rowing

webviper100 · 12-22-2006, 03:18 AM

Never thought Id be making this post! Well, I just got accepted Yale EA and have determined that I would really like to be part of the crew tradition in some capacity. I understand the limitations of about eight months, but does anyone have any ideas as to how to prepare for walk-on? My school offers no watersports whatsoever, so any input would be appreciated.

amina · 12-22-2006, 11:18 AM

You have to be in GREAT physical shape. Crew teams usually have several and hard practices.

ophiolite · 12-22-2006, 11:37 AM

I would try to do regular workouts with a rowing machine. Rowing machines are great exercise and would obviously help you out toning the correct muscle groups. You can find rowing machines at any normal fitness club.

unwritten02 · 12-22-2006, 12:42 PM

Yeah, definitely work with the rowing machines. I'd also suggest running- idk about Yale but a lot of crew teams run a decent amount at practice

"just"aMom · 12-22-2006, 01:37 PM

webviper100: my D (a freshman in college) doesn't swim well, and has never rowed, but tried out for her school's novice crew team. The week-long tryout (an hour a day) was all aerobics (endurance), and strength oriented (push-ups, pull-ups), and a 10 minute free swim with a treading water test. It was grueling, but she made it.

Currently the DAILY (6 days a week, Sunday's off) workouts (45 minutes in length) include rowing machines, weight training, running, aerobics, and daily on-the-water rowing for an additional hour (1 3/4 hours training, 6 days a week). She's up at 5:15 am, and on the water by 5:45 am, back to campus at 7 for the workout. Her first class is at 8:30.

She is dedicated and is making an amazing amount of progress considering she'd never done this before.

One thing her coach said, which I thought was interesting...she said that crew was one of the few sports a college freshman can join in on without prior experience.

If this type of workout schedule doesn't faze you, then go for it. Honestly I thought my kid was nuts, but now I salute her tenacity and drive.

Mike1717 · 12-22-2006, 03:16 PM

I havve a friend who will be rowin at yale next year as a freshman. She was recruited though. My sisther also rowed at Harvard when she went there. It is an intense sport. It is also a 20 hour per week committment. I am not sure if walking on with zero experience is possible, but if you want to go for it! I commend your ambition.

Just get in really good aerobic shape, work your legs a lot, use the erg machine a ton, and get used to being wet and cold.

barrons · 12-22-2006, 04:52 PM

Most programs take many walkons to row. The few that stick generally become very successful in life.

This is how you get started at Wisconsin which has a great rowing program with no scholarships for men. Yale is probably similar.

http://www.uwbadgers.com/sport_news/...lk_on_321.html

cameliasinensis · 12-22-2006, 05:42 PM

Thanks for posting this question; my high school doesn't have a crew team, but I'm seriously considering getting involved in college. I definitely need to get in better shape for it to be a possibility, though.

eireann · 12-24-2006, 12:45 AM

Well, I'm on a D1 college crew team. We do have a lot of walk-ons. They don't expect you to know how to row before you get there; they do a good job of building the workouts to harder levels, so you can increase the intensity. I'd actually advise running. I think if you can go in there with a good aerobic base, it would help the most. THey'll teach you the rowing part, and you'll get plenty of hard workouts, but if you're in shape from doing some kind of workout, it'll be a lot better for you. If you'd rather bike or swim or something, that'd work too.