A reader in Australia asks for tips to correct the left (bow side) blade going too deep during the power phase.

Firstly WHERE in the stroke does your blade go too deep? Is it at the entry, the middle or at the finish?

Oar depth is controlled by your hands and where they hold the handle of the oar. so if your blade it deep your handle is too high.

So your tasks are

1. check the rig of your boat – especially the pitch on the oarlock for both bow side and stroke side and see if they are the same.
2. Go rowing – and do this exercise. Try to row with only half each scull under the water.
   Notice what you do differently with your hands and the oar handle in order to achieve this.
3. Another exercise – row on the recovery with the oar running along the surface of the water… then square just before the catch and try to keep the oar handle at the same height as it was on the recovery. This should mean that your oar is only just under the surface of the water.

If you can do these exercises in a crew boat while others hold the boat steady for you, it helps. Also ask your coach to video you doing the drill and then also video you as you switch back to normal rowing.

If you can tell me where in the stroke cycle your blade is too deep I can give more insight.