Scull – The Rowing Playbook

Eyes Closed

admin — Sat, 28 Nov 2020 09:07:02 +0000

Taking regular strokes, have the rowers close their eyes. This will force them to focusing on feeling for and hearing the cues needed to row together, and may also allow them to relax, especially in the upper body.

Note

In blind boats, either ensure a coach is watching and giving any required steering commands, or have at least one rower sitting out to steer.

Wide Grip

admin — Sat, 28 Nov 2020 08:50:00 +0000

In sweep boats, move the inside hand down the oar shaft towards the oarlock, past the end of the handle. In sculling boats, move both hands down so that they grip the oar shaft wide of the handles. Take regular strokes.

Note

This will make the oar blade feel heavier in the water, especially in sculling boats.

Reverse Pick Drill

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 20:19:06 +0000

Starting by sitting at the catch, with the blade squared and buried. Take 10 strokes where you move only a few inches from the catch. Only your legs should move, with your body angle remaining constant and your arms straight. Then move to 10 strokes where you take half of the full leg drive, again keeping your body angle the same and arms straight. Then 10 strokes with a full leg drive. Then 10 strokes added the body swing, but still keeping the arms straight. And finally 10 full strokes.

Progression

The number of strokes at each position can be altered (perhaps moving it to 20), or each phase can be continued until the coach is satisfied that the technique is good.

Note

To ensure the boat is set during this drill, in larger boats, have rowers sit out with their blades flat on the water to help balance.

Pick Drill

admin — Sat, 14 Nov 2020 09:29:13 +0000

Starting by sitting at the finish, take 10 arms only strokes. Then move to 10 arms and body strokes. Then 10 strokes at half-slide. And finally 10 full strokes. Make sure rowers keep good posture during each phase, especially not moving their bodies on arms only strokes.

Progression

The number of strokes at each position can be altered (perhaps moving it to 20), or each phase can be continued until the coach is satisfied that the technique is good.

Note

To ensure the boat is set during this drill, in larger boats, have rowers sit out with their blades flat on the water to help balance.

Finish Pauses

admin — Sat, 14 Nov 2020 09:18:02 +0000

Taking full feather strokes, add a pause at the finish before the tap down. Blades should be rolled flat onto the water at the pause. Then rowers should tap down and bring their blades off the water as they begin the recovery, with enough clearance to square before the catch.

Progression

Move the pause to every other stroke, every three, and then go continuous. Ensure the technique is consistent between paused strokes and continuous strokes.

Note

If a blade comes off the water before the pause, that indicates handle heights were too low coming into the finish.

Square/Feather

admin — Fri, 13 Nov 2020 13:39:43 +0000

Taking regular strokes, switch between being square blades and feathered blades on the recovery. The switch could be every stroke, or every two strokes, three strokes, etc.

Note

Keeping the rate high enough and consistent between the feathered and squared boats helps keep the speed higher, helping the balance. Ensure the handle heights are not changing on the feathered strokes.

Square Blades

admin — Fri, 13 Nov 2020 13:25:43 +0000

Take regular strokes, but keep the blade fully squared on the recovery. In larger boats, rowers can sit out with their blades flat on the water to help set the boat. This drill will be more challenging in smaller boats where that is not an option.

Progression

In larger boats, you can decrease the number of rowers sitting out to make this more challenging.

Note

When no one is setting the boat, keeping the rate high enough and the rowing fluid helps keep the speed higher, helping the balance.

Quarter Feather

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 09:39:43 +0000

Take regular strokes, but instead of being fully feathered on the recovery, hold the blades only slightly inclined from square.

Note

Ensure the blade angle isn’t changing through the recovery (except when squaring ready for the catch). Rowers are allowed to slightly drag the bottom edge, especially in smaller boats or bad conditions, but must keep quarter feather.

Rusties

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 11:55:11 +0000

Take a full stroke, but pause at bodies over on the recovery. From here reverse direction back to the finish, then complete the recovery all the way to the catch and repeat. The blades should be off the water throughout all of the extended recovery, challenging the rowers to stay balanced. This also emphasizes rhythm and moving together.

Note

Named after Australian coach Rusty Robertson

Cut the Cake

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 11:53:55 +0000

Take a full stroke, but at bodies over on the recovery, reverse direction back to the finish, then complete the recovery all the way to the catch and repeat. The blades should be off the water throughout all of the extended recovery, challenging the rowers to stay balanced. This also emphasizes rhythm and moving together.