Why Row?

Besides just being fun and an opportunity to meet a lot of nice people, rowing is good for you!

Try rowing as your primary sport or as a cross training alternative.

• Rowing exercises all of your major muscle groups

• Rowing exercises muscles through a wider range of motion than most other exercises

• Rowing provides aerobic conditioning as well as strength conditioning

• Rowing is a great calorie burner

• Rowing is a lifelong sport able to be done and enjoyed by all ages from kids to grandparents

• Rowing is a smooth motion, rhythmic and impact-free

• Rowing can be done indoors or out, on water or on land, competitively or not, intensely or easily

• Rowing is a time-efficient workout

Rowing Technique
 

In General
Always sit straight up but relaxed (not on your lower back). Move minimal (no more or less than necessary, no extra movements). Keep the stroke flat (blade just in the water, not deeper). Move the blade just free of the water in the recover. Mind the order: legs, body swing, arms (but merge so far as not to make all separate movements). Let the complete stroke
and recover flow through (do not stop or sit still). For crews: togetherness is everything.
                  Last but not least: always listen to your coach!

Step by Step

1. Catch
   Shins vertical, the back relaxed straight up. Arms stretched but active, wrists in one line with the arms. Blade almost touching the water. Quick movement, just from the shoulders. Push the blade in vertically until just covered.

2. Leg push
   Keep the arms stretched and body tilted forwards, upper body fixed. Relaxed grip, just push with the legs. No uncontrolled kick; first make sure the blade is ready, then build the pressure.

3. Body swing
   Tilt around the pelvis. Keep the back straight. Move flowingly. Maintain the pressure. Keep the stroke flat, do not lift the hands.

4. Pull
   Hands move in a straight line, keep high. Abdominals tight, back fixed, just work with the arms. Keep your head up. Keep clear of the body to make room for the outset

5. Outset
   Chin up, sit up high, do not collapse with the arms. Keep your pelvis tilted forwards and the abdominals strained. Quick movement, just from the elbows. Blade vertical, completely clear from the water. Rowing: do the outset mainly with the outer hand.

6. Stretch
   Feather the blade with a fast 'click'. Do not repack, hold the oar/scull as you were. Stretch the arms away calmly. Rowing: do the feathering mainly with the inner hand. Sculling: left hand over right hand.

Rowing Sites:
  Rowing News
  Row2k

Rowing Organizations
  RowOntario
  Rowing Canada Aviron
  FISA