EPISODE · May 18, 2026 · 9 MIN
Sweep Rowing Hacks
from RowingChat · host Rebecca Caroe
Three cheap and simple hacks to help your sweep rowing. Small clever fixes to real problems that sweep rowers deal with all the time. Timestamps 00:45 What is a rowing hack? Tricks and techniques for your own rowing - a low cost, improvised fix to a persistent problem. The best hacks give you physical feedback in the moment as a constant reminder so you don't have to keep something front of mind. Moving you into unconscious competence. Learn more about unconscious competence and the 4 stage adult learning model https://fastermastersrowing.com/rowing-technique-makes-my-brain-hurt/ 02:00 Elastic band on the oar handle If your inside hand moves up and down the handle - it drifts. This affects the amount of effort / load you can put onto the oar from square off to the finish. Take an elastic band and wrap it around the oar handle so it sits on the outside of your hand next to your little finger. If the band is tight, when your hand starts to move it won't roll the elastic band - you'll feel it and realise if your hand has moved off position. If your hand goes the other way, put the elastic band next to your forefinger instead. First check you have the correct spacing between your hands first. 04:00 The coxing plank When you have someone who is too large to fit into the coxswain's seat - use the coxing plank. A plank of wood sitting across the transom / sax board of your eight. We put a sculling seat on top so it's comfortable to sit on. Put your feet into the bottom of the boat. And add a lanyard to attach to the steering wires in case the plank moved or fell off and it remained attached to the boat. The cox can then see above the heads of the athletes giving greater line of sight for coaching the crew. If your crew has to take turns steering the eight - this is the hack for you. 06:30 Wrist tape If you feather with both hands and twist your wrist to turn the oar when squaring and feathering - this is for you. The correct sweep feather action is to allow the oar handle to turn inside your hand grip for the outside hand, while only your inside hand wrist rises or lowers to turn the handle. Take a piece of tape - sellotape/scotch tape or micropore or masking tape or electrical tape. Run it from your knuckle across your wrist and to your lower forearm. The idea is that it sticks to the hairs on the back of your hand so when you turn your wrist (and you shouldn't) it pulls on the hairs. This hurts.... you feel the tape tighten and serves as a reminder not to move your wrist.
What this episode covers
Three cheap and simple hacks to help your sweep rowing. Small clever fixes to real problems that sweep rowers deal with all the time. Timestamps 00:45 What is a rowing hack? Tricks and techniques for your own rowing - a low cost, improvised fix to a persistent problem. The best hacks give you physical feedback in the moment as a constant reminder so you don't have to keep something front of mind. Moving you into unconscious competence. Learn more about unconscious competence and the 4 stage adult learning model https://fastermastersrowing.com/rowing-technique-makes-my-brain-hurt/ 02:00 Elastic band on the oar handle If your inside hand moves up and down the handle - it drifts. This affects the amount of effort / load you can put onto the oar from square off to the finish. Take an elastic band and wrap it around the oar handle so it sits on the outside of your hand next to your little finger. If the band is tight, when your hand starts to move it won't roll the elastic band - you'll feel it and realise if your hand has moved off position. If your hand goes the other way, put the elastic band next to your forefinger instead. First check you have the correct spacing between your hands first. 04:00 The coxing plank When you have someone who is too large to fit into the coxswain's seat - use the coxing plank. A plank of wood sitting across the transom / sax board of your eight. We put a sculling seat on top so it's comfortable to sit on. Put your feet into the bottom of the boat. And add a lanyard to attach to the steering wires in case the plank moved or fell off and it remained attached to the boat. The cox can then see above the heads of the athletes giving greater line of sight for coaching the crew. If your crew has to take turns steering the eight - this is the hack for you. 06:30 Wrist tape If you feather with both hands and twist your wrist to turn the oar when squaring and feathering - this is for you. The correct sweep feather action is to allow the oar handle to turn inside your hand grip for the outside hand, while only your inside hand wrist rises or lowers to turn the handle. Take a piece of tape - sellotape/scotch tape or micropore or masking tape or electrical tape. Run it from your knuckle across your wrist and to your lower forearm. The idea is that it sticks to the hairs on the back of your hand so when you turn your wrist (and you shouldn't) it pulls on the hairs. This hurts.... you feel the tape tighten and serves as a reminder not to move your wrist.
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Sweep Rowing Hacks
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