An Introduction to Rowing

Rowing is a water-based endurance sport – considered one of the most technical and toughest sports in the world.

Rowing involves sitting in a boat and using an oar(s) to propel the boat.

River/inland rowing involves sitting on a movable seat and using the legs, back and arms to move the boat using the oars.

People row in crews or on their own.

Types of Rowing

Sweep rowing - one oar per person.

Sculling – two oars per person.

Bow-side refers to the side of the boat where the oar is out to the left (or port side) of the rower.

Stroke-side refers to the side of the boat where the oar is out the right (or starboard side) of the rower

Types of Racing Boat:

Scull/Sculler (1x)

Pair (2-), from L to R: Bow and Stroke (pair = one oar each)

Double (2x), from L to R: Bow and Stroke (double = two oars each)

Coxless Four (4-), from L to R: Bow, 2, 3, Stroke (four = one oar each)

Coxed Quad (4x+) (quad = two oars each)

Eight (8+), from L to R: Cox, Stroke, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, bow
(eight = one oar each.) (An octet = two oars each)

Categories of Racing

Junior: Junior 14 to Junior 18
Novice: beginner level (over 18)
Intermediate (usually university level)
Senior

The Racing Season

During the racing season the Coláiste Iognáid Rowing Club competes in a range of events around the country. For details of domestic races of interest for Coláiste Iognáid Rowing Club in 2010 see Current Regattas.

Rowing is broken into two seasons – head of river races and regattas.

Head of the River races:

‘Heads’ are long distance races usually ranging from 3km (~1.5 miles) up to 10km (7 miles) against the clock.
Crews are timed from start to finish and depart the starting area at timed intervals.
Head season is from October until early April and complements winter training – long distance.

Regattas:

Regattas are shorter races (500m to 2km) against other crews (2 to 6).
Regatta Season prepares crews for the Championship distance (2km) and runs from early April until July.

The National Championships are the main focus of the season. The "Champs", which Coláiste Iognáid compete in each year, are held at the Irish National Rowing Centre on Innishcarra Lake in County Cork. The format of the National Championships changed in 2010, with competitions organised over two weekends, one in July and one in September.

Training for Rowing

Rowing training is broken down into land-based and water-based training.

Land-based training:

Ergometer (a rowing machine that monitors the rower's performance – often referred to as an erg).
Circuit training, resistance training, running, swimming, etc.

Water-based training:

Technical drills.
Season-specific fitness training.

During the season, rowing is every Saturday and Sunday for everyone – rowing on other days (after school) will vary, depending on crew.

Training Gear Tips

Land training is often indoors, so shorts, t-shirt and a good pair of runners are sufficient.

Water-based training takes place in the outdoors!!

During cold weather the best advice is to wear a lot of thin layers (thermals, fleece etc) which can be removed as the rower gets warmer.
Ideally, gear should be close fitting (so the oars don't catch in it) but allow plenty of joint movement and not have any zips, pockets, etc. that can get in the way of oar movement. No jeans, woolly jumpers or any type of clothes that prohibit movement.
There are specific rowing gear manufacturers who design gear suitable for rowing – these include one-pieces, wet-tops, zephyrs, gillets etc.

Racing Gear

The club colours for Coláiste Iognáid Rowing Club are maroon, black and white.
The racing gear is specially made for the club and is usually ordered once a year.
The Irish Amateur Rowing Union (IARU) requires all competitors to wear club colours when racing.

Nutrition

Rowing is an endurance sport so there is a high volume of regular training required. Therefore, the nutritional requirements of the athletes are very important - the food pyramid for a rower can be broken down to, on average:

70% Carbohydrate (i.e. rice, pasta, brown bread) plus fruit & veg
20% Protein
10% Fat

Athletes should eat within 30 minutes of finishing exercise to help recovery (e.g. fruit, sandwich, etc.). They should not eat during the hour before training.

Hydration

The importance of hydration and keeping hydrated cannot be over-emphasised. Rowers should always have a bottle of water/sports drink (can be home-made) with them up the river.

Important rules

There are a number of rules which must be strictly adhered to in the Club by all rowers and coaches:

No person may travel in the coaching launch or cox a crew without wearing a lifejacket.
No rower is permitted to go onto the water unless accompanied by a coaching launch.

In addition:

Attendance at Regattas requires parents to help on a roster system to supervise travel. Mothers are particularly wanted to ensure girls are cared for in the event of upset or illness – and boys also need to be supervised.
Your sons and daughters above first year will travel on the School buses. First-years travel with parents, again on a roster system.

An Introduction to the Sculling Stroke

The following photos and notes are an edited extract from the British Rowing web site (britishrowing.com).

The sequence of photos shows you what you will be working toward. The photos are arranged in two phases:

The Drive Phase: Point 1 Point 2 Point 3 Point 4

The Recovery Phase: Point 5 Point 6 Point 7 Point 8

The Drive Phase

Point 1

This is the start of the drive phase of the stroke, when the blades are placed in the water (called 'the catch') and the boat is driven forward using the large muscle groups in the legs and body.

The shins are vertical, the back straight and leaning forward and the body closed up on the thighs.

All that is needed is for the hands to lift a little more in the direction of the arrow, and the blades will be fully 'locked' in the water.

Common Errors at Point 1

The seat begins to move backwards faster than the shoulders. This fault is known as 'bum shoving' and it causes the powerful leg drive to be weakened considerably.

Point 2

It is a mistake to think that rowing is pulling with the arms, but many beginners do this.

The legs should be doing most of the work here, with the arms relaxed and the back still straight and leaning forward.

The hands follow the path of the arrow parallel to the boat. The feeling should be that of hanging off the blade handles.

Common Errors at Point 2

Arms are pulling over the knees into an arc causing the blades to plunge too deep.

Point 3

Nearing the end of the drive phase the body swings back and the arms are used to maintain the momentum of the blade handles.

Common Errors at Point 3

The blade handle is pulled down (instead of along) causing the blade to lift from the water before the end of the stroke. This is called 'washing out'.

Point 4

The hands make a small tap downwards, to lift the blades clear of the water.

The legs are flat down.

The back is straight, but leaning slightly back so that the abdominal muscles feel a slight pull.

The blade handles just brush the body when the spoon end is flat on the water.

This is the end of the drive phase.

Common Errors at Point 4

The rower sits too upright and the elbows droop down - the effect is to shorten the stroke.

The rower leans too far back - which delays the recovery.

The Recovery Phase

Point 5

At the beginning of the recovery phase, the hands move down and away, following the trajectory of the arrow.

The arms move away from the body, which is balanced vertically, but the seat has not yet begun to move and the knees are still held down.

The arms, shoulders and neck are relaxed. This posture aids recovery from the exertion of the stroke, and helps to keep the boat balanced in the water.

The body then rocks over from the pelvis, with the back straight, and the knees lift, allowing the seat to move.

Common Errors at Point 5

The knees lift and get in the way of the hands, which should be moving parallel to the boat.

Point 6

Common Errors at Point 6

The hands are higher or lower than the point shown.

The body is not leaning forward at the angle shown.

The rower does not slow momentum before taking the catch.

Point 7

Common Errors at Point 7

The body is upright and the arms are not held out long enough.

Point 8

The body at this point is in the catch position, moving forward until the shins are vertical and the sequence begins again.

Common Errors at Point 8

The rower does not reach forward to get a long stroke.

The body collapses over the knees.

The shins are not vertical.

To achieve the technique illustrated in these photos requires many hours of hard work and concentration.

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