that a balance of slide should remain to be run out after the swing has finished than vice versá. ‘The legs can always push, and so continue the stroke, even if the body is rigid ; but the body cannot conversely do anything effective for the stroke when once the legs have run their course.
The recovery on a sliding seat is not quite the counterpart of that on a fixed seat. On the fixed seat the recovery should be the converse of the stroke : i.e. the arms, which came in latest, while the body was still swinging back, should shoot out first, while the body is beginning its return swing ; and just as the first part of the stroke was performed with straight arms and swinging body, so the last part of the recovery should disclose a similar pose of arms and body. But upon a slide there is not exactly such a transposition on the recovery of the motions which are correct for the stroke. The hands play the same part as before ; they cannot well be too lively off the chest and in extension, because the knees require more clearing on slides, and the sooner the hands are on the safe side of them the less chance is there of fouling the water on the return of the blade. But, as regards. the relations between slide and swing, these should not bear the same relation conversely which they did to each other during the stroke. The pupil was enjoined not to let his slide run ahead of his swing while rowing the stroke through ; but on the recovery he may, and should, let his slide get well ahead, and be completed before the body has attained its full reach forward, ‘The body should not wait for the swing to do its duty first, but it should begin at once to recover, though more leisurely than the legs. ‘The reasons for this arc :—
1. The pace of the slide lends impetus to the trunk, and eases the labour of the forward swing ; it transfers some of the exertion of recovering the trunk from’ the abdominal muscles, which are weak, to the flexors of legs and loins, which are much more powerful, and are better able to stand the strain.
2. The body needs some purchase upon which to depend for its recovery, and the legs can aid it in this respect much
