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Written by NinthGirl

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In my search for "the magic words" over the years, I compiled a dictionary of some of my common calls. Several coxswains contributed unknowingly through my coach or their former rowers to what I know. So here is what I have compiled. Terms are of course, often specific to the team background I have, so feel free to ask questions.

Perhaps we could compile a sort of dictionary for coxswains looking for lines to say that we could keep on coxie.com?

Catches

Catches should be early, quick, sharp, and precise. Backsplash or backing the blade in refers to a small amount of water sent up towards the bow by a blade that is catching at the right time.

"Clean release!"

"Clean finishes!"

"Don't wash out!"

"Lots of backsplash!"

"Make that blade disappear!"

"Quick/aggressive at the catch!"

"Back those blades in!"

"Backsplash!"

"Back it in!"

"Don't row it in!"

Finishes

"Quick catch!" This version is the one that was revised by my coaches for the novices on my high school team, so that's why some of the explainatory notes, if you're new, you may appreciate them. Also, feel free to add your own favorite lines.

Set

Two major things that affect keel are making sure rowers are together in the stroke (see swing for calls to achieve togetherness) and the hand levels. If the boat is towards one side, the rowers on that side should raise their hands, while the rowers on the other side lower their hands. This often helps fix the keel.

"Set it up!"

"It's on side, set it up!" - Side would be either port or starboard, whatever side it is leaning towards

"Set the keel!"

"Watch your hand levels, straight in, straight out!"

"Keep it up off side!" - Side is either port or starboard, whichever it is resting on

"Side it's not resting on strike it down at the finish."

"Side it's not resting on, lower hands at the part of stroke the boat is flopping on." - If the boat is diving towards one side at a point in the stroke, remind the rowers that their hands should be at the right level.

"Side or person don't let your hands dive at the catch!"

"Keep your hand levels consistent!"

"Find the middle ground!"

"Work together to set the boat!"

"Pull into the sternum, two inch strike down, repel parallel!"

"Keep your hands consistent!"

"Square up at the same time"

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Swing

"Move together!"

"Find that swing!"

"Seat you're early/late." - Use this judiciously. If you notice one person is consistently getting to one part of the stroke earlier or later than everyone else, and your coach has not pointed this out, let them know by telling them they are early or late, and what part of the stroke they are early or late too.

"Focus straight ahead."

"Follow the person in front of you!"

"Think of the drive as an acceleration!"

"No pauses at the catch, connected stroke!"

"Don't rush up to the catch than wait!"

"In together, out together!"

"On catch, one release"

"Synchronize with your stroke!"

"Follow stroke" - Use the name of your stroke instead of the seat number.

Ratio

Lowering the stroke rate

"Down from a rate to a rate in two, down one, down two!" - Use the rate you are at and the rate you should be at two fill in the blanks.

"Lengthen it out!"

"Think about resisting your seat on the recovery with the same muscles you drive with."

"Your wheels are inching up the track."

"Keep it long!"

"Lengthen it out together! Timing!"

When talking about lowering the rate, use a very calm, long cadence in your voice.

"Long and strong!"

"I need ratio NOW!" - note, this is best used as an "emergency" call, don't overuse it!

"Squeeze out the run!"

You may want to count the catches and the finishes in the rhythm of an appropriate stroke as set by your coach, such as "Catch-2-3-4!"

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Raising the stroke rate

"Bring it up from a rate to a rate in two, up one, up two!" - The rates are the rate you are at and the rate you need to be at.

"Hands are flying, in and away!"

"Quick hands out of the bow!"

"Snap the arms!"

"Hands away, shoulders follow!"

"Quick drive!"

"In and away!"

"Quick hands!"

"Jack it up!"

Motivation

Often, motivational calls are improvised, taken from important notes the coach has said, or things the boat learns during practice. However, here are some stock calls which can be sprinkled throughout to help you fill any verbal empty spaces during a race.

"Drive it down!"

"Stomp on those footstretchers!"

"Break your riggers!"

"Bend the oar!"

"Squeeze!"

"Jump, swing, and snap!"

"Hammer those knees!"

"Slam your knees down!"

"Jump on it!"

"Quick turn around out of the bow!"

"Make those hands fly!"

"Keep the fire!"

"Make it intense!"

"Make em cry!"

"Put the power on it!"

"Empty the tanks!"

"Send that boat!"

"Swing it and bring it!"

"Pick the boat out of the water and make it fly!"

"You're invincible!"

"Nothing to phase us!"

"Don't let em move!"

"Hold em off!"

"Reel them in!"

"We're walking like crazy!"

"Move right through them!"

"I've got seat/location, give me seat/location in number of strokes!" - Tell the crew where you are located on an opposing crew, such as you, as cox, are sitting next to their four seat, and you want to be at their two seat in five strokes. This is great motivation and also a good way to update your crew.

"Walk right through them!"

"Power it up!"

"Strike it down!"

"Strong in the legs!"

"Quick through the water!"

"Strong through the water!"

"Power on the drive!"

"Embarrass them!"

"Try to make every stroke better than the last one!"

"Make yourself stronger HERE!"

"Attack it in the front half!"

"Body angle!"

"Breath" - Especially use this when rowing up to the starting dock before a race, and also in the first 100 meters

"Hammer the legs! Explode!"

"Make it hurt!"

"Hang on it! Suspension!"

"Do it for person/etc." - For example, having your boat do something to please your coach, or calling a ten where one stroke is for every person on the boat and one is for your coach is often very effective.

"Take seat!" - Use the seat you need to get to, for example, stroke seat on the boat ahead of you.

"Get me to seat!" - Use the seat you need to get to, for example, stroke seat on the boat ahead of you.

"Keep it up! Looking good! Nice!"

"Send it!"

"Show me you want it!"

"Own it!"

"Take it here and now, make a decision!"

"Make every stroke COUNT!"

Ninthgirl