Nehru Trophy Boat Race: Oarsmen's calorie-conscious diet for power rowing

The days when rowers set out for training after a meal of pazhankanji (previous day’s gruel), tapioca, and kanjivellam (rice water) now belong to the bygone era. Today, snake boat rowing camps follow strict dietary regimens on par with international sporting events. This discipline, which extends from food to sleep, is reflected in the synchronised performance of rowers, whose oars strike the water in perfect unison. No matter how large a team may be, the absence of this spirit of uniformity can pull it back.

For the chundan vallam (snake boat) rowers, major clubs conduct month-long training camps with rigorous trials and practice sessions. Even though the daily expenditure often exceeds Rs 1 lakh, teams remain committed to extending the camps to sharpen performance. This commitment demands that rowers adhere to strict discipline, from rising early at dawn to sleeping at night. Among the essentials, food and exercise top the list. Beyond physical training, these camps are designed to strengthen the rowers mentally as well.

Gone are the days of simple, traditional meals. Today, rowing camps follow carefully planned diets designed by professional dieticians. Even clubs without their own nutrition experts adopt the diet systems practised by other leading teams, which ensures that every camp follows a strict nutritional code. Yet, many remain unaware of the science behind these regimens. To put these plans into practice, most clubs bring in professional chefs, often from the catering service industry, who prepare meals precisely tailored to the needs of the rowers. 

In most camps, exercise begins as early as 6 AM. The sessions are carefully designed to work every muscle group, followed by rowing drills, either four sets of ten minutes each or two to three sets of 20 minutes on the snake boat. If you, too, are inspired to get into shape like the rowers and try a hand at the sport, start by emulating their simple yet powerful diet. Here's how they go about it. 

Less spicy, less sour
The food served in the rowing camps is deliberately mild, with reduced spice and sour. This is most evident in the fish curry, while in meat curries, masala is used only sparingly. Oil and salt intake are also kept low. These measures are meticulously followed to prevent heartburn, which rowers are prone to during long hours of rowing. Every camp has its own regular chefs. Tea with milk is entirely off the menu, and instead, only black tea or chukku kaapi (dry ginger coffee) is served. Some camps even provide dry ginger coffee exclusively for the thaalakkar (drummers on board).

The 60–75 kg Rule
On average, each rower weighs between 60 kg and 75 kg. Going beyond this range can affect the boat’s performance. During camp, rowers may be required to shed up to four kilos if overweight, while those underweight are guided to increase their mass. 

50 kg of meat daily
Feeding 100 rowers is no small expense. Camps spend nearly Rs. 40,000 a day on food alone, with 45–50 kg of meat cooked daily. On top of this come the additional costs such as procuring water for cooking, renting the training hall and paying the rowers’ wages. The chores, such as cleaning the premises or assisting the chefs, are shared among the various karakkar (stakeholders) of the snake boat.

“The 25-day diet plan is carefully structured in three phases. Beef and milk are introduced after the initial days, with sweetness added to the milk only after the first ten days. In the final five days, this diet plan is `broken' by including curd, fried fish and sweets. This is to set the body and mind of rowers,” explained Prajeesh Kainakari, head chef of the Karichal Chundan Boat Club.

At Pallathuruthy Boat Club, the approach is slightly different. “We run a 40-day camp, and breakfast is served differently on different days. There’s no strict limit on quantity as the rowers can eat until they are full. Items like beetroot juice are also part of the menu,” said Rajesh, the club’s head chef.