There are FOUR main movements to the rowing stroke. All four movements should be executed in a smooth, continuous, and fluid manner: Catch, Drive, Finish, and Recovery.

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The Catch:

Begins by holding the handles of the erg evenly with both hands, with the seat all the way forward so the knees are into the chest, basically a compressed position. The arms are stretched out in front and the body, make sure your arms are not stiff, and your body angle is slightly forward from the hips.

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The Drive:

Use the power of your legs, body swing, and arms pulling through to complete the drive. To begin the drive, press firmly against the foot holders until your legs are almost fully extended. The torso should then swing back to a 90-degree angle with the seat. Let the arms follow their natural line of movement as you slowly pull them toward the base of the sternum.

The drive should be 90% legs, 5% body swing (Abs), and 5% arms! 

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The Finish:

In the finish, the arms are pulled all the way into the base of the sternum with the legs fully extended and your torso leaning back slightly beyond 90 degrees.

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The Recovery:

For the recovery, extend the arms, lean forward from the hips, and bend your legs. As you do this, slide forward to start the next catch.