You asked the question, How to go Lightweight?
There is no absolute answer, but firstly you must have a physique which is likely to enable you to hit the maximum weight requirement for rowing. This is best assessed with your coach and a nutritionist or sports doctor. There’s no point trying to be lightweight if you are still growing or likely to be over six foot 2 inches tall!
Once you’ve been assessed the next thing to do is to work with a nutrition specialist to find out what your skin fold fat situation is now and for them to help you estimate how much lean muscle mass you have.
Lastly you should start a restricted diet designed to lose fat and maintain your strength sufficient for training.
This is a very simplified description of the process
Tips for lightweight rowers ebook
You may want to review some of the public discussions on rowing websites about lightweight rowing as well before deciding to go ahead and have a chat with your coach. It’s a tough path becoming lightweight and is not for everyone.
- Read the book Tips and Tricks for Lightweight Rowers
- Going Heavy, Going Light – changing weight classes in rowing
- Lightweight versus heavyweight a Reddit thread
- Becoming a Lightweight – Reddit
- Why Lightweight Rowing can be dangerous – a Rowperfect article
- Lose Weight to go Lightweight – written by LiveHealthy – not clear on the authority of this site so treat with caution.
- Get Fast, Fast describing how one lightweight worked to hit his 2k erg target for crew selection.
- And read all the blog posts in the Rowperfect Lightweight category archive
How to go heavyweight
The goal of the reverse process is to gain body weight and muscle mass. Best way to progress is to start again with a nutrition consultation and also get yourself into the weights room with a programme designed to help you bulk up
- Read the book Rowing Stronger
This manual teaches the principal weight lifts suitable for rowing, how to write a periodized training program and how to adapt the program to suit your team and crew. With additional chapters for lightweights, masters, youth, coxswains, overtraining syndrome and how to train for winter head racing
.
Good luck in your endeavours.
