Rate of striking
Encyclopedia
In rowing
, the rate of striking is the rate, in strokes per minute, at which the crew is rowing.
A rowing stroke
consists of the following phases, repeated until the race is complete:
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
, the rate of striking is the rate, in strokes per minute, at which the crew is rowing.
A rowing stroke
Anatomy of a rowing stroke
The two fundamental reference points in the anatomy of a rowing stroke are the catch where the oar blade is placed in the water, and the extraction where the oar blade is removed from the water...
consists of the following phases, repeated until the race is complete:
- Catch - the oarOarAn oar is an implement used for water-borne propulsion. Oars have a flat blade at one end. Oarsmen grasp the oar at the other end. The difference between oars and paddles are that paddles are held by the paddler, and are not connected with the vessel. Oars generally are connected to the vessel by...
is square (perpendicular to the water) and put into the water. - Drive - the rower pulls the oar, using legs, back and arms, which propels the boat forward. Note, the body of the rower is moving towards the bowBow (ship)The bow is a nautical term that refers to the forward part of the hull of a ship or boat, the point that is most forward when the vessel is underway. Both of the adjectives fore and forward mean towards the bow...
of the boat during the drive. - Release - the blade is removed from the water and feathered, making the oar parallel with the water.
- Recovery - the rower brings the oar back to the catch to start the cycle again. During the recovery, the body of the rower is moving towards the sternSternThe stern is the rear or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite of the bow, the foremost part of a ship. Originally, the term only referred to the aft port section...
of the boat.