Faults and Corrections

Rowing with bent arms

Fault

The rower starts the Drive by pulling with the arms rather than pushing with the legs.

Correction

The Drive starts by pushing the legs and bracing the back with the arms fully extended and relaxed.

Flying elbows

Fault

The rower's elbows are sticking out from the body at the finish

Correction

Draw the handle to the body. The wrists are flat and the elbows drawn past the body.

Bent wrists

Fault

Rowers can be seen at various stages of the drive - Beginning, Drive and Finish - with bent wrists.

Correction

Always row with FLAT wrists.

Over reaching

Fault

The body stretches too far forward. The shins may be past the vertical. The head and shoulders tend to drop towards the feet. The body is in a weak position for the Drive.

Correction

The shins are vertical. The body is pressed up to the legs. The arms are fully extended and relaxed, body tilted slightly forward.

Pulling the body to the handle

Fault

At the Finish, the rower, instead of pulling the handle to the body, pulls him/herself forward to the handle.

Correction

At the finish the rower leans back slightly, holds the legs down and draws the handle to the body using the upper body as a firm platform.

Body too tense. Grip on handle too tight

Fault

Teeth are clenched, shoulders hunched and the rower is gripping the handle too tightly.

Correction

RELAX! Relax the shoulders down, unclench the teeth and relax the jaw. Keep a LIGHT hold on the handle.

Pulling up too far and leaning back too much

Fault

At the Finish of the stroke, the rower pulls the handle up too high and leans back too far.

Correction

Draw the handle into the body. The wrists should be flat and the elbows drawn past the body, forearms horizontal.

Knees up too early

Fault

On the Recovery the rower slides forward before the handle has extended past the knees. The hands either hit the knees or the rower lifts the hands to clear the knees.

Correction

Remember the sequence - hands, body, slide. AFTER the arms have fully extended and the body has rocked forward, slide forward, maintaining the arm and body position.

Using the back too early

Fault

The rower starts the Drive by swinging the body back rather than pushing the legs. This results in a weak movement

Correction

The legs bring the drive and the body levers back with the arms fully extended and relaxed.

Slide shooting

Fault

The legs push away too early, the back is not braced and so the power is not transferred onto the handle.

Correction

The legs begin the Drive and the body levers back with straight arms transferring the leg power onto the handle.