The Rowing Tutor

Nutrition

What you eat shapes how well you train, how quickly you recover and how you feel when you sit down on the erg. You don’t need a complicated diet to row well. Regular meals, enough carbohydrate for the work you are doing, enough protein to recover, and plenty of fluids will cover most rowers.

Our nutrition guides stick to practical habits: what to keep in the cupboard, how to prepare meals for a busy training week, and how to fuel long sessions and race days. We also look at popular approaches such as keto, and at what they could mean for your rowing.

Everyone’s needs differ, and these guides are general information rather than personal dietary advice. If you have a medical condition, a history of disordered eating, or you are trying to lose a lot of weight, speak to your GP or a registered dietitian first.

Best place to start

NutritionMeal Prep for RowingMeal prep for rowing in one 90-minute session: portion sums, a five-day fridge and freezer plan, and the Food Standards Agency rules for rice and leftovers.NutritionThe Importance of Hydration When RowingHydration when rowing affects pace and heat. Work out your sweat loss with a worked sum, see how much to drink before and after, and avoid overdrinking.NutritionFuelling Your Body for Long-Distance RowingWhat to eat and drink before, during and after long rows and marathon sessions, with practical tips for carbohydrate, hydration and avoiding stomach trouble.

Fuelling sessions and races

NutritionCan the Keto Diet Affect Your Rowing?What a ketogenic diet might mean for rowing performance, why carbohydrate matters for hard sessions, and why you should speak to a professional before trying it.NutritionCarb-Loading for RowersCarb-loading for rowers only pays before efforts of about 90 minutes. See the g/kg sums, a sample day, race morning timing, and why a 2k does not need it.NutritionFuelling Your Body for Long-Distance RowingWhat to eat and drink before, during and after long rows and marathon sessions, with practical tips for carbohydrate, hydration and avoiding stomach trouble.NutritionThe Importance of Hydration When RowingHydration when rowing affects pace and heat. Work out your sweat loss with a worked sum, see how much to drink before and after, and avoid overdrinking.

Everyday eating

Nutrition10 Pantry Essentials Every Rower Should HaveTen cheap cupboard staples for fuelling rowing, from oats and pasta to malt loaf and electrolyte mix, with rough carbohydrate per portion and label checks.Nutrition5 Ways to Hit Your Calorie Count as a Hard-Training RowerFive habits that help hard-training rowers eat enough: planned snacks, energy-dense add-ons, liquid calories, batch cooking, and why under-fuelling is a risk.NutritionHow Your Diet Can Affect Your Rowing Machine PerformanceHow diet affects rowing machine performance: g/kg carbohydrate and protein sums by training load, meal timing before a 2k, and a day built around an early erg.NutritionMeal Prep for RowingMeal prep for rowing in one 90-minute session: portion sums, a five-day fridge and freezer plan, and the Food Standards Agency rules for rice and leftovers.NutritionThe Connection Between Rowing Diet and Mental HealthHow your rowing diet connects to mood, energy and sleep, the warning signs of under-fuelling, and when to ask a GP or call a helpline such as Samaritans.

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