My 5 foot ten inch frame and long legs have always seemed more naturally "built" for basketball, yoga and running but I found a sport two years ago that is absolutely perfect for me at this point in my life.I'm not saying that I'm headed for the Olympics by any means, but the sport of sculling, or rowing is one which grabs you by surprise and has triggered a competitive streak I didn't know I had - ever!
Just to share something here, that may help you get engaged in a new activity and stick with it, I believe my interest in rowing is accelerating, row by row for these reasons:
1) I'm going to be turning the big five-oh 50 in October, and I started preparing for "IT" two years ago by getting into the sport of sculling. While enrolled in a learn to row program at Craftsbury Rowing Center in Vermont that summer, my husband and I started to enjoy this sport together, one that he has loved and enjoyed regularly since competing in college. We learned to row a "double" together, in the silence of the Vermont lake mornings.
Finding a new activity that we could both enjoy is still really fun for us both. We have even competed in Masters races together in a double, and found it exhilirating! Our first race together was in Derby Connecticut in June 2008, a hot steamy June day. We competed against top athletes and just really enjoyed the thrill of it all.
An added bonus, I also found out that my husband is a great coach! Unless we tried this sport together, I'm not sure I would have recognized that quality.
2) I lost 30 pounds my first year rowing by joining a nearby river club ( in Norwalk Connecticut) and learned to row with other women in my community, practicing two to four early mornings each week.
Part of the reason for weight loss is the fact that I row for at least a half hour at moderate intensity and my heart rate goes up to 150 -155-160 during that time. An hour of rowing might burn 400 - 600 calories. Compare this to yoga which burns from 150 to 400 calories an hour depending on level of intensity. While you may not participate in sports for weight loss, the "Happy Hormone" is increased and does help improve your mood. I find the effects last all day long, and improve my work productivity.
When I first started, I rowed in a "quad" where four women row together - each with two oars. With my long arms, I was frequently asked by our coach to be in the first seat which is the stroke seat. It's fun to be in the lead but it also means there is no one to follow! All the other rowers are following the stroke so you need to focus and concentrate. You also need to relax.
3) Speaking of relaxing, my yoga routine was soon replaced by rowing because in order to do well with rowing you must balance "drive" with "recovery". These two opposites work well with me, because I use yoga breathing on the recovery, and find that this breathing mechanism simply reduces the feeling of stress in my body. This is true during and after the row. I don't think you can appreciate how important recovery is in our lives today unless you start rowing. The recovery allows your body to relax and the boat "runs" underneath you, effortlessly.
At least that's the goal. Of course, all that depends on your rowing technique which I'm told is like perfecting a golf swing. But, learning to row at 48 was so much fun for me, I would recommend it to any one interested in making friends, weight management and stress management.
Doesn't that include just about anybody?
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