Does Weight Lifting Make a Better Athlete?

[THE BOUNCER]

MIKE PERRY, a 31-year-old rower, trained by himself in Ann Arbor, Mich., for six years while his wife attended medical school. Now he is a member of the United States rowing team and hopes to be selected in a couple of months to compete in the Summer Olympic Games.

These days, he works with a coach and a team, and for the first time he is also going to a gym twice a week and lifting free weights for his upper and lower body, and doing a lot of core exercises, he said. His coach insists upon it. Mr. Perry, though, said he cannot tell whether weight lifting is helping his performance.

His 29-year-old teammate, Mark Flickinger, thinks weight lifting has helped him. He said it is difficult to distinguish between the effects of training by rowing on the water and weight lifting at the gym.

Full Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/he...ssandnutrition

[ROCKILLER]

So the guy is an idiot? He says rowing in the gym and building a stronger back doesnt help when you row for real later?

[THE BOUNCER]

Originally Posted by ROCKILLER

So the guy is an idiot? He says rowing in the gym and building a stronger back doesnt help when you row for real later?

[NewbieChris]

If this guy was out on the river religiously, maybe he naturally developed strong enough legs and lower back to row powerfully. The idea being he is developing the muscles he needs to use to do exactly what he wants to do, and other theres are not such extra mass not being used.

Legs are more important than back in competitive rowing...

[SonofBone]

Originally Posted by NewbieChris

If this guy was out on the river religiously, maybe he naturally developed strong enough legs and lower back to row powerfully. The idea being he is developing the muscles he needs to use to do exactly what he wants to do, and other theres are not such extra mass not being used.

Legs are more important than back in competitive rowing...

I'm guessing he could baseline his results and retest a few months later after strength training & he would see a difference. The more I think about it...that is what his coach should do if the guy is doubting it.

[NewbieChris]

Originally Posted by SonofBone

I'm guessing he could baseline his results and retest a few months later after strength training & he would see a difference. The more I think about it...that is what his coach should do if the guy is doubting it.

I just want to clarify that I am definitely the grass hoppa on these matters...