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In this older poll about the important attributes for success in rowing, we asked about the main fitness components. There is also a new poll, which asks a similar question, though all fitness components are listed.

When the poll was closed in 2025, muscular endurance and cardiovascular endurance were the most common responses.

the results when the poll was archived in 2025

Comments

After over 1000 votes, cardiovascular and muscle endurance are clearly the two physical attributes that are considered most important for rowers.

Many people have commented that they wished they could choose more than one option. I think the poll has had the desired effect of making people think about what the demands of sports are. Below is an interesting selection of the comments from voters in the poll, showing the high knowledge level of the visitors to this site.

Disclaimer: These polls are not scientific, and only reflect the opinion of visitors to this website who have chosen to participate.

Related Pages

• All Rowing Polls
• All about Rowing
• Rowing at the Olympics
• All Sports and Fitness Polls

Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.

Old Comments

• It is more appropriate to say muscular endurance because it involves aerobic & anaerobic component.
• Both of these are important but you need cardiovascular endurance to pump the oxygen to the muscles for them to work in the first place!
• The distance rowed would be a factor of which of these would make you successful
• The system physiological principal for success in rowing is de anaerobic fitness, because 70% of the ATP are proved by anaerobic systems
• Mixture of cardiovascular and muscular endurance
• The cardiovascular system is the rate limiting step in all aerobic workouts
• Statistically VO₂ max in rowers is the highest in sport
• I must say that all of the above applies including height/limb lengths which help to determine stroke distance and ultimately stroke rate.
• It's an aerobic exercise which is high intensity, therefore this is a very vague question and depends upon the intensity
• You need to have Oxygen to fuel the muscles and this comes from the lungs therefore has to be the most important physiologically
• All of the above, with the exception of height/limb lengths, are very closely related. We also need to look at the distances.
• You'd have to have muscular endurance or you won't get to the other end
• No hemorrhoids
• Need a boat to row
• I thought that it was between strength, power and muscular endurance
• For a rower to push the oars through the water constantly at a fast rate I would think the muscular endurance among others is most important.
• I voted for power. This is because for rowing the participant needs to generate power over a large period of time, power CAPACITY is needed for this.
• There should be a choice of "all of the above"
• Your muscles need oxygen which is supplied by the cardiovascular system.