Being in shape was not my goal. My body was a tool to test the capabilities of my will.

- Stefan Kieszling

Once one is beyond a certain level of commitment to the sport, life begins to seem an allegory of rowing rather than rowing an allegory of life.

- Stefan Kieszling

That morning each of us found a breaking point. Not only a physical barrier, but a point where determination, stamina and duty clashed and were overc…

- Stefan Kieszling

We shook hands. For a moment our eyes met - which I found surprisingly destabilizing. Then we pulled back and there was a mement of what seemed like …

- Stefan Kieszling

Once one has attained a high level of success at any pursuit and especially an unorthodox pursuit like rowing, one develops a number of generally sel…

- Stefan Kieszling

Although it takes a long warm-up for an eight to swing, on an erg such subtleties don't matter. For me the sound alone raised my pulse to 120. Tying …

- Stefan Kieszling

Those of us who stayed were younger, more tractable. Less sure of ourselves socially and intellectually, we gave ourselves to the sport with little i…

- Stefan Kieszling

The ergometer simulates the physical demands of rowing, packaging the pains with none of the amenities that make it worthwhile.

- Stefan Kieszling

For two months after Christmas vacation we limped around campus with muscles too tigh and sore to walk properly, yet we had no good idea of our goal.…

- Stefan Kieszling