In recent weeks I have been rowing with eyes closed and focusing on taking time to do an unhurried turnaround at the catch. The arithmetic stored in ergdata clearly shows that an unhurried turnaround results in an increase in Drive Length, a decrease in the number of strokes per minute, improvement in my split times, and all this with a drop in my level of perceived exertion. Do I need more proof that I haven’t been giving myself enough time at the catch?

Hurrying through the turnaround results in two faults: (1) rushing the slide and (2) poor blade entry.

Rushing the slide encourages a tendency to push off the stretcher before the slide is finished.

Poor blade entry encourages the tendency to start the drive before the blades are adequately immersed.

So finally I have a telling example of the oft repeated admonition, Row slow to row fast. And I also can better appreciate why rowers should think of blade entry as the end of the recovery as opposed to the beginning of the drive.

I might add that missing water at the catch should come as no surprise. On my YouTube Channel is a video documenting how much water I miss.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu64OPEstX4

So ergdata is only affirming what I have known for a long time — namely, that I tend to rush both the slide and the catch.