The Rowing Stroke

There are three main parts to the rowing stroke, as follows:

The Catch. On the water this is the moment that the oars “catch” the water. Your knees are bent and shins vertical, your arms extended with a light grip of the handle, your upper body leaning forward from the hips.

The Drive. Your legs and knees snap down against the footrest, your back then moves through the vertical so that it leans slightly back and then your arms pull the handle into the stomach at the finish. In terms of back movement, it is useful to think in terms of moving from one o’clock to eleven o’clock on the clock face.

The Recovery. This is where you prepare for the next stroke with the reverse of the drive, taking your hands away, swinging forward through your hips and then bending your legs up to the catch, getting your hands beyond your knees before the legs bend. Although all rowing technique descriptions call this the recovery, I also like to think of it as the “set up” for the next stroke, a bit like a golfer’s backswing. This recovery part of the stroke should be done at about half the pace of the drive.