Congrats Sophie Balmary

[[old] samdkrc]

<!--QuoteBegin-Xeno+Dec 22 2005, 06:24 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Xeno @ Dec 22 2005, 06:24 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I am certain that a top of the line NBA basket ball player could dwarf any concept2 world record.<br />I am thinking of S H A Q.... or any other MVP.  Sorry to burst our bubble.  Maybe I am wrong... <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />I'd have to agree, being 7'1'' could give him a ''slight'' advantage, he's also a ''bit'' heavier than most water rowers, not so useful on the water but a different matter entirely on the erg...<br />Should also be fairly athletic after years of basketball...<br />How about Nikolai Valuev, the boxer? 22stone and 7'2'' apparently

[[old] ranger]

But Shaq in a 1x might be a different matter.<br /><br />Ergs don't float but neither does Shaq in a 1x!<br /><br />ranger

[[old] NavigationHazard]

Dirk Nowitzki rows as part of his off-season training, although I'm not entirely sure what he uses for a boat.<br /><br />See <a href='http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 58325.html' target='_blank'>Dallas newspaper story on Nowitzki.</a><br /><br />Somewhere I think I've even seen a photo of him in a single, although it may have been a publicity shot. If the shell is custom-built, rather than off-the-shelf, there's no reason why Shaq and other NBA big men couldn't row one.<br /><br />Xeno, I actually have my doubts that NBA centers would 'demolish' erging records. It's not only about strength and lever length and explosiveness, it's about endurance and repetitive motion and technical efficiency and willpower. Granting that Shaq is a very fit big man, you generally don't see him leading the fast break play after play. Neither is he typically the first one back on defense. And granting his extraordinary coordination for someone his size, his experience shooting free throws suggests that stringing together technically proficient strokes might be a problem....<br /><br />In my opinion, guys like Waddell and Karpinnen are plenty big and in their prime probably just as fit and strong as anyone in the NBA. And I guarantee you that world-class rowers like them will have far higher tolerances for muscle pain than any NBA guy who just sits down on a C2.<br /><br />

[[old] ranger]

<!--QuoteBegin--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Dirk Nowitzki rows </td></tr></table><br /><br />Nowitzki and Shaq have pretty different builds, no? <br /><br />Shaq weighs, what, 350 lbs.?<br /><br />ranger

[[old] Xeno]

Giving SHAQ a little coaching would be fair. Forget about water rowing. Already lightweight rowers are showing that they are the most efficient rowers in comparison to the heavy ones. <br />Rowing on the water is a completely different matter when you are really large.<br />XENO

[[old] JohnBOve]

"In my opinion, guys like Waddell and Karpinnen are plenty big and in their prime probably just as fit and strong as anyone in the NBA. And I guarantee you that world-class rowers like them will have far higher tolerances for muscle pain than any NBA guy who just sits down on a C2."<br /><br />I don't think Shaq is necessarily the best example of someone from the NBA doing a 2000, although I'd certainly like to see hm on an erg.<br /><br />But I think that, given the much broader pool of athletic talent in the league, or in the NFL, any number of those guys would prove very formidable. <br /><br />Kenyon Martin? Tim Duncan? Jeremy Shockey? Terrell Owens?

[[old] TomR/the elder]

While many NBA and NFL players are studs, would they fare well on the erg over a full 2k?<br /><br />If what Stephen Seiler says is true, world class rowers muscle composition is disproportionately slow twitch. I assume an uncommonly fast runner or explosive jumper is going to have muscle that is disproportiionately fast twich. How is he going to fare in minutes 4 and 5 on the machine of a 2k race?<br /><br />I don't know the answer, but in using the term "sprint" for a 2k, we misrepresent it. No one would call a mile run a sprint, yet it takes 50% less time than a so-called sprint on the erg.<br /><br />It's not clear to me that stars from other sports would blow away rowing's best, but it would be fun to watch them try.<br /><br />Tom

[[old] hjs]

<!--QuoteBegin-TomR/the elder+Dec 22 2005, 04:07 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(TomR/the elder @ Dec 22 2005, 04:07 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->While many NBA and NFL players are studs, would they fare well on the erg over a full 2k?<br /><br />If what Stephen Seiler says is true, world class rowers muscle composition is disproportionately slow twitch. I assume an uncommonly fast runner or explosive jumper is going to have muscle that is disproportiionately fast twich. How is he going to fare in minutes 4 and 5 on the machine of a 2k race?<br /><br />I don't know the answer, but in using the term "sprint" for a 2k, we misrepresent it. No one would call a mile run a sprint, yet it takes 50% less time than a so-called sprint on the erg.<br /><br />It's not clear to me that stars from other sports would blow away rowing's best, but it would be fun to watch them try.<br /><br />Tom <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />absolutely true. A 2 k row has nothing to do with sprinting. Pure sprinting is no more than 1 min max, and at full blast is 1 min way to long. <br />Try for instance to jumpsquat at max hight for 1 min than you will know.<br /><br />Even de 100 m dash at track and field is to long, a real top sprinter slows down in the later stages. Topspeed mostly at 60/75 meter.

[[old] JohnBOve]

<!--QuoteBegin-hjs+Dec 22 2005, 11:34 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(hjs @ Dec 22 2005, 11:34 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-TomR/the elder+Dec 22 2005, 04:07 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(TomR/the elder @ Dec 22 2005, 04:07 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->While many NBA and NFL players are studs, would they fare well on the erg over a full 2k?<br /><br />If what Stephen Seiler says is true, world class rowers muscle composition is disproportionately slow twitch. I assume an uncommonly fast runner or explosive jumper is going to have muscle that is disproportiionately fast twich. How is he going to fare in minutes 4 and 5 on the machine of a 2k race?<br /><br />I don't know the answer, but in using the term "sprint" for a 2k, we misrepresent it. No one would call a mile run a sprint, yet it takes 50% less time than a so-called sprint on the erg.<br /><br />It's not clear to me that stars from other sports would blow away rowing's best, but it would be fun to watch them try.<br /><br />Tom <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />absolutely true. A 2 k row has nothing to do with sprinting. Pure sprinting is no more than 1 min max, and at full blast is 1 min way to long. <br />Try for instance to jumpsquat at max hight for 1 min than you will know.<br /><br />Even de 100 m dash at track and field is to long, a real top sprinter slows down in the later stages. Topspeed mostly at 60/75 meter. <br /> </td></tr></table><br />

[[old] JohnBOve]

<<absolutely true. A 2 k row has nothing to do with sprinting. Pure sprinting is no more than 1 min max, and at full blast is 1 min way to long. >><br /><br />A basketball player or, say, a tight end, isn't a sprinter. These are large, powerful, fit, quick, and very coordinated athletes who have risen to the top large and very competitive groups. I see little reason to think they wouldn't have risen to the top as rowers, had that been their choice.

[[old] JohnBOve]

<<It's not clear to me that stars from other sports would blow away rowing's best, but it would be fun to watch them try.>><br /><br />It's worth mentioning, I think, that every year many of the best rowers in the US come out of the ivy league, where getting to the top means ruthless competition against other former prep schoolers who took up rowing at Andover because they couldn't dribble a basketball or because it would look good on their applications.

[[old] TomR/the elder]

What is basketball or football if not a bunch of sprints and explosive leaps or brief Sumolike encounters followed by a short recovery? It might be that someone like Tony Gonzalez--a basketball player turned tight end--would be a great erger, but I wonder whether the physical gifts (and psychological make-up) that make one good at basketball or football are the same gifts that are ideal for rowing. <br /><br />Perhaps I put too much emphasis on inherent physiology. Said differently, I'm not convinced an individual's predominant muscle composition is a "little reason," (but I'm no expert). Simply saying someone is quick, fit, and successful at a competitive sport doesn't mean he (or she) will be equally successful at an endurance event. Or just because someone can dribble a basketball doesn't mean he or she will be a better rower than someone who cannot. One requires physical co-ordination but little endurance, the other requires endurance but less co-ordination.<br /><br />I have noticed that many of the successful late-comers to the erg have been distance runners. <br /><br />Tom

[[old] PaulS]

Back in University I was in a fitness class with many of the "real jocks" and they were never particularly impressive ragarding endurance. The one that really stands out was a NFL draft choice linebacker that had the unfortunate postition of observing my VO2Max test and being next in line. I have a strong stomach, but had to leave the room as he pushed for about half the time I had just done in front of him and he took as some sort of personal goal to match. This was being done on a cycle ergometer so not either of our primary activities.

[[old] cbrock]

I have noticed that many of the successful late-comers to the erg have been distance runners. <br /><br />Tom <br />[/quote]<br /><br />And will continue to be albeit in the LIGHTWEIGHT division.<br /><br />Perhaps we should have an openweight combined 2k Run & 2k Ergo<br /><br />I know which group I would back and it sure wouldn't be the Ergo heavyweights. <br /><br />But then that would be unfair on those heavy guys.<br /><br />But if we are seeking to demonstrate who would be the superior athlete!<br /><br />ChrisB<br /><br /><br /><br />

[[old] FrancoisA]

<!--QuoteBegin-TomR/the elder+Dec 22 2005, 06:33 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(TomR/the elder @ Dec 22 2005, 06:33 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I have noticed that many of the successful late-comers to the erg have been distance runners.  <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Also, some good rowers were competitive swimmers when younger.<br />This summer at our local rowing club, the fastest two girls of all the rowing camps were competitive swimmers. I had a chance to discuss with several coaches and they are unanimous in considering swimming and x-country skiing the two best cross-training activities for rowers, far better than running. <br />Coming from a swimming background, and having been a descent runner and triathlete, I find swimming much more relevant to my erging; in comparison, running is a waste of time!<br /><br />Francois