Even though rowing may seem like a simple enough activity at the start, it truly is a great workout and offers much more benefits beyond that. As per Peter A Derow, in addition to helping young athletes to stay fit, rowing also helps them to take a break from the mental stress associated with school work, and encourages them to spend outdoors with peers. Rowing is also a low-impact and non-contact sport, which means it has a very low risk of injury.
Peter A Derow talks about how rowing can be helpful for young athletes
Young athletes get the opportunity to row with a group of peers who share the same passion, in a fun and enjoyable environment. The bonds they forge on a rowing team often end up becoming long lasting friendships. It is healthy for young athletes to have a group of peers they can commiserate with and find support in, particularly through the trying times of high school. Rowing at a club also gives these athletes the chance to expand their social circle outside of school.
Fitness is a priority for many young athletes. Rowing is an activity that engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously, and helps the young athletes develop balanced muscle growth. Rowing is an aerobic exercise that can improve heart and lung function. The continuous motion of rowing increases heart rate, which may boost stamina and endurance over time. This benefits young athletes in other sports that require sustained effort, like soccer, basketball, and swimming. Young athletes often require an outlet for energy, and rowing can be a great activity to try out for that. It helps improve fitness levels and also keeps their mind occupied, which helps provide relief from stress. Rowing also allows athletes to see and notice improvement through consistent work and effort, which is an extremely important life lesson.
Managing situations where they need to stay patient and work hard to over adversity is a part of healthy development for young athletes. Rowing competitions helps to learn not to fear competition, but rather thrive in a competitive environment and hone their skills. Rowing competitions pushes young athletes to work harder and strive for improvement. Young rowers also learn what it means to be a part of a team, and can hone skills like dedication, determination, open mindedness, and compassion. Rowing clubs facilitate an environment where young athletes can make mistakes, be held accountable, but are also encouraged to learn and grow.
While focus on school and education is extremely important, at times, young athletes do need to get away from the mental stress of school work and engage in physical activity. As per Peter A Derow, joining a rowing club would be one of the best ways to achieve this goal. At a rowing club, one wouldn’t have to think about other stressful things in their life, and can simply concentrate on being a good rower. Joining a rowing club can help a person learn how to be focused and push out other worries, which is an important and healthy skill for a young adult.