If you've got a question you'd like three-times Olympic rowing coach Terry O'Neill to answer, send it to [email protected]. Clive Pendry: 1) I religiously level up my rowing machine front to back and side to side when ever I move it from one place to another. Do I actually need to do this? Does it make any difference because I could be rowing uphill or downhill, changing the effort I need to put into the stroke?The side to side squaring up usually prevents wobble - the wobble however could be more realistic - at least if you fall of you don't get cold and wet!2) A few newsletters ago you talked about the incorrect but more efficient rowing techniques used to get the fastest times on the ergo. You didn't however go into any detail or show any pictures of what I should look like when trying to bend the rules to fit the equipment. Any change of further information - maybe a video clip of the perfect ergo row as opposed to the perfect rowing stroke.Terry O'Neill: It's quite sensible to level up the machine as rowing up- or down- hill will affect performance by changing the loading. Also, making sure the machine does not wobble from side to side has two benefits: less stress on the machine joints and also if the machine wobbles it will effect your balance. If you are off balance you cannot develop the same amount of power. In addition you want to transfer the power through the centre of your joints and if you are off balance you risk tweaking a muscle.As for the article on the difference in technique, it's not really technique but stroke rate as you can rate much higher on the machine without the negative effects you would encounter if in a boat. You can achieve this by reducing the drag factor and or by reducing stroke length. However, this may not suit everybody; big and heavy people may still achieve a better score with a long steady pull on a high drag.