Regarding rowing, most of the training is aerobic for an other reason that what you mention. Eberhard Mund, former Dynamo Berlin rowing coach, introduced the GDR training program in France in early '90s with immediate good success. 90% of the work is low intensity. The former French training programs included a lot of speed, the coaches were sceptic but olympic gold medals came and the GDR method ruled.
The GDR methods includes 2 main water exercises called B1 and B2. B1 is rowing at 16 to 18 reps/minute, heart rate is 140-150, the workout is 2x40min. B2 is 20 to 21 reps/minute (competition frequency is about 40 reps/minute), heart rate is over 160 and lactate 2-3mmol, and the workout consist on 2x25 to 30min. The reps/min are much slower than what is found in competition (about 40 reps/min).
The reason behind this is that GDR biomechanicians found that the rowing push (under water phase) is the same whether you row at 18 reps/min or 40 reps/min. The main difference is in the air, the row is twice as fast in the air during competition vs low intensity training. Since everyone is able to drive the row back in the air at the fastest speeds, the work focuses on water rowing, and low intensity training allows more volume.