1British Rowing Technique

5th March 2006 at London Rowing Club

With Robin Williams

HPC Women & Lightweights

Organised in conjunction with the Thames Region

2Technique

What to do

How to do it

Concepts

Understanding

Communication

Model technique, not average

Technique 1 Posture positions & angles Grip Recovery sequences Entry Catch Drive sequences Extraction Blade control Sculling Sweep

3Technique 2 Concepts : Lever the boat past the oar(s) Push the boat Back connects legs to oar Use body weight (suspend) Combine power with relaxation Long strokes Work with the hull Take time

Posture & recovery sequences

4Pelvis rocking over from backstop

Rock over from the Hips

5Good organisation of body movementGood organisation of body movement

Weight transferred early onto the Weight transferred early onto the

feetfeet

Rock over to a comfortable Rock over to a comfortable and strong posture.and strong posture.

Lower back set at catchLower back set at catch

6Good organisation of body movementGood organisation of body movement

Hands body and slideHands body and slide

All body swing by half way All body swing by half way

up the slideup the slide

Shins vertical, no gap between thighs and bodyShins vertical, no gap between thighs and body

7Back set at catchBack set at catch

Body in pre stretched positionBody in pre stretched position

Put blade in where you reach/slidePut blade in where you reach/slide

The catch happens The catch happens afterafter the entrythe entry

8Release weight of handles to enter bladesRelease weight of handles to enter blades

Shoulders relaxedShoulders relaxed

No pressure on boatNo pressure on boat

Entry is last part of RecoveryEntry is last part of Recovery

Good posture in trunk Relaxed shoulders Clear sequence, hands body slide Boat slides under you, not you to it Seat position tells you where entry is Entry is end of recovery Entry comes from relaxed hands No pressure on stretcher Boat still running

Key points, Recovery

9Seville LM2x training

Entry is last part of recoveryEntry is last part of recovery

Catch happens after entryCatch happens after entry

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Change direction from the seat not handle.

Legs & lower trunk engage bladesLegs & lower trunk engage bladesHang/Suspend the weight from the handleHang/Suspend the weight from the handle

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Hanging the weight on the blade.Connection low down in the body

Body working Body working

powerfully against powerfully against

legslegs

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Mid drive, Left hand Mid drive, Left hand

nearest the sternnearest the stern

legs accelerate legs accelerate

through the strokethrough the stroke

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The back opens when The back opens when

the handle is in front the handle is in front

of the knees or about of the knees or about

1/31/3rdrd of the way of the way

through the strokethrough the stroke

As you approach the As you approach the

finish the blade is in finish the blade is in

base of fingers with base of fingers with

very slightly very slightly

arched wristarched wrist

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The legs upper The legs upper body shoulders body shoulders and arms and arms contribute to the contribute to the powerpower

Long efficient strokes move the boat

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Long efficient strokes move the boat

Long but strong catch position

Long but strong finish position

Stretcher pressure engages kinetic chain from feet to fingers fingers

Push first then open powerfully

Seat, handle, stern all connected

Back connects legs to oar

Maintain suspension throughout

Key Points, Drive

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Key Points, Posture

Pelvis rocking over from backstop Rock over to a comfortable and strong

posturelower back set at catch

Shins vertical no gap between thighs and body

Link together kinetic chain Place and push Blades help posture

blade in base of fingers blade in base of fingers

with thumbs on the end with thumbs on the end

of the bladeof the bladeget the right get the right

size hand size hand

gripsgrips

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Romanian Womens Pair World Champs

grip for rowing approx grip for rowing approx than 2 hand widths than 2 hand widths apart apart

get the right size get the right size

hand gripshand grips

Key points,Grip

spend some time looking at this

blade in base of fingers with very slightly arched wrist

grip for rowing approx 2 hand widths apart

get the right size hand grips

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Brush TBrush T-- shirt with shirt with the thumbsthe thumbsBlade square as long Blade square as long as possibleas possible

Release the Release the pressure on the pressure on the blade just before blade just before the circle around the circle around the finishthe finish

Hands down and Hands down and awayaway

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Finish/ Extraction

Brush T- shirt with the thumbs

Blade square as long as possible

Release the pressure on the blade just before the circle around the finish

Hands down and away

Rhythm and ratio An increase in the rate should be

reflected in an increase in boat speed

As the boat accelerates the athlete will move at a quicker speed due to the run of the boat

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Rhythm and ratioRhythm and ratio

The boat is moving under the athlete not the athlete up the boat

Even at 36 the athlete should feel they have time and control into the catch, emphasising the last quarter

It is crucial at higher rates that the finish is held in or the rhythm will be compromised

Sculling

Crossover left hand in front of right and slightly above the right. Keep this relationship both during the power and recovery phases

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Sweep

Reach to rigger from finishWeight across on inside legEntry from outside handAvoid twisting in/awayWork against direction of swivel

Time and Timing Must have acceleration in drive Must have time in recovery Time effort in drive Allow time off finish for run Allow time on the blade at entry Allow time to release blade at finish Time is relative

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