Strength and Endurance in Rowing

It seems to me that there is not as clear a distinction between strength and endurance in Rowing as in other sports. The same power in Rowing can be produced by different proportions of speed, force, length of drive, or stroke rate.

When I was much younger, I once reasoned that to generate maximum power over a 2000 meter race I would just have to perform 240 repetitions at higher force. So I set out to build my strength over 200 barbell squats. 

I did this by first working up to a respectable maximum weight for five reps - which turned out to be 330lbs. Then each week I would take off a tiny amount of weight and perform more reps. I trained at home, but, while on vacation, I turned up at a gym and proceeded to do my workout.  By the time I had reached a hundred reps with 200lbs on my back everyone in the gym had stopped training to gaze on in amazement.

To use this capacity in the boat, I ordered oars with extraordinarily large blades. This was before the inception of Cleavers and the spoons were also still as long as standard blades. And also I had not thought to alter the inboard-outboard gearing. I did however row at a very low stroke rate. 

Needless to say, the experiment was not a great success. I competed at an interstate regatta with this rig and came third or fourth. But the surprising thing was that, even without an extensive cardio-vascular preparation, I was not a miserable last. So, perhaps with more extensive and scientific experimentation, the principle could have been applied successfully.