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British Rowing Technique

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Left hand above and in front of right hand

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A Few Points• My main aim is to keep the instantaneous velocity close

to the mean velocity

• No exaggerated movements

• Minimise acceleration/deceleration

• Hands circle at finish - hands don’t stop and restart

• Don’t accelerate hands away - should go from the body at the same speed they come into the body

• Left hand above and slightly in front of right - keep loose, don’t grip sculls

• Hands, body, slide - arms fully extended

• Weight transferred to feet as body swings over

• Final catch position achieved by half slide

• Boat runs under you - don’t pull on stretcher, float forward with slide at constant speed

• Square early - squaring and catch should be separate. Roll square don’t snatch

• Don’t sit at backstops

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Key Points – Catch

• The catch should be the last part of the recovery – not the first part of the drive• The catch should be initiated before the sculler reaches frontstops• Small loop of the handle• Don’t allow slide to stop and then reach more• Angle opens up under your armpit, not from the back• No shoulder movement as sculls swing upwards

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Use glutes to open back

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My coaching approach• Plan your sessions

– A beginning, a middle and an end

– What are your primary aims

• technique

• work – mileage

• Where do you start – catch, finish or do you just react to athletes errors?

• Try to teach new technical aspects where there may be a lot of hanging around in warmish weather

– I usually use September to December before it gets too cold

• Use a video for feedback and get a second opinion

• Can the fault be caused by poor conditioning?

– Flexibility

– Strength

• Can the fault be caused by poor rigging?

– Feet too high?

– Pitch?

– Ask someone!

• Give feedback

• Give praise where due

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My coaching approach• Make sure that the athletes understand what you want them

to do before boating

– Show videos

– Show on the ergo

– Explain any new exercises/terms you are likely to introduce

• People learn in different ways

– Verbal

– Visual

– Kinaesthetic

• Only attempt to teach one new skill at a time

– It is extremely unusual for people to able to concentrate on two or more things at once

• Teach new skills on a stable platform and in a slowly moving boat and break the skills down using exercises

• Slowly increase boat speed as the athlete starts to pick up the new skill

– Teaching new skills is a slow process don’t try and rush it

• Make sure that the skill is grooved in before moving on

• Ensure that exercises are not just tricks but relate to the skill

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Exercises• Can be used to isolate particular skills

• They must be performed correctly

• It has to give the desired benefit – e.g. in my opinion there is little point doing square blades to improve catches if the balance is bad.

• When I teach catches I go through the following stages:

i. Catch slaps (in pairs)

ii. Roll ups (in pairs)

iii. Rowing in pairs with light catches (8+)

iv. Rowing in fours

v. Rowing in 6’s

vi. Rowing in 6’s with varying pressures and rates

vii. Rowing as an eight – then vary pressures and rates

• Once they have mastered the action I will use exercises at the beginning of each outing which improve the timing and efficiency at the catch. e.g.

– Roll ups

– Russian catches

– Pause at half slide

– High rating light etc.

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Example Exercises• Catch slaps (catches)

• Roll ups (catches)

• Early squaring (catches)

• Double catches (catches)

• Russian catches (catches)

• Tap downs (finishes)

• Square blades (catches/finishes/blade heights)

• Pausing (catches, recovery, finishes)

• Light catches, firm finish (catches, drive, finishes)

• Firm catch, light finish (catches, finishes)

• Low rating (control)

• Inside/outside/alternate hand only (blade control, balance)

• Long lean back (finish)

• Straight arm rowing (catches, drive sequencing)

• Feet out (catch, finish, control)

• Eyes closed (timing, concentration)

• Single strokes (catches, drive, finishes)

• Air shots (control)

• Wide hands

• Piano playing

• High rating light

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The End