Most rowers don't have a coach standing next to them every session. They row alone at home, at the gym, or at the club during open hours. When something feels off in their stroke, they guess. Or they watch YouTube and try to self-correct.
The problem is that you can't see yourself rowing. You don't know if your back is rounding at the catch, if your arms are bending too early, or if you're rushing the slide. You just know something doesn't feel efficient.
That's why we built AI technique analysis.
How it works
The process is simple:
- Film yourself rowing for 15 seconds from the side. Position your phone at seat height, about 2-3 meters from the erg.
- Upload the video in the Technique tab on your ErgManiac dashboard.
- Get your analysis in under a minute. The AI extracts frames from your video and scores every phase of your stroke.
What the AI looks for
The analysis covers all four phases of the rowing stroke:
Catch: Is your shin angle vertical? Are you hinging from the hips or rounding your spine? Are your arms straight and relaxed?
Drive: Are you following the correct legs-back-arms sequence? Is the handle moving with the seat or are you shooting the slide? When does your back start opening?
Finish: How far are you leaning back? Is the handle at the right height? Are your elbows driving straight back or flaring out?
Recovery: Are your arms extending first? Is the body rocking over before the slide moves? Are you rushing back to the catch?
What you get in the report
Every analysis includes:
- Overall score from 1 to 100 that you can track over time
- Per-phase scores for catch, drive, finish, and recovery
- Observations - what the AI actually sees in your frames
- Corrections - specific fixes for each phase
- Top 3 priorities - the changes that will make the biggest difference
- Strengths - what you're already doing well
- Recommended drills - matched to your specific errors (feet-out rowing, pause drills, pick drills, etc.)
The report is structured so you know exactly what to work on next. Don't try to fix everything at once - focus on the top priorities.
Who should use this
Self-coached rowers who don't have a coach reviewing their stroke regularly. If you're training alone, this is the next best thing to having a coach watch you row.
Beginners who are still building their technique. Catching bad habits early is much easier than correcting them after thousands of strokes.
Anyone coming back from a break who wants a technique check before ramping up volume.
Availability and limits
Technique analysis is available to Pro members with 5 analyses per month. The limit resets at the start of each month. It's included in the Pro subscription and the 30-day free trial.
Tips for the best analysis
- Film from the side - this is the most important thing. A front or back view doesn't show stroke phases clearly.
- Camera at seat height - too high or too low distorts the body angles.
- 2-3 meters away - close enough to see details, far enough to capture the full stroke.
- Wear fitted clothing - baggy shirts hide body positions.
- Row at your normal rate - don't change your technique because you're being filmed. The AI needs to see your actual habits.
For a deep dive into proper erg technique, check out our complete rowing technique guide.
What's next
This is just the start. We're working on tracking technique scores over time so you can see your improvement, and comparing your form across different stroke rates and training zones.
Try technique analysis now - it's included in the 30-day free Pro trial.
