Improve the Stroke - Body Position just after (at) the Rowing Catch (+ Common Problems)
Please look at the examples below and review your positions or that of your crew. Anthony Edwards, five times Olympic athlete, demonstrates common issues.
Obtaining the correct body posture at the catch is vital for a good rowing stroke. A good catch sets up the entire stroke.
Getting to the correct position at the catch requires preparation off the finish.
Obtaining the correct body posture at the catch is vital for a good rowing stroke. A good catch sets up the entire stroke.
Getting to the correct position at the catch requires preparation off the finish.
Correct Position:
Here Eddy demonstrates the correct catch position for sculling. Note the fully extended arms, vertical shins and relaxed shoulders. You can also see the vertical position of the pelvis. Overall, a strong position for a well-executed catch. |
No Rockover:
This image demonstrates extremely poor posture at the catch. The most likely causes of this problem are a lack of flexibility and not executing the rock over correctly off the finish. It can be corrected by increasing the feet to seat distance, usually by dropping the feet. |
Tense and Raised Shoulders:
Having tense shoulders makes it difficult to execute a good catch. Encourage the athletes to relax their shoulders and keep them low when coming down the slide into the catch. |
Bent arms taking the catch:
Taking the catch with bent arms is a weak position, and at the catch we want to see the legs engaged with the arms fully extended and relaxed. Bent arms don't just reduce boat speed. They can lead to stress fractures in the upper body due to the overloading caused by the grabbing. |