his feet would brace against the bottom of the boat , his calves and thighs would contract and push his torso up and back , his arms and shoulders and chest and upper body would lean out at a steep angle toward the bow of the boat , steadily leaning away from vertical and toward horizontal , as his hands holding the oars came toward his face and under his chin , thrusting the far end of the oars submerged in the water in the opposite direction , pushing against the water and propelling the boat forward , even as he was facing the rear of the boat , looking in the direction hed just come , watching his wake .