All About Olympic Rowing - Stroke, Stroke, Stroke

There are four basic elements to a rowing stroke: Catch, drive, finish and "up the slide." As the stroke begins, a rower is crouched forward on the sliding seat with knees bent and arms outstretched and then drops the blade of the oar vertically into the water - this is the catch. The point of entry and depth of the blade in the water are crucial.

About the worst thing a rower can do in the catch is put the oar in too deep and "catch the crab," says Canada's Marnie McBean, four-time Olympic medallist. If the oar gets under too much water it can become impossible to fluidly remove it without the handle of the oar flying at you, says McBean. When that happens it often takes a few strokes to get back into rhythm.

During the beginning of the drive the rower extends the legs, which push off the foot supports and supply all of the power at this stage. As the upper body starts to uncoil, the arms pull the oar blades through the water, drawing the hands into the body.

The rower finishes the stroke by moving the oar handles down, while simultaneously turning it so that the oar turns from a vertical to a horizontal position as it exits the water.

Rowing calls on both aerobic endurance and pure muscle. Height also helps because it enhances a rower's leverage. Rowers spend about three-quarters of the season training aerobically and spend the rest of the time becoming more powerful.

Rowers sit in seats that slide along a steel runner, allowing rowers to use the power of their legs during a stroke. This translates into a considerably faster speed than either canoeists or kayakers, who rely almost exclusively on upper body strength to power the craft.

Synchronicity is the critical issue in crew boat racing - the oar blades should enter and exit the water at the same time. In the eights, which is the fastest boat on the water, the goal is to make the momentum of eight bodies work together so that it translates into boat speed.

To that end everyone on the boat has a unique role. In the eights, steering is done by a coxswain - a non-rowing team member who "calls" the race, and communicates to the crew via a headset microphone to speakers in the boat.

Contrary to popular myth, the coxswain is not shouting "stroke, stroke,". Instead the cox is in charge of implementing strategy and making sure everyone is keeping the same rate. In boats with no coxswain, the bowman at the front of the boat handles strategy. The stroke, who sits nearest the stern of the boat, does the steering with a foot pedal in coxless events and keeps the beat, like a drummer in a band.

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