45 Drills for Fine-Tuning Technique

As a coach, you most likely have an arsenal of technique drills that you use over and over throughout the season to help fine tune your crew's skills. Where did you learn those drills? When? In high school? Maybe in college? Or are you new to coaching and looking for some ideas? No matter how successful your shortlist of drills might be, shaking up practice by adding in a new drill can help your crew concentrate.

Drill work creates movement habits – need help finding the right drill for various segments of the stroke? Check out my big list and download the PDF. Print the two page document back-to-back and laminate it for a waterproof cheat sheet you can carry in the launch.

On any given practice day, pick one two complimentary drills that focus on a specific area that your crew needs help with. Work the drills, then follow them up with low pressure and rating rowing so the crew can implement what they've just worked on. It can be challenging for coaches to stay focused on one or two specific issues, especially with newer crews that might have a lot to learn. If your drill day is all about catches, talk about catches and associated technique, not finishes (even if those are looking rough). The idea is to draw the crew's attention to one idea and not overload them with too many mental tasks.