UNI SPORT: swimming vs rowing

First of all, I'm just going to say I'm horrendously, laughably unfit and will be terrible at both :biggrin:

So I'm thinking of picking up a sport at uni- up until about year 10 I was quite sporty at school but then my friends weren't really into that and I've just kind of stopped doing anything (I still exercise I just don't do a sport per sey). I want to do something at uni to
1) avoid the freshers 14 aka the stone you out on in your first year of uni
2) meet new people outside of my course and have some down time/stress relief
I used to swim and nearly got up to competition level, but I haven't done it for a long time. I've never tried rowing, and have no idea what it's like but I love water sports and ive wanted to try it for ages.

I know they're both really good, all body workouts and I don't think I'll have time to do both, so which should I pick?
Ps please don't make any comments about losing weight through diet or gym workouts whatever, I'm not interested. I want to do something I enjoy and I'm comfortable with my current weight so im just looking to maintain

Reply 1

Lighfy

3

Original post by Louiseee_

First of all, I'm just going to say I'm horrendously, laughably unfit and will be terrible at both :biggrin:

So I'm thinking of picking up a sport at uni- up until about year 10 I was quite sporty at school but then my friends weren't really into that and I've just kind of stopped doing anything (I still exercise I just don't do a sport per sey). I want to do something at uni to
1) avoid the freshers 14 aka the stone you out on in your first year of uni
2) meet new people outside of my course and have some down time/stress relief
I used to swim and nearly got up to competition level, but I haven't done it for a long time. I've never tried rowing, and have no idea what it's like but I love water sports and ive wanted to try it for ages.

I know they're both really good, all body workouts and I don't think I'll have time to do both, so which should I pick?
Ps please don't make any comments about losing weight through diet or gym workouts whatever, I'm not interested. I want to do something I enjoy and I'm comfortable with my current weight so im just looking to maintain

Hi! I think I'm going to try out rowing when I go to Uni. Never tried it before but I think it'll be a cool experience. Plus, you're more likely to form connections with people through sports like rowing IMO (as you'll be rowing in teams.) If you've always wanted to try it, then why not try it? :smile:

Reply 2

She-Ra

Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post by Louiseee_

First of all, I'm just going to say I'm horrendously, laughably unfit and will be terrible at both :biggrin:

So I'm thinking of picking up a sport at uni- up until about year 10 I was quite sporty at school but then my friends weren't really into that and I've just kind of stopped doing anything (I still exercise I just don't do a sport per sey). I want to do something at uni to
1) avoid the freshers 14 aka the stone you out on in your first year of uni
2) meet new people outside of my course and have some down time/stress relief
I used to swim and nearly got up to competition level, but I haven't done it for a long time. I've never tried rowing, and have no idea what it's like but I love water sports and ive wanted to try it for ages.

I know they're both really good, all body workouts and I don't think I'll have time to do both, so which should I pick?
Ps please don't make any comments about losing weight through diet or gym workouts whatever, I'm not interested. I want to do something I enjoy and I'm comfortable with my current weight so im just looking to maintain

Hey

Joining a sports team was the best thing I did at uni - I loved it!

I joined the water polo team, I had only played on holiday before. I loved both the training and the social side of it, we had a lot of fun.

The swimmers were a really close team, trained hard and worked hard, I know they had a really good social schedule too. Looking back I wish I considered rowing, it's amazing for fitness and the team were incredibly close. They had a really rigorous training schedule i.e on the river at 7am on snowy mornings in winter but that was all part of the lifestyle. They also had a great social calendar.

Generally all sports teams will be present at a sports and societies fair during Freshers so go and have a chat with them. They'll also run some kind of fresher event where you can give it a go/ try out and generally get a feel for if it's something you'll like to carry on with.

I'd probably give both a go at the start and see whether you begin to prefer one of the other. It will be a fab way to meet like-minded people either way. With rowing, they're will be freshers that have always done it and people like you that have never had the opportunity so don't worry about that. Also re: your fitness. If you have swum at competition level at some point then your body will remember how to work out to it's optimum state, it's just a case of helping it remember :wink:

When I first started playing polo I was absolutely exhausted, a whole new level of fitness, but I got there in the end :smile:

Hope this helps :h:

Original post by Lighfy

Hi! I think I'm going to try out rowing when I go to Uni. Never tried it before but I think it'll be a cool experience. Plus, you're more likely to form connections with people through sports like rowing IMO (as you'll be rowing in teams.) If you've always wanted to try it, then why not try it? :smile:

That's very true and a massive bonus. Although with swimming you'll be training with the team you'll largely be focusing on your own performance.