In Rowing, Preparation is Key

Focus on preparation around the back end of the stroke to ensure your best drive phase

In this video, Olympian and Coach, Luke Walton discusses the importance of setting yourself up for a great drive phase of your rowing stroke, by focusing on preparation around the back end of the stroke.

In rowing, each part of the rowing stroke influences the next part of the rowing stroke. A good finish sets you up for a good recovery, for a good catch, for a good drive, for a good finish… rinse and repeat. Compromise one part of the rowing stroke, compromise all parts of the rowing stroke.

Therefore, as Coach Walton reminds you, it’s important to take advantage of the finish of the rowing stroke, the only time the seat is not moving, to set yourself up well to take your next stroke. When the seat is stationary, you have a stable platform from which to straighten the arms and set the body forward, BEFORE releasing the knees and rolling forward into the next stroke. Once the seat starts traveling towards the front end of the rowing machine, it’s too late. Trying to straighten the arms and set the body forward while rolling across the slide is difficult at best. If the body and arms are not set before rolling towards the catch, you are setting yourself up for very inconsistent strokes. And inconsistent strokes means weak strokes.

Regardless of intensity and stroke rating, there is always time to set up for the next stroke before rolling into the front end.

A great drill to help you work on preparation from the finish is a 2 part pause (arms away, body over). Once you feel comfortable with the sequence and the timing of the 2 part pause, you can drip the arms out pause and move simply to a one part, body over pause.

Setting up from the back end before the seat rolls forward, ensures you will arrive in the longest and strongest position to take the catch. And with the body up and forward, your ability to transfer power onto the feet and handle instantaneously and firmly is increased. If you arriver sitting striaght up and down at the front end, it is very difficult for you to transfer power onto the feet and handle.

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