{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-news-js","path":"/news/https://jrn.news/stability-injury-prevention-and-longevity-why-precision-still-matters/","result":{"data":{"news":{"_rawContent":[{"_key":"2b5df37f411b","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"ff5eadaf29500","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Six years ago, when Dan Tamburro first raced as a masters rower at Raleigh Rowing Centre, he finished last."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"42a375b35e2b","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"2c7cf0360f7d0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“Pretty much every time,” he says, laughing."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"b978e49f592f","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"01d23ceed8c10","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Today, he lines up in his single, not hoping but expecting to compete. He’s no longer at the back of the field, and this year he plans to race at the World Masters Regatta in Bled, Slovenia. His improvement hasn’t come from a single breakthrough. It’s been incremental, comprising the standard features of any rower’s evolutionary arsenal: technical refinement, smarter decisions, and physiological improvement. Perhaps surprisingly, though, a crucial factor has been a shift in how he thinks about equipment."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"ed599da7f2f7","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"f2b2562fbc340","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"For masters rowers in particular, Dan’s story emphasises three themes that matter more with age: stability, injury prevention, and investing in long-term performance. Rowing a single magnifies instability. Every imbalance shows up immediately in the run of the boat."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"5abee0ab354b","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a70337397d560","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Dan rows a Hudson now, after discovering that a previous Fluid shell was simply too large. “It didn’t quite fit me,” he explains. “I didn’t realise how much that mattered until I got into a boat that really suited my size.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"2fef5dddf8af","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a8f64a23dbbf0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The same realisation eventually extended to his shoes."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"4ce00c1fce6d","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"2c7532d95b3e0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“At first, I didn’t think equipment made that much difference at the level I’m at,” Dan says. “I figured I just needed to get fitter and row better.” But over time, he began to notice small inconsistencies in his connection to the footplate: a subtle movement, slight instability during the drive. He upgraded to Bont BR1 shoes, opting for a fully moulded, anatomically shaped fit."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"444d7c2ff4b0","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"e489168380750","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“The first thing I noticed was how snug they felt,” he says. “There was no slop. My foot just felt locked in.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"bc524ca1be02","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"13ed6b562cdc0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"That improved connection translated directly into better control. Stability isn’t just technical – it’s psychological. When the platform beneath you feels secure, you row more freely and race with more intent. For Dan, the conversation around equipment isn’t theoretical. He has had knee replacement surgery, and for a period, knee soreness was a regular part of his rowing."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"21c81145a1c9","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"8ab2effeecbd0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“It wasn’t debilitating, but it was always there, especially after harder pieces”, he says. After switching to Bont shoes, he noticed something unexpected. “My knees felt better. There was less soreness after sessions. I think it was because my foot was properly aligned and supported. I wasn’t twisting or compensating.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"bd8fc9d696b9","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"28272932f3e50","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"In rowing, force travels from the feet through the knees and hips into the body. If the connection at the base is unstable, strain migrates upward. Longevity in rowing depends on preserving the body as much as building fitness. Proper alignment, stable foot support, and consistent mechanics are protective measures as much as they are performance enhancers."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"368777e071b4","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"5e7ada9b9e6e0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"There’s a perception that precision is for elite, high-performance programmes. But Dan’s experience suggests the opposite. “I think it matters more now than it would have if I were rowing when I was younger,” he reflects. “You don’t bounce back the same way. You have to be smarter.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"63843677e1ef","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"521b58ad002e0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"That confidence has taken him far beyond local racing. Dan and his wife (herself a fiercely competitive rower who has logged over one million metres a year on the indoor rowing machine) travel widely to row. Singapore. Montreal. Across the United States. On the horizon: Bled this summer for the World Rowing Masters Championships."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"20de5833e988","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"12f49f7c26eb0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Rowing isn’t just an exercise for them. It’s a shared passion. Accordingly, investing in high-quality equipment is a no-brainer."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"ffbefd7721a8","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"b80c01a21b6c0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“I used to think shoes were just shoes,” Dan says. “When someone first mentioned Bont and anatomically-correct rowing shoes, I remember thinking about how that surely couldn’t make a difference. Now I see them as part of the whole system. If your foundation isn’t right, nothing above it will be.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"0fd2f6282441","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"70a4f73edb010","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"For athletes planning to stay in the sport for decades – with bucket-list events like Henley Masters on the horizon or simply another season on the water – longevity powered by smart equipment choices is the real win."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"dfb0cdde2f54","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"8a3f7856b7eb0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"As Dan puts it, “I don’t just want to row fast this year. I want to still be rowing ten years from now.”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"e15104d5daf9","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"d1f547392cf0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"- Tom Morgan JRN March 2026"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}],"title":"Stability, Injury Prevention, and Longevity: Why Precision Still Matters","slug":{"current":"https://jrn.news/stability-injury-prevention-and-longevity-why-precision-still-matters/"},"featuredImage":{"asset":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAANABQDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFwAAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYHBf/EACMQAAEEAgEDBQAAAAAAAAAAAAIBAwQRAAUSBiFBEzFRYaH/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADBP/EABwRAQACAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAhEUEjFBUf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8ASYewZdbbJQaSPwo0RKIVTzm1revJMUXITrgyIpJxtfjFjqOCMaKc5lwgK/TIETsX3izBcU2TIvdMCy8sHUtLVwIYSVbYbvTPkyrMhyMgtIKhXm1tf3DInK2D6PEnK67YYOtX6xtt9qM//9k=","aspectRatio":1.5009380863039399,"src":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ji3xh6f0/production/ab956e146894335965a42336049ddc29e818f7b7-1600x1066.jpg?w=1000&h=666&fit=crop","srcSet":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ji3xh6f0/production/ab956e146894335965a42336049ddc29e818f7b7-1600x1066.jpg?w=250&h=167&fit=crop 250w,\nhttps://cdn.sanity.io/images/ji3xh6f0/production/ab956e146894335965a42336049ddc29e818f7b7-1600x1066.jpg?w=500&h=333&fit=crop 500w,\nhttps://cdn.sanity.io/images/ji3xh6f0/production/ab956e146894335965a42336049ddc29e818f7b7-1600x1066.jpg?w=1000&h=666&fit=crop 1000w,\nhttps://cdn.sanity.io/images/ji3xh6f0/production/ab956e146894335965a42336049ddc29e818f7b7-1600x1066.jpg?w=1500&h=999&fit=crop 1500w,\nhttps://cdn.sanity.io/images/ji3xh6f0/production/ab956e146894335965a42336049ddc29e818f7b7-1600x1066.jpg 1600w","srcWebp":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ji3xh6f0/production/ab956e146894335965a42336049ddc29e818f7b7-1600x1066.jpg?w=1000&h=666&fit=crop&fm=webp","srcSetWebp":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ji3xh6f0/production/ab956e146894335965a42336049ddc29e818f7b7-1600x1066.jpg?w=250&h=167&fit=crop&fm=webp 250w,\nhttps://cdn.sanity.io/images/ji3xh6f0/production/ab956e146894335965a42336049ddc29e818f7b7-1600x1066.jpg?w=500&h=333&fit=crop&fm=webp 500w,\nhttps://cdn.sanity.io/images/ji3xh6f0/production/ab956e146894335965a42336049ddc29e818f7b7-1600x1066.jpg?w=1000&h=666&fit=crop&fm=webp 1000w,\nhttps://cdn.sanity.io/images/ji3xh6f0/production/ab956e146894335965a42336049ddc29e818f7b7-1600x1066.jpg?w=1500&h=999&fit=crop&fm=webp 1500w,\nhttps://cdn.sanity.io/images/ji3xh6f0/production/ab956e146894335965a42336049ddc29e818f7b7-1600x1066.jpg?fm=webp 1600w","sizes":"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px"}}},"category":"culture","_createdAt":"June 5, 2026"}},"pageContext":{"slug":"https://jrn.news/stability-injury-prevention-and-longevity-why-precision-still-matters/"}},"staticQueryHashes":["1337286467","1942088059"]}