The Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Association discovered as much when it introduced a middle weight. It also found that rowers were happy to take extreme measures to do it. And, as I can testify, such cases are not uncommon. During one season as a lightweight rower in the early 1980s, I foolishly took short cuts to make weight. I quickly realised that a balanced diet and training regime were the keys.
Dehydration is the first and most simple step in the downward spiral.
The most common method in the hours before a race was to wear plastic or ski gear and go for a run. Others included walking and then sitting in a sauna. As rowers must weigh-in 90 minutes before racing, the belief is they will still have enough time to replenish lost fluids. Few realise until it is too late that vital minerals and vitamins are lost in the process and cannot be replaced. And with them goes the muscle strength and energy required to propel the boat for the full 2000m race distance.