Beginner Sculling Program

Two session plans for beginning scullers with some experience in a boat. (Go straight to Session 2)

The aim of these sessions is to give rowers an idea of the basics of good sculling technique so that they can build their rowing skills with practice.

Session 1

Aims : Establish a model of good rowing technique through the stroke as a whole.

Begin correct grip , oar control and balance exercises

Lesson Plan

1. Ergo Demonstration:

The importance of leg drive, driving off the feet at the catch, rhythm, hanging through the drive, posture through the stroke, e.g. shoulders relaxed, arms relaxed on the recovery, head held straight, finish position

2. Getting on the Water:

Sequence of steps: oar placement. Carrying the boat and placing in water correctly. Getting into the boat: safety grip. Setting up the boat for comfort, e.g. height, foot stretcher position, inboard.

3. In the Boat:

Establish correct finish position: i.e. sitting back just off vertical, elbows parallel to water, blades at rib height, head looking straight ahead. Grip: wrists flat, thumbs over the ends of the handles, pushing outwards. Feet pushing lightly into foot stretcher. This will give the most stable balanced position.

4. Balance Exercises:

(a) Holding handles in safety grip lean out of the boat to each side, try to keep the blades floating

(b) Holding both handles correctly lift one hand and then the other to rock the boat, still keeping the blades floating: keep grip relaxed.

5. Blade Control:

Holding the handle correctly (flat wrists, fingers around handle),and with relaxed grip, row with one hand only sitting on 'back chocks', i.e. at the back. Concentrate on correct stable sitting position at back chocks. Do not rock from hips. Let the blade find its own height in the water (it will float just below the water), pulling the blade through at an even depth. If pulled horizontally with relaxed grip it will find its own depth. Blade height on recovery is just above the water. Repeat with other hand then both hands together. Repeat sequence while backing the boat (this is much more difficult). Then try turning the boat by backing with one oar and rowing with the other.

For advanced scullers and for some fun have a back chocks hands-only race, backing race and/or a turning race.

6. Feathering:

Practise by sitting at back chocks and tapping down with one hand at a time while the other oar rests on the water. Then tap down and feather the blade keeping the wrists as flat as possible. This can be done if thumbs are over the ends of the handles and the blade is rolled out with the fingers and thumb. This is a difficult skill to master but it can be practised with a piece of dowel or rolled-up newspaper off the water. Don't get too caught up with it, give it time. Just try to keep the wrists as flat as possible while feathering.

Row with feathering both hands together at backchocks only.

7. Body Swing:

Only progress to this when sculler can maintain a stable and strong finish position. Body swings from the hips, hands light on the blades which are dropped lightly in the water when full swing is reached. Don't overstretch.

8. Use of the Slide:

This is the next lesson but allow some time at the end of the lesson for those advanced scullers who just want to have a paddle. Just emphasise the initial use of the legs from all positions along the slide. Once the slide is used the legs are the driving force.

N.B. Remind rowers to bring their togs and a towel next time, as they are going to learn how to get back in a boat if they fall out of it.

Session 2

Aims:

To establish a strong and efficient leg drive while the sculler is still a novice by setting good motor patterns

To establish the ability to right a single scull and get back into it quickly (1 min) after the boat has been capsized

1. Ergo Demonstration:

As the emphasis this lesson is on the leg drive the ergo demo will concentrate on this phase of the stroke emphasising "the hang", i.e. suspending the body through the drive. In this way the legs are used most effectively.

Depending on the experience of the sculler you may need to get them to work up the slide from 1/4 to 1/2 to 3/4 to full slide or you may start at the finish position and come down the slide ending the recovery with the catch (as this may be what they are doing in their boats until they get good balance)

Always emphasise that the stroke is initially taken off the feet, even at 1/4 slide. It may be preferable even at this early stage to start at the catch because from this position they can easily feel the "hang" i.e. they are using their legs to initiate the drive, with the upper body relaxed and stretched forward, such that when they start to push with the legs the backside feels light on the seat as the body weight becomes supended between the feet and the handle. (One of the most common faults for all rowers is to take the catch and first part of the stroke by lifting the shoulders to 'row' the blade into the water. This inevitably results in up to half the stroke being ineffective and weak. Hence, it is very important to get the leg drive/hang correct from the start).

Demonstrate the hang by holding the handle while the sculler sits at the catch and getting them to push off the balls of their feet. They will lift off their seats and feel the body weight suspended between feet and hands. The arms should feel as though they are being pulled out of their shoulder joints. Remind rowers to keep their shoulders pulled forward (rather than up around their ears) and to feel the pull in their lats (the back muscles beneath their shoulder blades).

2. In the Boat:

Revise the grip and blade control briefly, then move into a balance exercise tapping down and rolling forward and putting the blade in at 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full slide. This will be a difficult exercise at this stage but it will act to relax the scullers for the next phase and also emphasis that the blade is put in the water as part of the recovery not at the start of the drive.

3. Leg Drive: (working up the slide)

Work briefly up the slide for those who are not confident with their balance, making sure that the sculler is following the correct sequence on the recovery, i.e. the hands move away while the knees stay locked down, then shoulders follow, then the slide follows the hands.

4. Leg Drive from the Catch Position:

To really feel the hang in the boat the sculler needs to sit at the catch position with the blades in the water and drive from this position pushing the balls of the feet away. You will need to emphasise that the sculler thinks of keeping their shoulders over their knees during the first part of the push. As an exercise if the sculler is having difficulty with this movement you could ask them to think of just pushing their seat backwards or pushing back while staying over in the catch position. (This is a bit risky if the sculler has a tendency to 'bum-shove'. It is up to you to use your discretion as a coach whether to use this exercise for a particular sculler).

Another good way to demonstrate pushing off the feet from the catch is to get the sculler in shallow water and you actually hold the stern of the boat while they drive back from their feet. (You can let the boat go as they get about half way through the stroke). They will feel light on their seat, as in the exercise on the ergo.

I cannot emphasise enough that this concept is one of the most important for the beginning sculler to master because it will give them a longer and more powerful stroke as they develop their other skills.

5. Capsize Drill:

Finish the lesson with the capsize drill. If you have not done so already, first make sure that all scullers can swim! Then explain fully what you will expect them to do and what to do if they cannot get back into the boat (i.e. swim the boat to shore).

The drill

Sculler to deliberately fall out of the boat, turning it upside down if possible.

First get the boat upright

Then put the blades back into the gates if they have fallen out.

Manouver yourself into a position near the seat and slides. Push the blades out against the gates and hold both handles with one hand-this is not always easy, but can be done with perserverance.

Hoist yourself out of the water and lie crossways over the boat where the slides are while still holding the two handles together

Swing one leg over the boat like you are getting on a horse until you are sitting astride the boat with feet dangling in the water, still holding the two handles together.

Sit back on the seat and put your feet back into the foot stretcher.

N.B. Don't let go of the handles during any stage of this procedure!