lightweight?

[citiusaltiusfortius9]

My background, I'm 17, 5'7.75" and 150lbs. I know the average US National team lightweight is just under my height and I wondered if it was a plausible thing for me to try to go lightweight and if so how.
I'm not interrested in immediate results at all, I'd like to hang around 140 and when I get older and to a higher level I can try for lightweight. I'm not sure what my body fat percent is, the online calculators usually turn me out in the upper healthy almost overweight range which isn't accurate but I'm not a stick either. I have a pretty large bone structure which is the biggest concern about going lightweight.
Do you think it would be smart and safe to try and go lightweight or at least 140 so I can go lightweight eventually? Would it effect my speed in the boat or on the erg? My 2k now is a 7:28 and I don't want it slower (obviously)
Anyway I'd appriciate any advice
Thanks

-sara

[Mike Caviston]

As someone with a fair amount of experience training female college rowers, my advice is to not even consider competing as a lightweight until you’ve completed your college eligibility. You’ve got a respectable 2K score for a person your size, and I expect you’ll be able to get at least some financial assistance at a decent D1 program. Strive to maintain a lean but healthy body weight (losing excess weight will make you a better boat mover), but don’t push it or become overly fixated on weight. Hopefully you will find a school where you can get good coaching and good advice about nutrition and healthy body weight. In 4 or 5 years you can assess where you are after a few seasons of hard training and a bit more physical maturity. At that point, a lightweight career may be feasible, but it may not. In the meantime good luck and enjoy your rowing.

Mike Caviston

[jjpisano]

Sara:

Just as an aside, maybe you can change your name from citiusaltiusfortius9 to citiaaltiafortia since those are the feminine forms of those Latin adjectives. Then perhaps you don't have to settle for number 9 but you could be the first to have that name and be at the cutting edge of societal evolution.

Regarding the lightweight issue, first of all have fun rowing. Enjoy the water, wind and sun. Get out on the water and soak it all in every day. Have fun with the comraderie and enjoy your youth. See where the experience leads you and , as Mike previously wrote, with a few seasons of hard training and physical maturity, lightweight maybe feasible.

Good luck, Sara.

[TPMcT]

Sara:

Just as an aside, maybe you can change your name from citiusaltiusfortius9 to citiaaltiafortia since those are the feminine forms of those Latin adjectives. Then perhaps you don't have to settle for number 9 but you could be the first to have that name and be at the cutting edge of societal evolution.

<snip>

Actually, Jim, that's wrong. Those are Latin adverbs, not adjectives. And besides, if they were adjectives, they would be citior, altior, and fortior. Further still, in the comparative, the masculine and feminine forms are identical.

Sorry to be a pedant.

[Mike Caviston]

Sorry to be a pedant.

Is that Latin for "prick"?

Joke! I'm joking! (I think you'd know that, but just to be safe...)

[jjpisano]

TPMcT,

Thanks for the correction.

I guess it's been a long time since I studied Latin.

Nevertheless, I'm also sorry for being responsible for getting us sidetracked from Sara's question of whether she should become a lightweight or not.

Generally, my thoughts are that a young person should not inhibit his or her natural growth. Sara as a 17 year old female may indeed be done growing but I think there is a possibility that she has not. In a year or two, it would be safe to assume that her growth is as complete as it's ever going to be and then the assessment of going lightweight may be more easy to make - particularly with more years of training and experience.

[jjpisano]

TPMcT,

Thanks for the correction.

I guess it's been a long time since I studied Latin.

Nevertheless, I'm also sorry for being responsible for getting us sidetracked from Sara's question of whether she should become a lightweight or not.

Generally, my thoughts are that a young person should not inhibit his or her natural growth. Sara as a 17 year old female may indeed be done growing but I think there is a possibility that she has not. In a year or two, it would be safe to assume that her growth is as complete as it's ever going to be and then the assessment of going lightweight may be more easy to make - particularly with more years of training and experience.

[Byron Drachman]

Hi Sara,

I like your moniker. It's been a long time since I took Latin, so I did some googling.

http://www.janecky.com/olympics/motto.html

Cut and pasted from the above source:

The Olympic motto is "Citius, Altius, Fortius." These three Latin words mean "Swifter, Higher, Stronger." Baron de Coubertin borrowed the motto from Father Henri Martin Dideon, the headmaster of Arcueil College in Paris. Father Dideon used the motto to describe the great achievements of the athletes at his school. Coubertin felt it could be used to describe the goals of great athletes all over the World.

Mike Caviston is an expert and my suggestion is to listen to him.

Byron

[Afterburner]

Hi Sara,
As someone who's kind of been there/done that, I gotta say, while you're in college don't even think about LW.
At almost 5'8" you're on the taller side for lightweights and will most likely have a hard time getting down to weight. Keep in mind, LW for the 2x and 4x is a boat average of 125lbs. The 2x is the only Olympic event for LW.
I'm barely 5'7" and have a medium kind of a build, but just to get down to FISA max of 130 I'm getting pretty hungry.
The #1 most important thing to do before deciding for good whether to try for LW or not is to get your BF measured. Don't do it if you can't do it safely. Remember, women want a BF of at least 12%. There is a big difference between 140 and 130, so don't do LW unless you've decided that it's worth the possible impact on your health.
I would say that going down to the 140's is probly not a bad idea, but below that you should seriously start thinking twice about what you're doing. Definitely don't try for LW until after college and only if you think that it's safe and the only way to accomplish your goals.
Something else to think about is the little talked about fact that making weight becomes a huge mental strain as well. It's not something you should put yourself in the position to worry about unless you really really want to. Take my word for it, it's not fun constantly worrying about how much you weigh.
I very much agree with Mike's comments.
That all said and done, have fun, enjoy college and rowing. I always say, rowing's not worth it if it's not fun.
Hope this helps,

Heather

[citiusaltiusfortius9]

Thanks for your replies, I guess it's a pretty common theme not to do it. I'll see if I can settle at 140 healthily. I'm competetive as an openweight but at the point where it gets frustrating because I just miss the big races eg international by a second or so. maybe next summer I'll make Jr. Worlds in Bejing... it's my goal.
As for college- I'm in at University of Louisville. They don't have a lightweigt program so there won't be a lot of preasure.
I love rowing and don't want that to change by having to constantly try and make weight. If I do anything I will definatly have my body fat measured.

I think citiusaltiusfortius is available but I was born in 89 so I always use 9 (I used to be gorow9) It's just habit. I love the idea faster higher stronger... it's my goal!

thanks.
Sara