The Fundamentals of Rowing and The Crew Team

Rowing is a challenging and unique sport. It requires absolute commitment and dedication. Whether at a high school, college or an intramural level, the crew team becomes a top priority.

Rowing is done in rivers and lakes in long narrow boats called shells. There are two types of rowing shells: fours and eights. They hold four or eight rowers and a coxswain. The coxswain steers the boat and commands the rowers. A good coxswain is more valuable than eight good rowers. Coxswains need strong leadership qualities and they need to know the sport well. They also need to be small and light as to not weigh down the boat, since a coxswain does not pull his or her weight.

Races usually go from 1500 meters to six kilometers depending on the season. Longer races usually take place in the fall and focus more on endurance. Shorter races in the spring and summer are more about pulling as hard as you can until you cross the finish line. Rowing more than any other sport combines brute strength and endurance with careful finesse. A rowing stroke requires meticulous technique. It is broken down into two main parts: the catch and the finish.

At the catch, the rower’s body is angled over his knees and pivoted over the gunnel. His knees are bent and his seat is wheeled forward. The blade of the oar is placed in the water as he prepares for the leg drive.

The finish is the end of the stroke. As the blade is pulled out of the water, the rower lays back with his arms in at his chest. His legs are straight and his seat is wheeled back.

A rower learns the fundamentals of the stroke on an erg, or rowing machine. The erg is a good way to learn how to row since it is more easily controlled than a boat on a river. It also measures the force with which you pull each stroke. It is used intensely by competitive rowing teams.

Rowing is the ultimate team sport. Every rower has to be exactly in time with each other or the boat will be unsteady. The slightest offbeat movement by one rower can offset the whole boat and slow it down. A crew learns to be in sync with one another. It is a sport in which the team is truly only as good as its weakest member.