{"id":1035,"date":"2020-05-15T13:39:25","date_gmt":"2020-05-15T12:39:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.jomec.co.uk\/life360\/?p=1035"},"modified":"2020-05-15T21:51:58","modified_gmt":"2020-05-15T20:51:58","slug":"one-day-well-be-back-on-the-water-international-rowers-train-during-covid-lockdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/one-day-well-be-back-on-the-water-international-rowers-train-during-covid-lockdown\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cOne day we\u2019ll be back on the water\u201d -International Rowers train during COVID Lockdown"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Coronavirus has pushed International Rowers to train at home, but what does it mean for their fitness and future for next year\u2019s Tokyo Olympics?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Benjamin Pritchard, former triathlete and cyclist qualified for the Tokyo Olympics after winning his first semi-final at the Rowing World Championships<\/a> at Linz. The Welshman took up rowing after a freak cycling accident that left him paralysed and made it his passion, training tirelessly to finally compete in the Paralympics, but nothing could have prepared him and other rowers for a pandemic that postponed the Olympics and restrict training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For these Olympic rowers, training doesn\u2019t come easy, especially with the number of hours and days they invest in building a body fit to glide seamlessly through competitive waters. For Pritchard rowing gave a new meaning to life, making his wheelchair physically disappear for him when he was on the water. But, reaching the Olympics is fruition after hours of extensive training and painstaking bodybuilding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the lockdown, Pritchard normally trained on average two times a day, six days of the week where it lasted between three to four hours. The training centre at British Rowing gave him access to boats allowing one water rowing session per day. Once restrictions were imposed, training moved indoors leaving him with minimal access to equipment and made rowing in the water obsolete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy training has taken a step back and I only row once a day and do weights once a day. The volume has come further back,\u201d says Pritchard. But, this step back is considered as an advantage for some in the rowing world, giving them time to prepare themselves and maintain their fitness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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