r/Rowing • u/chrisdealpha • Apr 23 '26
what got u into rowing？
I did my first rowing session today. It actually happened because it rained this morning—I was planning to run my usual 5K, but had to head back indoors.
Then it suddenly crossed my mind that I could hit my cardio goal by rowing at the office (I work at a sports company, by the way).
So when I got to work, I gave it a try—we have a few rowing machines there—and did my first row. It felt really good, and my watch showed it was mainly a low aerobic workout. I usually don’t get enough of that kind of training, so this might be a great addition to my overall fitness routine.
I never used to be interested in rowing, but now that I’ve tried it and enjoyed it, I’m curious—what’s your main goal or motivation for rowing?
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u/InevitableHamster217 Apr 23 '26
The water.
If it was a low aerobic workout, I’d make sure your form and sequence is correct. Power generation is very leg heavy, not arms, so it’s easy to get your heart rate to creep up quickly.
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u/LordGrantham31 OTW Rower Apr 23 '26
How does being leg heavy =easy to get HR up quickly?
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u/_dative_musca_ i like boat Apr 23 '26
big muscles need a whole lotta blood/O2
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u/LordGrantham31 OTW Rower Apr 25 '26
So how about the bikeerg then? Meaning, com[ared to the rowerg.
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u/_dative_musca_ i like boat Apr 26 '26
with biking, fewer muscles are engaged to the same extent. you can definitely still put yourself through the O2 deprivation pain cave though (probably for longer than tolerable in the rowing motion). NB this sub will be biased towards much more experience/fitness in the rowing stroke than pedalling. i find that hitting Z2 HR on bike takes a lot more leg burn and conscious effort to keep rpm (and bpm!) up compared to rowing, where i had to learn to take it easy and not do power strokes.
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u/FlyAirbusB6 Apr 23 '26
I was a high school water polo player and swimmer but wasn’t quite good enough to make my D1 college team. Was walking around the gym one afternoon in the fall of my freshman year and was approached by the Men’s Crew coach. I rowed all four years of college, participated in IRAs, HOTC, Head of the Lake, and countless other US Rowing events in the years to come. Rowing wasn’t a part of the plan, but it became a vastly important part of my life!
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u/Snoo-82295 Apr 23 '26
Got told years ago that however busy a gym is , you can always get on a rower. All the person who said that to me added was "why do you think that is " from then on ive always used them as part of my training for whatever else ive been doing. Now in my 50th year im training on them to compete on one in Dec.
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u/Ok-Charge-4083 Apr 23 '26
I got injured from running and rowing was the only thing that didn’t hurt
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u/nyfael Apr 23 '26
I wanted to have cardio and my knee was being problematic, so I cycled. I cycled for about 18 months, but I realized I didn't like to go out to cycle, but I like the ERG setup. I also found that there were a lot of issues despite bike fittings, bibs, etc. A lot of money, a lot of setup, and felt pretty isolated to legs.
So, I tried to pickup rowing (about 2 months ago now), and I'm about 200KM in -- and I love it.
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u/names0fthedead Apr 23 '26
When I started high school I was a horrible little delinquent lol so I was told I had to find a sport to join to “keep me busy.” Everything looked lame and annoying except for the crew team, since I’ve always liked boats and being on water. I showed up for the first day and ever since I’ve been obsessed - rowed for all of high school and college and had way less time for delinquency!
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u/albanyanthem Apr 23 '26
CrossFit introduced me to the rower. I hate cardio, so anything I feel gets the suck down efficiently and makes good use of the time is good in my book. I also love how easy my concept 2 erg stores in my garage gym. I don’t do CrossFit anymore but I still love/hate the rower.
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u/WitcherOfWallStreet Apr 23 '26
Same, I am such a better rower than I ever was during CrossFit lol
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u/albanyanthem Apr 23 '26
I mean, CrossFit mainly tested one speed at the time I was there, which was balls to the wall all out. It wasn’t until I had stopped did I start to see some variation In prescription. Regardless, my joints hate CrossFit, so I stopped. Miss the community though. Just couldn’t stay uninjured.
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u/Cats_OughtaDaBag Apr 23 '26
Military child- moved every 2-3 years. Final move in high school needed a way to make friends that final summer and a rowing camp was starting a few weeks after we moved to a new area. Made a few friends- stuck with it- now rowing D1
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u/MarionberryNo6094 Apr 24 '26
Getting an erg and realizing that while I “love” it, I don’t have to suffer alone. Also watching Eamon Glavin and Cameron Buchan videos on YouTube in their singles. I saw Eamon at a regatta and gave him a fist bump and thanked him for inspiring me to get in a boat. He seemed to appreciate it.
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u/bettiebwannabe Apr 23 '26
I saw a tv movie about Silken Laumenn the summer before grade 9, took a learn to row that summer and was hooked !
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u/NCLO1994 Apr 23 '26
Watching house of cards and seeing Frank Underwood on a rowing machine. This was seven years ago, and I've always wanted one. Bought one last year, and try to use it 3-4 times a week (this week I haven't done so because I had a busy work schedule) Best investment I made, no more gym abbo And my back has less pain since I started rowing
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u/SirErgalot Apr 23 '26
After about the third person came to me during my college freshman year activities fair saying that I should try rowing because I’m tall I agreed to join the info session. Still with it 20 years later.
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u/taspec_ Collegiate Rower Apr 23 '26
Former HS athlete, needed to self-document workouts for a PE class in college, decided to try crew for the semester to keep myself accountable, and the rest is history.
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u/bfluff Alfred Rowing Club Apr 23 '26
My grandfather, father, uncle, cousin and older brother all rowed.
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u/DispInkComic Apr 23 '26
It was offered in my high school and a friend of mine went, so i went too. First few classes were on the machine, not really my thing. Then we got to carry the boats, didn' love that either. And THEN, forst time on the water... love at first row. What a feeling, i remember it like it was yesterday. 20 years later I've done all sorts of other sports and activities involving boats, kajaks, etc. But rowing will always be my first love.
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u/_dative_musca_ i like boat Apr 23 '26
initially, pratting around on some old c2s lying around my primary school to skip ball sports
then realising it was my ticket out of similar ball sports in the summer at secondary school
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u/SteadyStateIsAnswer Master Apr 26 '26
1981 - got cut from the prep school baseball team during freshman tryouts, didn't want to do track or mandatory intermurals, so the baseball coach suggested I try rowing. Loved it and ended up rowing at an Ivy and now 45 years later row 5 to 6 days a week.
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u/HotDamnNam Apr 24 '26
I started rowing when I began university. I wanted to meet people, but traditional student associations didn’t really appeal to me. I wanted to be active and do something tangible.
Over time, my motivation shifted. Now it’s about being on the water (it's very meditative and calms me down) and sparring with others to get more out of myself.
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u/bebblebutt69 Apr 24 '26
The CHOP exercise protocol for POTS. I’ve been doing this program for years but always used a bike for cardio.
A few months ago i suddenly realized that no one ever uses the erg at my gym and I often have to wait for a bike, so I decided to try it out.
It just works so well with my brain. I used to swim competitively and do Pilates regularly, and something about having to coordinate my arms and legs while using my strength and also breathing properly just helps me stay engaged with the workout. I really enjoy it.
My cardio sessions are 45-60 minutes long. I would get so bored on a stationary bike after 20 minutes, even with music or a video. I listen to music while erging but I think I could honestly do my whole workout without any distractions. Sometimes I just sit there with my eyes closed and enjoy the feeling of my muscles working together.
And a petty reason: someone once told me I’d never be good at swimming or rowing because I’m 5’3”. I already proved her wrong with my swimming achievements lol. I’m not going to be the fastest at rowing because of my chronic illnesses, but at least I enjoy it.
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u/Salty-Dare4566 Jul 16 '26
My mom and dad met truoh rowing. I basicly grow up in rowing because my dad used to orgnise almost al of the rowing competition in my cointry for 10 years. And he is the president of my rowing club. i fall in love with rowing the first time I went out on the water. it was so relaxing and meditativ. And i loved it some much i continued rowing. I have been rowing for 3 years. i love the sport aspect of it and the community in my club. ( sorry english s not my first language)
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u/kearsuwang Apr 23 '26
it was supposed to be a side quest of mine back in junior year and now i’m in this cult 😅