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Nutrition for Rowing

Nutrition for rowers starts with normal healthy eating principles. Given the amount of training undertaken it is hardly surprising that there are some differences between what is ideal for the general population and what makes the boat go faster.

  • Nutrition for Community Rowing
  • Nutrition for Senior Rowing

Important questions to ask yourself

  • What can I eat before morning training? How do I plan the rest of my day when I’m at training or school/work from dawn til dusk?
  • How can I manage my diet on a regatta day where I’m racing multiple times?
  • Does it matter where I get my energy from? Should I be eating more protein, more fat or more carbohydrate?
  • Are the nutrition requirements of growing athletes different from mature athletes?
  • I am a female athlete, is there anything specific I need to consider to stay healthy?
  • As a lightweight can I manage my weight better to go faster and stay healthy?
  • Do I need supplements? What are the risks? What are the alternatives?

Important questions to ask yourself

If you are training full time the questions you ask yourself step up a level.

  • How much do I need to eat and when? You need to think about periodising your diet in the same way as you do your training load.
  • What is my optimal body composition? Where is the sweet spot between being lean, eating enough to adapt to your training, avoiding illness or injury and having enough power to make the boat go fast?
  • How do I travel well? What are some of the things I need to think about? Are there differences in my nutrition when I travel to cold or hot environments? What difference does altitude make?
  • As a female athlete, is there anything specific I need to consider to stay healthy?
  • As a lightweight or coxswain my weight management is important. What is the best way to do this to go faster and stay healthy?
  • Do I need supplements? What are the risks? What are the alternatives? The Rowing Australia Sport Supplement Policy and factsheets can help you to understand if and how these might fit in your plan.
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Lead Nutritionist at Rowing Australia

Bronwen Luncy

Bronwen Lundy (BSc Hons), MND, APD, Advanced Sports Dietitian) is a Senior Sports Dietitian at the AIS and the lead Dietitian for Rowing Australia and the Australian Rowing Team. Bronwen works closely with the Australian Institute of Sport as well as RA in providing the best support and feedback on nutrition practices as possible. This could include providing recommendations on changes to body composition, how to periodise nutrition intake to training load and strategies for managing competition in the heat.

Nutrition for elite rowers starts with normal healthy eating principles. Given the amount of training undertaken it is hardly surprising that there are some differences between what is ideal for the general population and what makes the boat go faster.

Lead Nutritionist at Rowing Australia

Bronwen Luncy

Bronwen Lundy (BSc Hons), MND, APD, Advanced Sports Dietitian) is a Senior Sports Dietitian at the AIS and the lead Dietitian for Rowing Australia and the Australian Rowing Team. Bronwen works closely with the Australian Institute of Sport as well as RA in providing the best support and feedback on nutrition practices as possible. This could include providing recommendations on changes to body composition, how to periodise nutrition intake to training load and strategies for managing competition in the heat.

Nutrition for elite rowers starts with normal healthy eating principles. Given the amount of training undertaken it is hardly surprising that there are some differences between what is ideal for the general population and what makes the boat go faster.

Nutrition Resources

Rowing Australia has a list of preferred nutrition providers who are experienced in working with rowing and can help you with some of these questions.

For more providers near you, you can also take a look at Sports Dietitians Australia.

These are some helpful resources if you are after more information on nutrition for rowing.