Indoor rowing is a great way to get youngsters interested in fitness and exercising.

Many schoolchildren either get bored of, or simply don't enjoy, the traditional team sports offered in school, meaning that if future generations are to be fit and healthy it is important to offer youngsters alternatives that can grab their imaginations and help them develop an interest in fitness.

Indoor rowing is a great way for children to get fit as it exercises all major muscle groups and is a weight-bearing activity. It also provides a cardiovascular workout making it just as valuable as running around a football pitch or netball court.

With childhood obesity a growing problems across the UK, indoor rowing could be the perfect way to encourage youngsters away from the TV and computer games and towards some exercise.

However, rowing can provide so much more for children than physical benefits as it can help boost their self esteem and even help them accomplish more as an adult, as research shows that happy, engaged children have a better chance of economic wellbeing.

As indoor rowing machines are also often used in charity fundraising initiatives, whether these are races or sponsored distance rows, being a regular indoor rower can encourage children to take part in such events and help make a positive contribution.

How do children get involved in rowing?

One of the easiest ways for youngsters to get involved with indoor rowing is through their school. The sport is suitable for people of all physical builds and abilities, meaning whole classes can get involved and as it involves participants all staying in the same area it is easy for teachers to monitor multiple pupils at once.

Schools can either encourage pupils to set, and achieve, their own targets or organise intra school competitions by linking rowing machines up to one another and having individuals race across a set distance. It is also possible to link two or three machines together to form a team, which can then compete against people using another set of machines, helping to promote teamwork.

Schools wanting to compete against other teams could also join the Concept2 Schools Indoor Rowing League, which is a national competition groups can take part in without ever having to leave their own school.

According to Concept2, over 14 million metres were covered by teams taking part in the league last year and it is hoped this can be beaten in 2009/10.

However, indoor rowing is not all about competing. One way of making the sport appeal to youngsters is to play games on the rowers, a number of which are detailed in the Schools section.

Ideas suggested by teachers and rowing clubs include Penalty Shootout, which sees two teams taking it in turns to row five strokes, with the team achieving this the quickest scoring a goal.

Another suggestion is playing rounders, but instead of running, having someone rowing on an indoor rowing machine until the ball is caught.

There are numerous benefits to getting kids involved in indoor rowing, and its popularity among those have already got involved with the sport is undeniable.

At the recent annual Berkshire Schools Indoor Rowing Championships 2010 over 160 pupils from years seven to ten took part in a number of individual and team races, while rowing clubs across the country are going from strength to strength as parents and kids alike realise the benefits of indoor rowing.