Patience at the Catch
Charles Carroll
For some time now I have been contemplating the idea of patience at
the catch. It is an idea that was once beloved by me. Now I wonder.
Does patience have any value at all when it comes to making a good
catch?
My reason for asking this is that it seems to me implicit in the idea
of patience is the notion of awaiting an outcome. Consider, for
example, the famous refrain from "The Way and Its Power."
"The foolish man of Sung who, grieved that his crops came up slowly,
tried to help them by pulling at their stalks . . ."
Here aren't we exhorted to be patient, that is, not be unwise and give
in to our impatience and defy the natural order of thing?
Ever since I have started sculling I have heard something similar when
it comes to the catch. I have lost count of the times that I have been
advised "to be patient," to "wait for the blades to lock in before
pushing off," or "lock on," or "be fully covered," or "at the correct
depth," or "until you feel pressure against your feet from the
stretcher," or "until you feel the oar handles moving bowards."
But my recent experiments in trying to quicken force application at
the catch are causing me to rethink this whole notion of patience. I
am actually wondering if patience at the catch isn't one of the
goofiest mantras in sculling. I cannot think of any part of the
sculling stroke where patience might have less value.
Does this mean that finally I am coming around to Carl's way of
thinking, namely, that a sculler should start applying force the
instant the tips of the blades touch the water? It looks that way. And
I might even add that the last thing the sculler should do is be
patient - that is, to wait for anything. A pause will only delay the
catch and make it slow.
Be relaxed, be confident at the catch. Be smooth. But don't ever be
patient.
Of course, while I would love to read the thoughts of anyone on this
subject, I am particularly interested in reading the thoughts of
anyone who argue for the usefulness of patience at the catch. Maybe I
am missing something.
Cordially,
Charles
sully
wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> For some time now I have been contemplating the idea of patience at
> the catch. It is an idea that was once beloved by me. Now I wonder.
> Does patience have any value at all when it comes to making a good
> catch?
if you can get down to BIAC on either a wed morning or evening at 6 am
or 6 pm I'll teach you a catch drill where you can learn to catch.
come in the evening, we'll catch a beer after!
Tinus
wrote:
The catch might involve both patience and quickness*. This could
explain the term 'patience at the catch' being used in a broader
sense.
This broader sense could be technically wrong either because the term
is used as a pedagogic tool to achieve something (completely)
different or because the term has been past on from coach to rower,
and so on, until it has become misunderstood (this makes me think
about a recent post about taking proper science out of the
instructions for coaches).
* The increase of force should be very steep/quick but also correctly
timed/patient.
A different way to look at it is defining two ways of slip.
- Catch slip, the distance the blade travels between furthest point
and point of contact with water. Patience helps reducing this type of
slip. (RBN 2009-10)
- Catch slip, how quickly the force increases at the catch.
Quickness helps reducing this type of slip. (RBN 2008-02)
boatie
Phil
wrote:
Plop the blade in & pull/push hard. Not rocket science.
Phil.
Charles Carroll
> point
> and point of contact with water. Patience helps reducing this type
> of
> slip. (RBN 2009-10)
Tinus,
"Catch slip" is difficult to define. Even Kleshnev has trouble.
deciding He gives two definitions.
I need to think about this. Unfortunately, however, I also need to
pack. But I am not worried. I am sure the subject will still be around
to discuss when I return.
I think Kleshnev's main point is the advantage of quickness of force
application as early as possible in the drive. He is talking about a
"front loaded" catch. I am having a difficulty understanding how
patience might help us "front load" our catches.
Catch up with you in a couple of weeks.
Cordially,
Charles
mruscoe
> I think Kleshnev's main point is the advantage of quickness of force
> application as early as possible in the drive. He is talking about a
> "front loaded" catch. I am having a difficulty understanding how
> patience might help us "front load" our catches.
>
If you watch some of the best scullers, they can load the blade well
without seeming to do very much, and without the impression of any great
hurry. There is good timing and coordination, and quick skilful movements.
I think the point of coaching people for patience at the catch is to
turn off gross attempts to be quick, allowing people to develop more
subtle skill and feel, but it often gets misinterpreted and passed on in
a way that encourages a slow catch.
Carl Douglas
paddle marathon canoeing, as mostly seen in N. America.
The stroke tends to be short & could loosely be described as all catch.
The blade is cranked forwards on the shaft by 10+ degrees & the shaft
at the catch has ~10+ degrees of forward rake, so the blade enters
tip-forward at ~20 or so degrees to the vertical. A strong downward
drive into the water with this angled blade generates a lot of lift as
the blade descends, of which the forward component propels the boat
while the paddler pushes down against the vertical component. The speed
of the paddle's entry is determined by its angle to the water & the
speed of the boat. As full depth is reached the blade is rotated to a
more vertical attitude & drawn back, but normally only as far as the hip.
The reason for stopping at the hip is because this works best. And
that's in large part because the now-vertical blade, having no flow
along its surface, starts to stall, generating increasing amounts of
turbulence, all of which represents wasted energy. Best get on with
another stroke.
Apart from the fluid dynamics hinted at above, my point is that, in this
lift-generating entry, there is no pussyfooting or "waiting for the
blade to lock in or engage". Water unprepared for the entering blade is
as hard as brick & doesn't need you to hang around. All it requires is
that you engage swiftly, load immediately & neither backwater nor
scratch at the surface.
Cheers -
Carl
--
Carl Douglas Racing Shells -
Fine Small-Boats/AeRoWing Low-drag Riggers/Advanced Accessories
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sully
good explanation! Thanks, Carl.