Now obesity, dietary problems and general lack of fitness have become a world problem, rowing could be your 21st century fitness solution. It’s a sport which gives you a full body workout, and is suitable for all ages from 14 to 80. 

Rowing can provide either an anaerobic, long slow intensive workout or an aerobic high speed, high energy-burning blitz, depending on your crew. There’s also the benefit of being a non-contact and non-impact sport, so it’s kinder to your joints than many other sporting activities. It also means that people who have had previous contact sports related injuries can now continue to compete.

Rowing provides all-round body fitness. During the stroke it uses all three main muscle groups, (arms, legs and torso), when executed correctly. The number of calories that rowing burns is far greater than any other sport. At an approximate rate of 20-25 strokes per minute, a 62kg woman burns an average of seven to ten calories per minute. That means you can work off a chocolate bar in about half an hour on the water.

Keen rowers reveal some fascinating experiences. They say that technical perfection is the target to strive for. Training every day means pushing your body to its limits, to the point where your muscles are burning so much that you feel like you’ll never recover! However, it seems that for most who have tried rowing, it becomes a passion unlike any other. It’s almost an addiction, taking a tight hold on you - and once it has that hold, it rarely lets go.

The Dubai Rowing and Sculling Club was founded in 2005 by four rowing enthusiasts; an Australian couple - Jeanette Bennett and Fred Douglas, a young Brit - Tammy Bernard, and Kenneth Kronborg, an adaptive rower from Denmark.

The club now has five boats; a single scull, a double scull and three coxed 4’s. There’s also an inflatable coaching launch.

DRSC is based at the Dubai International Marine Club where rowers use the 3km stretch of water at the Marina.  Rowing takes place on weekends, evenings and in the mornings before work. Even during the summer they’re on the water at 5.15am!

The primary goal of the Club is to introduce Olympic Rowing into schools, with the long term objective of having the UAE represented at international competitions, such as the Asian and Olympic games.

If you would like more information about rowing at the Dubai Rowing and Sculling Club please e-mail rowingindubai@gmail.com