© Peterhouse boat club, Cambridge
With thanks to Ewoud Dronkert for the animations
The Basic Stroke
In General |
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Always sit straight up but relaxed (not on your lower back). Move minimal (no more or less than necessary, no extra movements). Keep the stroke flat (blade just in the water, not deeper). Move the blade just free of the water in the recover. Mind the order: legs, bodyswing, arms (but merge so far as not to make all separate movements). Let the complete stroke and recover flow through (do not stop or sit still). For crews: togetherness is everything. Last but not least: always listen to your coach! |
1 - Catch |
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Shins vertical, the back relaxed straight up. Arms stretched but active, wrists in one line with the arms. Blade almost touching the water. Quick movement, just from the shoulders. Push the blade in vertically until just covered. |
2 - Leg push |
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Keep the arms stretched and body tilted forwards, upper body fixed. Relaxed grip, just push with the legs. No uncontrolled kick; first make sure the blade is ready, then build the pressure. |
3 - Body Swing |
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Tilt around the pelvis. Keep the back straight. Move flowingly. Maintain the pressure. Keep the stroke flat, do not lift the hands. |
4 - Pull |
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Hands move in a straight line, keep high. Abdominals tight, back fixed, just work with the arms. Keep your head up. Keep clear of the body to make room for the outset. |
5 - Outset |
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Chin up, sit up high, do not collapse with the arms. Keep your pelvis tilted forwards and the abdominals strained. Quick movement, just from the elbows. Blade vertical, completely clear from the water. Rowing: do the outset mainly with the outer hand. |
6 - Stretch |
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Feather the blade with a fast 'click'. Do not repack, hold the oar/scull as you were. Stretch the arms away calmly. Rowing: do the feathering mainly with the inner hand. Sculling: left hand over righthand. |
7 - Bend |
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Bend easy behind the arms. Bend from the pelvis as tilting point, not from the back (as in this image...). Sit up high, the back straight but relaxed, no crookback. Keep the blade just free from the water. Begin squaring the blade. |
8 - Slide |
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Turn the blade vertical. Slide easy to the front. Keep your sliding speed constant all the way. Steer the hands in one straight line, not down towards the boat; keep the blade just above the water. Rowing: make room for the outer arm by moving the outer leg a little out (just clear of the arms). |
Technical Errors
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Skying at the Catch |
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Rushing the Slide |
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Blade Watching |