British Rowing Technique
Follow our simple technique guide below to optimise your workout.
There are two phases to the rowing stroke:
1. The Drive where you’re pushing your legs.
2. The Recovery where you move back to the start.
The Drive
The body movement sequence is – Legs, Body, Arms.
The Recovery
The body movement sequence is reversed – Arms, Body, Legs.
Remember:
The sequence is key: Legs, body, arms, arms, body, legs.
Focus on your legs – 60% of the power is from the legs, 30% body, 10% arms.
Maintain good core stability.
Want to know more?
A Good Starting Position
A good starting position in the Drive is key to pushing effectively with the legs.
Aim for:
- Loose overhand grip
- Arms straight but relaxed
- Shoulders relaxed, back and down
- Spine long and straight
- Body tipped forwards from hips
- Knees above ankles
The Drive Phase
- Keep core engaged to maintain the strong starting position
- Focus on the leg push and think about leaving the arms behind
- The Drive sequence is then:
| Legs | Body | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Push with the legs; core holding body still. | Once the legs are nearly straight, start to lean back a little. | Draw handle into body – lower rib cage. |
 |
 |
|
- Legs
- Push with the legs; core holding body still.
- Body
- Once the legs are nearly straight, start to lean back a little.
- Arms
- Draw handle into body – lower rib cage.
- There should be no movement in the back or shoulders until the legs are nearly straight i.e. do not pull with upper body before pushing with legs
- Wrists should remain straight as the handle is drawn into the body
- No need to lean back more than about 11 o’clock at the end of the drive
The Recovery Phase
- Takes you back to the start
- The sequence is the reverse of the Drive:
| Arms | Body | Legs |
|---|---|---|
| Straighten arms to move handle away from body. | Keeping legs straight, tip body forwards from hips. | Keeping body still, bend the knees and slide forwards. |
|
|
|
- Arms
- Straighten arms to move handle away from body.
- Body
- Keeping legs straight, tip body forwards from hips.
- Legs
- Keeping body still, bend the knees and slide forwards.
- It’s important to get the arms straight and body tipped forwards before bending the knees otherwise the handle has to be lifted over the knees
- The spine should be long and straight, not slumped or rounded
- The recoil on the handle at the start of the recovery can cause a loss of control and a rushing forwards up the slide. Be prepared to resist this. Ideally, the recovery should take twice as long as the explosive drive phase
