Rowing is a sport where competitors use oars to race boats across bodies of water.

Rowing, as an activity, has been practiced for thousands of years by most civilizations with access to water. Early descriptions of competitions have been found in Egypt, dating all the way back to 1430 BC. No matter the purpose, rowers sit backwards and use oars to propel the boat forward. Today recreational rowing is practiced around the world, as are competitive forms.

Propel a boat forward using oars for fitness, recreation or competition.

In all forms of competitive and recreational rowing, rowers sit in the boat facing backwards and use oars held in place by oarlocks to propel the boat forward. Rules vary, as there are several different styles of competition. Examples of these are endurance races, time trials, stake racing, bumps racing and the side-by-side format used in the Olympic Games. Regardless, prior to rowing one should always check for specific rules and regulations placed on waterways.

Descriptions of competitive rowing have been found in Egypt, dating back to 1430 BC. The first modern races were held on the River Thames in London in the 18th century. The sport grew throughout the 19th century through amateur competitions held between English universities. By the time the International Rowing Federation was founded in 1892, rowing had spread throughout Europe and North America. International competition began with the European Championships in 1893 and then the Olympic Games in 1900. Today rowing is a popular activity, both recreationally and competitively, with the highest level of competition found at the Olympic Games.

Boat
Oarlocks
Oars
PFD

Rowing is a generally safe sport. Injury is rare, but does occur. These injuries tend to develop over time, and can include bad knees, spines and forearm tendons.

Rowers must have strong quads, biceps, lats, gluts and abdominal muscles. These muscles groups are best developed through weight training.

Coxswain - the person in charge of a boat's steering and navigation

Oarlocks - a fitting on the gunwale of a boat that serves as a fulcrum for an oar and keeps it in place

PFD - personal flotation device; a life jacket or device designed for buoyancy

Port - the side of a boat that is on the left when one is facing forward

Starboard - the side of a boat that is on the right when one is facing forward

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowing_(sport)