The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-04-02

rowing other than the large Essort rnert
the coach carries with him a. all times
Grabbing is about the most greivous OF
these. Many a race has been lost bv =
crab being caught at the most inoppor-
tune time. The methods Of catching a
crab are numerous, but they all can be
attributed 10 faulty rowing Will.
catching a crab is merely getting ones
oar caught in the water in such a man
ner as will not permit OF its use when
the next stroke is 10 be taken, the re-
suits from such an act are many and
full OF woe.
One Of the reasons crabs are 60 frsl
qUently caught IS that the oarsman does
not get his oar over square in the lock
before he commences his pull and tn.
moment he puts his weight on Il tn.
blade shoots deep into the water and
he is unable TO get Il out in time TO
get in With the other men when they
go for the next stroke.
This Is called knitting and is a serious
fault TO have. and yet Il is easily avoid
ed. II is only necessary 10 see that the
fat part Of the oar is against the fat
surface OF the osr-lOCk
Another method Of era bling Is 70 feEth-
er the oar under the water instead Of
taking Il out before starting the feather.
Then again II the blade is not festhered
on the recovery and a heavy wash IL
thrown UP by the men behind one, the
striking OF this wash against the blade
is liable to knock the oar from the
hands. There are numerous other meth
DDS of catching a crab, but I will not
dwell upon them at this time
Meeting the Oar.
The fault OF meeting the oar Is an
other bad one The osrsmsn. instead o.
finishing out his stroke with the back
swing. throws himself forwsrd TO meet
the oar. thereby clipping a good bit Oh
the length Of his stroke Il also looks
very bad in the boat and causes the
other men to become unsteady
have spoken Of the component parts
of 8 stroke. now for a short paragraph
on the stroke as a whole
At the command ready all. The oars
man should be Up full length on the
slide. be should reach OF ss far a. he
can without strain. and the blade should
be over and covered when the word
row" 81 given. the back should start
simults neousy with the leg drive and
the stroke pulled through. The arms are
used merely as ropes until the end Of
the slide s nearly reached. when the
srms are bent and pulled into the body
just az the last part OF the ewing 10
completed The slide, body swing and
arm motion should all finish az the same
time
The moment the hands touch the BODY,
they should be dropped down enough
to allow the car 20 come out OF the
water, the wrist should be twisted 20
feather the oar. the hands shot away
from the body and shoulders fonc~
The slide 10 then started and IN kept SLOW
Throughout the recovery.
! Just a. the hands are passing over chs
i feet the wrist should BERN 20 strsirhtsr
so that by the time the full reach 10 Al
| tanned the blade Will Be ove-, ready foi
the catch which IS made IN q cacpc
manner. the fun weight OF ths bod
| being thrown into Il right al the be
ginning and carried through % the enc
| Of the stroke. There 10 no stop at ana
time during the stroke, the catch o<in,
i made the moment the full reach 10 Sotts
and the recovery started the instant th'
/ stroke is finished
The stroke / have above described Il
what may be called the pure American
| stroke, and Is the one taught by Pa
| Dempsey, one Of the best coaches In th'
country, and Charley Courtney, the MAJ
who has done 60 much for the crew. a
| Cornell.
| While the above article may assist tn
beginner In getting acquainted With th'
\ terms and methods Of rowing, be must b.
no means expect 10 learn the gam
wholly through reading. Practical es
perience and plenty Of Il. is the onl,
| thing that will make an osrsrnsn.