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GENERAL FAQs
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CUSTOM PACK FAQs
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Who is BAT Logic?
BAT Logic is a sports engineering company which provides Performance > Innovation services and creates cutting edge products for top national teams and sporting organisations in the Olympic and professional sports arena. Our approach is distinctive and deceptively simple: design from human form and function.
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What does BAT Logic know about rowing?
BAT Logic’s team of Performance Medicine and Performance Engineers advise world leading sports innovation teams and is responsible for managing and implementing a number of equipment innovation projects in rowing. Our personnel include national representative athletes and coaches and contributing authors to leading rowing texts. This resume has been built on years of novel research and development into the function of the rower required for optimizing physical potential. Summaries of some of this research can be downloaded under our R&D Notes pages on the website.
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What is the BioSeries?
The BioSeries is the result of research and development by BAT Logic’s BAT Lab into the function of the athlete during the rowing stroke. The BioSeries is a set of tools designed to enable athletes and coaches to rig their body by positioning their feet and lower limbs in the most advantageous position to promote leg power generation and an efficient transfer of this power to the boat.
BAT Logic’s BioSeries does not dictate the most appropriate way of setting up an athlete. Instead, the BioSeries is based on the premise that all people are built differently. Our goal is to provide each athlete with the tools to be able to rig their body and put themselves in the best position for performance and injury reduction.
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What is so important about foot and lower leg posture in rowing?
All the power you produce during the rowing stroke is transferred through your feet to the footboard to create a platform against which the blade can push to move the boat. Your feet and lower legs are performing a similar function when you are lifting a weight in the gym. In both scenarios, when your feet are not stable and well positioned, the potential for power loss, unnecessary muscle contractions, injuries and empty mechanical movements is increased.
BAT Logic’s BAT Lab and our independent partners perform ongoing R&D into this complex area. If you are interested in how a better understanding of foot and lower leg posture is important, summary reports of our research are available here.
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How does the BioSeries help me?
BAT Logic’s BioSeries are tools for the athlete and coach designed to encourage a stable, rigid platform against which your larger muscle groups can work through the drive phase of the rowing stroke. These tools can be customized to your individual mechanics, so you can adjust them to place yourself in the best position to be able to produce power and remove potential injury stressors in your legs and back.
The BioSeries is the result of considerable research and development, backed by an unparalleled understanding of the movements required for optimum performance. The value in the BioSeries is not only the tools, but the understanding BAT Logic can provide to empower the athlete and coach to use them to the best advantage.
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Will the BioSeries make me go faster?
Boat speed is affected by many variables. The BioSeries assists by tapping into the potential of your leg drive and placing your body in the best position to perform effectively however this is only one (albeit an important one) of many variables that will affect your boat speed including technique, rigging, conditions and training loads.
From the testing that has been performed by BAT Logic and our partners, the key effects on boat performance witnessed when using the BioSeries compared to a traditional footboard include:
· increased acceleration off the catch,
· higher peak speed and
· better boat trim.
These are observable and predictable outcomes on boat performance due to the improvement of athlete mechanics encouraged and enabled by the BioSeries. These outcomes have been supported by some of the leading thinkers in the sport; access their papers here.
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How will I know the BioSeries is working?
Once you have installed your BioSeries equipment, you will immediately feel a number of things that will tell you that the positive changes the BioSeries is designed to encourage are happening.
You will feel more foot contact throughout the stroke, usually communicated through a feeling of greater stability on the recovery and during the drive. This means you are pushing off a greater surface area of your foot and the power your legs are producing is being applied more effectively.
You will also feel more connected, or able to push harder, earlier in the drive phase. This means your gluteal muscles are engaged earlier, your boat acceleration is likely to have increased along with the peak force you can apply.
You should not stop here, as the benefits can grow and change as you do. As you become more aware of the platform your foot is pushing off, see if you can increase these general feelings, combine them with the incremental changes discussed in set-up guides and our R&D Notes and keep getting faster!
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Is the BioSeries too advanced for my level of rowing?
Rowers of all levels will obtain benefits from using the BioSeries equipment.
The areas of expertise behind the BioSeries include biomechanics, an area of study that examines the movement of the human body and the forces acting upon it, anatomy and how anatomy should function during the rowing action. A better understanding of how your body operates is not just something for elite athletes, but can be a factor in getting the most enjoyment out of preparing for and participating in rowing.
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How can the BioSeries assist elite athletes?
Improving the mechanics of the elite athlete has a number of immediate benefits, including the engagement of larger muscle groups for longer, reduction of unnecessary postural muscle contractions, a longer drive phase, and flatter leg and handle drive vectors. Better set up also reduces the strains on the body, meaning more days in the boat and more effective training.
BAT Logic’s R&D Notes go into detail about areas where performance meets equipment set-up. Get informed and subscribe here.
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How can the BioSeries assist older athletes?
As even the most confident older athlete can attest, after many years of hard training, the body ceases to work as it used to: joints and muscles will not move as easily, or in the same range of motion, as they used to.
As body function slowly reduces as we age, adjusting to provide stability and support for the movement required for rowing makes not only makes sense from a performance and injury reduction perspective, but also means participation and enjoyment is maximized.
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How can the BioSeries assist junior athletes?
Junior athletes need special consideration regarding set up and injury prevention. The BioSeries providesa safe body position where stresses on the joints are reduced. The BioSeries does this by improving stability and encouraging the young body to direct the forces created by the rowing movement to the most appropriate place: larger muscle groups working against a symmetrical skeletal framework.
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Where can I learn more about rigging my body?
BAT Logic publishes a number of rowing R&D Notes available through our website (click here for direct access) If you have specific queries that cannot be answered by your retailer or coach, we’re always happy to hear about areas where you’d like our team to comment or perform some more research.
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Where can I go for further assistance?
Your first point of contact should be your coach, as rigging your body and your boat should take into account a range of factors such as boat trim, rigging and crewmates. For set-up and installation issues, contact your retailer.
BAT Logic has a number of Sports Engineering Partners who are at the cutting edge of technology and whose representatives have been trained in the installation and set-up of the BioSeries equipment. Send us an email at team@batlogic.com.au to enquire about your local expert.
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How should I use the Custom Pack?
Use BAT Logic’s Custom Pack to individualize your existing traditional set-up or BAT Logic’s ShoePlates to your unique mechanics through tailored heel support and adjustment for leg length differences.
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What’s in the Custom pack?
The Custom Pack contains a number of BioShim tools to rig your body, You’ll receive two BioShim Heel 5.0, one BioShim Flat 1.5, one BioShim Flat 3.0 and a hardware pack for installation.
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How do I fit BioShims into my boat?
BioShims fit securely between your shoes and your existing footplate (or ShoePlate). Simply unscrew your shoes, place the BioShim under your shoes and re-attach them to the footplate (or ShoePlate).
The Custom Pack comes with various length screws for easy installation. If you run out, or require a different length, speak to your retailer or a BAT Logic sports engineering partner.
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Fit the BioShim Heels into your boat and you will be on the path to a more biomechanically advanced set up. At its most simple, the BioShim Heel will enable your heels to engage earlier to the footboard, which will engage your gluteal muscles to work better for longer.
When used in conjunction with BAT Logic’s ShoePlates, the BioShim Heel provides customization options for athletes who wish to create their ideal set-up for performance and injury reduction.
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BioShim Heels encourage mechanical changes and if you feel different it means a change has been made. Well done! The feedback we receive about the BioHeel includes:
• an increase in feelings of stability throughout the stroke, most noticeably earlier in the drive and earlier in the recovery.
• a feeling of being ‘connected’ earlier in the drive phase.
• an increase in drive length, with a better connection through to the arm draw.
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The BioShim Flats enable you to adjust for leg length differences to encourage symmetrical hips. This has benefits for both the lower limbs and the back. The benefits of symmetry in your body in rowing and how to achieve it with the Custom Pack are discussed below.
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We are all born with some degree of dysfunction, often manifested by one leg being slightly shorter than the other (often our feet are a half-size different also!). This slight difference is also often magnified by the muscular changes we experience through training for rowing.
While these slight asymmetries do not usually cause problems in daily life, when we place our bodies under heavy loads and positions such as are experienced during the rowing stroke, addressing these issues can have a considerable impact on injury probability and performance. For instance, a slightly longer leg will mean a slightly asymmetrical pelvis, which will place the lower back in a more vulnerable, twisted position than if the pelvis was symmetrical and aligned with the surface we are pushing off. By seeking to align the pelvis, we can reduce the postural contractions required to protect the back from damage, place the spine in a stronger position, enable full range of movement and assist the movements of the shoulders through the stroke.
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How do I find out whether I have a leg length difference?
An assessment of your leg length difference can be made by your healthcare professional such as a physiotherapist, osteopath or chiropractor. Ask them whether they can provide an estimate or measurement of your functional leg length difference while seated.
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Adjustment for leg length should be made in conjunction with your coach, so that there is a second pair of eyes to assess changes in technique and look/ feel of your stroke. We recommend using the BioShim Flats to adjust for your leg length difference in the following steps:
• Insert an appropriate BioShim Flat under your shorter leg to cater for approximately 50-70% of the leg length difference.
• Row using this set-up for 4-8 sessions.
• Once you are comfortable with the change, add an additional 25-30% of the difference under your shorter leg.
• Row using this set up for 4-8 sessions.
• If further adjustment is needed, add the additional 25% of the difference under your short leg.
For example, if you have been assessed as having a right leg 5mm longer than your left leg, follow the following steps:
• Insert the BioShim Flat 3.0 and row for 4-8 sessions
• Once comfortable, add the BioShim Flat 1.5 to complete the adjustment.
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Because the BioShim Flats are designed to cater for asymmetry, you will only use them under one of your legs. They are reversible, so will fit under either the right or left shoe, whichever is the shorter leg.
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What differences will I feel when using the BioShim Flats?
When leg length is properly adjusted, the feedback we receive about the BioShim Flats include a more symmetrical feeling into and out of the catch, easier connection through your short leg and less twisting and stress of the pelvis and lower back.
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What if I don’t feel all these things?
Everybody’s biomechanics are unique, so your experience will be different to other peoples. For example athletes with an extreme leg length discrepancy using the BioShim Flats will feel much more difference than an athlete with relatively equal leg lengths.
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How should I use the ShoePlate PRO?
Use the ShoePlate PRO on your standard footboard. They are designed to sit snugly between your shoes and the footboard and provide a stable, rigid platform for force generation and transfer.
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How do I install the ShoePlate PRO?
The installation and set-up guide is available for download from the BAT Logic website www.batlogic.com.au or your retailer. Some specific installation and set-up queries are also addressed in these FAQs.
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What shoes can I use with the ShoePlate PRO?
The ShoePlate PRO has been designed to be compatible with most rowing shoes on the market. This includes shoes with the standard four hole screw patterns created by Nike, Anka and pre-2008 Adidas shoes. Non-standard shoe hole patterns (including the post-2008 Adidas shoe screw pattern) are not compatible with the ShoePlate PRO. We recommend using the Nike Omada rowing shoe which has been specifically designed to cater for the biomechanical movements of the rowing stroke and to be compatible with the BioSeries.
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Can the ShoePlate PRO attach to a steering foot?
The Shoeplate PRO mirrors a shoe shape so attachment to a steering foot is done in the same way as you would normally attach a shoe.
In smaller shells the ShoePlate Pro may restrict the full range of twisting motion that you otherwise experience when steering. This is because the Shoeplate PRO enables your entire foot to apply pressure for a greater proportion of the stroke. This is an advantage, however your steering settings may require some adjustment. We recommend:
• adjusting the gearing for your steering so that smaller movements are required to turn the rudder. This will also encourage a stable platform and reduce excess twisting movements;
• speak to your boat manufacturer about providing a more stable platform for your entire foot during the steering motion.
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I’m having trouble fitting the ShoePlate PROs into my boat.
Because the ShoePlate PRO is in the shape of a shoe, it fits easily in the vast majority of boats. However, athletes who set their feet especially low or high, or who have unique body shapes, may encounter similar fit problems they do for all their equipment in some shallower or narrower shells.
Discuss your fit issues with your boat manufacturer, as the boat you use should be built to cater for your ideal set-up, not force you to set up in a less than optimum way. Until now, ideal athlete set-up has not been prioritized by many boat manufacturers, so the athlete’s ability to set up correctly is compromised. If you continue to have problems, we recommend discussing your boat requirements with our Sports Engineering Partners who are committed to integrating the science behind the BioSeries into their shells and are thus at the forefront of research to improve boat speed by designing from human form and function.
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The ShoePlate PRO does not perfectly align with the holes in my footplate.
The drill patterns to attach shoes on boats vary significantly. We have detailed the drill pattern of the ShoePlate PRO to allow for attachment to the vast majority of footplates. We suggest firstly checking that your foot plate is correctly aligned and in the correct orientation. The grooved standard drill pattern should have the small, round hole at the bottom of the pattern when you look from the back of the plate.
If a drill pattern is not exactly aligned, attaching the ShoePlate PRO with three (or even two) screws will not compromise strength or performance. We have tested for this!
Footplates designed for the Adidas post-2008 shoe or other non-standard shoe drill patterns will not be compatible with the Shoeplate PRO.
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How long will the ShoePlate PRO last? Are they well built?
The ShoePlate PRO has been designed and built for elite performance use, and to be resistant to the type of wear, tear and elements that are experienced by the best athletes in the world. The ShoePlate PRO is resistant to sunlight, cold weather, salt water and general exposure. Maintain it as you would the rest of your boat.
BAT Logic subscribes to the principle of extended product responsibility, so when your ShoePlate pro does reach the end of its life, please send it back to us and we will transform it into the next generation of performance equipment. Don't send it to landfill, do your bit.
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The ShoePlate PRO encourages mechanical changes in your body to improve your performance and reduce injury stressors. If you feel different it means you have made a change - well done! The feedback we receive includes:
• an increase in feelings of stability throughout the stroke, most noticeably earlier in the drive and earlier in the recovery.
• a feeling of being ‘connected’ earlier in the drive phase.
• an increase in drive length, with a better connection through to the arm draw.
• temporary increased fatigue of the gluteals and quad muscles as these muscles learn to work more efficiently and your body naturally adapts to mechanical changes.
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What physical differences will I feel when using the ShoePlate PRO?
Changes to your biomechanics mean your body will adapt over time to slightly different muscle use and different ranges of motion. Any physical responses will generally be short lived and will be consistent with the physical changes you would normally feel after a rigging change. Changing your rig (of your boat or of your body) means you will move in a slightly different way and your body may take a short time to adapt to this change.
Remember that changing your biomechanics will likely feel different and unfamiliar for a while.
If you are in doubt about set-up, revisit the set-up steps, paying particular attention to the angle of your footboard and foot height. Always discuss rigging changes with your coach and of course, if you find your rowing stroke gives you persistent discomfort, consult your healthcare professional.
GENERAL / CUSTOMPACK / SHOEPLATE PRO / SHOEPLATE ELITE / FAQ HOME
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What if I don’t feel all these things?
Everybody’s biomechanics are unique, so your experience will be different to others. For example, athletes with very flexible ankles may feel little difference in relation to feeling ‘connected’, however they will benefit from the increase in drive length, and will be able to explore steeper forefoot angles (and thus a flatter, more direct drive vector).
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Do I need to adapt to the ShoePlate PRO?
Your body will adapt over time to changes in your rigging or how you are set up. This will be the same with the ShoePlate PRO. The length of adaptation will vary depending on your training load, technique, the extent of changes you have made, and other individual factors. We have found that generally, an athlete adapts to the ShoePlate PRO within 1-2 weeks of beginning use; that is, the athlete no longer feels any discernable muscle fatigue or feeling of 'difference' in his or her set-up.
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How should I use the ShoePlate ELITE?
The ShoePlate ELITE is the most advanced set-up system ever developed, providing 400+ options to tailor your setup for force generation and transfer. It provides an all-in-one system which can be tailored to put you in the best position to generate leg power and effectively transfer it to the boat. The ShoePlate Pro ELITEalso reduces some of the common injury stressors that athletes will suffer when using a traditional set-up.
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How do I install the ShoePlate ELITE?
The ShoePlate ELITE is available as a custom build and install product through selected BAT Logic Sports Engineering Partners. The installation and set-up guide is available through these partners, and some specific installation and set-up queries are also addressed in these FAQs.
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What shoes can I use with the ShoePlate ELITE?
The ShoePlate ELITE has been designed to be compatible with most rowing shoes on the market. This includes shoes with the standard four hole screw patterns created by Nike, Anka and pre-2008 Adidas shoes.
Non-standard shoe hole patterns (including the post-2008 Adidas shoe screw pattern) are not compatible with the ShoePlate ELITE. We recommend using the Nike Omada rowing shoe which has been designed with the biomechanical motion of the rower in mind and which is most compatible with the Bioseries.
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Why is there rotation on the ShoePlate ELITE?
The ShoePlate ELITE provides both free, smooth rotation around a unique axis of rotation. This rotation allows your leg to rotate along its natural axis of rotation which is important to allow your leg muscles to contract along their natural vectors. This will make you leg muscles more efficient, as well as enabling them to work to move the boat instead of against a fixed foot position.
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Can the ShoePlate PRO be used as a steering foot?
Because the Shoeplate ELITE mirrors a shoe shape it can be integrated into existing steering foot set-ups.
The Shoeplate ELITE enables your entire foot to apply pressure for a greater proportion of the stroke and allows rotation along the natural axis of leg rotation so your steering settings may require some adjustment to enable you to take full advantage of the ShoePlate ELITE. We recommend adjusting the gearing for your steering so that the smaller movements of your foot will be able to turn the rudder. This will also encourage a stable platform and reduce excess twisting movements.
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Maintain your ShoePlate ELITE as you would the rest of your boat.
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The ShoePlate ELITE has been designed and built for elite performance use and to be resistant to the type of wear, tear and elements that are experienced by the best athletes in the world. The ShoePlate ELITE is resistant to sunlight, cold weather, salt water and general exposure. Maintain it as you would the rest of your boat and equipment.
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What technical differences will I feel when using the ShoePlate ELITE?
The ShoePlate ELITE encourages mechanical changes in your body to improve your performance and reduce injury stressors. If you feel different it means you have made a change - well done! The feedback we receive includes:
• an increase in feelings of stability throughout the stroke, most noticeably earlier in the drive and earlier in the recovery.
• a feeling of being ‘connected’ earlier in the drive phase.
• an increase in drive length, with a better connection through to the arm draw.
• temporary increased fatigue of the gluteals and quad muscles as these muscles learn to work more efficiently and your body naturally adapts to mechanical changes.
Remember that changing your mechanics, will likely feel different and unfamiliar for a while.
GENERAL / CUSTOMPACK / SHOEPLATE PRO / SHOEPLATE ELITE / FAQ HOME
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What physical differences will I feel when using the ShoePlate ELITE?
Changes to your mechanics mean your body will adapt over time to slightly different muscle use and different ranges of joint motion. Any physical responses will generally be short lived and will be consistent with the physical changes you would normally feel after a rigging change. Changing the rig (of your boat or your body) means you will move in a slightly different way and your body may take a short time to adapt to this change.
Remember that changing your mechanics, will likely feel different and unfamiliar for a while.
If you are in doubt about set-up, revisit the set-up steps, paying particular attention to the angle of your footboard and foot height. Always discuss rigging changes with your coach and of course, if you find your rowing stroke gives you persistent discomfort, consult your healthcare professional.
GENERAL / CUSTOMPACK / SHOEPLATE PRO / SHOEPLATE ELITE / FAQ HOME
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Everybody’s biomechanics are unique, so your experience will be different to others. For example, athletes with very flexible ankles may feel little difference in relation to feeling ‘connected’, however they will benefit from the increase in drive length, and will be able to explore steeper forefoot angles (and thus a flatter, more direct drive vector).
GENERAL / CUSTOMPACK / SHOEPLATE PRO / SHOEPLATE ELITE / FAQ HOME
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