Follow one hand through one stroke in sweep rowing. Your outside hand is a second oarlock - controlling the handle when the blade is under the water.
Timestamps
00:45 Setting the height
Visualise your outside hand tracking through one stroke. It's setting the height for the oar. It goes through the longest arc. You get control for catch and finish timing from the outside hand, force on the face of the spoon and rhythm.
02:00 The second pivot
When the oar goes into the water, it doesn't move much during the power phase. But the boat is being levered past the oar tip. The pivot point from the end of the spoon is your handle and this is the 'second oarlock concept'. the outside hand times the catch placement and manages the oar depth.
Placement is proactive to make the handle move before your slide stops at the change of direction. Your outside hand moves a greater distance - moves further - than your seat moves. Placing with the inside hand won't give you the same finesse and control compared with the outside hand. This is because it's closer to the pivot point at the oarlock.
05:00 Middle knuckles
Your outside hand knuckles should point forwards towards your feet / the stern. This helps to keep your wrist flat. It also connects the handle through the kinetic chain to your feet.
Look at photos of rowers whose hands are not wrapped around the handle - they are likely using their inside hand to control the handle. The clue is their fingers extended and thumb dropping down not touching the handle.
06:00 Where the inside hand does control
From 90 degrees square off in the power phase your outside hand loses leverage and your inside hand takes over. Try not to let your elbow point out the side of the boat - let it go along your side ribs and point it to the person behind you.
From this point to the finish you can add power with your inside hand (pull hard).
07:00 Outside hand at the finish
This controls how the blade comes out of the water and sets the rhythm for the recovery. Use the movement of timing the extraction - sit still while extending the outside hand and arm only to take the oar out of the water and start moving to the stern on the recovery.
Speed of the handle into the body is approximately equal to speed out from the body.
Only move the shoulders after the arm is straight. This makes the rhythm for the recovery. On the recovery the blade shaft should be parallel to the water surface and approximately the same as all the other blades on your side of the boat.
Four jobs for your outside hand
- - height at the catch
- - pivot through the drive
- - a clean release at the finish
- - rhythm on the recovery.
