Importance of Height in Rowing

[Carl Watts]

Yes but another 5 or 6 inches would see a sub 6 min 2K, thats just the way it goes.

[hjs]

Yes but another 5 or 6 inches would see a sub 6 min 2K, thats just the way it goes.

Not in this case

[Tim K.]

............using an outlier to argue a point.........

[mdpfirrman]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4120446/

Perhaps something could be gathered from this study. Seemed more observational though than causal.

[Carl Watts]

Interesting, just skip to the discussion..

According to the results of the present study body height and body mass were significantly correlated with rowing ergometer performance. These findings were consistent with previous studies by Kramer et al. (1994) and Cosgrove et al. (1999). Malina (1994) observed that promising rowers were already taller compared to the general population within childhood, and they retained their relative advantage during adolescence. Shephard (1998) noted that gold medallists were consistently taller and heavier than the other competitors; in the event of the single sculls, the particular variances were significant 0.12 m and 9.6 kg, respectively.


As determined in numerous studies, a typical heavyweight rower’s morphological phenotype represents a tall, heavy and lean athlete with a high percentage of slow-twitch muscle fibres. These morphological characteristics occur directly from the specific rowing training and genetic inheritance. The large volume of aerobic training undertaken, together with weight training provides a rower with a high aerobic power, enhanced skill and metabolic efficiency, low skinfolds and a greater muscle mass.

So thats it in a nutshell really.

[LarryRow]

Here is an interesting article entitled the Physiology of the Elite Rower:

http://www.gslr.org/resources/NewsLette ... 0Rower.pdf

I think the upshot is that, yes, height matters when it comes to rowing at the elite level, but how many of us are rowing at that level?

I think people of all heights can enjoy rowing.

[gregsmith01748]

I completely agree that you do not need to be tall to enjoy rowing. There is no question about it. And there are plenty of extremely strong people with excellent CV fitness who can post remarkable times even if they aren't tall. I don't think that was point of the original question. Which, to paraphrase was: "If I'm 170cm tall, can I beat people that are 185cm tall".

In my mind, the answer to that question is that a 170cm tall person would need to be able to apply about ~10% more force on the handle than a 185cm tall person because the 170cm persons drive length is likely to be 10% shorter. If they have the physiology to be able to do that and are well trained (like EFMAX), then they can beat tall dudes.

[hjs]

I completely agree that you do not need to be tall to enjoy rowing. There is no question about it. And there are plenty of extremely strong people with excellent CV fitness who can post remarkable times even if they aren't tall. I don't think that was point of the original question. Which, to paraphrase was: "If I'm 170cm tall, can I beat people that are 185cm tall".

In my mind, the answer to that question is that a 170cm tall person would need to be able to apply about ~10% more force on the handle than a 185cm tall person because the 170cm persons drive length is likely to be 10% shorter. If they have the physiology to be able to do that and are well trained (like EFMAX), then they can beat tall dudes.

There are no fast 170 meter rowers and even among 185 there are no super rowers. Most top lightweights are above 1.85 even

Efmax really. He claims to have a 5k pb that is 1 second only slower than his 2k pb. His defence is, not everybody has the same difference between 2 and 5k. He also claims to be a sprinter....
1.19 500 meter...

EVERY 5k rower, rows within his 5k a 2k stint that is faster then 1 second below that 2k.

Fast rowers need a high % of slow muscle fibers. Those fibers have little growth ability. So strong rowers are always pretty light for their height. Short rowers can,t compensate with more musclemass, they also need to have a high % of slow muscle fibers. So in a boat they could do ok, here the lack of mass is less of a problem, on the erg its always a big disadvantage, which can never be compensated.

Ofcourse short people can enjoy rowing, just like a heavy guy can have fun climbing a mountain on the bike etc etc.

[jackarabit]

If wishes were horses! Guess this horse was dead from the giddup, huh? Dry season at the wishing well. Matt, live short and prosper, buddy!

[G-dub]

One thing I can say with a fair degree of certainty is that short and heavy (my weight is 205 lbs) along with and average cv system, like yours truly, is not a good match for many many sports and athletic endeavors Matt, you have a combination right now of short and light, which can be applied very effectively to several sports and athletic endeavors. Regardless, the best participant is the one having the most fun and getting the most joy out of it.

[Carl Watts]

Efmax really. He claims to have a 5k pb that is 1 second only slower than his 2k pb. His defence is, not everybody has the same difference between 2 and 5k. He also claims to be a sprinter....
1.19 500 meter...

EVERY 5k rower, rows within his 5k a 2k stint that is faster then 1 second below that 2k.

So what is it your REALLY trying to say ?

[hjs]

Efmax really. He claims to have a 5k pb that is 1 second only slower than his 2k pb. His defence is, not everybody has the same difference between 2 and 5k. He also claims to be a sprinter....
1.19 500 meter...

EVERY 5k rower, rows within his 5k a 2k stint that is faster then 1 second below that 2k.

So what is it your REALLY trying to say ?

The moderators won,t allow me to put that down.

[jackarabit]

Where credibility is offended
Claims must be defended,
And the outlier beware the outcrier.

[bisqeet]

i wonder if he wears his underpants on the outside, whilst rowing...

[LarryRow]

One thing I can say with a fair degree of certainty is that short and heavy (my weight is 205 lbs) along with and average cv system, like yours truly, is not a good match for many many sports and athletic endeavors Matt, you have a combination right now of short and light, which can be applied very effectively to several sports and athletic endeavors. Regardless, the best participant is the one having the most fun and getting the most joy out of it.

I agree with the most joy comment, LOL.

There was an article in the New York Times a while ago about some elite cyclists who set up a school that offered training rides with the general public. They got people with body types that they just weren't expecting, such as short and heavy. The thing is, you're faster downhill on the bike when you're heavier, and you don't pay as much of a penalty because of the weight on the flats, and you have gears for the climbs! The founders of the school discovered that many of these people who did not look like elite bikers were actually very good cyclists.

Now, running is a sport in which any extra weight confers a large penalty, especially for the longer distances. The best Masters marathon runners I know weigh about 120 pounds. I weigh 185, and after strenuous training, got down to 155, but I realized that I would never be a good marathon runner. Now, you can weigh more and be a good miler or 800 meter runner, but you have to be really strong to compete in those events.