, just signed up for Hyrox Anaheim. Wells, a former college track athlete who was eliminated from the 2024 CrossFit Games qualifying due to controversial penalties, is hoping to secure one of the four remaining spots for the Hyrox World Championships in June.

Workout of the Week: Intervals!

Each edition of The Hybrid Letter features a workout from Dylan Scott, the Hyrox North American Champion, and Markus Frison, the original Hyrox VCF champion and head coach of The Frision Method.

If you are interested in training with The Frision Method, you can find out more information here. If you have any questions about this workout, let us know in the comments.

Hybrid Athlete of the Week: Jessica Brown

Name: Jessica Brown
Age: 36
Hometown: Knoxville, Tennessee

Why did you start hybrid racing? I was competing in powerlifting and did a meet in January 2023 at Reach Functional Fitness. I met Taylor Haney, who owns the gym. In July 2023, Taylor asked if I was interested in doing his athlete programming. I took him up on his offer, and I never looked back.

The "why" is a deeper subject. I was in a marriage with severe domestic violence. I had let myself go in many ways — mentally, emotionally, and physically. A pretty significant event occurred, and I knew I could no longer live that way. I knew I had to take back control of my life. So I did. I started with my health and routine. I worked on my mental health as well. I left my marriage. I started training every single day. I cleaned up my diet and lifestyle. The road to becoming healthy again is more than physical. People see me fit now and think that was my big transformation. It wasn't. The biggest transformation was my mindset and my heart. I do this because I found myself again in hybrid training. I have never felt more secure, confident, in control than I do now.

Favorite race? My favorite race to date is Hyrox Fort Lauderdale, which was earlier this year. It was my first Hyrox in the pro division. It was a great learning experience for me as an athlete. I learned the different places my brain goes to convince me that I should quit. I also learned a lot of things that I need to work on in training.

My favorite thing about this race, though, was my team and little boy Hayden. My son and I travel with the team for these races. The comradery we have is unparalleled. This kind of love and support I get from my team and other Hyrox athletes makes the experience wondrous. I was more excited to celebrate my teammates' wins than my own.

Do you have a race goal? My next big goal is a couple of other hybrid-style races. One is the Hybricon Games in October 2024. I just got my qualifier scores up on the leaderboard, and as of right now, I am in first place! Another big one for me is Rally in the Valley in August 2024.

My race goal with Hyrox is to keep my 1K paces below 4:30. I am a slower runner but make up for it in my zone work. I hope to change that over time and become a faster runner as well.

Favorite station? My favorite station is wall balls because I am fast, and once I get there I know I do not have to run again. Lol.

Least favorite station? My least favorite station is lunges. My legs are on fire! Everything hurts at this point. I go deep in the pain cave on these.

Something you wish you knew when you started racing? Colin Stiefer taught me to view my nerves as excitement because, essentially, the feeling is the exact same. Just change your mindset.