Improve the Stroke - Sit Square on the Seat (+ Common Problems)
Please look at the examples below and review your own positions or that of your crew. Anthony Edwards, 5 times Olympic athlete demonstrates common issues. These problems are more common in sweep boats, but just as much an issue in sculling. They tend to cause other problems particularly with balance, hence please look out for athletes matching the below photos.
This issue of not sitting square on the seat is very easy to correct. Two aspects need attention:
1. Sitting square on the seat will assist in boat balance, hence please observe and have the athlete in the seat behind keep an eye on the correct posture.
2. Sometimes you will find that athletes move on the seat between strokes, hence please encourage them to get it right and don't fidget.
Easily fixed by having the athlete relax in the boat and sit square and tall on the seat.
This issue of not sitting square on the seat is very easy to correct. Two aspects need attention:
1. Sitting square on the seat will assist in boat balance, hence please observe and have the athlete in the seat behind keep an eye on the correct posture.
2. Sometimes you will find that athletes move on the seat between strokes, hence please encourage them to get it right and don't fidget.
Easily fixed by having the athlete relax in the boat and sit square and tall on the seat.
Severe twist to the left issue:
Here we see Eddy demonstrating a severe twist to the left which will cause balance issues and distortion of the catch.
Here we see Eddy demonstrating a severe twist to the left which will cause balance issues and distortion of the catch.
Slight twist to the right issue:
Here Eddy demonstrates the athlete reaching to the right. As you can see this tends to create a balance issue on the right side.
Hence sitting straight on the seat and with an even torso a better balance and catch is the likely result.
Severe twist to the right issue:
Here Eddy is reaching on the right and therefore swivelling on the seat creating issues with balance and evenness at the catch.
Uneven on the seat and lunging on the recovery issue:
Here whilst being unbalanced on the seat you can see that Eddy is lunging forward off the back.
Hence looking from behind the athlete you can see postural problems, particularly watch for the head dipping down and the shoulders dropping.