Olympic Rowing Explained | Everything You Need to Know

[@karmakauffman7445]

Thanks for explaining so much! I’ll be rowing along with the Concept 2 Olympics Challenge, so it’s great to have a better understanding of the sport!

[@cz2165]

Hey I did that too! It was our own personal Olympics.

[@MakingaStink]

I remember somewhere you’ve said the different between rowing on an erg and on the water is like the difference between riding a unicycle and four-wheeler. This gave me such a better appreciation for proper rowing. If rowing in an erg isn’t hard enough there’s so much more to think about and perfect rowing on the water. Incredible!

[@DarkHorseRowing]

And yet it looks so flawless on the water doesn’t it?!

[@ludoka58leo]

Excellent video..Leo OBrien 1978 inaugural USD Crew 1st Eight, 5 seat "The Boiler Room"

[@hendrikvh]

This cleared up so much. Thank you!

[@terrylawrence4121]

Thanks for the concise overview. One question: at 1:30 the titles say The Dry Phase. I always thought it was the Drive. Have I been hearing it wrong all along?

[@DarkHorseRowing]

No, its Drive 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@RebelPhoenix13]

This is my first year watching rowing at the Olympics, the last 2-3 years I’ve gotten really into rowing as a workout so I was excited to tune in. I would say there shouldn’t be athlete sponsors at the medal ceremony, bc we should be focused on the athlete and their accomplishment and not the sponsor. Should they be able to use their interview/tv time or other exposure to bring in sponsors money? Absolutely. Curious to see what others think. Happy Rowing and keep up the great work Shane! Your one workout a year video is still one of my favorite workouts! 👏💪

[@joebriggs8422]

I saw The Boy in Blue when it came out. It hasn't been available to stream for quite a few years...hopefully your referencing it will spark demand and one of the services will offer it.

[@NikhilKumarji963]

first time when I tried rowing machine it was water rower and after few minutes I fell in love with it... then internet and other people suggested that air rower is better and cheaper... I tried that but didn't enjoyed as much as water rower... but enjoyment was not the only factor it was also effectiveness... I felt much more active after rowing in water rower... i tried cheap mid range and expensive air rower but I wasn't just doing it for me... I don't know may be I was doing it wrong or it was something else..... I felt the resistance of water rower was much more effective for me than the air rower.... I know its gone require some maintenance still I am going with AFTON Xterra ERG 600W Water Rower

[@CatianaKeys]

Thank you for the insight into rowing! I just have one thing to add in general, there are no Para events in the Olympics. There are the Olympics for able-bodies and the Paralympics for different impairments, I know this distinction is (rightfully so) important to lots of Paralympians.

[@larrykaminski3269]

Great information. Thanks. I am a former NCAA and NFL athlete who healths is not good. I watched your video on rowing so working out at that now. My grandson who has a disability but strong was accepted on his schools team and doing great. ✔️

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Love it!

[@athleterowing]

Hi ... I really appreciate your video.. i really learn alot.. i am a student athlete from Pakistan and here people don't have much knowledge about rowing... I have learn machine rowing... single scull... double scull ... Also pair sweep rowing ...I play my first event of rowing machine and i did my best got 2 silver medal in 2 event but now i have lose all the motivation... At the event due to some mental issue and also my own coach i lost my gold... And now it's becoming very hard to start again... But i will do it ...

[@cz2165]

Great video. Just fyi my med school classmate John Biglow came in 4th in the 1984 LA Olympics single scull ( is that so long ago??) He was featured along with other top USA rowers of that year in David Halberstam’s book “The Amateurs”. It’s a great read, I highly recommend it. John is an amazing athlete ( he took up xc skiing in med school and quickly progressed to xc ultra- distances) and an amazing person. The ones who come in 4th are pretty extraordinary too, let’s not forget.

[@garymacmillan6401]

The best book ever written about the sport of rowing.

[@theskullsculler7991]

Well, that was fun. Thank you! Go team USA!

[@TartanMicrobe]

Really good video, I appreciate so many details you packed in. Could you add in future video the role of each position, especially in the eights, I’ve been told different skills are required. I am shocked by this decision to move to 1500m, I’ve always loved the strength + semi endurance, not to mention demands of coordination across the 2km. Do you have a favourite boat class? Do you see any interest the coastal rowing (I think in the US you call it open water), any views on this?

[@EYDuff]

That change from 2km is crazy - I agree, it's a perfect distance for balancing strength, endurance and sheer mental grit.

[@DarkHorseRowing]

That would be a great video of its own

[@NikhilKumarji963]

I felt the resistance of water rower was much more effective for me than the air rower....maybe I was doing it wrong, I don't know....still I am going with AFTON Xterra ERG 600W Water Rower

[@rocketscientist9200]

Just out of interest, have you ever done a 2km test on the concept 2 rowing machine? And what was your time?

[@athleterowing]

And i like to ask one more thing... Can i student play for some other countries? If so how can i apply to their club or team ? What criteria they required?

[@mattpatton7822]

Good summary! Hopefully the 1500m course in 2028 Olympics is a one off. It seems crazy to think that there aren’t suitable existing 2000m courses that could have been updated for that Olympics.

[@DarkHorseRowing]

There definitely are in the area, but I think from a "stadium" perspective, it would have been tough to make work in LA. The Long Beach stadium was the site of the 1932 Olympic rowing event as well so I think there's a bit of nostalgia for it as well. The other venues would be too tough to do a full stadium build out or there in areas where it's protected land. I'm kind of excited though because it will make the spectating a little more exciting.

[@tjd2612]

This was such a phenomenal video. Maybe I'm wrong but the coxswain should be compared to the race engineer/crew chief of F1/Nascar.. anyway..cutting all the BS. Such a phenomenal video! Thanks so much!

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Perhaps, but then you’d need to the engineer to be in the car too 😂 maybe the co-pilot of a fighter plane?

[@jphoenix1639]

Thanks for the information 💚🦾

[@DarkHorseRowing]

I got you!

[@stevevicki5671]

Excellent info! Hey, Shane! I live in Upland. I would love to come to an event where you're rowing and cheer you on! Can you post a schedule of your LA area events?

[@DarkHorseRowing]

There aren’t many races in a season but I’ll be at Head of the Charles this year!

[@juvenalsdad4175]

As I understand it, the change to 1500m for the LA games is a one off. The governing body of the sport, World Rowing, is very resistant to any permanent change. That said, there is always a lot of politicking in international sport, so we shall see. Apart from that, a nice overview for the uninitiated, although I had always assumed that the 2000m (ish) course had originated at Henley.

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Oh interesting. I hadn’t heard that about WR making it a one off. Having worked with WR firsthand on several occasions though, I can attest to their resistance to change. I also know they’re feeling the heat of a lack of interest in rowing as a spectator sport which is why they’re giving plenty of focus to coastal rowing at the moment and there’s a bit of an arms race to develop equipment for that side of the sport.

[@juvenalsdad4175]

@@DarkHorseRowing The decision came from the Olympic organising committee, as they didn't want the additional complication of having rowing at a separate venue. The problem now being that there will be little opportunity for international crews to test themselves in competition at 1500m before the games. Martin Cross did an interview with World Rowing CEO Vincent Gaillard recently about the potential changes coming, which is worth a look. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJrHoK1rbduAoqs

[@mortenlarsen6139]

I read that it's because they want the rowing events to take place at Long Beach Marine Stadium (site of the 1932 Olympics). That course is only 1500m , because it is blocked by the E 2nd St bridge. In order to get 2000m , the course would have to go through the bridge, which isn't ideal. I've raced and coached regattas there a few times and i m o that venue is going to be very cramped trying to accommodate a modern Olympic rowing regatta. It's a nice venue, but just too small.

[@simeongrater429]

Great video, HOWEVER, the graphic displays “the DRY,” when you describe “the DRIVE,” part of the rowing sequence. 😂

[@DarkHorseRowing]

🤦🏽‍♂️ somehow auto captions got me

[@joebriggs8422]

@@DarkHorseRowing Otto core wrecked can be sofaking annoying 😉

[@kdusna84]

Love the Navy Crew tank in the background. The U.S. Naval Academy (my alma mater) has always had a very competitive program. Three of their rowers were U23 World Champions last year. GO NAVY!!

[@DarkHorseRowing]

And they just hired Steve Gladstone to head the program 😮

[@JimBenzJimBenz]

Mistake in the section on the rudder. It shows the bow with the starting gate at the beginning of the race.

[@hilaryboardman7167]

Actually, in roman times, the rowers on the large trireme vessels were using the power of their legs by wearing leather pants and sliding on greased wooden planks.

[@DarkHorseRowing]

“The more you know 🌈

[@marvinfrankel9019]

I wish I would have seen this video 2 years ago when my daughter started rowing. It took me an entire year before I got the basics.

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Hopefully this at least gave you some better hindsight?

[@TeddyGetson]

One of my coaches won bronze for the U.S in the 8. He told us that the U.S has not been sending their best into the 8s because they are focusing on medals total and smaller boats can win more medals.

[@DarkHorseRowing]

I hadn’t heard that explanation

[@marvinfrankel9019]

The way I understand it. This was a youth rowing direction and not affecting the Olympics. If a rower or pair of rowers wins the race to rep the US they have to have a race time close to 5% of some benchmark. If the benchmark is not met the US will not send that boat to worlds. This only affects athletes that circumvent the selection process. IE not sending the best athletes. The other problem with US rowing is, they suffer from Ergs don't float. Erg times are everything in US youth rowing as they don't have the resources to identify fast rowers. Lastly, US rowing doesn't have the best reputation so some elite athletes do not even try to be selected as 6-8k is what it's going to cost a rower to race at worlds. There are better summer options with better coaching available that will offer a more positive experiences. Oh and as a bonus if you win a metal at worlds it disqualifies an athlete from rowing at the Royal Henley (except open categories). Which would you prefer to race? Henley > worlds every day.

[@rbonn3880]

Athletes who make no money should be able to bring whatever they want onto the podium. Most athletes at the Olympics are professionals who make all sorts of endorsement monies, so complaining about a random Red Bull is bulls****.

[@NikhilKumarji963]

can u please tell me why I don't fell air rower as effective as water rower.... I am doing something wrong.....?

[@Azadehyeh]

1500 Meters is in the window of Aerobic rowing who was 85% of usage in this sport, so there is no big change , latic and alactic is under for this olympic games

[@weeble3140]

🙏🏽🙏🏽💙 For the Algorithm

[@AnimationGameGuy-234]

Isn’t it also the last Olympics with the lightweight category?

[@Azadehyeh]

yes probably

[@Optimistic_seattle_fan]

If the eight is only sweeping, why does my boathouse have a sculling eight?

[@DarkHorseRowing]

🤷🏽‍♂️ party trick?

[@EscapeTheMatrixRightNow]

It's sad that the distance is shortened from 2k to 1,5k metres. Pherpas, like in swiming, there should be multiple distances so both sprinters and lang distance athletes can conpete in their respective prefered field.

[@DarkHorseRowing]

What makes it sad?

[@iAmConorD]

Will just be for LA2028. Brisbane 2032 has already confirmed it will be 2000m.

[@dbearss]

Is there any reason some boats are yellow and some are white? Interesting the boats aren't painted up per country

[@DarkHorseRowing]

Boat manufacturer choice. The yellow boats are a company called Empacher and are widely respected as some of the fastest boats. But you’re right, we don’t see many “skinned” boats. They always paint the oar blades but that’s usually it

[@dbearss]

Cheers, thank you for the response! The expanded coverage this year with peacock covering everything makes it a perfect year to begin watching rowing

[@danielwiniger6284]

I think they should be allowed to be sponsored and make some extra money from it.

[@ozbizorko]

That controversy about Kjetil Borch isn't nearly as controversial as you made it out to be. That RedBull can controversy happened a couple months before the games at a world cup event. And you know he won silver at the olympics fair and square. That shot with changing the colour of his medal to gold at 19:04 is pretty cheeky 😜

[@garymacmillan6401]

Rowing and backstroke. There is another sport where you win by going backwards.