| Sweep vs Sculling | | | | blade to be perpendicular to the water. This is called |
| Sweep rowers (one oar per person) and scullers (two | | | | squaring or rolling up the blade. This, depending on the |
| oars, one in each hand) have similar stroke styles, with | | | | rower's technique, begins approximately when the oar |
| some differences to accommodate the number of | | | | handle(s) pass over the ankles. |
| oars held by the rower. The most notable difference is | | | | When the rower reaches the sternmost point of the |
| that the oar handles overlap in sculling at the midpoint | | | | slide, the end of the recovery, and the shins are |
| of the drive, and again during the recovery. This | | | | vertical, the blade is quickly and smoothly dropped into |
| requires the sculler to cross one hand over (left over | | | | the water by a slight lifting of the hands. This is called |
| right) and/or in front of the other hand to avoid the oar | | | | the catch. |
| handles colliding. While sculling is a fully symmetrical | | | | Drive |
| movement (with exception of the handle overlap), | | | | This is the phase from the catch to the extraction. |
| sweep oar rowing is slightly asymmetrical and many | | | | As soon as the oar blade is securely placed in the |
| rowers strongly prefer one side to the other. | | | | water at the catch, the rower begins to lever the boat |
| Also, sweep oar rowers usually feather and square | | | | past the blade by straightening the legs while the body |
| the oar with the inside hand (the one closer to the | | | | remains leaned forward and the arms straight. This is |
| rowlock), allowing the handle to turn within the outside | | | | called the leg drive. |
| hand, whose wrist remains flat throughout. This is | | | | The rower continues pushing with the legs while |
| obviously not possible in sculling, and scullers tend to | | | | beginning to apply additional power by opening up his |
| feather and square by holding the oar handle in the | | | | or her back towards the bow of the boat. |
| extended fingers when feathered, and rolling it into the | | | | After the rower completes the leg drive, the rower |
| palm of the hand to square it, the wrist remaining flat | | | | finishes opening up his or her back towards the bow |
| throughout. | | | | while at the same time using his or her arms to pull the |
| The average speed of a boat increases with the | | | | oar(s) to his chest. This is called the draw. |
| crew size and sculling boats are significantly faster | | | | The rower pushes the oar handle down so the oar |
| than the equivalent sweep boats. | | | | blade comes out of the water. |
| Stages of a stroke | | | | Just as the oar blade is being removed from the |
| Recovery | | | | water, the rower rotates the oar handle 90 degrees |
| This is the phase from the extraction to the catch. | | | | so that the blade is again parallel to the water. This |
| Just after the extraction (or finish) with the oar out of | | | | action is referred to as feathering. |
| the water and the face of the blade parallel to the | | | | At this point the rower is in the same position as the |
| water (the blades are "feathered"). The rower has | | | | beginning, torso leaning back, hands drawn in to the |
| legs straight, body leaning back, and arms pulled in so | | | | body, and legs extended. |
| that the oar handle is a few inches from the solar | | | | Local differences |
| plexus. This is the beginning of what is called the | | | | The rowing stroke differs slightly depending on location |
| recovery or the slide. | | | | and coaching technique and especially the coach. |
| The rower extends the arms fully forward (toward | | | | Differences (especially between experienced rowers) |
| the stern) pushing the oar away from his or her body | | | | are only marginal and can often only be seen by |
| while, at the same time, keeping the oar at a constant | | | | detailed video-analysis. For example sometimes the |
| height with his or her legs straight, and torso leaning | | | | Canadian eight team used a style where the body |
| back. | | | | was swung more during the drive. |
| The rower leans the body forward to around 30 | | | | See also |
| degrees past vertical, continuing to keep the oar level, | | | | Rowing (sport) |
| not bending the knees and keeping the back straight. | | | | References |
| This stage of the recovery is sometimes referred to | | | | ^ The catch; the last part of the recovery , where the |
| as "body prep". | | | | oars are placed into the water. |
| The rower bends the legs, bringing the sliding seat | | | | ^ The extraction; the end of the drive, where the oars |
| forward (i.e. toward the stern) on its rollers, while the | | | | are taken out of the water. |
| oar remains level. | | | | ^ The drive; when the oars are in the water, and |
| While continuing to slide the seat forward, the rower | | | | power is applied to move the boat. |
| rotates the oar handle(s), causing the face of the | | | | |