A blog about adaptive rowing
January 2, 2011
Adaptive Rowing Adaptive rowing Leave a comment
Interested in rowing this winter? It is the perfect season to get familiar with rowing. You can learn proper technique and physically condition for the spring rowing season.
Find an indoor rowing machine (erg) near you by using Concept2′s web site search – http://www.concept2.com/us/interactive/rowerfinder.asp
OR
Contact your local rowing club. A list of clubs can be found at http://www.row2k.com/links/links.cfm?cat=3
November 14, 2010
At the age of five years old, my left leg was amputated above the knee from a riding lawn mower accident. Growing up, I bounced around (literally) from sport to sport – basketball, baseball, soccer, wrestling – but never really felt connected to any of them. I eventually concluded that sports were not my forte. At the age of approximately thirty I came to the realization that I could no longer count on my youth to keep me trim and in shape. I joined a local gym and began riding the stationary bike and lifting some weights. I didn’t particularly enjoy the bike…it displayed distance without even specifying units. 5.2 what? Miles? Kilometers? The bike was the only piece of cardio equipment that I could easily operate with one leg. Have you ever seen a one-legged guy on an elliptical? I’ve tried it and it doesn’t work well. After about a year of riding a bike to nowhere, I stumbled upon an old Concept2 Model B indoor rower at a YMCA while visiting my in-laws. I instantly knew it was a perfect match. I was seated and didn’t have to worry about my leg getting in the way. Not only did it display distance (meters) but also a variety of information on the performance monitor. I felt like I was actually rowing in a real boat. I returned to my local gym and asked if they had ever considered purchasing a rowing machine. A few months later, a brand new Concept2 Model D arrived at the gym.
For the next year I plugged away at the indoor rower (a.k.a. ergometer or erg) several times a week while tracking my meters and times. In January 2010, my wife noticed an article in the paper about an indoor rowing competition sponsored by the Indianapolis Rowing Center (IRC). I decided it would be a good opportunity to meet other rowers and registered. During the event, I enjoyed watching the competitors and talking to rowers including several members of the Indianapolis Rowing Center. (Special thanks to Emma who coached me through my 2000 meter race before we had even met.) They all encouraged me to enroll in a Learn-To-Row class in the spring and get on the water. In June, I did exactly that and became instantly hooked. At the conclusion of the class I joined the IRC Masters program and have been practicing and competing with them ever since.
I am obviously a novice rower and have very little experience with adaptive rowing especially outside of my own classification (LTA). Most of what I have learned was passed along from my IRC teammate, Emma, who is currently on the U.S. Adaptive National Team. This blog will document my education and communications on adaptive rowing. I have no doubt that I will be a rower for the rest of my life and want to encourage others to adopt the sport and reap the benefits as I have. Please share the blog with anyone who may be interested and contact me if would like to contribute information.
November 2, 2010
October 31, 2010
Adaptive Rowing Leave a comment
My name is Ryan Hurd and I am an adaptive rower with the Indianapolis Rowing Center. I have created this blog to increase interest in adaptive rowing as well as create a network of individuals interested in adaptive rowing. Stay tuned for future posts!
