A key concept needed for sculling well, this challenging skill is essential for setting up the recovery. One drill to practice which helps teach how to control the oar handle heights.
Timestamps
00:50 Teaching a course for those who can already row and want to try single sculling. There are 4 key concepts for essential skill in rowing and sculling. Weight in the hand is the most challenging key concept.
02:15 What is weight in the hand?
At its simplest, having weight in your hand enables you to hold your oar handle and keep downward pressure on the handle to keep the oars off the water.
It starts by controlling the finish as you extract the oar using a downward “tap down” of the handle. Use the outside hand in sweep; use both hands in sculling. It helps you to keep your body and the boat stable at the finish and keep pressure on the pin. If your button comes away from the oarlock at the finish you have not got this control.
It also helps to facilitate the transition from body weight into the bow towards body weight towards the stern on the recovery.
04:15 How do you know if you can do weight in the hand?
If you can do weight in the hand, you can row square blades. And you can feather high over the waves and keep your boat level in a side wind.
05:00 How to learn weight in the hand
The stationary stability drill teaches you how to control the handle using weight in the hand.
Sit the oars square and in the water at the finish. Then press down on the handles twice so just half the spoon comes out of the water. Then do a full press so the oar spoon comes fully above the water and hold this position in a pause, then return the blades under the water. Stage two is to do the same two half presses and a full press and then feather. Stage three is to add straightening the arms after the press down and feather. Your body and legs stay stationary throughout this drill.
Sculling Intensive Camp A self-guided tutorial to improve your single sculling skills over 7 days. Includes drills for the whole stroke cycle including checklists to take in the boat with you.
If you want to learn how to row square blades, take our three-part mini course [free] Square Blades Challenge Part 1.
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