One of the hardest sports in existence. Everything else is just a game. Rowing is not to be confused with sculling, in which each person holds 2 sculling blades compared to just one in rowing.
Rowing is about racing, mostly over 2000 meters. Boats can range from holding one sculler, to 8 rowers and a cox. The whole aim of a good rower is to get his blade into the water, pull as hard as he can and get the blade out again. He has to do this as efficiently as possible, ensuring his energy goes into making the boat move forward rather than slowing down.
The stroke a rower takes can be divided into seperate parts:
1. Back stops, where the rower is sitting back with the blade close to his body ready to move off, with the blade turned 45 degrees in relation to the water.
2. The arms move out to full extension.
3. The body leans forward
4. The legs compress moving the body up the slide until the shins of the rower are vertical. (this is called front stops)
5. The catch, where as soon as the rower reaches front stops the blade is placed in the water and pulled as hard as the cox tells you to.
6. Reverse the steps above with the blade in the water, bringing the blade back round to the body
7. The finish, where the blade is raised out of the water and feathered to lower air resistance, ready to start another stroke.
The rowing season essentially never ends, if the weather is bad outside we do ergo's and weights in the gym. Ergos are soul destroying hateful pieces of equipment. If possible stay well away from them.
However, rowing is the most rewarding sport, i got into the first 8 at school and now we are getting ready to race at Henley Royal Regatta. :D