Recovery to Catch: How to Position Your Hands and Hold Your Oars

Charlotte Hollings shows you how to grip your oars to row for efficiency and power. Charlotte is a U.S. National Team gold medalist and the co-owner and rowing coach at Calm Waters Rowing, a rowing camp for beginning and experienced rowers alike.
This video is part of the "Introduction to Rowing Technique" series produced by Calm Waters Rowing on their private lake in Lancaster, Virginia.
www.calmwatersrowing.net

[@exploarrowing]

one of the best videos on technique for beginners out there!

[@elephante2002]

This was incredibly helpful. I have also just started sculling and after my 4th or 5th time on the water, I came off with bloody knuckles. This is great, thanks for taking the time to make this video!

[@sridhoolaskandraaj370]

I thought I was the only one

[@keanbigzy8902]

elephante2002 knuckles? What are those. I haven't had those since I started sculling.

[@sterlingforest01]

@@sridhoolaskandraaj370 i thought I was the only one [was embarrassed] :-) .. ..

[@rowingwithcalmwaters]

So glad you found the video helpful! Definitely much nicer not to scratch up your knuckles or bash your thumbs, plus you'll keep better balance. Good luck!

[@whoknows186]

this got recommended to me just after my coach was talking to me about my hand movement at the finish, great video :)

[@rppugliese]

Great video Charlotte - I keep coming back to it!

[@carenhamilton3034]

Thank you for your very clear sculling instructions. I just finished my 4th sculling class today and had bloody knuckles. Your description on how to offset the left and right hands and shoulders will help me improve.

[@dakotalake9084]

Well, two years later, are you still rowing?

[@MamaWantsWafflesHub]

@@dakotalake9084 that's a good question

[@paddlepower888]

Your technique is silk to my burlap. Thanks!

[@robertjan7580]

I envy how completely and utterly relaxed and balanced you are in the boat! You make it look so easy. Until I get in the boat and try it myself… 😢😮😅

[@marsvltor2]

Brilliant stuff!

[@ronaldocarvalho4899]

Very good !!!! I will never forget you. Thank you very much. Brasil. Ronaldo Carvalho 👏👏👏

[@TonySousa]

Muito bem explicado. How to position your hands and hold your oars - useful tutorial, thank you.

[@rppugliese]

Great video Charlotte- I review this often.

[@rowingwithcalmwaters]

Thanks Rachel!

[@hellerase]

awesome balance

[@UncleMatt08]

Thanks so much for these videos Charlotte :) Any chance you could make them HD?

[@ZZ-ih5we]

Very helpful, thank you! I’m a beginner and my first times out on the water I chopped up my right knuckles. Off-setting the hands would have… well, come in handy then! :)

[@rowingwithcalmwaters]

Glad you found the video handy 😄 Just remember that once the hands are offset, they stay that way throughout the stroke. In order to go straight, you need to have both oars going through the same length arc on the drive. Good luck!

[@craigdylan3953]

Great wrist position lesson. Personally I don't shift my shoulders bow and stern, but go over a quarter inch square and even shoulders. Personal choice.

[@ryanwdavies1]

So helpful, thank you

[@tedfinkenauer42]

Thank you

[@solome6478]

Just found this video after repeatedly ripping open my bloody knuckle. I hope to try to hang with my fingers and offset my hands slightly.

[@rowingwithcalmwaters]

Good luck, hope it helps!

[@charlottehollings6751]

Obrigado!!

[@pieterjdw]

Very relaxed posture. But I believe in the drive. first knuckle of the fingers and upper part of the hand have to make approx 90 degrees. Feathering with the fingers and not to much with the hand.

[@clarkremo]

Muito bom!

[@Mustangchef]

How many more spacers do you have under your left oar lock vs your right?

[@rowingwithcalmwaters]

You should have an equal number of spacers under each oarlock. The small differential between the height of the port and starboard oarlock is built into the rigger, unless you have a particularly old boat. Hope that helps.

[@Mustangchef]

@@rowingwithcalmwaters Rowing a 2015 hudson sp I ‘ll measure the difference of the rigger. I see Crocker set his oar locks from 10 to 25 cm difference. Thanks btw, ran in to a more mature couple at a regatta in N. Michigan a year or so ago, they said they went to your camp or something like that.? Said you were wonderful. Thanks again.

[@Mustangchef]

Holy cow there is just over a 1/4 inch difference . You were right . is a quarter inch enough?

[@rowingwithcalmwaters]

I can't say I measure the difference, I just know its built in and that I prefer a minimal amount of difference. If it doesn't feel right to you, you can try adding a spacer, see how that works. Good luck!

[@Mustangchef]

@@rowingwithcalmwaters I zero’d it out on both sides and went for row. WOW , Thank You . I know food if you ever have any questions.

[@drmattoso1]

REMAR OBSERVANDO A POSIÇÃO DAS MÃOS

[@angelar8764]

Did she just claim how slight thumb press will take the oars/the blades out the water n rotate them? Can you somehow elaborate it a bit more?

[@rowingwithcalmwaters]

Use the thumbs at the release to help feather the oar - some wrist, some fingers, some thumb. Your grip needs to be loose to allow the thumb to help feather by pushing against the lower outside edge of the grip. Much easier to demonstrate than explain...

[@frostfox1208]

This is really interesting

[@Partakular]

so, how do i stop my ass hurting after 3 hours in a 4 man boat