Not getting a full slide to the catch in

[ninja0405]

So I just started rowing with an 8-man for the first time on the water and I have noticed that I'm not getting a full slide to the catch in and at most doing half to 3/4 of a slide. How can I fix this?

[Cyclist2]

Hard to say without a little more info. Could be that you are way taller than the others, could be the boat is rigged wrong, could be the stroke rate is too high. Lots of variables.

Have your coach go over it all. He (she) can answer better than we can.

[jamesg]

So I just started rowing with an 8-man for the first time on the water and I have noticed that I'm not getting a full slide to the catch in and at most doing half to 3/4 of a slide. How can I fix this?

This could mean you are over-reaching on the erg. The rails in boats have a front stop and there's a footwell, so afloat you can't slide too far forward.

In a boat the rails are (or were in my day) set so that we slide maybe half an inch through the work. The stretcher is then set so that on the front stop, shins are vertical. Best mimic this on the erg, with a stop on the rail, set to keep the slide well away from your heels.

[Tsnor]

So I just started rowing with an 8-man for the first time on the water and I have noticed that I'm not getting a full slide to the catch in and at most doing half to 3/4 of a slide. How can I fix this?

If you are the same height and same stroke length as the person ahead of you then follow their slide speed. You are already looking at them for back angle and oar handle height. Note when their slide starts/stops and their slide speed and try to match those. If you are same height this works perfectly.

If you are taller / have a longer stroke than the person sitting in front of you then you need to slide FASTER then the person ahead of you to start/stop at the same time. If you start moving the slide at the right time and still need to catch when you are only 1/2 to 3/4 of the normal slide then you are too slow on the slide on recovery -- which is really RARE. Most new rowers are too fast on the slide and need to stop and wait to put their oar in at the catch which gives the boat a horrible lurch and throws the person rowing stroke out of the boat.

Agree with ask the coach to watch you. In the meantime, look at how fast you are getting your hands away from you chest after the finish, some teams use very fast hands. Make sure that your seat starts moving at the same time as the seat ahead of you (whatever speed you use, your seat starts and stops moving at the same time as the person ahead of you). If your hands move slow then you may be starting your slide late (which will upset the boat) and that might be why you are only 3/4 back up the slide when it's time for the next catch.

If the team is doing high stroke rates (30+) then getting a full stroke is tough as a beginner. You are doing the right thing by cutting the stroke short and getting your oar in the water at the right time.

Aside: I'm pretty sure you are talking about steady state rowing. You want to use full slide for that. Racing starts are designed to use only part of the slide. "3/4 - 1/2 - 1/2 - 3/4 – Full" is a pretty standard start with the numbers meaning how much of the slide to use on the stroke.

[Ante]

Hi Ninja,

The big difference between team rowing otw versus the erg: it isn’t about individuals.
The rower in seat 8 sets sets stroke rate and length. You just can’t hold on to your own preferences, because that’ll ruin the team effort.
Take you cue from the man in front of you, and make sure that catch, seat movement and stroke lenght are in sync. You are now one of the eight limbs of the big rowing beast!
Your coach and cox will definitely be grateful.

Good luck!

[rowingdude]

On the erg, you are not compensating for height differences, the boat's set, or your lack of twisting flexibility.

In the boat, your catch angle is determined by how you come to the catch and your flexibility once you get there.

Try to have your coach place you behind taller rowers and see how you fare then. Our club sorts the rowers in a boat by height to a point, you will row longer behind a taller rower than a shorter rower. Shorter rowers force a taller rower to make abbreviated strokes. This is part of the sport. You must learn to adapt or row a single scull.