New to rowing? If you’re doing a Learn to Row course, there’s loads of new information to get to grips with. These key articles will help you get up to speed with everything you need to know about your new sport!
Jargon busting and FAQs
Learn all about the equipment you’ll be using, and parts of the boat including rigger, bow, stern – and where to find your ‘spoon’! If you hear your coaches and other rowers at your new club using jargon that you don’t understand, just ask what they mean – but you can also look these up in our handy Glossary of Rowing Terms.
Our Mythbusters unpick some of the things that people often think about rowing (including “True or false? – Rowing is all about your arms”). In case you’re wondering, here’s What to wear (you won’t need any specialist kit to get going, by the way), and we’ve got answers to other Frequently Asked Questions.
Do bring a water bottle with you to the club!
How to hold your blade/s
First things first – how to hold your blades. Whether you’re starting by sculling (with two blades – one in each hand), or rowing ‘sweep’ (one blade, held in both hands), you’ll get off to a great start if you hold them correctly.
You may find you get small blisters on your hands when you start to row. These will reduce as your skin hardens up. They’ll also be less of a problem if you keep your hands relaxed – the harder you grip, the more you’ll tend to get blisters. Here are some more blister tips.
Mobility tips for new rowers
Your top priority when you’re ‘down the club’ is learning rowing technique. But back home, you’ll find it useful to do a few exercises to get your body is ready to row. These will help you develop the mobility you need to row well and remain injury free.
