A sculling stroke that can easily be improved, creating more boat speed with a lot less effort..... Rowing

[caption id="attachment_921" align="alignleft" width="532"] Pulling while pushing.... it could go easier and faster.[/caption]

The competitive rower above is in the middle of his start strokes. His arms are bent during the most powerful part of the leg drive. In other words, what this rower can pull is currently equal to what his legs can push... Does that seem right to you?

The legs are the most powerful part in the rowing stroke. In between the legs and arms is the back... Is the back more powerful than the arms? Yes. The sculler would be a lot faster in a more sequential application of power. Combining all three body parts at the same time, pushes the rower against the foot board rather then moving the boat past the oars. It is key that the leg drive with a suspended body drives the oars as far to 90 degrees to the boat as possible before a pulling motion is fully engaged. The pulling motion is most effective when the oars pass 90 degrees to the hull.

This type of technical deficiency can be corrected through five different exercises. A stroke analysis with a clear explanation of what these exercises are supposed to feel like solves the problem.

Xeno Müller
Rowing Coach
Olympic gold and silver medalist
Olympic record holder