Tech Tip: Relaxed Grip

by COC sculling director Sara Gronewold

Of all the technical cues one receives while sculling, it is almost impossible to make any of them happen without one crucial thing: a relaxed grip. Loose hands enable scullers to really feel what’s going on in the boat, and to subsequently correct their mistakes. Having a relaxed grip means you can correct over/under squaring, avoid rowing “over the barrel,” extract the blade cleanly, feel the “hang” on the drive, suspend one’s bodyweight and on and on. Conversely, when one’s grip is too tight, any one of these aforementioned things becomes next to impossible.   

One way to work on loosening the hands is the Push-Pull drill. While in the release position (legs straight, sitting tall, hands at the body), place the squared blades into the water and push the handles away (effectively backing), keep pushing until you’ve reached the ½ slide position. Then, without taking the blades out of the water, allow the oar handles to press gently into your fingers. If you let the handles draw your fingers away from the palms, this puts your hands into the optimal relaxed position, and you can change directions and draw the handles back to you (effectively taking a stroke). Bring the boat to a complete stop, then do it again. 

Another way is to lift the fingers off the handles during the recovery. Use the part of the hand where the palm and fingers meet to keep gentle forward pressure on the handles while you wag your fingers in the air. Then when you place the blade at the catch, just allow your fingers to come back to the blade and draw through. 

An easy way to identify whether or not you’re gripping too tight is to check your blisters! If you have blisters (or calluses) on the palms of your hands, it means you’re holding onto the handles too tightly. If, however, your blisters are on lower and mid sections of your fingers, then you’re doing a great job with a relaxed grip. 

The first few rows of the season are a great time to touch base with your grip!