How to Get Started in Competitive Rowing

Competitive rowing is easier to enter than it looks, and the route is mostly the same wherever you live: find a club, learn to row, build fitness and enter races. This page takes you through those steps, with what to expect at each stage and the mistakes that slow people down.

Understand the disciplines

Rowing divides into sculling, where each rower has two oars, and sweep rowing, where each has one. Boats range from the single scull to the eight, and crews can be coxed or coxless. Look at sculling vs sweep rowing and rowing boat types to see which appeals. Most clubs will start you in whatever they run for novices, often small sculling boats or a mixture, and you can specialise later.

Indoor rowing is also a competitive sport in its own right, with erg races and online rankings. If you don’t live near water or can’t join a club yet, it’s a practical way to start racing. See how to do a 2k erg test to get your first benchmark.

Join a club

A club is how most people get into competitive rowing, because it provides boats, coaching, a water and crews. In the UK, British Rowing lists affiliated clubs. See our UK clubs list and reasons to join a rowing club. Visit more than one if you can, and ask:

• Do you run learn-to-row courses, and when is the next one?
• Is there a novice squad, and how many sessions a week?
• What are the costs for membership, boat fees and kit?
• Do you race, and at which kinds of event?
• Is there a masters or juniors section if that applies to you?

Pick a club with a coaching structure that matches your goals. A friendly social club suits some people. A competitive squad suits others who want to race as soon as they can.

Learn technique

Learning the stroke on an erg and with a coach on the water goes hand in hand. Get to grips with the sequence of legs, trunk and arms on the drive, and arms, trunk and legs on the recovery. Our technique hub is a good place to start, and common rowing technique faults helps you spot mistakes early.

Practise a little, often. Short erg sessions focused on technique, with a coach or a mirror, build good habits quicker than a few long sessions. Be patient: on the water, balance and blade work take weeks to settle.

Build fitness

Rowing rewards an aerobic base plus strength. A typical week might look like this:

Day	Session
Monday	Steady row, 30 to 60 minutes, easy
Tuesday	Strength training, legs and core
Wednesday	Intervals, for example 4 x 5 minutes with 2 minutes’ rest
Thursday	Rest or easy cross-training
Friday	Steady row or technique session
Saturday	Club outing or longer steady piece
Sunday	Rest

Adjust for your time and club schedule. If you’re new, your first month on the erg is a sensible start, and our training plans give structure. Benchmark with a 2k erg test, as many clubs use erg scores to pick crews. Strength training for rowing explains how to add weights without losing recovery.

Enter your first races

Your club will guide you towards suitable events. Novice races, head races and local regattas are common starting points. Head races are time trials over several kilometres, where boats start one after another and are timed. Regattas are short side-by-side sprints, usually over a fixed distance, run in heats. Entering is mostly a matter of your club entering you into a crew, and your coach will tell you what to prepare for. Ask about the race distance, the date, the boat and what time you need to be there.

Nerves are normal. Our guide to beating race nerves has practical ideas.

Costs and safety

Costs vary by club and usually include membership, boat fees, kit and possibly competition entry. Ask upfront, because some clubs include boat access in membership and others charge separately. Be sure you can swim, follow the club’s safety rules, and look at what to know before getting in a rowing boat. If you have a medical condition or injury, mention it to the coach before you start.

Common mistakes

• Doing too much too soon. Build volume gradually.
• Neglecting technique for fitness. A strong rower with poor technique goes slower and gets hurt more often.
• Skipping rest. Progress happens in recovery.
• Not asking questions. Coaches expect them, so ask.