Indoor rowing, which began as a means of keeping fit when conditions do not allow training on the water, has become a sport in its own right, and indoor rowers are found in gyms and fitness clubs worldwide and performed by many athletes for cross-training and conditioning. A mathematical model is presented and is used to analyze the dynamics of a rower in a single scull on the water and to compare these with the dynamics of the ergometer system. The results show that while the ergometer provides an acceptable simulation of the entire system dynamics, it cannot simulate the movement of the boat during the recovery, the sensitivity of the boat to movement of the body during the recovery when the blades are out of the water. The model shows that the hull speed of the boat, and hence the drag on the boat, is highest during the recovery, and hence underlines the importance of technique during the recovery to the overall speed of the boat on the water. It can be concluded that the ergometer is a useful training tool for rowers and other athletes, but it cannot improve poor technique or teach good technique.
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