The Finish

By the Watta Team · Updated

The Finish: The finish is the end position of the rowing stroke where the handle is drawn to the lower ribs, legs are flat, and the body is leaning slightly back.

What is The Finish?

The finish (also called the release or extraction) is the final moment of the drive phase, where all three power sources — legs, back, and arms — have completed their work. At the finish, the legs are fully extended, the body is leaning back to approximately the 11 o'clock position (about 15 degrees past vertical), and the handle is drawn lightly to the lower ribs or upper abdomen. The elbows should pass behind the body with the wrists flat. A clean finish sets up a smooth transition into the recovery. Common faults include pulling the handle too high (to the chest or chin), over-leaning back past 11 o'clock, gripping the handle too tightly, and lifting the shoulders. On the erg, a rushed or sloppy finish wastes energy and disrupts stroke rhythm.

How Watta Uses The Finish

Watta captures the overall stroke quality reflected in your watts and stroke rate. A clean, connected finish allows you to maintain higher power at lower stroke rates, which the Economy component of the Effort Score (10% weight) rewards as greater watts-per-stroke efficiency.

Further Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

Where should the handle be at the finish?
The handle should touch your lower ribs or upper abdomen, roughly at the bottom of your sports bra or the base of your sternum. Pulling higher wastes energy and creates tension in the shoulders and neck.
How far back should I lean at the finish?
Lean back to approximately the 11 o'clock position — about 15 degrees past vertical. Any further puts excessive strain on the lower back without adding meaningful power to the stroke.
What is a common mistake at the finish?
The most common mistake is "chicken winging" — flaring the elbows out to the sides instead of drawing them straight back past the body. This reduces power transfer and can cause shoulder impingement over time.
How does the finish connect to the recovery?
From the finish, the hands push away first (arms extend), then the body rocks forward past vertical, then the legs compress. This arms-body-legs sequence is the reverse of the drive and should be smooth and unhurried.

Related Content

The DriveThe drive is the power phase of the rowing stroke where the rower pushes with the legs, swings the back, and pulls with the arms to accelerate the flywheel.The RecoveryThe recovery is the non-power phase of the rowing stroke where the rower returns to the catch position, following an arms-back-legs sequence.The CatchThe catch is the starting position of the rowing stroke where the blade enters the water (or on the erg, where the chain becomes taut), with shins vertical and body compressed forward.LaybackLayback is the degree of backward lean of the torso at the finish of the rowing stroke, typically measured as the angle past vertical.Handle Height (Erg)Handle height refers to the vertical position of the chain and handle during the rowing stroke, which should travel in a straight horizontal path from catch to finish.Effort Score CalculatorErg Technique GuideRowing for BeginnersFor Beginners
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