Do you need big muscles to be a top rower?

[Dave Neve]

Hello

I've just watched a video about Cambridge students doing a final 5k Erg test of the season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf25J6BAUdQ

I know that rowing is not just about muscles (strength), but also about endurance, cardio, technique etc.

Yet I was shocked at how skinny most of the contestants were. Lean is not even the right word. Some of them looked puny.

So I'd like to know at what point muscles become a hindrance more than a plus point. Does this differ whether we are talking about outdoor rowing (of which I have zerp experience) or the RowErg?.

Sure, muscles need oxygen to work, but without them, where does your driving force come from? Even on the longer distances, do muscles become such a disadvantage that it's better not to have them ?

Thanks in advance for some pointers

[Dutch]

For me, we did not get to see all of the guys heights. Most of them are prob over 6 ft to prob 6ft 8. The guy featured was 122 kg thats 19st. Most of the guys don't work out for size, they are prob doing high rep numbers.
But their builds were there, they just had no fat on them so look skinnier because they dont look like a body builder. But muscle at 20 will not be like muscle at 30 or even 40 it changes as we age if we keep working out.

[JaapvanE]

So I'd like to know at what point muscles become a hindrance more than a plus point. Does this differ whether we are talking about outdoor rowing (of which I have zerp experience) or the RowErg?.

On the Erg, not quickly. The world records for short distances are typically held by short but extremely huge muscly people who know how to transfer their strength into the machine.

Sure, muscles need oxygen to work, but without them, where does your driving force come from? Even on the longer distances, do muscles become such a disadvantage that it's better not to have them ?

As a recreational rower, you shouldn't worry about too much muscle. I can imagine for OTW competition there are limits (I can't imagine the current WR holder on the 100m sit in a skiff). But that has to do with bulkyness, being too big/heavy to fit in the boat, rather than composition.

On the Erg, it depends on what you train and your muscle composition. There are fast-twitch and slow twitch muscles, and your muscles consist out of a personal mix of then. Fast-twitch muscles are fast reacting but also run out fast. Slow twitch muscles are slow reacting but last a long time. Having a lot of fast twitch muscles in a marathon is useless as they get you to typically 1500m before running out of fuel. This is what makes a 2K so hard. Having a lot of slow twitch muscle in a sprint is less optimal as you are less explosive by nature (although Dragfactor/oarlength can help a bit). But doing sprints when having a lot of fast twitch muscle or long distances when you have a lot of slow twitch muscle works well. So doing what your muscle composition is geared up for is a factor.

But please realise that changing drive length and optimizing the stroke can do a lot. A 2:05/500m stroke can be created in several ways. I used to have a frontloaded stroke, with a peak of 650N and a drivelength of 1.25m. Now, the peak is at 525N, and a drivelength of 1.41m. For me, the latter is more sustainable in the long distances (typically half marathons and full marathons).

[jamesg]

at what point muscles become a hindrance more than a plus point.

Where they can generate more force than you need, even off the start. Oarsmen (and ladies) may well look puny from a distance; not close up.

[JaapvanE]

Oarsmen (and ladies) may well look puny from a distance; not close up.

Indeed. Most of them are extremely tall, making them look less muscular, but they still capable of producing a lot of force over a lot of length, generating a tremendous power.