Quickrelease FAQ
Most shoes should and will line up nicely with the ShoePlate Top, however, the plate is designed to support shoes that overhang the front or rear of the plate and even shoes that may sit with their heels slightly to the inside or outside of the heel of the ShoePlate Top.
The ShoePlate Top has a large and stable base at the heel so even if the shoe overhangs this on either side or is too long for the plate, within reason, it should function well and your foot should feel stable.
How far can the shoe overhang the end of the ShoePlate Top?
An overhang of up to 2cm is generally fine. This can be dependent on how supportive your rowing shoe is.
We have a small sized Plate that is usually made to work with shoes up to a size 10 US/44.5 EU, yet in some boats where hull space is at a premium a small plate may need to be used on larger shoes to clear the hull. This will be fine up to approximately size 14/50 EU.
How much can the shoe overhang the side of the ShoePlate Top?
As long as the center point of the heel, that is the part that you feel your weight through when standing, is still making contact with the ShoePlate Top heel the fitting should be fine.
The QuickRelease System provides the following over a regular flat board: improved foot stability, connection, heel loading and enhanced use of the gluteal and hamstring muscles.
This gives you a better body position, enhanced power and reduced injury risk factors Vs. a flat foot board which is not designed specifically to optimize your stroke.
TheQuickRelease System has been designed from biomechanics and sports medicine research to get the most out of your body.
Click here for a more detailed table comparing the 2 boards.
Attribute ShoePlate Pro QuickRelease Standard Flat Foot Board
QuickRelease Feature Use your own shoes every time Easily swapped between boat and ergometer• Increases hygiene through individuals having their own shoes• Easily swapped within the boat Slow and tricky adjustment of shoes and settings – you are stuck with generic setups or need to take time to adjust
Power Conducive to higher power outputs due to heel wedge and stability• Less taxing on the body as stabilizing muscles are needed less and injury risk factors are lower than a flat board if used correctly Good power can be produced but is done so more through the toes and with less stability
Injury Risk Reduces injury risk factors by biomechanical and anatomically considered design• Increased stability and connection make for a safer base to produce power from- just like a good cycling cleat Many injuries and injury risks recorded in rowing• Not designed biomechanically/anatomically like the ShoePlate Pro QuickRelease
Heel contact 4 degree heel wedge to help earlier, more stable and stronger heel load• Heel connection occurs earlier and allows better muscle use and power No specific heel support• Doesn’t promote heel loading• Heel contact comes in approximately 3/4 through leg drive in most cases
Foot stability Shaped for foot stability and reduced stabilizer muscle use – leads to decreased fatigue• Improved contact and loading gives improved stability, boat balance and confidence Often feels unstable• Promotes toe based contact only• No specific foot support
Foot contact Higher % foot contact throughout stroke due to heel and toe wedge• Helps with feel, stability and reduced injury risk No shape to support the foot through the stroke• On-off feeling at points of stroke
Comfort Highly functional and designed specifically for comfort and performance No specific fitment/comfort design.
Body position Body is more solid due to better gluteal contraction and foot stability/connection• The ability to apply high forces is dependent on maintaining postural position (Soper & Hume, 2005). Body has to contract and compensate for lack of stability and toe based connection through stroke
Hygiene Only your feet will ever be in your shoes, no sharing of foot bacteria with other sweaty athletes, change your shoes from boat to
boat and seat to seat with a click.Shared shoes with every other rower’s bacteria, to change shoes takes a long time and is a pain! 25% of the population carry Athlete’s Foot Bacteria.
Customization Can integrate seamlessly with the CustomPack for a fully custom fitting for leg
length discrepancies, comfort and improved
performance, allows you to carry these settings with you every time you row.One size fits all, no integrated system of customizing available.
We have a small sized Plate that is usually made to work with shoes up to a size 10 US/44.5 EU, yet in some boats where hull space is at a premium a small plate may need to be used on larger shoes to clear the hull. This will be fine up to approximately size 14/50 EU and give you more space.
The ShoePlate Pro QuickRelease comes in 2 sizes; small for US shoe sizes 6-9 and large for US shoe size 10 upwards. You can check your exact size needs in the table attached.
No, the toe wedge will give your feet more control and touch coming into the catch and create better stability when pushing off the catch. The centre of the foot is at the same angle as the footboard- so no difference.
As you would with a normal footboard; If you find it tight at the catch, either slightly reduce the foot stretcher angle or slightly lower the feet.
The QuickRelease System is under 190 grams.
This is even lighter than the previous non-QuickRelease ShoePlate Pro.
No, in fact the opposite.
The glutes, hamstrings and quads are all meant to be used as power producing muscles. They are designed to contract then switch off and repeat this powerfully, unlike the stabilizing muscles in the front and side of the shin that are designed to produce low power but contract over long periods of time.
The ShoePlate Pro QuickRelease will reduce the use of stabilizing muscles to produce power and draw more on the major power producers more effectively via better stability, connection and the improved heel loading.
The shape and angles of the ShoePlate Pro QuickRelease have been specifically designed after years of research in biomechanics, anatomy and on water testing.
They have proven their worth with 4 Golds in London and numerous other world medals as well as the research we have conducted with federations and universities alike.
The heel on the QuickRelease has grown 1 degree based on testing from over 2000 athletes with the original ShoePlate Pro – this is designed to increase heel support and further unleash your potential.
Attribute ShoePlate Pro QuickRelease Standard Flat Foot Board
QuickRelease Feature Use your own shoes every time Easily swapped between boat and ergometer• Increases hygiene through individuals having their own shoes• Easily swapped within the boat Slow and tricky adjustment of shoes and settings – you are stuck with generic setups or need to take time to adjust
Power Conducive to higher power outputs due to heel wedge and stability• Less taxing on the body as stabilizing muscles are needed less and injury risk factors are lower than a flat board if used correctly Good power can be produced but is done so more through the toes and with less stability
Injury Risk Reduces injury risk factors by biomechanical and anatomically considered design• Increased stability and connection make for a safer base to produce power from- just like a good cycling cleat Many injuries and injury risks recorded in rowing• Not designed biomechanically/anatomically like the ShoePlate Pro QuickRelease
Heel contact 4 degree heel wedge to help earlier, more stable and stronger heel load• Heel connection occurs earlier and allows better muscle use and power No specific heel support• Doesn’t promote heel loading• Heel contact comes in approximately 3/4 through leg drive in most cases
Foot stability Shaped for foot stability and reduced stabilizer muscle use – leads to decreased fatigue• Improved contact and loading gives improved stability, boat balance and confidence Often feels unstable• Promotes toe based contact only• No specific foot support
Foot contact Higher % foot contact throughout stroke due to heel and toe wedge• Helps with feel, stability and reduced injury risk No shape to support the foot through the stroke• On-off feeling at points of stroke
Comfort Highly functional and designed specifically for comfort and performance No specific fitment/comfort design.
Body position Body is more solid due to better gluteal contraction and foot stability/connection• The ability to apply high forces is dependent on maintaining postural position (Soper & Hume, 2005). Body has to contract and compensate for lack of stability and toe based connection through stroke
Hygiene Only your feet will ever be in your shoes, no sharing of foot bacteria with other sweaty athletes, change your shoes from boat to
boat and seat to seat with a click.Shared shoes with every other rower’s bacteria, to change shoes takes a long time and is a pain! 25% of the population carry Athlete’s Foot Bacteria.
Customization Can integrate seamlessly with the CustomPack for a fully custom fitting for leg
length discrepancies, comfort and improved
performance, allows you to carry these settings with you every time you row.One size fits all, no integrated system of customizing available.
- Better connection*
- Strong heel engagement*
- Increased stability*
- Possible hamstring and gluteal tightness and/or gym-type pain for the first 2-3 rows:
- This is good as it means these muscles are working harder = more power & speed!*
* Each of these will be different for all athletes.
Adaption is different for every athlete. We have tested over 2000 athletes at all levels, using the ShoePlate Pro QuickRelease and the longer you use it the greater the muscle adaption.
Most athletes will have an instant change but to start changing muscular adaption and build gluteal firing it will vary enormously.
The longer you use it, the better the effects with muscle adaption – as seen with research on medal winning Olympic crews.
Angle
Most boat foot stretchers are set at 42 degrees* as standard. We recommend you start with your footboard at between 40-42 degrees when you first use the ShoePlate Pro QuickRelease.
(*Note the angle is taken off your boat’s foot stretcher not the ShoePlate Pro QuickRelease)
Height
Factory standard settings can be adjusted to your comfort and body type as needed.
Stretcher Position
You should rig yourself to match the same handle position at the finish or work through that you have without the ShoePlate Pro QuickRelease.
The ShoePlate Pro QuickRelease is 8mm thick at the attachment point, so to achieve your normal position you’ll need to account for the extra thickness and move your stretcher 2 notches towards the stern.
Note
We recommend that initially you keep within the above range, unless uncomfortable. However, after testing hundreds of athletes we have found a number of different angle/height etc combinations work very well long term.
Your body and style will dictate what suits you best.
View the fitment guide video for the QuickRelease System or download the QuickRelease System Fitment Guide
The Quick Release functions allows you to clip in and out of any boat/seat/erg and enjoy the benefits of your own shoes, ShoePlate and settings for every row.
The QuickRelease function is not a safety feature.
See the video below to find out how the ShoePlate Pro QuickRelease gains in action for the individual and for the whole crew.
Yes, heel ties are mandatory for racing and the QuickRelease function is for convenience in swapping seats/boats and onto the ergo, it is not a safety feature.
To exit the boat you must still use the release strap on your rowing shoes, just like you would with a standard foot board system.
There are many different sorts of heel ties from shoelaces to clips and we recommend you fit these before every row for safety.