The Regent's Rowing Guide

In order to get the most out of rowing, it is important to consider technique. The fastest crews are those who maximise the efficiency of each stroke by combining power, speed, ratio and control. This is made possible through a great deal of practice. Essentially it is the practical application of theoretical knowledge. As Sir Steve Redgrave notes, “There is no significant difference between the technique of a beginner and the technique of an Olympic Champion.  It is the application of the basic technique and the development of efficiency which differentiates the two.” 

Holding the Blade
The Feather
The Stroke
1. The Catch
2. The Drive
3. The Finish
4. The Recovery

Holding the Blade 

It is essential to position the hands correctly on the blade for full control over the stroke. In the boat, everyone should be sitting upright, with backs straight and chests opened up. The blade should be held square in the water i.e. perpendicular to the waterline. The outside hand (i.e. the one furthest from the rigger) should be placed at the end of the handle in a light grip with fingers curled over the top and the thumb resting underneath. This hand is responsible for most of the power through the stroke and the best grip comes from directly under the knuckles (as if you were pulling yourself up on a bar). The inside hand (i.e. the one closest to the rigger) is responsible for controlling and steadying the blade (and for feathering). The hands should be shoulder width apart. The entire arm, including the upper part of the hand (i.e. wrist to knuckles) should be held straight out in front. 

The Feather

The Feather is the movement that turns the spoon ninety degrees from the squared position. In the feathered position, therefore, the spoon is parallel to the water. Feather blade rowing is preferable to square blade rowing because it minimises wind resistance, aids the balance of the boat and gives the blade more clearance from the water (decreasing the chance of ‘catching a crab’). To feather at the end of the stroke, drop the wrist of the inside hand, allowing the blade to rotate within the outside hand. At the end of the recovery, when the hands are above the shins, the wrist rises again, thus resuming the squared position ready for the next stroke.

The Stroke

The rowing stroke can be separated into the following  four phases:

1. The Catch

2. The Drive

	The drive is the part of the stroke in which the most effort is exerted and in which the boat is levered past the body. The power of the stroke comes from the legs which push off the footplates. The legs flatten as the seat moves towards backstops.
	Once the legs are fully extended the body sits back from the hips, opening out the shoulders and returning the body to an upright position.
	The continuation of the leg drive and the back opening leads to the draw of the arms. The arms pull the blade handle into the chest, to around the solar plexus, causing the elbows to bend in line with the shoulders.

To ensure the continued balance of the boat the arms should remain equidistant from the saxboard at all times during the drive.

3. The Finish

	At the finish the blade is retrieved from the water and the body rests at backstops. The body leans back about 35� and the hands knock down towards the top of the thighs, thus levering the blade from the water. The shoulders are pressed right back and the elbows are kept close to body while the outside arm travels past it. The head is kept upright.
	Once the blade has been cleared from the water, the inside wrist drops, turning the blade back to the feathered position.

4. The Recovery

The slide from backstops to frontstops is known as the recovery and links the finish to the catch, making the stroke continuous. The recovery must be smooth to ensure the continued momentum of the boat produced by the drive. The arms must be kept steady and level while the legs control the slide to prevent impact against frontstops. The arms must be extended before the body is allowed to lean forward, only after which can the legs compress to travel up the slide. Remember:

	Arms
	Body
	Legs

To ensure the continued balance of the boat the hands should remain equidistant from the saxboard at all times during the recovery. Once the handle has passed the knees, the inside wrist rises allowing the blade to resume the squared position before being dropped back into the water.

This whole stroke is repeated in a continuous and fluid motion. Throughout the stroke, the head must be kept upright and the eyes looking forward. There should be no slouching: not only does it make the crew look sloppy but it also restricts breathing. The entire crew is responsible for the balance of the boat. The balance may be corrected by altering hand heights and pressure against the footplates, but if everyone moves as a single unit, catching and finishing each stroke together, balance should not be an issue.

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RPCBC would like to thank Ewoud Dronkert at Triton for the use of the animated rowers.