The Rowing Basics
The classic sport of rowing can take place on any large body of water – examples include the ocean, lakes, or rivers. It is an extremely strenuous sport that requires a supple body and high stamina and endurance. Officially, rowers command the boat by sitting backwards, towards the stern of the boat, and using oars to create friction with the water, which propels the boat forward.
While the mere action of rowing and rowing equipment remain relatively consistent throughout the world, ways of competition can be very very different. For example, there can be endurance races, time trial races, bumps races, stake races, and the ‘side by side’ races that are demonstrated in the World Olympic games.
Furthermore, there are two forms of rowing that will be discussed below:
Sculling: In sculling each athlete holds two oars – one in their left hand, and consequently, one in their right hand. The oar in the sculler’s right hand points towards port while the oar in the sculler’s left hand points towards starboard.
Sweep (Sweep-Oar Rowing): In sweep-oar rowing, each athlete only holds one ore with both of their hands. Sweep-oar rowing can be done in pairs, fours, or eights – never an odd number.
Anatomy of Rowing a Stroke
rowing anatomy
The two most important aspects when one is using the rowing stroke are the catch and the extraction.
In the catch, the rower dips his or her oar into the water, then applies pressure to both the oar and counter-pressure to boat (with his or her legs). As the rower’s legs begin to reach their fullest extension, the rower rotates his or her torso toward the bow of the boat and then pulls ones arms towards his or her chest. It is important to note that it is bad for ones shoulders to hunch up at any point during the catch. Furthermore, at the very end of the stroke, while the oar is still in the water, ones hands slightly drop so energy is not wasted by causing the oar to splash. These key stages of rowing comprise what one would call the drive of the stroke.
After the drive, the ‘recovery stage’ begins. This stage involves removing the oar from the water, and coordinating ones body movement to move the oar to the catch. The rower pushes down on the oar handle to simply lift the blade from the water at the moment of release. Immediately following the release, the rower rotates the oar, which causes the blade of the oar to become parallel with the water. This technique is also known as ‘feathering the blade.’ While feathering the blade rowers simultaneously will push the oar handle away from their chest. Finally, the rower will then rotate his or her body forward. Continuing, as soon as the rower’s hands are past the knees, they will crunch their legs, which moves the seat towards the stern of the boat. It is important to note that the leg compression is relatively slower compared with the rest of the stroke which allows the rower to “recover” themselves, hence the term. Lastly, close to the end of the recovery, the rower will ‘square their blade.’ ‘Squaring the blade’ means rotating ones oar paddle so it is perpendicular to the water. The stroke then repeats again, beginning with the catch. When rowing in a boat with multiple people, it is necessary that each athlete act in accordance with another.
Thoughts of Breathing While Rowing
The two main schools of thought involving how to breathe while rowing include either having one’s lungs full of breath at the catch or completely empty at the catch.
Full of breath: This school of thought involves rowers inhaling during recovery while exhaling during the stroke.
The empty-lung technique involves having empty lungs during the catch. Rowers will inhale during the drive and exhale during the recovery. While different athletes prefer different methods of breathing while rowing, a scientific study showed no real benefit with either school of breathing technique.
Fitness and Health with the Row
The act of rowing works many muscles in the human body. These muscles include the quads, the biceps, the lats, glutes as well as abs. Rowers require strength and endurance. Furthermore, rowing is considered a low impact sport, and immediate injuries like sprains and twists tend to be rare. However rowing can cause repetitive stress injuries and strains that can be minimized with proper technique.
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