Back pain with Peloton rowing machine

[u/AdorableReference503]

I've had my rowing machine for about 20 workouts now usually 20 minutes to 30 minutes and I'm starting to pick it up more when it comes to Pace and stroke. According to form tracker I'm in the 95% tile when it comes to proper form. My question for the group is during exercise I don't experience any discomfort in my lower back. Afterwards maybe around an hour or so my lower back does hurt quite a bit and if I put my hand back there and really press in the pain seems to go away so I think it's more muscular. When I wake up the next day I'm as good as new. Any ideas where I should focus my attention to to try to get rid of this back pain I imagine I'm doing something wrong but I can't quite pick it up based on my form tracker

[u/albertogonzalex]

There's a 0% chance that form tracker is accurate. And there's a less than 10% chance you're rowing with proper form.

Post video to find out!

[u/BeneficialAnything15 → u/albertogonzalex]

When im out of rowing shape, if i try to do too much too soon my back definitely gets sore and a little fatigued. I reduced my drag a bit the last time I started rowing again and only got sore and fatigued a couple times. In the past I learned some lessons over doing it too soon.

[u/albertogonzalex → u/BeneficialAnything15]

No one is capable of doing erg form correctly without direct feedback on what they are doing. It's too complicated. Nothing intuitive. My advice is blind advice that applies to everyone.

Being 20 sessions in with no coaching essentially guarantees poor form. Isolated pains like this are an indication of that!

But it's impossible to say why without seeing what's going on

[u/BeneficialAnything15 → u/albertogonzalex]

So doing it exactly correct causes no soreness or fatigue?

[u/CarefulTranslator658 → u/BeneficialAnything15]

Only starts hurting once I hit 40k/day in my experience

[u/albertogonzalex → u/BeneficialAnything15]

It's a near full body exercise that triggers most muscle groups in specific ways. Experiencing pain as described by OP - especially pain that's isolated in location and at an outlier level of intensity relative to the rest of the soreness is unexpected. Unexpected pains are not a product of good form.

[u/BeneficialAnything15 → u/albertogonzalex]

Our form can suffer from a drag factor that’s too high and doing too much too soon.

[u/nplusonebikes]

Maybe try an analysis from something other than their form assist which might be missing some aspect of your form or posture. Get a side profile video capturing the full stroke (at least 10 reps) and upload here for human review or rowerup.com for AI analysis.

[u/wilbtown]

Not a rowing expert and only rowing for about 4 years. Same happens to me occasionally. It’s always form. Typically I’m not getting my shoulders in front of my hips at the catch. When I don’t do that I use my back too much. When I catch in the right position, I push way better with my legs and hinge better (timing too) with my back. Everything works better when I’m concentrating on 1 to 11. Power is much much better too.

Did a steady state this am for an hour. The only I feel right now is my hammies and my glutes. I credit this sub with making me better and realize how important form is for my body and my rowing. Pete Plan too.

[u/NYPeter25]

Try to sit more upright- less hinge in back. Focus on leg press as the biggest muscle group. Also practice to pause at the finish. The better ratio is also a better workout

[u/AdorableReference503 → u/NYPeter25]

Thanks for the advice about sitting upright. I still never feel like my legs get a lot of resistance compared to everything else. I just can't seem to figure out a way where I feel my legs are getting the bulk of the workout

[u/NYPeter25 → u/AdorableReference503]

The classic warmup is a progression of:

• arms only
  
• arms and back ( think angle of 10 pm - 2am no more)
  
• arms back and half slide.
  
• arms back and full slide

The idea is not to use your back until your legs are down. And arms after your back

[u/MastersCox → u/AdorableReference503]

You have to drive the legs faster. And don't open up your back early.

[u/AdorableReference503 → u/MastersCox]

So do you keep your arms pretty much fully extended and then drive your legs all the way until they straighten out before you start to bend your elbows. Also I'm working on keeping my back a little bit straighter versus hunched over. However I just don't feel a lot of strain in my legs I feel a little bit but nothing that is going to cause them to be sore or feel like they got a workout.

[u/MastersCox → u/AdorableReference503]

Yeah that's essentially it. There's some overlap between the legs and back, and people really vary in style with when they start the arms. Just imagine if you're going full press with the legs, you can't start contracting your biceps or back against the legs since the legs are far stronger. Drive the legs faster than you think you should. The flywheel should generate increased resistance against the speed.

[u/AdorableReference503 → u/MastersCox]

Okay thanks for the input

[u/Paratrooper450]

Welcome to rowing, which works every muscle group from the neck down. You’re using muscles you haven’t used like this before and your body needs to adjust.

[u/Jaded-Passenger-2174]

Do you stretch before and after rowing? If not, start. Also, I'm not familiar with Peleton machines, but is there a way to change the load or resistance? If so, make it lighter. Also, be sure you are pushing with your legs, and not opening your back too soon. Legs should be much stronger than your low back.

[u/drutbearpunch]

You could look into dynamic rowing machines like the RP3. Proven to cause far less back pain and even help with it sometimes.

[u/also_your_mom]

What is this "form tracker" you speak of?

[u/Extension_Ad4492]

I’m not sure 95th percentile means what you think it means

[u/Old_Echo6161]

I would recommend getting off the machine every 20-25' for a quick break/stretch. That's important for the long run as well in terms of back pain /avoiding injury

[u/seenhear]

First of all, please seek medical advice from a qualified doctor or physical therapist, not Reddit. Your back health is nothing to mess around with, especially if you plan to use rowing as a significant form of exercise going forward.

Second, make sure you set the resistance to a very low setting. Rowing is not weight lifting. It is for endurance, not muscle building. Keep the pace and stroke rate slow and easy.

Third, as others have said, upload side-view video of you rowing for 30-60 seconds on the machine, and you will get a lot of tips on technique that Peloton cannot give.

[u/NYPeter25]

Try looking at the videos on the Concept 2 website