Tim emailed us from Wellington, New Zealand to ask
Oarsome potential grips for rowing
How do Oarsome Concept 2 grips work?
Sold in our shop the Oarsome range of grips are designed to do two things
- improve your hand posture
- reduce blisters
Grip design for rowing
Emily Webb is the designer of Oarsome and she started trying to find ways to improve the handle and hand connection in rowing, sculling and on the ergo.
By fitting over the top of your rowing machine handles. the Oarsome Grips will support your hands, wrists and arms, resulting in improved positioning and technique.
Emily got a range of people to test out her grips (they are also sold to hospitals and long term crutch users because of the same benefits of posture and blister reduction).
Mark Pinches is a C2 instructor and this was his review
“After rowing on the water for many years and requiring frequent surgical removal from my Concept 2, I accepted calluses and blisters on my finger joints and hands as the norm, but was delighted when I came across the Oarsome Grips. I was pleasantly surprised when I first used them and now really feel the difference if I use a machine that hasn’t got them. I use the grips in the Catch position, which relieves any pressure on the joints of the fingers.
The Oarsome Grips encourage a more relaxed, flatter hand and wrist position, which is still strong but results in far less wrist and hand fatigue. In the past, I subconsciously used to reposition my hand and finger frequently, but with the grips I realised I don’t do this any more. I always encourage people I coach to use them and recommend them on our Instructor Courses.
My coaching philosophy for training on the rower is based on ‘economy of effort’. It makes sense to look at putting the effort in to the right parts of the stroke. If you are distracted by discomfort in the three areas you are connected to the rower (hands, backside and feet) you aren’t going to be focussing on the right things!
Long sessions on the rower have definitely been relieved by the Oarsome Grips – I would recommend everyone to give them a try.”
