Get better at extracting the oar without being splashy and frantic. And why your elbow position is of critical importance.
Timestamps
00:45 Finishes for sweep
The goal is to get the oar out of the water in a smooth movement and as efficiently as possible. Start with the correct set up at the finish. Your handle end should be in line with the side of your rib cage.
- Check the position with our outside hand pointing to the stern and across your side body. (see video).
- Check your handle height when the oar is squared and buried under the water. Ideally your outside hand should be on your lower ribs.
- Check your elbow position – the outside arm elbow should be pointing backwards towards the person behind you. You do not want your elbow flared out to the side over the gunwale of the boat. Because the most efficient way to pull on the handle is at 90 degrees to the handle. with your elbow flared sideways this is inefficient in terms of the ergonomics of how much force you can put onto the handle.
03:45 Drills for finishes
Pause at the finish with the oar flat on the surface of the water. This helps you check the height of your handle and your outside hand should be brushing your shirt. The handle height is the same as when your oar is under the water a the end of the power phase. Check you are drawing your finish to the right position.
05:15 Check your hands are doing the right job
Outside hand drawing through with pressure and controlling the height of the handle; the inside hand is squaring and feathering. Outside hand pushes down to extract the oar from the water and then the inside hand turns the oar to feather it. Practice this slow motion or in fours/pairs.
06:30 Wide grip drill
Wide grip (inside hand down the loom) helps to teach you which hand controls the handle. By isolating your inside hand closer to the oarlock pivot, it makes it harder to control the handle height with that hand. Control each hand by altering the grip tightness on the handle – loosen the grip alternately to keep the focus (inside/outside).
08:00 Elbow position affects your hands
If your elbow is lower than your wrist it’s hard to push down on the handle with the outside hand. Progressively move your hands back to a normal grip starting from wide grip.
There’s a tendency for may athletes to have too much control with the inside hand. You’re also unlikely to be only feathering with the one hand.
Keep pressure through to the end of the stroke, holding your oar under the water 1 cm longer.
Work your inside hand at the very end of the power phase – the outside hand loses effective power at the end of the power phase because it’s at an increasingly obtuse angle to the oar handle. Whereas the inside hand can stay at 90 degrees to the handle. Give an extra pull with the inside hand at the end of the stroke.
Stationary stability drill is a free video joining bonus in our Coach Mastermind Group as a joining bonus. Get yours here
12:00 Bring focus to elbow timing
And to your hand grip tightness while rowing. Ensure you aren’t dominating with the wrong hand.
