Recovery Phase: Beginning the Next Catch

I find it helpful to think of the RECOVERY PHASE as the beginning of the next catch, rather than the finish of the drive. The recovery of the sweep stroke starts when you take the blade cleanly out of the water by pushing down with the outside hand. The inside hand feathers the oar with a relaxed motion, keeping the wrist flat. The oar sleeve and oarlock are designed so that you need only begin the feathering motion and the oar will fall into the correct position. The momentum created in the oarlock at the finish of the stroke allows the hands to swing away from the body freely. The wheels on the seat do not stop moving throughout the transition from drive to recovery (as well as recovery to drive).

After you swing into the proper, balanced body angle position and have established a comfortable forward reach, there should be no motion in the upper body. Then you slide forward with control, feeling your weight lightly on the feet.  It is a feeling of gliding or floating into the catch. The seat moves at the same speed as the hull moves through the water. The shoulders follow the up and down angle of the oar handle as well as the fore and aft angle. As your shoulders follow the path of the handle, the blade will set itself into the water.

The leg drive, and therefore the seat and oar handle, should move at the same speed as the boat moves through the water. The legs, back and arms work in an overlapping manner during the drive, and they finish together. When you feel your weight come back down on the seat, the blade should be out of the water. If you are sitting heavily on your seat and no longer pushing with your feet and pulling with your lats and fingers, you have become an “anchor.” Your blade in the water is checking the speed of the boat and your body weight is driving the bow down into the water.

Mayrene’s Toolbox: Drills to Improve Your Recovery

Here are four drills to incorporate into your warm-ups that will improve your release and recovery. If you are in a team boat, start with most of the rowers sitting out.

¶      Rowing with blades squared. This allows you to focus on keeping the outside wrist flat at the release.

¶      Rowing with a delayed feather. Take the blade out of the water totally square. After the hands reach mid-thigh, feather with the inside hand only.

¶      Alternating square and feather. Row one stroke with the blades squared and one stroke with blades feathered. Boat speed should be the same on each stroke. Often the boat slows down on the feathered stroke because of washing out or feathering before the blade is totally out of the water.

¶      Pausing at body angle position. Rowing with square blades, pause at the body angle position. In this pause position, make sure your hands, arms and shoulders are in the correct position for the catch. Coming out of the pause, the only movement should be the wheels. Once you are comfortable with this, pause once at body angle position, then row five; pause; row five again and repeat. This gives you a chance to row through the pause and make sure you are not moving the upper body at the catch.

Incorporate these into your warm-ups for a month. You’ll see a huge difference.

Coaching Corner: Your Questions Answered

Q.  I have been doing bouyed sprint course races in my double, single and quad. I sit in bow and am responsible for steering the course. I’m told that I don’t steer an exact course, but when I ask coaches and others how to steer they never give me information, except to say it's easy to do. Also, now that head races are coming up, what are your hints for courses where buoys are few and far between?            ~ Anne, Connecticut

A.  I asked Tom Kiefer, MIT’s boatman and a former World and Olympic team rower, to share his words of wisdom on this question.  Here’s what he said:

"The key to straight buoy line steering is to be aware of the wind, waves and vectors. The race course is a straight line. However, if there is a cross wind or anything making the boat go sideways (particularly if you a riding with a wave), then the boat will have to be steered diagonally down the course. The key is to find the angle relative to the buoy lines that will keep the boat traveling down the lane without having to make corrections.

"As for head racing, practice on the course (if you can), so you can pick landmarks off the stern on the shore to steer from. The best situation is when you can line up two objects on land and be on course.  If there are no distinguishing landmarks, then know where the buoys are and the shortest line between them. Check over your shoulder and get pointed. Once you are happy with your point, stick with it. Try to anticipate how many strokes you can take without getting into trouble before you need to glance again."

Win a Free Coaching Session!  Do you have a question about training or rowing that you’d like answered? Send your questions to mayrene@masterscoaching.com. Every month I’ll select the best question and award the submitter a free 30-minute coaching session focused on your question. So go ahead, ask. What have you got to lose?

While you’re at it, please share your comments, feedback and suggestions about the MastersCoaching newsletter. What features would help you? Do you have information you’d like to share with other readers? I love receiving input from you, so send it along.

ERG INSPIRATION: For More Effective Workouts

Sign Up Now for Coaching, Camaraderie & Support

Does this sound familiar?

• You can't find the time or motivation to work out today.
• You’ve been doing the same erg workouts for years and don’t know how to design new ones.
• You feel you’d benefit from the support of a work-out “buddy,” but you don't belong to a club.

MastersCoaching can help. I invite you to join with other rowers for a series of erg coaching sessions by phone. You’ll experience the benefits of professional coaching -- including workout designs, motivation, instruction and feedback – and the support and accountability of other rowers. It’s fun. It’s effective. It’s affordable -- just $10 per session.

Workout Dates and Times (All times are Eastern Time.)

• Tuesday, November 2   —  6-7 a.m. OR  9-10 a.m.
• Tuesday, November 9   —  6-7 a.m. OR  9-10 am
• Tuesday, November 16 —  6-7 a.m. OR  9-10 am

How It Works

1. Check-in: You call in at a designated hour before your workout. During a 5- to 10-minute conference call, I’ll give you coaching tips and encouragement and answer questions and concerns.
2. We hang up, and you spend the next 30 minutes doing your erg workout.
3. Check-out: After your workout, you call back and report on your experience. You’ll receive input and encouragement from me and from your virtual workout buddies.
4. You are free to sign up for one session or all three. For each date, you can choose between two workout times.

Sign up by emailing mayrene@masterscoaching.com. Write Erg Workout in the subject line, and indicate the date(s) and times of the calls you wish to join. Please include your name, address and phone number. You will receive a confirmation and a phone number to call. (Your only phone costs are those charged by your long distance carrier for a domestic call.) Price for each session is $10. Payment by check due prior to the call. Each session is limited to 8 rowers per call. Questions? Email me at mayrene@masterscoaching.com.

Motivational Magic: Quotes to Inspire You

¶     "The greatest achievement was at first and for a time (only) a dream." ~ James Allen

¶     'Do' or 'do not.' There is no 'Try.' ~ Yoda

¶     "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

From the Bookshelf: Recommended Reading

Now, Discover Your Strengths, Marcus Buckingham & Donald Clifton  So often we focus on our weaknesses. This book encourages you to focus on your strengths and shows you how to develop them. 

Mayrene T. Earle, M.Ed.

Rowing ¶ Life Coach

“Empowering individuals through the sport of rowing.”

Founder: masterscoaching.com

phone: (508) 896-0076

email: mayrene@masterscoaching.com

Please forward this newsletter to friends, teammates and colleagues. Be assured, I will never sell, trade or give your information to anyone, at anytime, period! If you do not wish to receive future editions of MastersCoaching, email mayrene@masterscoaching.com and write “UNSUBSCRIBE” in the subject line.  

Copyright © 2004 MastersCoaching