Get Better Without Taking a Stroke!   How?   Watch these videos.

Study them, and replicate the motions in the privacy of your own home. I recommend you play back at 1/2 speed. Get a very good mental picture of the stroke so that you can apply it the next time on the water.

Pay close attention to:

1. Grip on the handle
2. Arms straight early, throughout the recovery, and during drive initiation
3. Back strong and controlled into the catch
4. Blade high
5. Blade squares gradually over the last 1/8 of the recovery, with a catch on the recovery while blade drops during the square.

Thanks to Mike Farrey for providing these. (The videos take a while to load, so please be patient.)

• Video #22 - 42 seconds (50m). middle four, port
  Great example of proper blade motion into the catch.
• Video #23 - 40 seconds (50m). middle four starboard
  Pay attention to the finish position and how that lengthens the stroke at the release
• Video #24 - 12 seconds (15m). bow four starboard.
  Notice the long arms, fixed bodies into the catch.
• Video #25 - 20seconds (25m). Stern four starboard.
  Watch how body position remains fixed into the catch.
• Video #26 - 15 seconds (19m). Pick drill, starboard side.
  Backs, head,shoulders are fixed (not rocking) and arms alone are doing the work. Even at arms-only, blades are going in on the recovery…ie, the blades are constantly in motion and moving toward bow at the catch.
• Video #27 - 18 seconds. Stern pair, port side.
  Pay close attention to the blade entry coinciding with the slide reaching the stern stops… no hesitation. Also, notice the power generated at the release, with the blade buried completely during the drive. The hands are drawn into the rib cage before the recovery begins.
• Video #28 - seconds (23m). Stern, starboard side.
  Watch how the handle moves back with the slide during the drive… there is no ‘give’ in the body .