GMMA Instructor,Student,Fighter.: Lesson from rowing team

Sunday afternoon, making the most of sunny weather, we have decided to make a short family outing to beautiful Eton town in our home county of Berkshire.
While my wife and her sister have been keeping active on rollerblades with our beloved dog running around.
I've been giving my body well deserved rest, sitting on the grass and enjoying peaceful surroundings of Dorney Lake by Eton College Rowing centre. Which has been home of rowing competitions during Summer Olympic Games in 2012. Now it is a famous spot for people from around the area who like a bit of active rest like; rowing, jogging, cycling, skateboarding, rollerblading etc.

I've been sitting on the shore, right opposite the rowing track which has been actually in use by the local team for one of their regular training.
Every now and then I would see four or five different types of boats passing by at pretty good pace with athletes putting in great effort.

Each boat had their coach / team member giving them some kind of directions or booster talk through the megaphones while riding bicycles along the track.

As always in this kind of situations, I would observe and analyse the specifics of this interesting sport.

I've got a little bit of experience in leisure rowing, kayaking and use of rowing machine myself. What makes me roughly understand that it takes a lot of strength, stamina and right technique to row fast and steady for a long distance.

But watching on live, professional athletes who specialize in paddling, I could see and analyse from the distance what it takes to make a good rower or rowing team.

Rowing is an incredible full body workout with a lot of force on the legs, which have been constantly bringing all body back and forward on sliding sits. Obviously arms, shoulders, back and core muscles are being under great pressure too.

But just like in the boxing and many other combat sports, because of visual illusion, that it is the upper body which makes most of the work we tend to skip the significance of the foundation; work of the legs.

Also just like in fighting game, I could see clearly that against all odds, physical strength and preparation is just a half of the success.

Technique, communication, synchronized coordination and team work in general are the keys to the success.

Every single stroke counts. The way the oar and its spoon comes in and out of the water, the way it travels back to get another deep. Vertically while pushing the water to get the speed and parallel to the water surface on return to not loose the shoot already gained. All of the moves have been very tight and narrow to take as little time as possible at its most efficiency. Just like with fighting techniques; I could relate importance of striking in the fastest possible way, while staying protected at all times to not loose already earned advantage.

What amazed me the most; was how synchronized were the teams of multiple rowers. With two, three, four, eight athletes operating single or double sided oars. Bond and understanding of the gang keeps the whole koncept moving perfectly in the right direction. In distinction from most of other team sports as football, basketball, etc, where we always find some superstars. In rowing teams every member brings equal value to performance. Extraordinary strength of one individual doesn't really bring much of advantage if not being used according to the team work. It might be right opposite it could actually mess up harmony of all gang.

Team work, motivation, inspiration.

GMMA Academy

www.GMMA.co.uk