Question about Valsalva and protecting the spine during the drive.

Questions from a rowing coach.

Good evening Coach Kaehler,

I would like to ask you as question and would appreciate your feedback. Question is related to your specialty and is about Valsalva movement in rowing and it’s impact on the spine. From my current reading I see that Valsalva movement in Rowing particularly protects spine form putting high loads on the drive, but would like learn more about it. Looking forward to hearing your feedback. Thank you. Rowing coach in US

Coach Kaehler’s Response

Valsalva stiffens the spine when humans lift heavy objects and is one of several mechanisms that help stiffen the spine. Non-traumatic injuries occur in all sports at change of direction, especially as speed increases. In rowing the body is moving the fastest at the finish of the stroke where the largest momentum shift happens at change of direction, catch is the slowest point of the stroke and change of direction (least momentum change) is smaller.  So if you are going to implement this strategy you would need to hold your breath at the finish to minimize greatest horizontal shear during the entire rowing stroke.

 

ANSWER BACK:

Valsalva is a natural automatic spine stabilizing mechanism that rowers use at the catch to try and improve spine stiffness. In my experience stabilizing a poorly positioned spine with valsalva will not reduce the low back injuries. I have helped hundreds of rowers to completely eliminate chronic low back pain, in one training session, and I can tell you that low back injuries manifest because other muscle systems are weak and/or inflexible. These imbalances create poor spinal posture that places excessive stress (horizontal shearing) on the passive tissue at the finish of the stroke.

You won’t make a performance jump until you do this!

Doing more squats, cleans, or squat centric training routines will not yield big performance changes until you have developed the ability to keep the trunk stable (in control) when moving the legs and arms underload. Learning this skill will not only better channel all that quad, glute, and lat power, it will also significantly reduce your injury risk with progressively loaded training programs.

Optimal training potential is uncovered by systematically training your trunk to provide a non-moving foundation for the extremities to work from and requires more specificity than seen with traditional “core” work.

Feeling and understanding the difference between controlling (no movement) the spine when the extremities are moving under load versus when the spine is allowed to move along with the extremities underload, is the key to optimizing athletic performance.  Without this “internal” feeling an athlete has no perspective between the two available options.

The evidence that an athlete has yet to master this spine control skill shows up as weakness and/or inflexibility in specific extremity muscles. I see this when I initially take athletes through my “Body Balance Evaluation Process” (1,500+ athletes). The other evidence manifest when athletes suffer from non-traumatic injuries (with progressive loading) or have recurring passive tissue stiffness in the discs and/or joints following more aggressive workouts. Everything clears up when athletes learn the control skill.

Imbalances quickly correct once an athlete gets the correct internal muscle activation feeling and starts mastering control.

Learning how to control your spine posture is a skill anyone can learn but requires constant training and activating the proper muscles to maintain control when training. Below is an excellent starter drill which start to have you become more aware of the only two options available.

In the VIDEO (slow motion) I show that you can maintain a completely upright spin, versus a slumped spine posture, through the finish and recovery with minimal loss of my natural spine position.

While I train spine control all the time and it has become second nature anyone can improve this posture. It does take a lot of strength and postural endurance to maintain this powerful position especially when rowing for longer periods of time, but the yield is a powerful finish that keep you connect all the way to the release.

Drill: 10 sets of (10 to 30 second on/ 10 seconds off) – VIDEO

Set-Up – Go to your finish layback position and then sit tall by setting your spine curves to your current standing posture. To better understand this posture (current spine curves) place your back, head and feet are against a wall.

Now start a pick drill and practice keeping your trunk absolutely still.  Initially it will challenging to hold the stable spine position when compared to the slumped spine finish. As you get stronger at being able to maintain this finish posture you will start being able to put more force on the handle and feet[RK1] .  This is the real key to being able to hold onto your finish all the way through.

Step Two I will discuss he next step in this sequence in another post.

**If you are interest in learning more about this unique approach and how you can actually change your posture, please feel free to reach out to me or come to one of my upcoming Body Band-It or Body Balance Events.

Body Band-It Demo/Certification

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I want to invite you to go through a free training session and learn why and how I created the Band-It by combining my world class rowing background with my 25 years of physical therapy experience and CSCS knowledge.

I will be holding a series of classes over the next month and I am also planning a Body Band-It certification class to be held on February 26^th (9:30 to 12:30).

[Click Here to learn more about the Body Band-It]

Upcoming Body Band-It classes;

January 29^th (1-2pm)

February 12^th (1-2pm)

February 26^th (1-2pm)

All Demonstration classes are at no cost. Regular classes are $15 (bring your Band-It) – $20 (use in house Band-It)

All Classes will be held at; Carousel CrossFit 591 Durham Road, Newtown, PA 18940

Body Band-It Classes – January/February 2017

Hip Depth At The Catch – Moving and at a Pause

Athletic skill can be improved or advanced by getting better at controlling your trunk when you generate force through your extremities to create movements. Trunk control will be challenged by four factors or variables, that we can manipulate, which include intensity, range of motion, volume, and speed. The better you become at controlling your trunk when loading the arms and/or legs during desired movement the more athletic you become.

When we knowingly, or unknowingly, overload one or more of the variables mentioned above we can begin to lose stability of trunk or spine. This not only increases our risk of injury it also reduces the power and strength our extremities can generate.

Rowing offers a unique challenge in that our hips are blocked by the seat which makes controlling the trunk an even a bigger challenge as we approach the catch.  With proper training we can learn to keep the spine relatively stable and upright, close to an anatomical position, during the entire rowing stroke. Without this purposeful trunk control training the common default is to allow the spine to curl over into a “C” shape posture, which takes less effort to maintain, however this position reduces power and increases injury risk.  The most powerful position for the human spine is the anatomical position. You can find your current position by lying flat on the floor totally relaxed with your legs out straight and feet under the hips with your arms at your sides).

The video link here is a good way to better understand how you get reach at catch.  A trunk controlled catch get most of the reach by getting the hips in deep (hip dominated), while the moving or “C-shape” spine tends to be a more shoulder/spine reach dominated stroke.  While both movement patterns work the end results are different.

Watch this quick video to see how you move into the catch.

You hip depth should be the same whether you are using momentum to get your catch reach or when you pause at the catch. Your hip and handle depth should be exactly the same whether you are rowing or when you pause and hold your catch position.

If you are interested in learning how to develop this skill and get better at controlling your trunk please email me. I will be holding a number of classes (starting in February 2017) to help you start mastering this essential skill.

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Body Band-It New Video – Lateral Lunge Pushes & Pulls

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