Concept2 Forum

I'm in my jr. year of high school right now, and I'm thinking about trying to row in college.<br /><br />Right now, my problem is deciding whether or not to go heavyweight or lightweight in college. <br /><br />Right now, eating as I please, I weigh about 168 pounds, but I was easily able to go below 165 for races this winter. ( I weighed 162 at Crash-Bs after consuming a massive steak sub the night before, and I also was able to pull a PB that day.) When I was at exactly 165 pounds, my scale at home said I had 10.0 body fat, and when my coaches used a calliper a few days later, after I had gained a few more pounds, I was about 12%, so this seemed accurate. <br /><br />However, after checking some online body fat calculators (which I don't really trust), I was about 4% with the ones that requested my height (6-2) and weight, and about 18% with the ones that requested waist size (34) and weight. The internets can be quite confusing I guess.<br /><br />(I guess I should also note that I made 150 last May, but I don't know how much of the weight I gained is from muscle or height, and how much is from fat.)<br /><br />Anyways, my 2 questions are, how low can your body fat percentage get without losing ability to compete at maximum performance, and what are some formulas, calculators, or devices that will give an accurate body fat measurement?<br /><br /><br /><br />Thanks.

Many elite athletes (not body builders) are 7-12%. Males have about a 5% essential fat. Going below this runs serious health risks if maintained for any period of time. There are no good calculators to calculate body fat as you have seen. The top 3 ways to measure body fat are:<br /><br />#1: DEXA<br />#2: Hydrostatic<br />#3: Calipers (assuming you have good calipers and a trained person)<br /><br />Check the rules for where you are thinking of competing but 165lb for C2 is an "off season" weight limit whereas "in season" Male Lwt compete at 159.5 (72.5kg) max. This might make your choice very easy. At 6'2", you may have a difficult time making weight without losing muscle. You are also probably still growing so limiting your weight may be very hard on you.<br /><br />I'll let others chime in but at your height you have a good height to go hwt. At 5'10", I don't have much of an advantage to be hwt and compete with people much taller and heavier than I.<br /><br />Steve

Just reading your post, I do agree with Steve that to performing atlethes will have about 7 to 10% body fat, but you should be very careful your body is still growing and if you try and cut too much weight you could cause damage to your body, as for deciding to row lwt vs heavy go heavy and cross train with weights, you will see a marked improvement in your overall physical conditioning.<br />Stevee.

Body fat measurements are by and large pretty inaccurate. If you're still growing, I wouldn't try to lose weight. 168 definitely isn't out of reach for college lightweight, but like I said, I would let your body do what it will -- look at food as fuel for your workouts, and your weight will take care of itself. Once you get to college, lightweight rowing is a whole new ball-game. I know people that I have gone from 185 freshman year to 150 that spring, and not hurt themselves, and continued rowing for 4 years.

im 5'11'' and the only reason Im still a lightweight is because I'm not tall enough... I personally think that you should go heavyweight, lift weights and bulk up... Your 6'2'', which is plenty tall enough for heavyweight. You would probably be a much more efficient heavyweight than lightweight, plus, colleges must average in at 155 pounds, which means they want all rowers as close to that as possible.... THats going to be difficult if you plan on gaining more muscle... My suggestion: Go heavy, itd be better for you

Given your age, go heavyweight. You are probably still growing some and will be able to add muscle reasonably easy at this point in life. Heavyweight rowing is more fun anyway. You get to have beach muscles and never need to diet.

Go heavyweight. You've got about two or three years to gain muscle... let's see, at a pound a month, in three years (sophomore in college) you'd be about 200 lbs. At 6'2", you'd be about an average heavyweight. If you want to work really hard, you could be 220 and at 6'2" that would be a very powerful weight. Sure, there are 6'4 and 6'5 HWs, but there are also some really good ones at 6' and 185. <br /> It does depend a little on your bone structure (might be too much weight if you have very light bones). <br />

When I was 17, I was about 6'2 and 165 pounds. One summer, I paddled a lot, ate a lot, and without trying, ended up around 195 pounds. My body fat didn't change much. I have always been quite skinny. I was measured once in a science lab with a weigh tank and measured 6% fat. I suspect that you will experience a growth spurt too. Do what your body needs. Eat when you are hungry and mantain exercise. When your natural growing is finished, you will probably be a 195 pound heavyweight.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Paul Flack

When I was 17, I was tipping the scales at 170 on some days. I'm 19 now (tomorrow, actually!!) and weigh 148, and will be 144.8 on Friday at 5:00 PM, so help me God. Curse lightweight rowing, curse it all to h***.

6'2" is a good height for a lightweight<br /><br />... but it depends how hard it is to make weight

yes, I would also agree that 6'2 is excellent height for a lightweight, especially if you get the opportunity to race in the 1x. all top lgw single scullers are about 188 cm (I believe that is somewhat around 6'2 - Bassalini, Lynch,Ordung), wherein for the single is important to have long leevers, thatis a long stroke. My suggestion to you is, don't fast to hold your body weight down at 168 lbs, eat regulary, in order with your appetite, but don't stuff your self to gain weight. after you turn 18-19, then put in some thought wether to race as a lwt or hwt<br /><br />I was in, very much, the same situation as you at your age. Although I was a lot shorter at that age than you, but during the coming 2 years, my body changed a lot. I grew in height from 173(5'8) cm to 183(6'0), yet my ideal weight (or quality weight at which I have the optimal balance of muscle and body fat) is at 74kg / 162 lbs. I do race as a lgw, but in the single so i don't have to loose a lot ow weight. So, you should keep in mind that you might grow an inch or two, and then you will be tall enough to gain much more weight, that will be sufficient to row on equal term with the best heavies.