One of my rowers get so much layback she looks as if she’s about to completely lay down! It’s affecting her timing with stroke seat, what would you suggest?
Tell her to stop. I know that’s the blunt and obvious answer but it really is what I say to rowers who layback like that. When they keep doing it after I’ve told them to stop I start telling them about all the ways they’re screwing up their low back (and abs, to an extent) and eventually that’s what gets them to quit. Have you talked with her outside the boat regarding her timing issues? Does she know that her timing isn’t with the rest of the boat’s? I’d tell her off the water and explain to her how her layback is playing a large part in that and ask her to work on it the next time you go out.
Her layback isn’t going to be something you’ll be able to see but you will be able to see what her timing is like. After practice talk with your coach and ask him how it looked today. Keep reminding her of both the timing and the layback. Say something to her about timing only when you notice it’s an issue but throw in a few “Jenny, sit up tall, support the stroke with the core…” calls just as a general reminder to her. This will get her thinking about it for a stroke or two and she’ll either remember to not layback too far or realize she is laying back too far and fix it by sitting up taller and only going back as far as she needs to.
One thing that my coaches do when someone has an issue like this but won’t change (or can’t tell when they’re doing it right or wrong) is that the coach will film the rower in a boat or on an erg and show the rower the video so they can see what they’re doing. I’ve had this happens to me, and it makes it much easier to understand the points the coach is trying to make if you can see what you’re doing wrong right in front of you.