Learn To Row

Rowing is a fun, challenging, rewarding sport.  It offers something for those who prefer individual sports (sculling), and those who prefer teams (crewed boats).  Rowing exercises 98% of muscles in the body.  It is a strength/endurance sport, that tends to tone a body down rather than bulk it up.  Rowing is very low-impact - you are pulling an oar against water - and is a great sport for people recovering from knee injuries.  The rowing motion is a direct push/pull action with no knee twisting.  People with existing back injuries should see their doctor before starting rowing, however rowing will strengthen back muscles and keep the spine supple.

At Carrum, we want members to participate in the sport at the level they are happy with.  We have members that train and compete four
or five nights a week, and those that do a gentle session once a week to keep the love handles down.

Cost - Learn To Row sessions are $10, and run for about 90 minutes.  Membership details are available in the Membership window.  Most of this cost goes towards our (hefty) annual insurance.

Requirements - You must be able to swim fifty (50) metres in light clothing.  In the rare event of capsizing, you must remember to stay with the boat, which will remain buoyant.  You must inform your coach of any existing injuries. 

Coaches - Our coaches are volunteers, who have rowed for a number of years.

Gear - Please bring comfortable exercise clothes, that you would jog in.  It is best not to wear baggy t-shirts, which interfere with the rowing motion.  Bring sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a large bottle of water, and a towel.  It is extremely rare for rowers to fall out of a training boat, except for single sculls, where it is extremely likely you will "catch a crab" at some stage.  In that case, bring some spare clothes.  We have showers on-site.  Perhaps one in five Learn To Row sessions are postponed due to high wind.  Conditions tend to be better on Saturday mornings.

Attitude - Come ready to make friends and learn something new.  It would help us if you have a look at the Basic Rowing page to give you an idea of what to expect.  After a couple of Learn To Rows, you will know if the sport is for you or not.  Rowing is not a simple sport, but there's nothing like the feeling of being part of a boat that's singing across the water.

Interested? - Click the button below and send your name, phone number and contact details.

Training times

A committee member will get back to you within a couple of days.  Learn to row sessions are held (roughly) every first Saturday of the month from 9 AM.

Basic Rowing

Like a lot of sports, rowing is something that only looks easy.  Those Olympians glide across the water with perfect balance, timing, and rhythm.  What they don't tell you is the countless sessions they have spent on the water, perfecting every last piece of their stroke.

But basic rowing isn't rocket science.  Pretty much everyone picks it up after one or two tries - good enough to row the length of our course and back.  Within a couple of months, you could try competing at a local regatta in the lowest "D" class.  From then on, it's a matter of progress until you take your first medal home.

Let's not bombard you with information.  Basic rowing is about picking up the major components of the stroke, then putting it all together.

Remember

Relax.  Relax, relax, relax.  Unclench those hands and shoulders.   If you are tense and nervous, not only will you not learn, your rowing will be choppy.

Pay attention.  The cox (who steers the boat) and/or coach is your eyes in the boat.  Listen to what they say.  Try to concentrate on what you are doing, and let others concentrate as well.

Legs.  Not only a classic ZZ Top song, legs are where your rowing power comes from.  At least 80% of your power comes from the legs.

Cycle.  Rowing is a repeating cycle of motion.  To make it easier to understand, we divide it into two parts: the oar in the water (drive, or stroke) and the oar out of the water (recovery).  But those two parts are still halves of the cycle.

Hands.  Your hands control the oar.  Try to push your hands out in a straight line on the recovery, and draw them towards you in a straight line on the drive.  Always, ALWAYS hold onto your oar handle on the water unless told otherwise.

Balance.  Everything you do in the boat affects the balance.  You will be surprised by how hard it is to balance the boats.  But with practice, it can be done.

Timing.  In crew rowing, you are part of a machine.  If one or more pistons (rowers) is out of time, the machine (boat) will run poorly.  Timing's really hard to get early on, but keep trying.  The stroke, who sits opposite the cox, sets the timing of the boat.  If all crew members put their oars in and out of the water at the same time, you're on the way to being good rowers.

Relax.  This is here twice for a reason.  Don't tug at the oar with all your mighty strength, and don't rush up the slide on the recovery.  Take it slow.  It takes people time to learn to row fast well.

Fun.  Geez, it's a sport.  Have a laugh.  If there's a problem, talk to a senior rower.  We've all been through it, and we want people to enjoy themselves.

Stretch.  Remember to stretch out after rowing.  There's a series of stretch diagrams on our noticeboards.