Guide for Rowing Beginners. Types, Competitions, Disciplines

How to Start Rowing

Rowing can be learned by anyone irrespective of their age, gender, or face. The easiest way to start rowing is by joining a rowing club. Interestingly, there are many rowing clubs that offer training to people who are interested in the sport.

One important thing to take note of when you start rowing is the type of strokes you would be adopting. Based on the type of strokes, rowing can be regarding as sculling or sweep. In sculling, two blades are used per person, while in sweep, a single blade is used per person.

Start Rowing

Rowing, whether it’s on the water or with indoor machines, should be done in a manner that optimizes strength, endurance, and technique. Here are a few tips for mastering rowing and also prepare you for rowing competitions.

  • Footwork first: Always ensure that you have a good footwork positioning as this would help maintain your balance, mobility, and even your strap positioning.
  • Stretch to a great catch: This is a position for people who intend to spend much time on the erg.
  • Perfecting your drive: The drive is an integral part of rowing stroke. The monitor would only respond to your spent energy when you consistently generate more length and power. This begins in the legs through which energy moves from the midfoot to the muscles of the mid back through the core.
  • Recovery: This is to ensure that you can properly time your strokes.

Types and Events

There are different types of rowing. This variation is to ensure that there is rowing for everyone. The different types range from river to ocean, touring to challenges, and fixed to sliding seat. These types are also available in different rowing competitions.

  1. Sliding Seat Rowing: This type of rowing takes place on inland and coastal waters across the country. The sliding seat rowing is what you see in rowing competitions like the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This type of rowing usually takes place in boats that are built with seats that are placed on movable runners. There are different types of sliding seat rowing boats, this include river – fine boats, and river – stable boats.
  2. Fixed Seat Rowing: This type of rowing takes place on regular and wide boats that are built with fixed seats. These boats can be rowed on different water bodies across the country. This type of rowing comes in different forms. The types of fixed seat rowing boats include Cornish Pilot Gig, Pembroke shire & Celtic, Skiff Wherry, Surfboat, Thames Skiff, St Ayles Skiff, Trinity 500, and Thames Waterman Cutter.

These two types are the main types you would see in different rowing competitions and events.

There are many types of rowing events and rowing competitions. This can be head races, tours, sprints, challenges, and side-by-side races over a 2,000m distance.

Here is an overview of the different types of rowing events where you can watch different rowing competitions.

  • Regattas: This is the most recognized rowing event. It is usually held in warmer summer months. There are different styles, distances, and sizes in regattas races. The different forms of regattas include multi-lane, side-by-side, beach sprints, coastal, surf regattas, and offshore and fixed seats.
  • Head Racing: This usually takes the form of time trials, and it is held for a more extended period compared to regattas. This is considered to be the largest rowing event in the UK.
  • Recreational Rowing/Touring: In this type of rowing event, everyone is given an opportunity to row on scenic water stretches.
  • Challenge Events: Longer courses are used in this type of rowing event
  • Fun Events: Minimal structures are committee boats are used in this type of events. This type of rowing event is also a popular event; it may be timed and, in some cases, it may include skill stations situated around the course.

World Championships and Olympics

There are different types of rowing competitions. World championships and the Olympics are examples of rowing competitions. One very popular way to place a bet on an online sports casino is through Olympic games. Today, there are many online casinos that offer different slot games and casino bonuses to their users. The slot games and casino bonus provided by online casino gives bettors an easier way to make real money for free. In addition to casino bonuses, there are other packages that online casinos provided all to ensure that you make real money online.

Doggett’s Coat and BadgeRace

Doggett race and rowing started in 1715. This race involves six apprentice watermen each of which was expected to row a distance of four miles, usually between Cadogan Pier in Chelsea and the London Bridge. This legendary race came to being from a night experience of Thomas Doggett when he came to London in 1715. On a stormy night, he was rowed to his house by a newly licensed waterman. This waterman had skills that caught the attention of Doggett, who then set rules for the race based on his experience.

After setting the rules, he decided that the winning price will be a red coat that has a silver badge on the arm. This prize still remains the same today. The race was limited to watermen who are in the first year of their apprenticeship freedom. Watermen who specialize in rowing for money do not take part in these rowing competitions.