The article reveals and analyzes the content of physical training of rowers-academics of two schools of higher sportsmanship: Kherson and Dnipro in the preparatory period. The training programs included exercises in gyms with different weights, namely lying down, squats with a barbell; rowing on an ergometer; long distance running. The magnitude of the training load, the intensity of training was determined by coaches depending on the condition of the athlete. Changes in the indicators of physical fitness of these athletes were studied. It is proved that after the training camp in the preparatory period of training rowers-academics the result on the rowing ergometer Concept 2 increased and the growth rate in the national team of Dnipro SHVSM was 1.2%, and in the national team of Kherson SHVSM 0.7%. According to the test, the thrust of the barbell lying - in the national team of the Dnieper SHVSM 11.7%, and in the national team of the Kherson SHVSM 27.8%. A promising area of further work is to study the features of technical training of rowers-academics. The need for targeted training in the training process from the stage of preliminary basic training to higher sports skills requires finding the best options for training planning in each age group and for different periods and stages of the annual cycle. The experience of the past years shows that the process of development of sports results in rowing is organically connected with the improvement of the physical fitness of the rower, but the reserves in this direction are not yet exhausted.