How can I become involved in crew without any programs in my area?

Question

I would really like to become involved in crew, as in rowing. I think it would be really fulfilling for me personally to become good at it and possibly even do it in college (I am going into my junior year of high school right now). The only problem is that there are no programs around here where I could begin doing this. There are, however, a ton of lakes (I live in Southeastern Wisconsin, and there are 2 lakes in my town alone).

I'm just wondering what I can do to begin rowing around here, and if colleges would still put me on their crew team even if I had no formal experience (as in lessons or camps or participation on a team). What are some important things to do if you're going to start rowing? What are the primary muscles that should be strong if you're going to become good at crew?

Any information is helpful to me at this point in time.

Answer 1

Buy an urg.  (rowing machine)  practice like crazy and see if you can get a really got 2K time.  You could give that time to the college coach and maybe they'll want you.  But first, I would recommend getting a hold of someone knowledgeable about crew or maybe even a college coach and see what they recommend.  You have to be in really good physical condition

Answer 2

Wisconsin's universities have crews. Make a trip and talk to  a coach. Be forewarned crew coaches do prefer taller athletes, but if you make a boat go, or at least have a great erg score, you'll get a chance.  A lot of finesse with the oar.  Don't miss water, don't wash out, develop great timing.  Train with the team

College rowing pace is usually 28-36 strokes a minute.

Races are about 6-7 minutes.

Run hills, do bench rows and bench press, pull-ups, sit ups, squats. Jump squats.  Bicep curls are not quite useless but close, you row palms down.  Races will have 200 strokes or so, so its not your max strength, but high strength with high endurance.

Also do anterior shoulder pull downs and lifts.

I absolutely loved it, much to some people's disdain.  I was a 6'0" 145 lb dual lightweight and heavyweight in a small program.  No respect until folks rowed small boats with me, and found it tough to keep me from turning the boat on them.

You may have time to make weekend visits to a W college, and get some early training.

Answer 3

Hello Kevin!

It's so great that you're interested in rowing. It's a really fun sport and something you can do for the rest of your life. The simplest thing to do to get involved with rowing is to hop an on ergometer or rowing machine. They can be very expensive, so go to your local gym and see if they have one. It's also very important that you get proper instruction on how to use an erg. If you do it incorrectly, you can seriously injure your back.

If you are interested in rowing in college, it's hard to get recruited with out being part of a Junior's Crew (high school rowing team). But just because you aren't recruited as a high schooler doesn't mean you can't row! Most college rowing programs heavily recruit walk-ons (rowing is actually one of the only sports that still does this). So, when you start college, head over to the boathouse and let them know you're interested. They'll start you off with a large group of novices (first year rowers). You'll all learn together. It's a really good way to meet people and get a sense of community in your first year of college. Oh, and by the way, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has a really good rowing program. Go visit their boathouse. I'm sure one of the coaches would be glad to show you around.

To begin training to be a rower, you first need to develop a strong cardiovascular base. Start by running or cycling for at least 45 minutes at least 4 times a week. Wear a heart-rate monitor while you exercise. Heart-rate training is a really good way to monitor the progress in your cardiovascular fitness. You also need to start to develop your core muscles. Back injuries are the most common type of rowing injuries, so by strengthening your back and core muscles you can prevent yourself from suffering any serious damage.

Try visiting these websites for more info:

www.usrowing.org

www.row2k.com

Please feel free to e-mail me with any more questions you have. I will even send you personalized workouts and information about college recruitment if you'd like.