Are you using your ass?

Today's WOD:
Max effort 2 min row for calories
Row 2 min
Rest 2 min
5 rounds
Round 1: 34
Round 2: 34
Round 3: 34
Round 4: 35 (should have been 36, but I stopped pulling at 1:58. I was tired and quit even knowing I shouldn't have...oops)
Round 5: 31 (all ass, no arms)

Rowing= Legs, Back , Arms. Sounds simple, but simple doesn't always translate to easy to execute. I strap in and use the first 2 min to figure out my pacing, and hold a consistent pace through the first 3. During the following rest Bill helps tweak my form. My legs got a great push and my back and arms had a great pull, but it was transition between that was a bit off. So I go into the 4th round focusing on a smooth transition. 3-2-1 GO....I keep a great pace, the wheel is spinning my legs are feeling it, but so are my arms. I reach the end of the row I was exhausted and thought I was going to vomit. Bill is there again to help critique my form.

His proposal: Try an experiment
Drive with your legs ONLY and simply let your back and arms guide the handle. See how much you lose. So I head into the last row, focusing on using just my lower half, and my pace didn't lose too much...for the first minute. Heading into the second minute my legs are SCREAMING!!! Time up, 31 calories, not too shy of my other attempts except for one huge difference. My ass was on fire and cramping. My arms and my exhaustion level were half of what they were on the prior attempts.

Lesson learned: I use WAY TO MUCH arms and not enough ass on my rowing.

Try this experiment and see how your numbers change. I found it quite interesting.