Learn to Row

Adult Learn to Row at Reading

Novices. We run an annual intake for novices from after Easter, when we have more light during the day and better (safer) conditions on the river. All novice courses will normally be complete by the end of October. Novices need to completes an Introductory Session prior to starting a beginners course.

Prior Rowing Experience - those with prior rowing experience and feel they do not require a learn to row course (sculling) remain welcome to apply for Club Membership at any time. We recommend contacting the appropriate Vice Captains prior to applying just to say hello, and sound them out about getting an assessment with them if appropriate. Also check there is space and the squad times for that particular squad will work for you. For more details of membership see the members page.

Safety - Rowing is physically demanding - from your finger tips to your toes as well as on water. The water presents a significant danger, especially when moving fast in a boat. It is important that everyone be it verbal on the Introduction Session or written declarations for club membership report existing medical conditions and swimming cabilities very carefully. Safety is at the foremost in our minds and failure to declare important on going medical conditions may impact on our insurance cover for you. Please be aware that many of our individual learning rowing boats have a maximum individual weight limit in the region of 100kgs.

Learning to Row - our approach is to start to learn to row by sculling, that is where a rower controls two oars - one in each hand. This approach is the same for Adults and Juniors. Adults will move on to Sweep rowing, one oar per person, after gaining sufficient sculling expertise. Juniors may gain some sweep experience when opportunities arise but will mostly look to race in the various types of sculling boats.

Junior (U.18) - wE ARE RUNNING BOTH LEARN TO roW COURSES FOR BEGINNERS AND SCULLING COURSES FOR EXISTING SCULLERS

jUNIOR courses click HERE .

ADULT LEARN TO ROW

Those with No Rowing Experience - if you have no rowing experience we need you to complete an Introductory Session. Our Introductory Session (link to full description) lasts one hour at the club and is land based. It is a chance for you to look at the club, our equipment and understand what it is you are undertaking and the physical demands of rowing and in particular safety on the water. This session will be in groups of up to 12 and costs £10/head. We plan to run courses on a regularly depending on the numbers we get. email beginners@readingrc.com and

The courses will routinely only be held on either a Saturday or Sunday at 12 noon on the second weekend of the month. Timings are subject to change when the river conditions prevent club members rowing on the river and the session may be delayed to 1:45pm. Details are on the LoveAdmin Calendar as noted below. The standard Joining Instructions are here.

Current intro session dates are:

7 and 8 September and 12 October running 12-1pm

If there are no dates that you can attend, then please go to the LoveAdmin system where there is the option “log interest”.

To Book a Introductory Session you will need to open our IT system called LoveAdmin (link here). On this first page click on ‘Adult Courses’, then navigate in the calander to the second weekend of a month (use the arrows top right just below the yellow line). When you find the start day of a course that has spaces click on it and if happy with the details then shown click ‘add to Basket’. The item appears in the basket, open it and if happy click again to ‘go to Checkout’. At this stage the system will ask you to set up a ‘Joinin’ account to be able to pay for the course they will also want to confirm your email address, by sending you an email which you will need to find (possibly in spam) and respond to.

Any problems or questions please contact beginners@readingrc.com.

Beginners Course. Our Learn to Row courses all start with sculling (each person has 2 oars). You will row in both crew boats, then move on to single sculls. The Beginners course is designed to introduce you to sculling as a complete beginner. You will learn about rowing terminology, what the rowing stroke consists of, how to apply it on the indoor rowing machine (ergo) and then on the water. The first two sessions are vital to learn and understand the technique.

Our Beginners courses are run after Easter until October. The course is open to those who have attended the Introductory Session, but also those who already have some rowing experience and actually want to learn to scull.

This course is structured in 2 stages. Stage 1 last 6 sessions over either 3 or 6 weeks. We are loading each course with up to 10 students and there will be 2 instructors. After Stage 1 you graduate to Stage 2 for a further 6 sessions of instruction. Each Session lasts about 1 hour and 15 minutes and each stage costs £180. Those applying to join as a cox, can do this course for free. The reason for the break between Stage 1 and 2 is to give those worried they are embarking on the wrong sport, a clear break and space to make a decision. It can also gives the instructors a break. Those will limited sculling experience may wish to join the courses at Stage 2 but it may be best to get and rowing assessment prior to making this selection.

Booking a Beginners Course. Dates are released on the LoveAdmin Calendar. Booking is much the same as for the Introduction Session, however you are required to become a Temporary Member to be able to book these courses.

First open our IT system called LoveAdmin (link here). on the opening page select ‘Special Memberships’ then select ‘Temporary Membership’, you will note this is free, then ‘add to basket’. Next go to basket check you have added the Tempory membership, then cleck ‘go to checkout’.

Next you can go back to the link in the paragraph above which is the clubs shop page and select ‘Adult Courses’ which takes you to the calendar view. You then scroll through the calendar to find the course that is the right for you, Stage 1 or 2 and the right dates. once again add to basket, check the details in basket and then select ‘Check out’. This time you will be asked to make payment through your ‘joinin’ account. If you have not got the joinin account you will need to follow the process to set it up.

Be aware that events on or around our stretch of River such as the Reading Festival (July) and Reading Amateur Regatta (June), Reading Canoe Club events mean that not every weekend can be used on the water and courses therefore can take longer than just 3 or 6 weeks in a row. We will organise courses on Saturday and Sunday afternoons close together so there may be flexibility with timings and days over each weekend, but please try to be available for the first two sessions.

We have started our final stage 1 course for 2024 - dates below are for the first 2 courses in 2025

Stage 1 courses are:

6 sessions on Saturdays from 1:45-3:30pm - starting 5 April 2025 (dates April 5, 12, 19 and May 3, 10, 17) - excludes Easter weekend
6 sessions on Saturdays from 1:45-3:30pm - starting 5 April 2025 (dates April 5, 12, 19 and May 3, 10, 17) - excludes Easter weekend
We schedule further courses in due course - please register interest via LoveAdmin if you would like to be notified of future courses.

Current stage 2 courses are:

6 sessions on Saturdays and Sundays from 1:45-3:30pm - starting 29 September (dates September 29 October 6, 12, 13) and Tuesdays from 6:00-7:45pm on October 1 and 8.
Stage course dates for 2025 will be added once this course has started.

Note there is no session on October 5 as we are running Reading Small Boats Head that day.

Joining the Club as Full Member.

After your have completed your beginners Stage 2 rowing course you will need to join the club as a Full member in order to continue rowing. Membership costs are on the website under the Members tab scroll down to see the costs.
Changing from Temporary to Full membership is completed on LoveAdmin (link here). On the opening page select ‘Memberships’ and then from the options available chose the right level, normally this will be Gold, you may also have to select the joining fee unless exempt by adding to the basket and the checking out.
As a full member you must be associated to at least one squad, routinely as a new rower you will join our Improver’s Squad where you will receive further coaching with a view to progressing into the Men’s, Women’s, Master’s Squads, or if you simply wish to enjoy recreational rather than more competitive rowing, then progress to join our Explore Squad which is cheaper but no formal training is provided. Initially your training sessions will remain later in the day, once you move up to the main squads you may start to have sessions in the morning.

Improvers’ Squad. This Squad was set up to develop individual skills with other Improvers at the speed you are best able to, possible complete further courses but when you graduate from the Improvers’ Squad you will:

be boat fit.
be able to scull and hopefully row both sides.
possibly be able to cox.
have hopefully competed in a local club Regatta and/or Head Race, usually in same gender crews for those intending to move to the competitive squads, but this is not always the case and mixed crews can race and train.

Those who wish to race seriously will be prepared so they can compete for a place in the main racing squads and we actively encourage you to do so. It is not intended that Improver Squad ‘crews’ moving up to senior squads will necessarily remain as unified crews as they need to be integrated into the senior racing squads so that we can field the best available crew for any event.

Adult Prices and Costs summary

Introductory Session - £10

Beginners course costs - £180 each stage

Joining the Club:

Joining Fee - £30, but if you join within 1 month of end of your Beginners Stage b2 course this is waived.

Subscriptions - as listed at Members tab, 1st month/or part waived if you pay using the online direct debit option.

If you have questions concern Adult membership or the training please contact beginners@readingrc.com.