Welcome to the freshers’ page at theboatclub.org.uk!

If you are new to rowing or just new to KCLBC, these pages should contain the information you need to make your way to the boat house, keep up to date with training and race schedules or simply make sense of everything your cox was shouting about on the water!

But first things first, sign up to our fresher mailing list on the right hand side to get the low down on all things fresher in the boat club at the beginning of the academic year!

If you can’t find what you’re looking for, let us know by sending us an email via our Contact us page. We hope you enjoy your introduction to one of Britain’s most successful Olympic sports!

What’s on offer

Training runs throughout the week with sessions tailored to suit fresher teams, senior teams and whole squad fitness sessions. Whether you enjoy rowing to relax, want to get fit quick or you are committed to reaching the highest levels of competition, we have a comprehensive range of sessions on offer. Anyone with previous rowing or coxing experience should check out the seniors page and get in touch with the men’s or women’s captains using the contact us form. For anyone new to the sport, training is coordinated by the fresher captains team under direction by the senior captains.

Water training

Takes place at our boat house on the banks of the Thames overlooking the finish line of the Oxford and Cambridge boat race. We are lucky enough to share the boat house with Tideway Scullers School which is home to many of the country’s top oarsmen including several Olympic medallists.

Facilities at the boat house include a fully kitted out gym, club room with bar and KCLBC’s privately owned fleet of 11 sweep oared boats including eights, fours and pairs. Also available to us is a fixed rowing tank at the University of London boat house a few minutes up the river.

Water training for novices occurs at the boat house every Sunday and Wednesday, everyone who is interested in rowing is encouraged to attend as many Sunday training sessions as possible to ensure a good grasp of basic technique. On Wednesday afternoons we will be running a “fast start” program which will be made up of 16 boys and 16 girls who are selected for extra water training, selection will occur on a weekly basis to ensure there is constant competition for places and will be based on observation at Sunday training as well as physical fitness and any history of sporting success. There is no formal application for this extra training but if you think it is something you would like to aim for you can make yourself known to any of the fresher or senior captains.

Circuits

Currently run on Tuesdays at 6pm and Fridays at 7am for both boys and girls at MR1 in Boland House, Guy’s campus. They start with a warm-up jog around the Southbank and incorporate a range of stations including body weight, core and anaerobic exercises. Be warned – these are tough sessions but the motivation that comes from training in a large group is massive and as such they are an excellent way to rapidly improve your fitness whilst getting to know the rest of the squad.

Ergos

**New for 2010/11** KCLBC has expanded its ergo facilities and now has eight top of the range Concept 2 indoor rowing machines (ergos) located on the first floor of Boland House. Those who are committed to excelling at the sport will quickly develop a love/hate relationship with these machines. For those who just want to improve their fitness, no other cardio machine comes close to exercising as many muscle groups simultaneously. Throughout the year there will be dedicated novice ergo sessions on Fridays from 6pm to teach you the best technique and help you get more out of your exercise.

Socials

It’s not all hard work; we go on regular pilgrimages to London’s finest student bars after training on Wednesdays and put on club meals at the boat house. Not to mention annual events to include Cambridge Tour, Club Cocktails, Christmas Dinner, Club Curry, AGM and the infamous pudding races, see the picture below for a sneak peek at what this might involve!

Glossary

This is as comprehensive as possible while still maintaining the basic level. Again the important words are in capitals with meanings next to them. In order of related information.

BLADE Another name for an oar.
SPOON Painted part of the blade which goes in the water.
HANDLE Wooden bit of the blade which you hold on to.

SQUARED Blade perpendicular to the water.
FEATHERED Blade parallel to the water.
GATE Metal bit at the top of the swivel which holds the blade in place.
RIGGER Metal stays fixed to the side of the boat that carry the blade. Riggers let the boat itself be very narrow while having a wide leverage on the blade.

CATCH The part of the stroke where the blade is put into the water.
FINISH The part of the stroke where the blade is taken out of the water.
DRIVE The phase of the stroke during the draw when the legs are driving downward.
TAP DOWN When the rower pushes the handle down to lever the blade out of the water.
RECOVERY The part of the stroke where the rower moves up the slide for the next catch.
FRONTSTOPS Where you take the catch on a full slide stroke.
BACKSTOPS Where you take the finish, legs flat, sitting back.
SLIDE Each rower sits on a seat which moves on small wheels. These wheels run up and down the slide-runners. The slide is adjustable and there is one pair of runners for each rower.
SIT THE BOAT Blade feathered/flat on the water, holding the boat steady.
SPINNING Turning the boat around.
BACKING DOWN Doing a reverse stroke to go backwards.
INSIDE HAND The one nearest the gate (it does the squaring and feathering).
OUTSIDE HAND The one away from the gate, which does the pulling and striking down.
HALF SLIDE Taking the catch halfway to frontstops instead of at full slide. Also 1/4, 3/4.
BODY ROCK What you do with legs flat before you go up the slide during the recovery.
LIGHT PRESSURE Not pulling very hard.
FULL PRESSURE Pulling as hard as possible. Also FIRM PRESSURE.
HALF PRESSURE In between (theoretically). Also quarter-pressure or three-quarter.
RATING The number of strokes taken in a minute.
STROKE SIDE The left hand side of the boat when sitting in the cox’s seat. All those rowers.
BOW SIDE The right hand side of the boat from the cox’s seat, and those rowers.
STROKE (1) The person sitting nearest the cox, who sets the rhythm and rate.
STROKE (2) The repeating cycle of movements made by the rower and blade.
TAP IT o a light part-stroke to straighten the boat out.
ROW ON; Start paddling until told to stop.
EASY Stop rowing, as in EASY ALL or EASY OARS, EASY THERE. Blade off water.

HOLD IT UP:Blades squared in the water to slow or brake the boat.
HOLD IT HARD Shouted at top volume to avoid a crash: emergency stop.
Finally the most important term……
CATCHING A CRAB When a blade gets stuck in the water and the handle knocks the rower flat.