FFFRRRREEEEESSSSHHHHERRRRSSSS : this page is just for you!!!!
We hope it contains everything you will need to know about rowing at university with HUBC.
- What is rowing?
- The technique
- The terminology
- Is rowing the sport for me?
- Do I need a licence?
- British Rowing Point System
- Regattas and Head Races
- Who do I speak to about joining?
- How much will it all cost to join HUBC?
- How do I find the boathouse?
- Which bus do i catch?
- What is training like and how many times a week will I have to exercise?
- Training....at 7am?? You must be joking?
- Ergometer and indoor training
- How do I know if I am doing the right training exercises?
- How do I find the gym?
- What kind of gym membership is most suited to me?
- Do I need special kit like a superhero?
- Where do I find fancy dress stuff for socials?
- Where is the Old Picture House (aka where the HUBC pppaaaarrrtyyy normally kicks off)
If you are interested in supporting Hull University Boat Club then CLICK HERE for information regarding sponsorship.
What is rowing?
Rowing is often perceived as a traditional university sport and is also considered one of the oldest Olympic events. It is very versatile and many students find it easy to adapt to the technique even without any previous athletics experience.
The boats are propelled forward as the oar blades are pushed against the water. The oars act as paddles and are held in pace by the oarlocks. While rowing, the athlete sits facing backwards and uses the oars to thrust the boat forward. For maximum efficiency, it is important to be flexible with a strong core balance as well as physical strength and cardiovascular endurance. Specific training focuses on these elements and significant improvement is often witnessed within the first few months.
There are two forms of rowing:
- In conventional sweep or sweep-oar rowing, each crew member has one oar, held with both hands. This can be done in pairs, fours and eights. Each rower is referred to either as “stroke” or “bow” depending on which side of the boat the rower's oar extends.
- In sculling each rower has two oars (sculls); one in each hand. Sculling is usually done without a coxswain, in quads, doubles or singles. The oar in the sculler's right hand extends to the stroke side and the oar in the left hand extends to bow side. But do not worry about mastering the exact technique just yet as sculling is usually reserved for the more advanced and confident oarsmen or simply those new members who are not afraid of falling in!
The technique
The “catch” is where the oar blade is placed in the water. The “release” is where the oar blade is extracted or removed from the water.
STEP 1: The rower begins by placing the blade behind him/her in the water at the catch
STEP 2: Pressure is applied to the oar while simultaneously moving the seat towards the bow of the boat by pushing out the legs and following with the arms.
Step 3: After the legs have been fully extended, the rower then extends his/her back towards the bow of the boat and then finally pulls the arms towards his/her chest.
These steps performed together constitute the stroke (drive) where pressure is applied to the blade through the water.
Step 4: After the drive has been completed begins the release stage where the rower then pushes down on the oar handle to remove the oar from the water.
Step 5: The rower rotates the oar to cause the blade of the oar to become parallel to the water. This process is known as “feathering” the blade.
Step 6: After feathering, the rower begins the recovery phase of the stroke in which the arms, body, and finally the legs and seat are moved towards the stern of the boat.
Step 7: Once the rower has reached the end of the recovery, he/she again feathers the blade (this time to make it perpendicular to the water) and the whole procedure is repeated for another the stroke beginning at the catch.
The Terminology
The first letter to be used is 'L' or 'Lt' for lightweight which if absent means the crew is an open weight. This can be followed by either a 'J' or 'B' to signify junior (under 19 years) or under 23 years respectively.
Next is either 'M' or 'W' to identify whether the crew are men or women. Then there is a number to show how many athletes are in the boat (1,2,4 or 8). An 'x' following the number indicates a sculling boat. Finally either + or - is added to indicate whether the boat is coxed or coxswainless.
Some events will use an experience rating to separate races.
Boats are classed as "Elite", "Senior", "Intermediate 1/2/3" or "Novice", depending on the number of wins the athletes have accumulated. "Veterans" events use age ranges to separate crews of older rowers.
Examples:
- M8+ men's eight (Always coxed)
- W4- women's coxless four
- LM2- lightweight men's coxless pair
- BM1x men's single sculls under age 23
- JW4x junior women's quad
Is rowing the sport for me?
Rowing can be challenging at times, but it is undoubtedly extremely rewarding and incredibly entertaining.
Plus it is a sport designed to improve fitness and health. Rowing is one of the few non-weight bearing sports that exercises all the major muscle groups, including quads, biceps, triceps, lats, glutes and abdominal muscles. Rowing improves cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength. High-performance rowers tend to be tall and muscular: although extra weight does increase the drag on the boat, the larger athlete's increased power tends to be more significant. The increased power is achieved through increased length of leverage on the oar through longer limbs of the oarsman.
Don’t panic if you’ve never rowed before, the vast majority of new members have not either. We take on people of any ability and will give you the best possible training.
Do I need a licence?
Having a driving license is neither an advantage nor a disadvantage when it comes to rowing.
Instead competitive rowers, wanting to win some shinny medals and cups, need to sign up to British Rowing (the governing board for UK rowing). Membership costs £27 and any progress during the season is automatically recorded.
Note: Every member wishing to row will need to conduct a swim test upon joining HUBC to demonstrate reasonable competence in the event of capsizing.
British Rowing Point System
British Rowing operates a points system to allow rowers to compete with those of a similar standard. Competitors gain points in both rowing and sculling by winning a qualifying race. When first joining British Rowing, all members begin at zero points. Points are increased by members winning qualifying regattas.
The current status levels are (high to low) Elite (ELI), Senior (SEN), Intermediate 1 (IM1), Intermediate 2 (IM2), Intermediate 3 (IM3), Novice (NV). Each crew members' points are added up and this determines the status of the crew. The crew is only allowed to race at this level or higher (e.g. an IM1 crew can only race at IM1, SEN or ELI).
The table below indicates the maximum number of points that may be held by a crew at each status level.
| 8 +/x | 4 +/-/x | 2 -/x | 1 x | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elite | no limit | no limit | no limit | no limit |
| SEN | 72 | 36 | 18 | 9 |
| IM1 | 48 | 24 | 12 | 6 |
| IM2 | 32 | 16 | 8 | 4 |
| IM3 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| Novice | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_Rowing_Association#Points_system for more details.
Regattas
These involve side by side racing and are usually more exciting to watch. The crews compete in heats decided by a draw and winners move through to the next round and eventually to a final where the winner is decided. These are raced over shorter distances 500m – 2000m.
Most river regatta courses have space for only two/three racing lanes and there are often bends or other natural obstacles to content with.
Regattas held on artificial courses usually have room for six lane racing. The sight of a close race on such a course is very exciting. The hazards of river courses are absent and these regattas often offer a repechage (chance for crews finishing second or even third to race again).
Head Races
These races, which are generally held early in the season, are about 3-5000 meters long and the boats are started in their respective divisions separated at 10/15 second intervals. Competitors’ race against the clock and the crew with the fastest time in their category is deemed to be the winner.
Who do I speak to about joining?
Please try and find us at the AU Bazaar in the Fresher’s Fair during the first week of term. This is the ideal time to sign up and meet a few of the members.
Joining after freshers week is still encouraged even if this is after Christmas. Just simply send an email or call the club President or respective Captains for information regarding joining later on in the year.
How much will it cost to join HUBC?
The AU demands £5 for the purposes of insurance. In addition, the club requires a further payment of £20 to cover circuit training 3 times a week, throughout the year. We assure you that this is extremely good value for money and you are not compelled to pay on the day. The club Secretary will be collecting money from all members within the first few weeks of training.
How do I find the Boat House?
Please see Boathouse page.
Which bus do I catch?
The easiest way to get to training either at the gym or on the River Hull is by EYMS bus service. It takes approximately 40 minutes from the lawns to the boat house so ensure you leave plenty of time to arrive before training commences.
A bus timetable is displayed outside the lawns centre and a compact version of the 105/115 bus timetables can be found by the main desk in the lawns centre. If you misplace this you can always check online HERE.
We recommend that all fresher’s purchase an EYMS Annual Bus Card for £195 which allows access on any EYMS bus. This is a great service and will prove really useful throughout the year. Plus you’ll need it for getting into town and it saves money on unnecessary taxi fares.
Remember:
- Try to be on time for all training sessions.
- On Sunday, EYMS buses only run every hour
- Punishments will be enforced for failure to attend socials on time and any inadequate efforts in dressing-up!
What is training like and how many times a week will I have to dedicate to exercise?
At the start of the year, the club encourages group sessions. This aims to familiarise new members with others within the club and establish a routine training schedule. It also allows for senior members to evaluate progress and deliver instruction on the way in which individual technique can be improved.
Water training commences after completion of the swim test. The training style depends on the availability of others in the crew. Depending on tide times, water training may take place every day.
Monday: |
Optional individual gym/public circuit session |
Tuesday: |
An intensive hour long circuit session period in the evening. |
Wednesday: |
Cross country run at the boathouse/water training. |
Thursday: |
Optional individual gym. |
Friday: |
Light circuit session. 6.30-7.30pm in the Sports & Fitness Centre |
Saturday: |
Devoted to water sessions. |
Sunday: |
Devoted to water sessions and relaxing evening gym |
More detailed training schedules will be provided by the club Captains at the start of each term and posted on the training page.
Training....at 7am?? You must be joking?
The river Hull is Tidal therefore rowing is subject to the tide times. This does occasionally mean early morning water sessions on a weekend and possibly before 9.15am lectures however it does not happen every week and you'll soon get used to it. We do recommend bringing your bike to university as this can become useful later on in the year.
The Ergometers and Indoor Training
During the first few weeks, the senior members of the club will assist in coaching and demonstrating exercises specifically tailored to help rowing technique and increase stamina. Members will be split into small sized groups similar abilities and be designated a coach who provides instructions on the correct weight category suitable for each individual.
How do I find the gym?
Walking out of the Students Union, turn right and walk past the cash points. Continue to follow the path passing the football pitch on your right and the cricket pitch on your left. Walk through the car park keeping to your left and hey presto, you’re at the gym. For more information CLICK HERE for the campus map. The gym can be seen at the top.
What kind of gym membership is most suited to me?
We advise you to sign-up to the university sports and fitness centre as the club will most often train at these premises. There are two types of membership available to students.
1. The 'pay as you go' scheme requires you to pay £3 for admission to the entire complex.
2. The monthly membership of £20 gives you the freedom to access the gym at any time (even two or three times a day with no additional charge!). This will be compulsory for those members wishing to row competitively after the Christmas vacation, when the majority of races occur.
For more information CLICK HERE to visit the Sports & Fitness centre membership page.
Do I need special kit like a superhero?
Normal gym attire is perfectly acceptable for indoor circuit sessions. Trainers are the most important element with regards to gym based exercise. It is worthwhile investing in a good pair of training shoes that are comfortable and do not aggravate stress in the leg muscles. Trainers that facilitate movement are invaluable in improving running times.
However, like all sports, competitive rowing and water bases training has its own individual kit requirements. The Secretary will distribute a kit list, designed specifically for HUBC, displaying all the items deemed necessary for those members who wish to row during the 2010/2011 season. This will be done as soon as new members have become accustomed to the training routine and demonstrated a desire to continue with the sport. Kit and prices can also be viewed by visiting our kit page.
Where do I find fancy dress stuff for wed socials?
- ‘The Dressing Up Box’ on Newland Avenue always has plenty of costumes and small accessories perfect for a night out. Our rating 4/5
- The joke shop within Hepworth Arcade in Hull City Centre is hard to find but has some quality accessories that are unique. Our rating 5/5 (the owner is a good laugh)
- Newland Avenue has lots of quirky shops that sell all-sorts of items that can be put together to form a costume. Our rating 4/5
- Don not underestimate charity shops; cheap and great deal of satisfaction in the hunt! Our rating 5/5
- Assemble costumes from Primark in Hull City Centre. Cheap and lots of variety. Our rating 5/5
- IF you are desperate look for ‘the Chinese laundry’. It is expensive but has some quality vintage garments. Our rating 3/5
- ‘Blue Banana’ is an outrageous shop in the city centre; perfect for rave gear. Our rating 2/5
Ingenuity is encouraged and there is lots of credit for those that really make an effort. So wander round and discover some of what the city has to offer. But don’t go gallivanting around spending an absolute fortune!
We recommend saving fancy dress items so that you never have to buy the same things again and again. In fact, dedicate an entire suitcase just for the uncountable number of costumes that you will end up donning whilst at Hull University.
Where is the ‘Old Picture House’ (a.k.a. where the HUBC social paaaartyy normally kicks off)?
CLICK HERE for location
Back to top Last updated June 14, 2010