I was about 9 years old and dad was teaching me how to row a boat in my uncles pond....I was pretty good at it unless it was windy....We use to go down there all the time for bass fishing and I was designated paddler....I didnt mind because I was one of those kids that was into football and weight lifting.....That paddling made me one of the strongest kids there was in the area....I never lost a arm wrestling match until I was almost 20 years old.....Those were the dgood old days.