I am taught that “pull” means move things toward yourself and “push” means move things away from yourself.
Then I came across this.
I thought rowing would be a breeze. Then I took a seat in an eight-person boat, pulled on an oar and realized three things: I’m sitting backward, I don’t know where I’m going and I am the most uncoordinated man on Earth.
From https://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-getting-out-rowing-20151017-column.html
I am wondering when you are rowing, why you are pulling on an oar, but not pushing on an oar. Even after I have watched videoes about people rowing, I don't understand whether the oar moves toward or away from you.