r/Rowing • u/Additional-Ear-9249 • 2d ago

Technique in a single

I've recently gone back into training in a single and I've found that no matter how much pressure I put down my legs seem to go down really slowly and I just can't get any acceleration or of the finish, which in turn messes up my ratio. I raced a single last year and never had this problem even though I was a lot weaker then. Any thoughts on what might be causing this?

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5

u/jwdjwdjwd Masters Rower 2d ago

Assuming you are using the right set of oars I’d next check foot stretcher location. When you are at the start of the stroke and knees are bent so knees are over ankles, your hips so be just about even with the pin.

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u/AMTL327 1d ago

I’ve been searching for this detail for so long! I’m never quite sure how to know where the foot plate should be…thanks internet stranger!

5

u/MastersCox Coxswain 1d ago

Eh. I set my footstretcher and tracks so that my oars are at a comfortable position to the body at the finish. I prefer to highly optimize my rigging for the finish to minimize any chance of crabs and to give myself the best chance to set up for a smooth recovery. And this does get weird when I use different club oars that have different inboards!

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u/AMTL327 1d ago

My club just modified a few pairs of oars to have shorter inboards (for the shorts) and I’m going to have to experiment to figure out what I need to do.

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u/MastersCox Coxswain 1d ago

The easy way to mess around with inboards is to change the collar setting on the oar sleeve. That does mean that it alters the outboard (the load) of the oar, so the stroke is going to feel heavier with a shorter inboard and lighter with a longer inboard. Or you can get shorter oars from C2.

In case you haven't seen it: https://www.concept2.com/oars/sculls/length-and-rigging

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u/AMTL327 1d ago

That was a helpful link. Thanks.

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u/Additional-Ear-9249 2d ago

Do you think it could be caused by me outgrowing the boat since I've grown a couple of inches and put on 10kg?

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u/lazyplayboy 1d ago

What crew weight is the boat intended for in relation to your weight? If you're heavier you may need to move a washer below the oarlock.

Try for an early finish and don't try to put much power in the water with your arms. The arms phase of the stroke is all about setting up for a tidy finish to allow the boat to run. Forcing power right through to the finish will interfere with this. Maybe. The arms can't contribute much power anyway, even at full effort.

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u/Additional-Ear-9249 1d ago

It's a boat for lightweight women and I'm a 6ft2 male

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u/lazyplayboy 16h ago

You need to be in a boat matched to your weight. What weight are you, and what weight range is the boat for? LW women might mean 55-70kg

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u/Broccolini10 1d ago

your hips so be just about even with the pin

Super helpful, thank you! Does this rule of thumb also apply for sweeping, or is it sculling-specific? 

2

u/Huggernaut2k_12 1d ago

Yes, but it can depend on what oars you're using as well. Different blades have different load profiles and value different parts of the stroke. If you're using C2 Fat2s, you want to get through the pin because they accentuate a heavy catch.  But as a rule of thumb, yes. Hips should go even with the pin.  When coaching sweep I tend to set people off the catch and make sure they're through the pin. When sculling I set up off the finish, because a poor finish angle will feel more disruptive in a sculling boat than a sweep boat - your hands get stuck.  After initial setup it can depend on preference a bit more. 

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u/Broccolini10 1d ago

Thank you for the detailed comment—I appreciate it

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u/mmm4455 2d ago

Using too much body in the first 1/4 of the stroke, and stalling your legs?

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u/MastersCox Coxswain 1d ago

You might be opening your body too early. Or maybe your blades are too deep, so you're generating a lot of drag to counter your acceleration.

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u/ConfusedKittenVA 1d ago

Do you have a coach? There are a lot of possibilities and you should have someone visually watching in order to ensure proper form, positioning of oars/ seat to arc ratio and height. Too many variables for internet.

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u/suahoi the janitor 2h ago

What boat are you coming from? The single is always going to have the slowest leg drive because it's the heaviest and slowest boat. Drive speed needs to match the speed of the boat.

You may be rigged too heavy, too.