Eight healthy habits for rowers

Your performances in the boat and on the rowing machine will feel the benefit of following these eight top tips

By Patricia Carswell (@girlontheriver)

With a strenuous sport like rowing it’s easy to assume you’ve got it covered just because you’re rowing several times a week. In fact it’s all the more important to pay attention to your overall health.

Eat better

• If you’re too busy to cook in the week, plan your week’s meals at the weekend and batch-cook so you’ve got nutritious food ready to go in the fridge or freezer.
• Aim to have several alcohol-free days per week.

Look after your body

• Leave time to stretch after every outing, and don’t neglect the warm-up and cool-down.
• Yoga is great for improving hip mobility and for keeping backs strong.

And relax

• Talk to your coach or a more experienced rower about how much rest and recovery you should be getting.
• If you don’t sleep well, get into a night-time routine, and make sure it includes switching your phone off well before bedtime.

Chill out

• Find ways (other than rowing) to unwind. Choral singing has been shown to reduce stress levels and meditation can ease feelings of anxiety.
• If you’re not coping with some aspect of your rowing life, talk to your coach or squad captain before it spirals out of control.

This article was first published in the January/February 2017 issue of Rowing & Regatta magazine.