To learn more about this series, see the areas we plan to cover, and to read Parts 1 through 5 on this topic, please visit the Youth Coaches Corner's index page. Youth coaches are more than welcome to contact row2k to get involved in future columns.

This week, Round 2 of answers we received on the subject of go-to drills, and you can read Round 1 here if you missed it.

MATT GRAU - THREE RIVERS ROWING - WOMEN'S HEAD COACH

My favorite drill is pausing.  We start each practice with a pause progression.  Usually it is release, arms + body, and half slide.  Sometimes it is release, half-hands, arms, arms + body, and half slide. 

I use this drill to teach three things.  First, each pause is accompanied with specific coaching about what position the body should be in during the pause and why.  Second, the pause builds checkpoint moments where the athletes can come together.  Finally, the pause (which we often do every other stroke) will slow the boat down and make everything that happens on the next drive a bit more obvious--which I call “tactile feedback” even though I am not certain that meets the full definition of the term.  

Charlie Butt Regatta, 2022

REBECCA NEWMAN - WILLIAMSBURG BOAT CLUB - VARSITY COACH

At a varsity level, I like the Pick Drill. This is the time that I ask rowers and coxswains to focus on why they are at practice and what they want to accomplish. It puts emphasis on the rowing stroke and ensuring we are all doing it correctly. Especially with busy HS & College students, it is the quiet time to focus in.

PARKER WASHBURN - DEERFIELD ACADEMY - WOMEN'S HEAD COACH

Legs-only with outside-hand only. Legs-only is where boat speed is generated. It is critical to accelerate the boat early in the drive phase. Connection of the oar to the water occurs primarily through the outside-hand, so I like to incorporate this into legs-only.

I will often have crews conduct drill progressions: for example, I’ll start with legs-only outside-hand only for 10 strokes, followed by legs-only with both hands for 10. The idea is to bring what the athlete feels while rowing with legs-only and outside-hand only to both hands. I’ll slowly have the crew lengthen the drive but revisit the starting drill--legs-only with outside-hand only, in this case--each time reminding them to feel the outside-hand connection while the leg drive moves the boat.

Probably more important than the specific drill conducted is providing reasons for the drill, feedback that is consistent with the drill purpose, and opportunity to revisit the drill.

Darrell Winslow Regatta, 2023

JULIAN CANHA - DC NATIONAL ROWING CLUB - HEAD COACH/DIRECTOR

I like to experiment with different drills, but one I seem to always come back to is rowing feet out. The exercise teaches the rower to end their movement to bow simultaneously with when they release the water. The drill helps rowers to sit in a stable position at the finish and to understand the relationship between the handle and the foot stretcher on the drive. I use this exercise at low rates with as much pressure as possible.

ED FELDHEIM - FAIRFIELD PREP - MEN'S HEAD COACH

We do a ton of pausing at body over.  It can be used for plenty of reasons but that is the gathering point I want my crews to use.  The boat is still accelerating to that point and I want the guys to always move there together.  You can add all the variations you want to it as well, so it's a good foundational drill that novice and varsity alike can use and continue to learn from.

Manny Flick #2, 2023

KIRSTEN PRESKENIS - FARMINGTON HS - HEAD WOMEN'S COACH

Sometimes we intentionally have the athletes do the wrong thing to demonstrate why it negatively impacts boat speed. For example, if a boat is struggling with ratio, we’ll have them rush the slide as fast as they can one pair at a time, then do a few strokes with slow, controlled legs. This shows the rest of the boat what rush feels like in contrast to a controlled slide.

DREW COMBS - LITCHFIELD HILLS ROWING CLUB - HEAD COACH

I use the Hook Catch, as a stand alone drill or as a means to enhance other drills.

At the finish tap down and then open your hands, let oar sit there in the flat palms with just a bit of downward pressure, come to the catch and then unweight the handle, hooking the fingers back onto the handle as you take the stroke. Teaches light catch, dropping it in, etc. Great add to any drill.

St Andrew's Regatta #1, 2022

CHRIS RICKARD - JACKSON/REED HS - WOMEN'S HEAD COACH

My favorite drill is something I call the “push back drill” but I’m sure it has many other names. I have half the rowers set the boat and the other half sit half slide, squared and buried. They back into the catch and then take one stroke. The focus is on letting your arms and shoulder muscles relax and allow the handle to float away from you at the catch as you start the turn with the legs.

The momentum of backing the blade helps create tension in the arms, makes the blade locked and heavy and helps athletes feel how to engage their legs first. I emphasize pushing into the catch with their arms and then pushing away with their legs. From there, I emphasize that the drill teaches them an important feeling, and every stroke they should try to replicate that feeling. The difficulty is that normal rowing doesn’t set you up for success the way the drill does. You need to stretch your arms out during the recovery the way the drill pulls them away from you, and you need to make sure you are placing the blade before you drive the legs.

Charlie Butt Regatta, 2022