Well, yes and no. Although it’s easier to make a boat of ‘similar’ people work together, with good coaching and good rigging you can make height differences go away. In our novice 8 right now I’ve got a 6’2 and a 5’1. . . it’s not pretty but it works.
Assuming two people are in most all other ways similar-- weight, power output, etc-- taller is faster due to the opportunity for more leverage. Although the times are getting scary close for international lightweights (most particularly in the straight fours), heavy rowers are still faster-- and I would argue most of that is due to their increased height rather then simply more overall power, although both play a role.
With that said, one of my most effective athletes was 5’4 in a boat that ranged from 5’6 to 6’0. She was crazy, crazy fit, very flexible and raced like a demon, and was hands down the fastest athlete we had on the water. BUT-- this is the exception rather then the rule. When I recruit I don’t turn away shorter athletes because you never know who will turn out to be really fast. I go looking for the tall people because by and large they are quicker!
To the original poster-- don’t worry about your size. Just give it a go.
By the way, I’m no giant myself-- 5’11-- back in college myself & the other lightweight used to carry oars while the other six guys humped the boat up, as we weren’t doing much to help. Good times.
You can be short and be a decent US collegiate rower, but at the elite level, the physiques are pretty similar: 6’ and 74kg for the men and 5’9 59kg for the women, give or take a little. The Steve Tuckers are as rare in rowing as the Ain-Alar Juhansons are in triathlon.
You should definitly row, you will get fitter than you ever imagined. I rowed for quite a few years in England and then got into Triathlon, it will set you up really well. While I was rowing I ran a sub 3 hr marathon and only did 2 4 mile runs as my training runs. Racing in a single scull will make you mentally very tough and the ergo will teach you something about lactic acid and pain…
Well, yes and no. Although it’s easier to make a boat of ‘similar’ people work together, with good coaching and good rigging you can make height differences go away. In our novice 8 right now I’ve got a 6’2 and a 5’1. . . it’s not pretty but it works.
Assuming two people are in most all other ways similar-- weight, power output, etc-- taller is faster due to the opportunity for more leverage. Although the times are getting scary close for international lightweights (most particularly in the straight fours), heavy rowers are still faster-- and I would argue most of that is due to their increased height rather then simply more overall power, although both play a role.
With that said, one of my most effective athletes was 5’4 in a boat that ranged from 5’6 to 6’0. She was crazy, crazy fit, very flexible and raced like a demon, and was hands down the fastest athlete we had on the water. BUT-- this is the exception rather then the rule. When I recruit I don’t turn away shorter athletes because you never know who will turn out to be really fast. I go looking for the tall people because by and large they are quicker!
To the original poster-- don’t worry about your size. Just give it a go.
By the way, I’m no giant myself-- 5’11-- back in college myself & the other lightweight used to carry oars while the other six guys humped the boat up, as we weren’t doing much to help. Good times.
Sam
I didn’t say one couldn’t be short and good. Being a good rower is mostly about technique (isn’t that true about most things?). When people are young tall people frequently have more issues with coordination than shorter people but as they get older the taller people stop growing and can catch up.
so, I agree with you. Height is the key factor in rowing excellence. But, I would never turn someone away because they are short, especially if I were dealing with young people because good technique will win over physical attributes almost every time, but when technique is equal or near equal, height and power start to win.
I started tri’s when I stopped (lwt) rowing - after 12 years, I ran out of excuses to stay in school, and rowing at that level didn’t mesh with work. I actually took up triathlon because of the fit with crew: the leg action uses a lot of the same muscles you use in cycling (in fact, I bought my first bike to use for dry-land training), the upper-body component isn’t a bad match for swimming… the only catch is that it destroyed my running. I went from going sub 1:50 for 800m to being a non-runner before I finished my second year of crew, and none of the coaches were even remotely surprised. Rowing is hell on earth (water), and great because of it… athletes row, while others play games!
I’m on the other side of things. i rowed all through highschool for a very good club, and then rowed a single for my last three years of rowing with a few stints in other small boats. i am short for a rower (5’6’’ or 7’’ as a 155 ltwt), but still managed to pull (hahah) off some decent times (6:20ish for 2ks), and did well in the small boats racing people much taller. wanting to push yourself and do well will go a long way.
I have NEVER lifted for crew, in highschool or otherwise.
Interesting to see the rowers out there who have moved to triathlons. I also was a collegiate oarsman. It was my RELIGION for 4 years. But rowing is soooo tough to pursue after college…fewer clubs and tougher to participate in the sport. So…more of the same answers here…it makes you tough and disciplined and builds areobic capacity. So the answers to your questions are yes…rowing will help you.
BTW Frank Day, I rowed at the USCGA…class of 1982. We were the anti-USNA. The rest of my family (grandfather, father, older and younger bro’s) were all USNA. I went USCGA because I was smarter than they were. After that…well never mind…
All of the above is true and then some. For me, rowing was my first introduction to pain, and where I gained the ability to work through it. Because it is a team sport, there is great incentive to push yourself farther than you might on your own, lest you let the rest of the boat down (or lose your seat.) Having been pushed this hard in crew, I now find it easier to push myself to similar limits when I’m training and racing individually in triathlon.
It is also a good way to build incredible fitness without wearing out your joints the way you might if you stuck to running. Row now, and save your knees for your triathlon years.
It is indeed one of the best sports out there. Most of my best life-long friends came from rowing and there is an instant bond when you meet fellow rowers.
The reason there are so many of us in triathlon is that we miss the pain! “Head of wood. Row real good.”
Didn’t read all of the other posts, but rowing is a great sport to get you in shape yes. Lightweight rowing? not so much. Assuming you’re in a competitive program, not a club/D3 thing, it’s all about getting silly fast and getting crazy light. I raced at 140 (go 1 seat) but I’m a healthy skinny triathlete at 155. Lightweight rowing will get you to pull your ass off, love pain, and get rid ANY unnecessary muscles (think running, biking, swimming muscles). 'bout it. fun stuff though, great comraderie too.
Rowing will teach you about pain. Not how to “handle” it, but how to *embrace *it. You will yearn for the pain. You will seek it out and rejoice when you find it.
As for how it translates to triathlon, I’m pretty sure that The Sergio used to be a rower…
If you are primarily interested in rowing as a way to prevent triathlon burnout while improving your later triathlon performance, then you are better off becoming a swimmer, or runner, or cyclist @ uni, since your return to tri will have you succeeding at least in one discipline.
But: if you have a burning desire to row, then row. It’s a great sport, with lots of very dedicated people (see above posts). Many row only for a couple years of college or uni and retain very nice memories. Rowing after college is another scene altogether. If you have elite ambitions, and are small, sculling is likely to be your only place to succeed. Be prepared to build your life around rowing for a club, on their terms, owning and transporting your single, and being obligated to live only in places with good rowable water. Triathlon in this respect is much more flexible, you can pretty much train when you want, and where you want.
Since you are male, 18 and going to uni, consider also the dating scene most of the rower chicks are tall and strong. The runner girls tend to be petite.
Look, Andy, here’s the bottom line on this: If you think you will row as a lightweight, then you should stay out of rowing because lightweights have basically wrecked the sport. Because lightweights just HAD to be included in the Olympics, real rowers with the appropriate size and physical talent had events taken away from them. There was nothing stopping undersized individuals from competing with the larger folks other than the limits of their own ability other and, perhaps, a generalized inferiority complex. As a matter of fact, there have quite a few gifted but under-sized individuals who have been quite successful competing in the open categories despite a notable lack of beef.
So row if you really want to do it - but if you “go lightweight” you’re a wuss with an unjustified sense of entitlement. The grownup thing to do would be to accept your limitations in stride and pick up another sport more suited your physique.
hmmm, the dating scene. another thing to consider. there is no athletics club at the university or swimming or cycling. NZ unis are differnt to the US, in that sport competitions are not big between universities. the only event is the Uni Games and I think that has turned into a drinking festival there is nothing wrong with strong girls though. The Evers-swindel sisters aren’t bad looking
there is a kayak club, would that be more suitable? it would also open up multisport races
if i could row in a heavy weight boat, i would. I just think that they will put me in a light weight crew because of my size and inexperience. I have heard that the people who dislike lwt rowers are the hwt ones who cannot beat them. Are you in this category?
if your healthy body weight is 150-155, you’ll race at 140 or less. so the guys whose healthy bodyweight is 170, can race at 160. as I said…bow seat. point wasn’t about the numbers, was more about shedding everything other than what you need to pull.
"if i could see my women sit in front of me with their backs so strong, and the puddles of water soaring by, where every pull i try to get the puddles to be that much farther apart.
if i could sit in the boat that we split so perfectly that our bow could see the cox with every stroke.
if i could hear our coach scream from the shore “GODDAMMIT PULL THE BOAT! YOU’RE GOING TO WIN!”
if i could here the “ssssssssss” of the seat slide up to the catch, and here the slight clunk of the oars feathering in their locks.
if i could run the stadium steps to try to catch my team-mate Kelly Salchow who went on to become a 2-time olypian.
if i could have lost 10 pounds and trained just a little bit harder i would have gone on to the national camp for lightweight women’s rowing. i would trade you today to repeat that chance.
if i could just feel how amazingly painful it was to pull the erg and achieve a record breaking time, and have both the men and women pick me up off the floor and carry me all around high in the air as i was ready to puke my guts up. that is like no pain i’ve ever felt, and unless it’s for rowing, i’m not willing to go there again.
if i could once again race on The Hootch and just obliverate every crew there with my hands, legs and back screaming for mercy every pull of the oar.
if i could sit at the start, and at the gun hear our cox command, “Three Quarter, Half, Half, Three Quarter, Full!” and blow all the other boats off the line.
i yearn to be that crazed animal that foamed at the mouth in seat 5. "
Damn Kittycat - now I wish I had rowed!
Very good piece of writing there - can definately sense your passion for the sport
most of the rower chicks are tall and strong. The runner girls tend to be petite.