The Student Room Group

Have a rowing-related problem?!

This will probably sound very insignificant and maybe even hillarious, but I promise this is serious.

So I started rowing this summer term, and feel that I've never really enjoyed any other sport quite as much as rowing. But my problem is with the shoes in the shells, they are way too big. In every single school boat the smallest shoe size is 10-11 whereas my feet are size 4, hence they keep on falling out of the shoes and I struggle to keep balance. Last lesson my teacher told me to try rowing with my feet out of the shoes, and guess what, I couldn't even take a proper stroke.

So if anybody could come up with some serious solutions, I will love you forever. :wink:
Reply 1
Original post by seeking_prudence
This will probably sound very insignificant and maybe even hillarious, but I promise this is serious.

So I started rowing this summer term, and feel that I've never really enjoyed any other sport quite as much as rowing. But my problem is with the shoes in the shells, they are way too big. In every single school boat the smallest shoe size is 10-11 whereas my feet are size 4, hence they keep on falling out of the shoes and I struggle to keep balance. Last lesson my teacher told me to try rowing with my feet out of the shoes, and guess what, I couldn't even take a proper stroke.

So if anybody could come up with some serious solutions, I will love you forever. :wink:


maybe tie a rubber band or string around
the foot stretcher
find a footplate with smaller shoes. Swap them in before the session and out after. Takes about 5 mins.
Reply 3
Wear shoes. To the best of my recollection, a pair of size 5 shoes fit pretty well inside a size 11 shoe, so with 4s you should be ok there.
Reply 4
Original post by partoftheweekend
find a footplate with smaller shoes. Swap them in before the session and out after. Takes about 5 mins.


This^^ It pays off to work out intensely with a rowing machine if you are able to row comfortably.
Reply 5
Firstly: You should be able to row feet out. Rowing feet out is an important exercise to feel the connection between your body and the boat and to ensure you're rowing properly. The shoes should only really be there to act as a support, not to hold you into the boat.

Secondly: You can change the shoes. Speak to your coach about perhaps putting in a different set, most coaches should have some spares for different sizes.
If you can't change the shoes - then I would stuff one sock, or one pair of socks (depending how big they are) into the ends of the shoes, and then maybe wear an extra pair as well so you fill the shoes out more. If not, some of our girls with small feet actually wear their plimsoles and slot them into the shoes!
Original post by partoftheweekend
find a footplate with smaller shoes. Swap them in before the session and out after. Takes about 5 mins.


I might try that, might indeed work, but I think the smallest they've got is 10 :|
Original post by SimonM
Firstly: You should be able to row feet out. Rowing feet out is an important exercise to feel the connection between your body and the boat and to ensure you're rowing properly. The shoes should only really be there to act as a support, not to hold you into the boat.


Hmmm... even my coach said that my technique is perfectly correct yet for some reason, taking a stroke proved to be super-hard.
Reply 9
Original post by seeking_prudence
Hmmm... even my coach said that my technique is perfectly correct yet for some reason, taking a stroke proved to be super-hard.


You need to practice it a bit. I found it really hard at first as well, I literally couldn't take a stroke feet out. But I gave it a few goes on the erg, and when I was confident on that took it to the water.
Original post by Nichrome
You need to practice it a bit. I found it really hard at first as well, I literally couldn't take a stroke feet out. But I gave it a few goes on the erg, and when I was confident on that took it to the water.


I will definatelly do my best, thank you! At least, now I know for sure that it is possible to row with your feet out...:rolleyes:

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