Rowing
My Story
I first heard about rowing from friends in college who told me that if I ever had the chance to try it, I should. Years later, after moving to Vero Beach, I noticed a boathouse being built near my neighborhood. When the Vero Beach Rowing Club opened, I tucked the idea away until I had time between leaving the architecture firm and starting grad school. In May 2021, I signed up for the two-week Learn to Row program, and from my first practices on the Indian River, I was hooked.
Rowing became the first sport I truly loved. There is something unforgettable about gliding across still water at sunrise, the rhythm of the stroke, and the quiet focus it demands. I rowed in everything from the long eights to a double, and eventually learned to row a single — just me, the boat, and the water. It gave me strength, endurance, and a deep sense of calm.
The river also taught me respect for nature and for my own limits. Sharing the water with wildlife, changing weather, and early morning conditions required awareness and steadiness. Rowing built confidence in my body and my judgment.
What I love most is rowing is truly lifelong. At my club, I was often the youngest adult rower, surrounded by people in their 60s, 70s, and beyond who showed up with consistency and joy. It is low-impact, deeply technical, and endlessly humbling. There is always something new to learn.
I left the club during the fall of 2025 to focus on my yoga and meditation practices. Even now, rowing shapes how I move through life. I think in rhythms. I understand the power of small, consistent effort. I carry the memory of those quiet mornings on the water with me daily.
Where to Begin
Reach out to a rowing club in your local area or on longer trips around the country or abroad. Rowing occurs on lakes, rivers, and even on the ocean. A Learn To Row (LTR) program takes 1-2 weeks to complete and provides basic competency and skills for a safe, fun experience on the water.
Become familiar with the sport by reading books and watching YouTube videos.
Attend a rowing regatta to become familiar with clothing and equipment vendors, and the competitive side of the sport.
Recall who in your social circle may have rowed in high school or college, and reach out to the rowing program at a local high school, college, or university. Most rowing club members and coaches are eager to share their love of the sport.
Clothing, Equipment, and Supplements
The following list is ordered based on when I purchased the items between 2021 and 2025. My strategy when purchasing products is to buy a high-quality item once and keep it for many years. I have included the price so you have a rough idea of what I spent. Links are provided when available.
Cycling tanks and tops. The pockets on the back are excellent for holding your water bottle, stroke coach, gloves, etc. Close-fitting clothing is required because loose clothing easily gets caught in the oars. I wear tanks and sleeved zips. High visibility colors are required.
Spandex shorts, preferably with side pockets. I tried several brands (Athleta, LuluLemon) and like the shorts from Patagonia best. I found an inseam shorter than 8” rode up and it was uncomfortable because you are unable to stop and adjust clothing except during rare breaks.
High-Vis hat. For added safety, to keep the sun out of my eyes, and to help with sweat. I have both Adidas and Nike. Any hats made from lightweight, breathable material which fits snug to your head will work.
Water Bottles frequently used by cyclists. I have five or six on hand because they are easy to clean when using powders and they have held up very well over 10 years. Metal and glass bottles are not permitted. I only have this style of lid; I tried the “new and improved” version and found it unpleasant to drink from and it leaked.
Pre-workout powder. I use this one with caffeine to help me wake up on my way to the rowing club. There are also options without caffeine.
Electrolyte power. I use this one with natural salt and clean ingredients.
Cycling light jacket like this one. I use this often enough in Florida during December, January, and February for this to be a necessity.
Apple Watch. For Strava to track my workouts and for safety. I paid extra for the cellular function for any activities where I may be out alone and need to call 911. Thankfully I have not needed to use this feature, however there were a couple of instances where I came close. The peace of mind I could call from my watch and not need to try to locate my phone with wet hands from a capsized boat while panicked was worth the extra cost.
Sunglasses. I purchased a prescription pair of Costa sunglasses specifically for rowing and worked with the manufacturer to ensure they would meet my needs. The first pair I ordered fogged constantly and was unusable due to limited airflow around my eyes, and the company honored its one year warranty and replaced them with a second prescription pair of a different style free of charge which has worked flawlessly. The sunglasses should block light above, below, and to the sides (you are most often rowing at dawn or dusk and the sun will be shining perpendicular to you, plus bouncing off the water, and this combo creates a lot of glare), yet still allow air to flow or they will fog.
Concept2 RowErg. For my exercise routine to be successful I need immediate access to equipment in my own home. I chose this piece of exercise equipment for my apartment in grad school and kept up with the rowing club workouts so I was in shape when I returned home on breaks. It is vital to improving your rowing technique. I also purchased a large mirror so I could watch my side profile technique.
Gloves. Rowing specific gloves are a necessity unless you will row often enough to develop and keep callouses where the oars rub your hands. They are substantially different from gloves for other sports. I purchased this pair one year into rowing.
Shoes. I purchased these one year into rowing because they are first come, first served at my local club and they ran out quickly. It also gave me peace of mind to know my pair was clean and hygienic.
Waterproof phone case. I enjoy taking photos and videos of local wildlife and the sunrise. This one keeps my iphone max completely dry, however it is difficult to zip open and closed and inserting and retrieving the phone is not easy.
A speed coach. I purchased three years into rowing because, like above, they are first come, first served at my local club and they ran out quickly.
Personal oars. I purchased because the club had limited pairs of skinny oars meant for women. I could tell an immediate and substantial difference between the regular Concept2 oars and the skinny oars. A club member let me try out her pair for a couple of practices before I made the investment.
Sweatbands. I have two from this company and they do their job amazingly well.