By Ric Ricci, COC Sculling Associate Director

I believe that what essentially differentiates a more accomplished sculler from a less accomplished sculler is that the accomplished sculler has a more refined understanding of the BASICS. Revisit the basics daily, weekly, monthly and annually. Be patient and you will realize over the course of your sculling career that you will revisit the basics periodically and will gain a fresh outlook and you will relearn in a more refined way what in the previous season you thought you had mastered. Mastery is a journey and not a destination! 

Today we are focusing on beginning your practice by establishing a mindful body position. What makes sculling so attractive is that you can experience and approach the motion from different perspectives, all of which lead you closer to the ideal!  

A good but not the only way to begin:  

• Visualize your sculling using past footage or perhaps better still watch a sculler you admire for 5-10 minutes before launching.

• Put your weight on the sit bones evenly spaced over the keel.

• Place the sculls on the water in the feathered position.  

• Hold the heel of the left hand closer to the stern, and the right hand closer to the bow. 1"-2" space between the hands- and the left scull always farther away from your body, port scull always closer. While doing this, sit evenly on the seat: feeling even pressure on your sit bones is essential.

• Let your fingers/hands REST on the sculling handles. Let the oarlocks "HOLD" the sculls.  

• Start moving slowly, do not hurry. Firm abs and lower back, visualize a long spine, low shoulders and a long neck.

• Avoid gripping the sculls. Have the thumbs touch the ends of the sculls for moment-to-moment lateral stability.

• Breathe out upon release breathe in at the catch. 

• BE PATIENT and recall the old saying from the English professional scullers of the 19th century: "no two sculling strokes are the same.”

• Strive for excellence and NOT perfection.