by GRP strength coach Will Ruth

The seated rockback is my favorite exercise for training rowers’ anterior trunk (abdominal) muscles and general supporting torso muscles. I coach this as an on-land version of feet-out rowing, emphasizing contact between the floor (footplate), an upright posture, and using the abdominal muscles - not the hip flexor muscles - to control the movement of the trunk.

The emphasis of this exercise is control of the back-end of the stroke, training the trunk muscles in their role as a braking mechanism to slow the body swing from mid-drive into the release, and then reversing that movement into the body-forward recovery position. The seated rockback is especially valuable for rowers who struggle with feet-out rowing, or with sitting too upright or slumping at the release position.

Key technique points:

Actively push the feet into the floor or footplate during the entire exercise. This reduces contribution from the hip flexor muscles and focuses the exercise on the abdominal muscles. I will walk around with a PVC pipe when coaching and lightly push sideways on rowers’ feet to make sure there is firm contact.
Sit at the front edge of the seat and rock back only as far as you can control with an upright torso posture and foot contact with the floor. Your layback position should be similar in the rockback exercise, on the erg, and in the boat.
Breathe normally throughout the exercise. It’s tempting to hold your breath to create more torso stability, but this won’t help us in the aerobic sport of rowing. Breathe deeply during layback holds, and then try to use a 1-to-1 breathing pattern similar to rowing in the moving rockback: exhale on the rock-back (drive) and inhale on the rock-forward (recovery).

There are a number of layers to this exercise, which makes a great challenge progression in stability, load, and movement. All stages offer benefit, so don’t be in a rush. Watch my demonstration video for all of these variations, and remember the key technique points. Increasing load and movement challenge is only beneficial with good technique. Adding load or challenge with poor technique is getting worse, not better.

Progression #1 (Stability):

Seated on an erg with PVC pipes
Next without PVC pipes
On a bench or box
On a stability ball

Progression #2 (Load):

PVC pipes

Hands-in-front
Hands-behind-head
Hands-overhead
Add load

Progression #3 (Movement):

Hold with PVC pipes
Hold at layback
Slow tempo rock
Rock to a faster rate

Progression #4 (Time Under Tension):

3-4 sets of 10
Grow reps by 5 (e.g. 15, 20, 25)
Then 30 seconds of output using whatever variation you choose from the above

Additional Variations:

Side-loaded “suitcase” position
Side-loaded “rack” position
Side-loaded with resistance band

Move of the Month: The Seated Rockback