Beauty is truth, truth beauty, � that is allYe know on earth, and all ye need to know.So quotheth John Keats shortly before he coughed his last. Which is, y'know, a nice sentiment to be sure, but let's face it, what if you've got a problem with your technique or you want to understand more about heart rate training? How's that beauty/truth thing going to help you there eh John? Eh? No, what you need to do is dash off an e-mail to three times Olympic rowing coach Terry O'Neill at [email protected]. He'll sort you out, not some daft old Greek pot.Paul Karanevich: Why is it that pictures taken at the World Indoor Rowing Championship, and shown on About.com, reveal rowing forms (i.e.- technique) that my Concept 2 manuals and video would illustrate as being incorrect? One picture shows a competitor with bent wrists, another bringing the oar up to his chin, and a third with elbows far out away from his torso. I am a stickler for proper exercise form since, in my opinion, to do otherwise will eventually result in injury. Are these serious competitors rowing incorrectly or am I misinterpreting the Concept 2 manuals and video? Terry O'Neill: The technique advocated by Concept 2 in their manual and video is based on sound biomechanical principles. For the majority of rowers, following this method will produce the best results. However there will be variation for a number of reasons and I'll give you two examples. Herbert Leah has won virtually every race he's been in, but if you look at his technique there are many faults. He rows with bent arms due to an accident several years ago which resulted in a permanent bent arm which he physically cannot straighten. He also doesn't sit square on the seat, and this is because he has one leg two inches shorter than the other so he has adapted a technique that suits his body. Even five times Olympic Champion Sir Steve Redgrave rows with bent arms.Scullers are used to rowing the oars in an arc and so when they get onto the machine their elbows tend to go out at the finish. You would not teach this on the machine because there is no angular element to the machine but there is to an on-water rowing stroke. If the user of the machine's main aim is to perform on the water you would not want to change his technique on the machine. Finally the pulling of the 'oar' to the chin. This is unique to the US and it stems from the belief that the extra length will give a better result. The proponents believe they can cheat the machine but the machine can only measure effort. So whereas this extra long pull may result in the split coming down there will be an energy cost to the rower.