Rowing
 

I was just wondering if anyone rowed here? :) Either on the water, on ergs or both? :)

Or if anyone watches it? :D

It is my main sport and wondered if anyone else participated in such a great (torturous) sport!

:hop:

I have never rowed in water (as I can barely swim) but I use the rowing machine at the gym, I love it, I usually do 5-6km on it. It is a good exercise.

Ive got a feeling a mod on here rows

Oly, thats quite far! :) how often do you do 5K? It is good exercise :D I die after 5K :L

Ooh Laura really?? Who? How exciting :D

I haven't been the gym a lot recently as I've been doing a lot of running up and down hills. But when it gets warmer and I can't run outside (I cannot run in the heat as my blood pressure drops when its hot), I will be doing 5km twice a week probably (on top of my personal training that I do once a week). I have done 6km twice before I think. I like the rowing machine while I'm listening to music and I also like the numbers on the display as I can work out connections between them, like time and distance --> speed.

I like rowing machines a lot :)
I like the display too as I think it's interesting to see how far you've travelled (theoretically) and all the info they provide.

The other machine I liked was one which was a cycling machine but it had a computer game built into it (i.e. you were in the game on a bike).

I did 5km in just under 28 minutes on the rowing machine today. I find that the levels of difficulty are not hard enough. I always put it on the highest level (level 10) and I still can't feel enough resistance.

I tried them rowing machines in the gym before, but i hated them so didn't use it often.

I row - both water and erg. Haven't been doing it for that long and such but that's besides the point. I would have to agree that it is definitely a good sport to be doing albeit somewhat painful!

Oly, That's quite impressive you do that twice a every week :) I only do it maybe once a week and thats only for a test! Yeah i like looking at the numbers too. I always try and reduce my split (centre number usually 2. something) but keep it constant.

Laura (?) that cycling machine sounds cool! :O ive never used one of them before.

Mike, haha rowing machines are quite hard and a little uncomfortable :)

Einmyria, How long have you been rowing? Yes it is painful! I have so mnay blisters on my hands they are destroyed! Do you compete? My hands have never been the same since starting rowing :L

Its a big deal at my uni

About 4-5 months or something, and I haven't done much in the way of competition really. I find my hands generally don't get so bad as other peoples, though they are still a bit blistered - they go through phases!
Yeah, can't say I'm overly keen on the rowing machines/ergs though. Much prefer to be on the water.
How about you - how long have you been doing it for?

Thanks. I really enjoy the rowing machine as I can "zone out".

I use the rowing machine. Either 5 x 6 minutes bursts of 35 strokes a minute or just 30 minutes straight of 30 strokes a minute, all on level ten, usually manage 6k.

But this is all in training for caneoing.

^ Canoeing sounds interesting. I hope it goes well.

It is quite a big deal at most uni's :D

Ooh that's quite a long time Einmyria :) It might take a while before you start competing, I didn't start competing properly until about 6 months after I joined a club :) Do you enjoy it? Haha its good your hands aren't that bad :D do you row more on the water than ergo's? I completely agree, water is much much better :) Oh erm i've been rowing for about 2 and a half years now :)

Canoeing sounds fun :) have you been doing it for quite a while?

How does it feel rowing in water compared to the rowing machine in the gym? I can barely swim (even though my mum put me through years of swimming lessons - I still cannot swim and probably never will be able to do so) so I don't get that opportunity to row in water.

Been doing it since I was 7 ish? but in my particular disciplin since 13.

Oly, rowing on the water is so much better than on a machine, you can feel the pull of the water more and is also easier (taking into account wind direction and tide etc) you also feel like you are actually going somewhere. Technique is also a big part when rowing in water, you feel more professional and really weird... you feel 'free'!! Sorry I love water :P Not being able to swim shouldn't stop you. When you learn to row you have to do a capsize test (you need to be able to swim) and until you do one when you are on the water you have to wear a life jacket. So if you can't swim you should just be able to always wear a life jacket. You could try and contact a local rowing club near where you live to ask about learn to row courses and explain to them how you can't swim? :) I can't see any reason why they wouldn't let you wear a life jacket :)

Oh wow that is ages! You must be amazing!! :) What made you start canoeing? :)

Edit: sorry I ask lots of questions sometimes :P

I love rowing machines and would love to join a club or something, it was my main excitement of joIning college was the rowing club but unfortunately didn't happen as I couldn't go. But im hoping to move somewhere with a rec rowing club not purely competitive. :)

I'm alright at it. I compete internationally and have medeled at u21 level.

I wouldn't have kept it up for 5 months if I didn't enjoy it! I'm glad that I took it up - it seemed an odd decision at the time - I don't think I come across as a rowing type of person. Yeah, I do more on the water, though with easter coming I'm going to have to take a water break. 2 1/2 years is a long time, you must be good!

I second the 'free' feeling of water. There's something about rowing on water that just can't be matched by an erg.

And as far as I can remember there was no requirement for us to be able to swim, they just needed to know who could/couldn't. We've never had to wear life jackets either. I guess it depends on the club?

That is a pretty good idea. I didn't know that they would let me do that even if I can't swim. Thank you.