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The rowing thing
Following on from the recent thread about the cycling stereotype (the bike thing) I thought I'd ask what the rowing thing is all about. Obviously I know that both oxford and cambridge are famous for rowing for some reason (with the boat race, etc), but what exactly is it all about?
Which colleges have the most rowing activity?
What type of students row? What subjects have the most rowers? What else do rowers do with their time, are they the type of people who are in the drinking socs, etc? Or do they just row and are otherwise reclusive?
How exclusive and cliquey (sp?) is rowing, is it like with drinking socs where you kind of have to be invited? Or can anyone join in?
Do first years do much rowing? Do they have time to row?
How do you get into rowing? Does each college have it's own rowing 'club' or whatever? If I wanted to get into rowing would I need to already be in good shape?
I know I've probably asked a lot of questions here, but for some reason, even though i clearly know nothing about it, this rowing thing seems to appeal to me.
Which colleges have the most rowing activity?
What type of students row? What subjects have the most rowers? What else do rowers do with their time, are they the type of people who are in the drinking socs, etc? Or do they just row and are otherwise reclusive?
How exclusive and cliquey (sp?) is rowing, is it like with drinking socs where you kind of have to be invited? Or can anyone join in?
Do first years do much rowing? Do they have time to row?
How do you get into rowing? Does each college have it's own rowing 'club' or whatever? If I wanted to get into rowing would I need to already be in good shape?
I know I've probably asked a lot of questions here, but for some reason, even though i clearly know nothing about it, this rowing thing seems to appeal to me.
Scroll to see replies
ah, my time to shine
what exactly is it all about?
Rowing as you said has just become almost synonymous with oxbridge, my guess is due to the success of the boat race (but also bumps...see below). With so many students wanting to give it a go, every college has it's own boat club. The best of that lot, (or the most keen) can go on to one of the university clubs (CUBC = heavyweight men, CUWBC = women (i believe it incorporates both heavyweight and lightweight), CULRC = lightweight men).
The aims of the two levels are quite different. College rowers (those who row for their college) train with their college boat club, and compete against the other colleges in races on the cam. There are quite a few "head" races throughout the year (time trial's over 2.7k along the river cam in cambridge) as well as a couple of regattas (side by side knockout racing...much more exciting). But the main aim for these rowers are the 3 main races of the year, each at the ends of the three terms. Michaelmas term has Fairbairns (a 5k or so time trial on the river cam), Lent term has "Lent Bumps" and Easter term has the most prestigious "May bumps". For more information on what the bumps comprise of, see the first and third website: http://www.firstandthird.org/ (First and third is Trinity College's Boat club)
The aim for the university clubs is to beat oxford in their annual boat races (as well as win a few other things, but that's their main aim). Training is generally much much more demanding than at college level.
They all do a lot of rowing, but the bigger colleges perhaps have more "activity". These include Trinity and St Johns. Gonville and Caius currently have quite a bit of domination in men's rowing so have a lot of activity currently, but hopefully that is set to change. Jesus have now seem to have gone super keen for rowing.
Those who are willing to get up at around 6am (or earlier) to get in some rowing before lectures start (the only time you can be sure everyone is available).
Scientists seem to like rowing more than arts students. My guess is arts students like to stay in bed
The keen ones talk about rowing endlessly. Training is pretty tough for the people who are really keen. But rowing facilitates the "boatie formal swap", where you go to another college and have a formal hall with a crew from that college of the opposite sex. Hence there is plenty of opportunity to socialise.
You can take rowing to almost any level you want. The "First boat" in each college is for those who are keen, and want to train hard, and are obviously v good. They will be your colleges best boat, but will get the most glory for their efforts if they win.
You then work your way down the boats, when you get to the lower boats (i.e. 3rd or 4th boat), most people there will just be keen for a bit of rowing but only in the morning, and so dont have to do training in the evening in general).
Anyone can do rowing, the first term has lots of "novices" trying out rowing, and their are special novice races. Naturally most people have never rowed before, so really anyone can do it.
As I said, most people have never rowed before coming to cambridge. Those who have will get put in the "senior" boats for their colleges, with rowers continuing on from previous years. All the new people get put in to "novice" boats, and are taught how to row from the basics. Training in that first term is quite light, with only a 2 or 3 outings a week on average, and most novices do little to no land training. All novicing is done in VIII's (8 rowers in a boat), as is pretty much all cambridge rowing (although there is a chance to row in smaller boats later on in the year). Novices try and learn how to row before the various events that happen at the end of first term, Clare Regatta and Fairbairns being the two to work towards. Those that really liked the pain of rowing and the early mornings then continue on to the next term, or those who are lucky enough to taste victory and realise how sweet it is may be tempted to stick around and try and win some more! Those who think that's enough for them call it a day there.
In the first couple of weeks your college will organise "tubbing" sessions, where you get to go out on the river for about 15 minutes and just get a feel for rowing, and if you enjoyed you can sign up to be in a novice VIII.
No you dont. I was in terrible shape when I started rowing. The most important thing in rowing is to have the determination to push yourself to your limits, as long as you are doing that, you will get much fitter v quickly.
Joe_87
Rowing as you said has just become almost synonymous with oxbridge, my guess is due to the success of the boat race (but also bumps...see below). With so many students wanting to give it a go, every college has it's own boat club. The best of that lot, (or the most keen) can go on to one of the university clubs (CUBC = heavyweight men, CUWBC = women (i believe it incorporates both heavyweight and lightweight), CULRC = lightweight men).
The aims of the two levels are quite different. College rowers (those who row for their college) train with their college boat club, and compete against the other colleges in races on the cam. There are quite a few "head" races throughout the year (time trial's over 2.7k along the river cam in cambridge) as well as a couple of regattas (side by side knockout racing...much more exciting). But the main aim for these rowers are the 3 main races of the year, each at the ends of the three terms. Michaelmas term has Fairbairns (a 5k or so time trial on the river cam), Lent term has "Lent Bumps" and Easter term has the most prestigious "May bumps". For more information on what the bumps comprise of, see the first and third website: http://www.firstandthird.org/ (First and third is Trinity College's Boat club)
The aim for the university clubs is to beat oxford in their annual boat races (as well as win a few other things, but that's their main aim). Training is generally much much more demanding than at college level.
Which colleges have the most rowing activity?
They all do a lot of rowing, but the bigger colleges perhaps have more "activity". These include Trinity and St Johns. Gonville and Caius currently have quite a bit of domination in men's rowing so have a lot of activity currently, but hopefully that is set to change. Jesus have now seem to have gone super keen for rowing.
What type of students row?
Those who are willing to get up at around 6am (or earlier) to get in some rowing before lectures start (the only time you can be sure everyone is available).
What subjects have the most rowers?
Scientists seem to like rowing more than arts students. My guess is arts students like to stay in bed
What else do rowers do with their time
The keen ones talk about rowing endlessly. Training is pretty tough for the people who are really keen. But rowing facilitates the "boatie formal swap", where you go to another college and have a formal hall with a crew from that college of the opposite sex. Hence there is plenty of opportunity to socialise.
How exclusive and cliquey (sp?) is rowing. can anyone join in?
You can take rowing to almost any level you want. The "First boat" in each college is for those who are keen, and want to train hard, and are obviously v good. They will be your colleges best boat, but will get the most glory for their efforts if they win.
You then work your way down the boats, when you get to the lower boats (i.e. 3rd or 4th boat), most people there will just be keen for a bit of rowing but only in the morning, and so dont have to do training in the evening in general).
Anyone can do rowing, the first term has lots of "novices" trying out rowing, and their are special novice races. Naturally most people have never rowed before, so really anyone can do it.
Do first years do much rowing? Do they have time to row?
As I said, most people have never rowed before coming to cambridge. Those who have will get put in the "senior" boats for their colleges, with rowers continuing on from previous years. All the new people get put in to "novice" boats, and are taught how to row from the basics. Training in that first term is quite light, with only a 2 or 3 outings a week on average, and most novices do little to no land training. All novicing is done in VIII's (8 rowers in a boat), as is pretty much all cambridge rowing (although there is a chance to row in smaller boats later on in the year). Novices try and learn how to row before the various events that happen at the end of first term, Clare Regatta and Fairbairns being the two to work towards. Those that really liked the pain of rowing and the early mornings then continue on to the next term, or those who are lucky enough to taste victory and realise how sweet it is may be tempted to stick around and try and win some more! Those who think that's enough for them call it a day there.
How do you get into rowing? Does each college have it's own rowing 'club' or whatever?
In the first couple of weeks your college will organise "tubbing" sessions, where you get to go out on the river for about 15 minutes and just get a feel for rowing, and if you enjoyed you can sign up to be in a novice VIII.
If I wanted to get into rowing would I need to already be in good shape?
No you dont. I was in terrible shape when I started rowing. The most important thing in rowing is to have the determination to push yourself to your limits, as long as you are doing that, you will get much fitter v quickly.
sorry to cut in the middle of this highly comprehensive response...but - its a uni-wide thing, and everyone can do it if they want, and its very good fun...
Also, in the majority of colleges you can do it at highly competitive or more pleasurable levels...but mainly its the love of hitting people with other bits of wood that do it...
but, still, cycling is sooooo much better
(and seriously quicker)
Also, in the majority of colleges you can do it at highly competitive or more pleasurable levels...but mainly its the love of hitting people with other bits of wood that do it...
but, still, cycling is sooooo much better
(and seriously quicker)
I think that one of the blues boaties doesn't like me very much. He wouldn't accept that it's a bit of a waste of time to train for 8 hours a day.
MB
MB
Toscar
so im guessing that going on a rowing machine at gym before ( never again) won't help me too much then...
it probably isnt worth it unless you have a decent technique. When I was down the gym over the holiday I didn't see one person with a reasonably acceptable technique...the majority were absolutely terrible, almost made me want to cry. It isn't worth ingraining bad habits before you've even started, for most of us guys who have been rowing a couple of years we spend the majority of our time in the boat trying to get rid of bad habits, which really isn't an easy thing to do.
if you want to improve fitness in preperation for rowing, then cycle.
Toscar
so im guessing that going on a rowing machine at gym before ( never again) won't help me too much then...
it probably isnt worth it unless you have a decent technique. When I was down the gym over the holiday I didn't see one person with a reasonably acceptable technique...the majority were absolutely terrible, almost made me want to cry. It isn't worth ingraining bad habits before you've even started, for most of us guys who have been rowing a couple of years we spend the majority of our time in the boat trying to get rid of bad habits, which really isn't an easy thing to do.
if you want to improve fitness in preperation for rowing, then cycle.
Willa
it probably isnt worth it unless you have a decent technique. When I was down the gym over the holiday I didn't see one person with a reasonably acceptable technique...the majority were absolutely terrible, almost made me want to cry. It isn't worth ingraining bad habits before you've even started, for most of us guys who have been rowing a couple of years we spend the majority of our time in the boat trying to get rid of bad habits, which really isn't an easy thing to do.
if you want to improve fitness in preperation for rowing, then cycle.
if you want to improve fitness in preperation for rowing, then cycle.
I know the feeling. Howver it is intensely satisying to sit next to a massive guy who is rating 30 and heaving his way through and still get a better split time. The gym I was at had mirrors in front of the ergs and you could often see them looking over at you trying to work out what was going on.
A few weeks into last term a guy turned up in the gym at jesus when all the boaties were doing their weights circuits. He did a few stretches, got on the erg and you could hear all the weights i nthe room hit the ground hard as everyone stared at the most awful technique ever.
Having said that though whenever I;ve seen my own erg technique in a video it makes me want to cry as well
musicbloke
I think that one of the blues boaties doesn't like me very much. He wouldn't accept that it's a bit of a waste of time to train for 8 hours a day.
MB
MB
what you have to realise is what isn't a waste of time is having someone else train just as much as you at oxford, and then beat them in the race so that all their effort was a waste of time. It's quite an evil thought, but I agree with you that nobody wants to do all that training unless they are going to win. And hence it's a vicious circle, where each team trains harder and harder to try and guarentee success. Think of it like if you were up for a job against one other person, and you found out they had done 4 hours of prep work on their presentation. You know that you have to do at least that amount to stand a chance of getting the job.....so it's unlikely you're going to only do 2 hours. In fact you might do 4 and a half hours to increase your chances and make it all the worse for the other person when they dont get the job
Rowing got my father into a spot of difficulty while he was at Cambridge (Caius). He drove down the river one day, parked his car in a clearing by the river and went rowing down the Cam with his camping gear. I think he rowed for at least a day or two and camped out along the way. Anyway, he had neglected to tell anyone exactly what he was doing and when he got back to his car there were police cars around it and they were investigating to see if they could find the reason for his suicide!
Lesson to learn: If you are going rowing for a few days, tell someone unless you want a police investigation .
Lesson to learn: If you are going rowing for a few days, tell someone unless you want a police investigation
.
My guess is arts students like to stay in bed
Damn right!
Though I know of two Historian boaties... madness
And I said to Helenia that I might try coxing at some point... however, 'might' has turned into "YOU WILL GET IN THE DAMN BOAT!". But I'm not going to row.
Who do you think I am- a galley slave?
FadeToBlackout
Damn right!
Though I know of two Historian boaties... madness
And I said to Helenia that I might try coxing at some point... however, 'might' has turned into "YOU WILL GET IN THE DAMN BOAT!". But I'm not going to row.
Who do you think I am- a galley slave?
Though I know of two Historian boaties... madness
And I said to Helenia that I might try coxing at some point... however, 'might' has turned into "YOU WILL GET IN THE DAMN BOAT!". But I'm not going to row.
Who do you think I am- a galley slave?
My Dad: Stupidest sport ever, you effectively have 8 people going backwards to send one person forwards... And at really antisocial times in the morning
6ams aren't all that common, especially in novice term, as the colleges aren't allowed to row in the dark. I only did three 7.30am sessions last term out of about 40 outtings, so you don't have to be an early bird! Just make sure that the other people on your boat are all mathmos or have no work to do. Your only trouble could be if you ended up in a boat full of medics and natscis who all have practicals in the afternoon and a tonne of supervisions also all arranged for the afternoon. Having said that, the only natsci and medic rowers I know are far and away better than me. 
I only took up rowing in my second year at Cambridge after avoiding it in the first year because of the whole stereotype of it taking all your time but then gave it a go this year and really got into it and haven't looked back since! If you're 50/50 about it, give it a go at the start of term then there's nothing wrong with packing it in if it's not for you.
I guess I'll see some of you on the river!
I only took up rowing in my second year at Cambridge after avoiding it in the first year because of the whole stereotype of it taking all your time but then gave it a go this year and really got into it and haven't looked back since! If you're 50/50 about it, give it a go at the start of term then there's nothing wrong with packing it in if it's not for you.
I guess I'll see some of you on the river!
meepmeep
6ams aren't all that common, especially in novice term, as the colleges aren't allowed to row in the dark. I only did three 7.30am sessions last term out of about 40 outtings, so you don't have to be an early bird! Just make sure that the other people on your boat are all mathmos or have no work to do. Your only trouble could be if you ended up in a boat full of medics and natscis who all have practicals in the afternoon and a tonne of supervisions also all arranged for the afternoon. Having said that, the only natsci and medic rowers I know are far and away better than me.
I only took up rowing in my second year at Cambridge after avoiding it in the first year because of the whole stereotype of it taking all your time but then gave it a go this year and really got into it and haven't looked back since! If you're 50/50 about it, give it a go at the start of term then there's nothing wrong with packing it in if it's not for you.
I guess I'll see some of you on the river!
I only took up rowing in my second year at Cambridge after avoiding it in the first year because of the whole stereotype of it taking all your time but then gave it a go this year and really got into it and haven't looked back since! If you're 50/50 about it, give it a go at the start of term then there's nothing wrong with packing it in if it's not for you.
I guess I'll see some of you on the river!
Wasn't exactly hard at our college though was it, your boat had 7 mathmos right, one of mine had 5, the other 4, that was the least number of mathmos in any of the FaT novice boats I think
-----
notyourpunk
Theres not much happening at the moment, I've only seen about 4 colleges on the river (kings, darwin, caius, one or two others perhaps). When are people starting training again properly?
I was cycling along the bank for two of my serious rower mates this afternoon between 2 and half 3, and there were 3 FaT VIIIs and a pair out, several Downing boats, a couple of Peterhouse, Jesus, Caius, Sidney Sussex, LMBC, and a few more clubs I think. The clubs with the most people on the river (rowing or coxing) were FaT (29 at one point, plus 4 on the bank) and Downing.
apd35
I was cycling along the bank for two of my serious rower mates this afternoon between 2 and half 3, and there were 3 FaT VIIIs and a pair out, several Downing boats, a couple of Peterhouse, Jesus, Caius, Sidney Sussex, LMBC, and a few more clubs I think. The clubs with the most people on the river (rowing or coxing) were FaT (29 at one point, plus 4 on the bank) and Downing.
I was cycling along the bank for two of my serious rower mates this afternoon between 2 and half 3, and there were 3 FaT VIIIs and a pair out, several Downing boats, a couple of Peterhouse, Jesus, Caius, Sidney Sussex, LMBC, and a few more clubs I think. The clubs with the most people on the river (rowing or coxing) were FaT (29 at one point, plus 4 on the bank) and Downing.
Was on the river for about an hour around that time and didn't see almost any of them! Weird, must be keeping my eyes in the boat more than I thought
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