The Ideal Rowing Figure
It is clear that the build of rowers has changed since the early days of the sport. There was nothing out of the ordinary in rowers of late, there bodies where reasonably lean and had no more height than the average man. These days though, rowing performers have more developed physiques and are generally much larger. Put simply, they have been optimised for the art of rowing; they are handpicked based on genetics and their diets and exercise routines are aimed at sculpting the perfect rowing machine. So what is the best body for a rower to own?
Height is an attribute that rowers share, most are well above average. What this essentially means is that their pull distance is more than most peoples and the forces that can be generated increase proportionally. Squats are one of the most regular exercises that rowers do in the gym and this is to work on their legs which are insanely powerful. These strong legs are the driving force of the movement and are as important in during the acceleration phase as they are throughout the race to maintain momentum. Next time you are at the Henley Regatta take a look at the legs of the rowers when they are pulling away from the start. You will see that they are bulging and generating incredible power, something that would injure the average person’s legs in seconds.
Rowers can find great strength in the back as well, this area is a key part of the movement. It is common for rowers to suffer from problems associated with poor posture but whilst they may not be great on land they are perfectly adapted to moving a rowing boat. To deal with the vast strains involved in pulling the ores through the water repeatedly, their backs are highly developed and they hold a large amount of bulk around the shoulders and torso. Surprisingly rowers have a large amount of slow-twitch fibres in their key areas as well, which is something more often linked to sportspeople who take part in longer endurance events. This means they are able to sustain their activity for longer durations and can mean the difference between first or last place in the common long races. A lot of corporate hospitality events are long distance and you’ll see these are often suited to slightly body types. However, rowers also need high-end strength for the fast and powerful movement they perform and so they can equally be found with lots of fast-twtich fibres.
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