Christa Bowman, junior in interior architecture, competes in the eight-person varsity boat on the K-State rowing team. Bowman recently sat down with the Collegian to discuss the basics of rowing as well as the basics of life.

Q: Are there secret societies that select rowers like in the movie "The Skulls"?

A: Now that you say that, I think I've seen bits and pieces.

Q: What are the basics of rowing?

A: There are eight girls in a boat, plus a cox'n. That is the most popular, but there are also fours, doubles, and singles. A boat is called a shell. For eights, there are four oars on each side. The sport is 90 percent legs, because the seats move. A two kilometer race is equivalent to doing 250 power cleans. There are sprint races, which are 2K, and there are head races, which are four to five kilometers long.

Q: What is a "cox'n?"

A: It stands for coxswain. cox'ns are very important. They steer the boat, yell commands at us and keep us going. There are two ropes on the side of where they sit, and those control the rudder. For them, it's completely mental. They have to think on their feet and say the right things.

Q: What is an "erg machine?"

A: Most schools that are in the North have indoor tanks so they can practice when the water freezes over. When Tuttle Creek freezes over, we have erg workouts. There's a fan in the front, and it has a handle attached to a chain. It's basically doing the same movement as in a boat.

Q: What is the equipment like?

A: Our boats only weight 200 pounds. They're about 60 feet long, and cost 30,000 dollars a piece. They're basically as wide as our hips. The oars are 12 feet long and weigh three pounds.

Q: Why is rhythm so important?

A: Leg power is a huge part of rowing. Rhythm is one part drive and three parts recovery. When you rush, you work harder for nothing and tire faster. What rowers say is that the crew that looks the most relaxed is the crew that's actually working the hardest and the best.

Q: How often do you practice?

A: We row on the lake five days a week for two hours a day in the early morning, lift weights three days a week, and do cardio three days a week, including Saturday morning.

Q: Why do you like rowing?

A: I like that, coming from such a far away place, I've come to have a large family here at K-State that's very supportive. And also the challenge that it presents. It's a very mentally and physically tough sport and we need endurance and strength.

Q: What are you studying?

A: Interior architecture and product design. I've always enjoyed designing. I went into interior architecture because, after designing so many different things, I have so many different possibilities when I get out of school.

Q: What are your aspirations for the future?

A: Sometimes I've thought about doing event planning. It deals with this major; it's space planning, light designing, furniture … after being in this program and learning so much, I don't think that I want to work in an architecture firm.

Q: What do you do in your spare time?

A: When I have spare time, which is not very often, I like to hang out with friends. I just like to relax, watch movies, sometimes do outdoor activities.