Drills

Arms & Body Only Rowing Drill

Arms & Body Only Rowing drill is rowing using only the arms and rocking the upper body through the rock over phase. The legs are kept in a straight position (knees can be bent slightly if more comfortable).

When practicing this drill:

• The handle moves continuously in and away from the body

• Use all your back muscles to draw the handle in to the body

• Engage your abdominal muscles when performing this drill

• Get full reach of the arms and upper back muscles

• Rock over on the seat from the 11 to 1 o’clock position

• Keep a strong postural position

• For variety you can include underhand grip when performing this drill

The Slide Drill

Slide work commences with fixed-seat rowing and then the slide (or legs) are gradually included, beginning with half slide (half leg compression)) and finally full slide (full leg compression). This drill is particularly useful for teaching people correct technique in small stages.

Slide work combines the different slide length drills together so that the user gradually builds up to full side and then builds down to arms only rowing.  This embeds the elements of technique into the full slide action. Practicing each slide length for a minute or so and then returning to full-range rowing enables you to feel the effect of each drill on your co-ordination.

An examples of using the slide drill when warming up is:

• 20 strokes arms only rowing
• 20 strokes arms & body only rowing
• 20 strokes half slide
• 20 strokes full slide
• 20 strokes half slide
• 20 strokes arms & body only rowing
• 20 strokes arms only rowing

No slide: begin with Arms Only Rowing,

Bring in the Body swing for Arms & Body Only Rowing. the legs are kept straight and the body is rocked over from the pelvis.  Only the upper body and arms are used.

Half slide: at the rocked over checkpoint, the knees bend and the seat slides to half way up the slide, the handle reaches to above the feet position.

View video of Half Slide Rowing.

Full slide: concentrating on maintaining the above sequence of movement, the legs bend fully and the seat slides forwards towards the heels of the feet reaching the Catch check point.

Video of the Slide Drill (to come)

The Catch Drill

The Catch drill isolates the leg action at the beginning of the drive phase.

Practice shoulder relaxation and leg-back co-ordination by moving back and forth between the Catch position and the beginning of the drive.

Concentrate on feeling the connection of the paddle in the water as it “locks on”, with the arms and shoulders remaining in the same position while the legs begin the drive.

When practicing this drill:

• There is no movement in the arms and upper body, all the movement is in the legs (a small backwards movement of the seat)

• Keep a strong postural position

• Relax your grip and hang off the handle with straight arms

• Keep head up and eyes forward

Practice this drill for a few strokes then continue with steady state rowing, for example for practice the Catch Drill for 5 strokes every minute and row for the rest of the minute.

Feet Out Rowing

Perform this drill by rowing lightly (with little effort) during the warm up or cool down.

The feet are not strapped in on the foot board. You can rest your feet on top of the floating heel rests.

The purpose of this drill is to concentrate on keeping the balls of the feet in contact with the foot board at all times when rowing.

Instructor Tip: This drill can be used if there are problems with the foot straps loosening when rowing. This can be as a result of leaning too far back at the Releasewhich tends to cause a lift in the toes and a pull on the foot straps.

Often the rower tends to use their toes to pull themselves forwards up the slide on the Recovery, this can cause tightening and pain in the hamstrings and buttock areas as well as putting extra pressure on the lower back.

Power Strokes Drill

Are you struggling with achieving your desired intensity with a low stroke rate?

Try this drill called ‘Power Strokes’. The focus is to achieve as much distance per stroke, this will improve the efficiency of your rowing allowing you to row for longer and further in any workout.

There are 2 ways to practice Power Strokes; one way is to maintain your stroke rate but focus on increasing your speed and the other is to lower your stroke rate but hold your speed. See below for further details.

Drill 1

The first way to practice Power Strokes is to stay at the stroke rate you are rowing at but increase your speed/intensity.

Some tips to help you do this:

Increase the length of your stroke from the Catch Position to the Release Position

Focus on slowing down your Recovery forwards to the Catch Position

Focus on a more powerful Drive phase – power comes from a stronger leg push.

For example, if you are rowing at 24 strokes per minute (spm) at a speed of 2.5 meters per second (m/s), aim to increase your speed to 2.8 or 3.0 m/s  and maintain a stroke rate of 24spm. Count 10 strokes and row lightly for 10 strokes. Repeat the 10 power strokes 4 or 5 x.

This drill can be performed towards the end of a warm up or during a Steady State session.

Drill 2

The second way to practice Power Strokes is to maintain your speed/intensity but lower your stroke rate. For example, if you are rowing steady state with a stroke rate 24spm at an intensity of 2.5 m/s, decrease your stroke rate to 22spm and hold your speed of 2.5 m/s.

Use the 3 tips above to help you do this.

Once you have achieved this, try to lower your stroke rate by 1 or 2spm again, therefore row at 21/20spm maintaining a speed of 2.5 m/s. Practice this in 1 minute sets.

Remember the more distance or speed you can get out of each stroke, the quicker and further you will row.

Legs Only Rowing

The Legs Only Rowing drill is rowing using only the legs, the arms and upper body do not change position.

When practicing this drill:

• Feel your body weight on the balls of your feet as you slide forward to the Catch position

• Feel the connection in the handle as you push back with the legs

• Keep your arms straight and fingers hooked over the handle

• Keep sitting tall in a strong postural position with the body rocked forward

Slow Slide Drill

The slow slide drill entails a slow (to very slow) return to the catch with the intention of over emphasizing relaxation and posture during the recovery. Stroke rates can be lowered to 14-18 strokes per minute.

The slow slide drill improves slide control, enhancing ratio and rhythm

Stroke Builds Drill

Video of the Stroke Builds (to come)

The correct way to increase your stroke rate and intensity is to gradually build up the number of strokes you take per minute over a number of strokes, this can be 5 strokes, 7 strokes or 10 strokes.

The 10 Stroke Build Drill involves increasing your stroke rate from 22-24spm to above 30spm over a count of 10 strokes. To do this correctly focus on building the power back on the drive rather than a quicker recovery forwards. As your speed (intensity shown in the top right corner) increases you start to quicken your stroke rate.

Stroke builds are useful towards the end of your warm up and during your main workout.