ROW ING
Stronger strokes Rowing puts a heavy load on the body, making conditioning programmes for rowers extremely important. Steph Eaves looks at the methods used by top rowing clubs worldwide
strongest, fittest athletes in
GB rowers Will Satch and George Nash
the world, thanks to training
put their training to use in London 2012
for a sport that works every muscle in the body and requires extreme stamina. However, they
are also prone to their fair share of injuries,
“The rowing ergometer is a key testing
due to intense loading on the lower back
and training tool, as it controls for many
during each stroke, and the requirement
confounding variables, allowing a more
to twist repeatedly to one side.
refined and objective approach,” says
Strength and conditioning training is an important part of keeping these athletes in top condition, helping them to win and
a spokesperson from Loughborough University’s coaching team. At Melbourne University Boat Club (MUBC)
minimising the risk of injury. At the centre of
in Australia, a training ground for Olympians,
this training is the rowing machine, or ‘erg’.
the rowing machine is used for training
“The rowing machine is the cornerstone for fitness conditioning in the British Rowing team,” says GB rower and Olympic
sessions at least three times a week in order to build athletes’ endurance and strength. “We do a lot of steady-state, low
Gold Medallist Will Satch. “Whether it’s
intensity but high volume training on the
a long, steady row for 90 minutes plus,
erg, as well as some sprint work,” says Franz
or a short higher-intensity piece, the
Imfeld, MUBC’s high performance manager.
rowing machine can’t be beaten.” Because the sport takes place on the
Cross training
© shut terstock/De an Drobot
R
owers are some of the
water, there are many variables, such as
While rowing on the water and indoors is
currents and wind, that can affect the speed
a huge part of the training programme
The rowing machine eliminates
of the boat. By using the erg, athletes and
for elite rowers, coaches stress the
on-water variables, providing a
coaches can reliably measure and compare
importance of adding some cross training
reliable measurement of progress
times, allowing progress to be tracked.
to the mix. One of the most popular
sportsmanagement.co.uk
Issue 133 september/october 2017
53