The release is where rowers lose speed. A clean tap-down keeps the boat moving.

Equipment needed: Boat or erg.

Setup: Rowing at low rate.

How to run it:

  1. Take a normal stroke.
  2. At the finish, instead of feathering and recovering, press the hands DOWN to lift the blades cleanly out.
  3. THEN feather. Hands first, feather second. Two separate motions.
  4. Recover. Repeat for ten strokes.

What to look for: The blade should pop out of the water without splashing backward. If water sprays, the hands aren’t pressing down fast enough.

Variation: Exaggerate the tap-down — make the hands drop dramatically at the finish. Then dial it back to a natural motion.