Who Could Be A Lightweight

[[old] onethirtyfive]

Hi,<br /><br />I am curious as John says <!--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-->On the average, anyone 6'2 or less could be lightweight. </td></tr></table> and that <!--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-->Also, I think anyone who is 6' or less would be better off being a lightweight. </td></tr></table><br /><br />Please note the implication of this is that people dont take up this challenge to compete as a Lwt as it is more difficult.<br /><br />To me this would not be the case for the general populace, but then I may be coming from the postion that I am taller (not a lot) and would have to 'lop' off a limb to even get close to the weight, and I am not overweight.<br /><br />cheers

[[old] ancho]

I'm 1'87, and currently weigh about 83 kg.<br />My max. has been 97 kg, but I managed to get down to 74 kg (that's NOT a lightweight for an OTW-rower) twice in the past: <br />- once I half starved to death to become a ltwt (about 1984), <br />- and once due to illness in 1987.<br />Actually I don't have the motivation to get a ltwt, but if I had, I'm sure I couldn't!<br />Therefore, my vote is NO.<br /><br />BTW, note Xeno's maxime:<br />HWTs are not fat, they just weigh enough! <br /><br />

[[old] cbrock]

Shouldn't the question be if the optimum Weight for a LWMale is 75k or 165 lb then what is the optimum weight for a HWMale. or LWWoman and HWWoman<br /><br />Let us assume it is 95k for HWmale and 80k for HWWoman.<br /><br />A brief look at the 2k times shows a diiference of about 20 secs between the HW and LW records in both divisions. This equates to 1 sec per Kilo<br /><br />It is fairly easy to show that if you are below the optimum weight as a heavyweight you will not have anywhere near the same advantage as an optimum lightweight.<br /><br />If you are an 80k Heavyweight the most advantage you can expect to gain is 5 secs over 2k.<br /><br />If you are more than 80k then the small seconds advantage you may cpme down by will be offset by the dramatic loss of muscle mass.<br /><br />Please note the above observation has been done on an entirely unscientific basis and is of course open to public ridicle.<br /><br />ChrisB

[[old] Andrew Burrows]

I would first like to state that from what I have read about John Rupp and especially his comments on the Ranger thread I dont agree with most what he says and so it pains me a great deal to agree with him on this matter that yes you can at 6"2' get down to LWT (for erging) quite easily and still be able to perform to your full potential. I did it myself this year and although I won 3 out of 3 races as LWT before BIRC I have since gone back to HWT because I like my food and beer too much and there were only ever a few people to race against as a LWT where as as a HWT there is a bigger more competitive field. I did it fairly easily to be honest, just ate healthy food (lots of it) and trained a bit more.

[[old] hjs]

I am 6.1 and weight 96/97 kg. No way in h*** I could be a lwt. After mayor backsurgery I weight 88/89 kg and you could see my spine from the front. <br /><br />6.1 is to short............... bad luck

[[old] hjs]

<!--QuoteBegin-cbrock+Dec 21 2005, 10:26 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(cbrock @ Dec 21 2005, 10:26 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Shouldn't the question be if the optimum Weight for a LWMale is 75k or 165 lb then what is the optimum weight for a HWMale. or LWWoman and HWWoman<br /><br />Let us assume it is 95k for HWmale and 80k for HWWoman.<br /><br />A brief look at the 2k times shows a diiference of about 20 secs between the HW and LW records in both divisions. This equates to 1 sec per Kilo<br /><br />It is fairly easy to show that if you are below the optimum weight as a heavyweight you will not have anywhere near the same advantage as an optimum lightweight.<br /><br />If you are an 80k Heavyweight the most advantage you can expect to gain is 5 secs over 2k.<br /><br />If you are more than 80k then the small seconds advantage you may cpme down by will be offset by the dramatic loss of muscle mass.<br /><br />Please note the above observation has been done on an entirely unscientific basis and is of course open to public ridicle.<br /><br />ChrisB <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />Don't forget height, maybe that factor is even more important than weight. Top heavyweights are tall, even lightweights are quit tall. The toplightweights aren't real lightweights at all, if there wasn's an separion in weight and rowers just tried to achieve the best the could al top lightweights would be havier and perform better. They now artificially perform at a weight under there natural best weight.<br /><br />As a hole it's a strange thing we also don't devide highjumpers (for example) in a short and a tall division. For me only the absolut performance is the important thing. If you are not tall and heavy enough you are simple not suited for the sport. Life is just not fair.<br /><br /><br />Real lightweights are the seize of John. light and short. <br />

[[old] Ray79]

<!--QuoteBegin-hjs+Dec 21 2005, 07:02 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(hjs @ Dec 21 2005, 07:02 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Life is just not fair. <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Agree with you there Hjs. (This coming from a 6ft 5 Lightweight )<br />I think it just depends on the way you are made up genetically. Im very tall for my weight,75kg, but that is my natural weight, and I have no problem maintaining (I weighed in at IIRC fully clothed - Shoes and all), in fact quite the opposite. I would like to be heavier and compete in the heavyweight division, but I hate doing weight training and cant seem to put on weight. <br />There is the other side of the coin, those who struggle to make weight. Then you have shorter more stocky guys who are heavyweights and couldnt lose the weight if they tried.<br />Its just one of those things in life that each one of us has to put up with. I do agree that most of the top lightweights are tall (6ft+) and on the borderline for lightweight, within 2-3kgs of the weight. For bigger heavyweights to lose enough weight and come down and compete at lightweight would IMO be bad for their health.

[[old] ranger]

I could be a lightweight. <br /><br /> <br /><br />I am not sure that I have to be anymore, though. Most of the big heavyweights seem to experience an enormous slowdown between 45 and 55 years old, often as much as 30 seconds, just about the standard difference between a good lightweight and a good heavyweight in the younger divisions. So if you are a borderline lightweight and want to still be competitive rowing as a heavyweight, there is hope. Just wait until you are 55 and row as a heavyweight. At that age, the heavyweights lose their strength, etc., and row like lightweights.<br /><br />I am 5'11"<br /><br />ranger

[[old] Dickie]

I am currently 5' 10" and weigh 245 lbs, after years of weightlifting my lean body mass has been placed at 195 lbs, I don't think I could make lightweight without cutting off at least one leg.

[[old] Roland Baltutis]

As lightweights are just heavyweights with no brains, why doesn't C2 follow Masters OTW rowing categories. In Masters OTW rowing people are only grouped by age. It doesn't matter how much you weight. It should be the same for indoor rowing. Why draw the line at 75Kg for men and not 65,70,80,85 or something else?<br /><br />In the 2004 Crash B's my 6:15 for 40-49 age group was 7th best. I was and still am 88kg. No one lighter than me achieved a faster time. So if the line was drawn at 90kg I would have been World Champ. It could be argued the same for someone at 79kg, 59kg or any other random weight where no one lighter beats them. But so what. What's the point.<br /><br />Whatever weight cut off C2 make, it's always going to be unfair for somebody. So why not do away with weight categories completely.<br /><br />Rockin Roland<br />

[[old] onethirtyfive]

<!--QuoteBegin-Roland Baltutis+Dec 22 2005, 11:02 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Roland Baltutis @ Dec 22 2005, 11:02 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->As lightweights are just heavyweights with no brains, why doesn't C2 follow Masters OTW rowing categories. In Masters OTW rowing people are only grouped by age. It doesn't matter how much you weight. It should be the same for indoor rowing. Why draw the line at 75Kg for men and not 65,70,80,85 or something else?<br /><br />In the 2004 Crash B's my 6:15 for 40-49 age group was 7th best. I was and still am 88kg. No one lighter than me achieved a faster time. So if the line was drawn at 90kg I would have been World Champ. It could be argued the same for someone at 79kg, 59kg or any other random weight where no one lighter beats them. But so what. What's the point.<br /><br />Whatever weight cut off C2 make, it's always going to be unfair for somebody. So why not do away with weight categories completely.<br /><br />Rockin Roland <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br /><br />Totally agree

[[old] Pete Marston]

Depends what you call "better off" about being a lwt. I'm with Roland, I very rarely go to a competition and get beaten by someone shorter or lighter than me, if ever. (I can only remember once when someone the same weight as me beat me in a race, and that was Roland in an online 2k .)<br /><br />So physically, yes at 5'11 I could probably get to lwt, although I have a bigger build than someone like Andy Burrows, so it wouldn't be easy, but what's really the point? I wouldn't be better off as I couldn't eat what I want, I'd probably have to do a lot of lower intensity boring exercise to keep the weight down, so generally would be miserable like most lightweights. <br /><br />I stick to being a small hwt, and beating lots of the big hwts.

[[old] PaulS]

<!--QuoteBegin-Pete Marston+Dec 21 2005, 02:55 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Pete Marston @ Dec 21 2005, 02:55 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I stick to being a small hwt, and beating lots of the big hwts. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />That's the Spirit!

[[old] John Rupp]

<!--QuoteBegin-Roland Baltutis+Dec 21 2005, 02:02 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Roland Baltutis @ Dec 21 2005, 02:02 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Whatever weight cut off C2 make, it's always going to be unfair for somebody. So why not do away with weight categories completely.[right] </td></tr></table><br />Maybe they'll serve beer and cheetos at the finishes! <br />

[[old] PaulS]

<!--QuoteBegin-John Rupp+Dec 21 2005, 03:13 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(John Rupp @ Dec 21 2005, 03:13 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-Roland Baltutis+Dec 21 2005, 02:02 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Roland Baltutis @ Dec 21 2005, 02:02 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Whatever weight cut off C2 make, it's always going to be unfair for somebody. So why not do away with weight categories completely.[right] </td></tr></table><br />Maybe they'll serve beer and cheetos at the finishes! <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />That sounds a lot like "regatta food". <br /><br />I believe this proves Roland's point beyond a reasonable doubt. <br />