The British Rowing Stroke Technique Tips for Intermediate Rowers Common Mistakes Technical Exercises Warm-up and Cool-down Exercises Outing.

Coaching Seminar

Contents

The British Rowing Stroke Technique Tips for Intermediate

Rowers Common Mistakes Technical Exercises Warm-up and Cool-down Exercises Outing Plans General Coaching Tips Overview Q&A

The British Rowing Stroke

(1) The Catch- Shins vertical- Back straight and leaning

forward- Body closed up on the

thighs

(2) The Drive: Legs- Legs doing most of the work - Arms relaxed-Back straight and leaning forward- Hands follow path parallel to boat- Hanging off the blade handles.

(3) The Drive: Arms & Body

- Body swings back- Arms maintain momentum of the blade handles

(4) The Tap Down- Hands make small tap downwards to lift the blades off the water- Legs are flat down- Back is straight & leaning slightly back so that core is engaged- Blade handles just brush the body

The Drive Phase

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The British Rowing Stroke

(5) Arms & Back away- Arms move away- Body still vertical- Knees still held down- Arms, shoulders and neck relaxed- Body then rocks over from pelvis

(6) – (7) The Recovery- Back is straight- Knees lift, allowing seat to move- Momentum slows- Arms still held straight

(8) Preparing for the Catch- Body is in the catch position- Shins are vertical - Blade is fully squared- Sequence begins again

The Recovery Phase

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Technique TipsFor Intermediate Rowers

Look UP (at head of person in front) Lean into your rigger Outside shoulder higher than inside Outside arm between knees Pull with outside arm, feather inside Outside hand relaxed until the

catch Chest to knees at the catch position Lower blade to the catch

Blade enters the water while still travelling towards the bows

Suspend off the seat during leg drive

Drive should be soft to hard Finishes should be firm Feathering after blade extraction Fast ‘C’ shape around the finish Let the boat move under you The spoon stays 6-7” above the

water during recovery Ratio = 2:1 (1-Catch, 2-Finish, 3,

4) Bodyweight on feet during

recovery Set it on the feet, not the seat Arms and body have finish

reaching out by half slide Squaring gradually over the

knees

Common Mistakes

FOR INDIVIDUALS

Missing inches at the catch

Pausing at the catch Skying the blade Looming / Digging

blade Leaning out of the

boat Pulling with the inside

arm Feathering in the

water

FOR CREWS

Out of time Rushing the slide Poor balance Slow around the finish Squaring late

Technical Exercises

Juggling Pause Paddling Icing the Cake Slap Catches Front Stops Rowing Legs Only Rowing Feet Out Rowing Hand Down the

Boom Roll-Ups Tapping Drawing-in

Exercise

Suspension 1-Up-1-Down Up-Twos Power Stroke Resistance Double Catch 3+3 Square Blade

Rowing Outside Arm Only Pause Paddling

Catches!

Eyes in the boat…

…Not on the women!

Handle Heights

Squaring Early

Leaning INTO the rigger

Lol.

Posture

HOW NOT TO ROW…

Common Mistakes – The Solutions

FOR INDIVIDUALS

Missing inches at the catch Pausing at the catch Skying the blade Looming / Digging blade Leaning out of the boat

- Hand down the Boom Pulling with the inside arm

- Outside Arm Only Squaring late

- Pause at half-slide Feathering in the water

- Square Blade Rowing

FOR CREWS

Out of time - Tapping / Roll-ups

Rushing the slide - Feet Out Rowing

No ratio - 1-Up-1-Down Poor balance

- Drawing-in Exercise- Pause at finish

Slow around the finish - Icing the Cake

Not tapping down- Square Blade Rowing

Warm-up & Cool-down

WARM-UP

LAND: Dynamic stretching ‘Up, Down, Up’, followed by

dynamic toe-touching Legs only progression

Legs, back, outside arm, inside arm on, feathering

Arms only progression Arms, back, ¼ slide, ½

slide, ¾ slide, full slide, fathering

Could add 10 pressure

COOL-DOWN

LAND: Static stretching For 5 mins after getting

boat in – can do during de-brief

Front-stops progression ¼ slide, ½ slide, ¾ slide,

full slide, back, arms, feathering

Example formula:

1) Warm-up2) Moving exercise3) Static exercise4) Moving exercise5) Short moving

exercise6) Challenging

exercise7) Stretch of rowing8) Cool-down

Outing PlansTechnical Training

Example Outing Plan:

1) Arms only warm-up2) Pairs rowing with

intervals of all 4, change every 10

3) 5 mins roll-ups4) Icing the cake5) 5 mins Juggling6) All-4 rowing, square

blades 5 on-5 off7) Last 5 mins normal

paddling8) Static stretch on land

Example Outing Plan:

1) Legs only progression2) 4x length of race course – 1st

60% 2nd 70% 3rd 80% 4th 90%

[OR] Rate pyramids: 22,20,22,24 -5 min rest- 24,22,24,26 -rest- 26,24,26,28. 2 mins at each rate

3) Power strokes: x10 Stroke pair, x10 Bow pair, x10 All 4 - max pressure, rate 22

4) Normal paddle last 5 mins5) Static stretch on land

Outing PlansFitness Training

Example Formula:

1) Long warm-up2) 40 min endurance

exercise3) Strength exercise4) Short stretch of

rowing5) Cool-down

General Coaching Tips

Always start with questions Involve the crew with decisions Explain drills thoroughly Check understanding Communicate with and involve the cox Focus on one problem at a time Use positive language to explain things (e.g. ‘Lower

your blade to the catch’, rather than ‘don’t sky your blade’

Explain things in more than one way Be clear and unambiguous Set achievable goals for every outing Congratulate progress Agree on the aim of the outing (e.g. Technical/Fitness) Always BE POSITIVE

Overview

Identify the main problems in the following crews...

What issues would you focus on?

Which exercises would you use to tackle them?

Q&A

ANY QUESTIONS?