There are seemingly endless variations of exercises you can choose from to build an effective workout program on your stationary rowing machine.
And that can become an overwhelming undertaking without some guidance, especially as a complete beginner.
Depending on how much time you have and your fitness goals, a workout can be designed to relax your mind with a consistent, low-speed row or get your heart pumping and “sweat on” with a more powerful and challenging high-intensity interval training (HIIT) row.
Planning Your Weekly Rowing Routine
An effective weekly rowing plan will depend on your current fitness level, goals, and time availability.
Here are a few general guidelines to consider when creating a rowing plan:
- Start with 2-3 rowing sessions per week. This will allow you to build up your endurance and technique without overdoing it.
- Gradually increase the duration and intensity of your workouts. As you become more comfortable with rowing, you can start to challenge yourself by increasing the distance or time of your workouts, or by adding intervals (short bursts of high-intensity rowing).
- Include a mix of steady-state and interval training. Steady-state rowing is when you maintain a consistent pace throughout your workout, while interval training involves alternating between periods of high and low intensity. Both types of training have their own benefits, so try to include a mix in your weekly plan.
- Take rest days. It’s important to give your body time to recover between workouts, so make sure to include at least one or two rest days in your plan.
- Be consistent. To see progress, it’s important to stick to your rowing plan consistently. Try to schedule your workouts at the same time each week to make it easier to stick to your routine.
Hydrow Makes it Easy
The Hydrow Rower, which is what I’ve been using since mid-2021 does a really nice job at guiding you through a series of workout types and providing you with daily recommendations based on your workout history and fitness level.
With 4,000+ immersive rowing, yoga, Pilates, and strength training workouts, Hydrow’s growing library has something for everyone.
In addition to these workout types, Hydrow added circuit training to its on-demand library in January 2023 that combines the cardiovascular and endurance benefits of rowing with strength training exercises to build lean muscle, burn fat, and boost metabolism.
I’ll be sure to report back once I’ve completed a few of these workouts!
In the year and half that I’ve been using Hydrow’s subscription service ($38 per month), I’ve grown to appreciate the variety of workouts that, depending on how much time I have and the mood I’m in, takes much of the guess work out of planning my next workout.
Check out my full review of the Hydrow rowing machine here!
Sample Rowing Workouts
My recommendations are based on personal experience and extensive research with an emphasis on providing an efficient and effective workout plan that can easily be modified to suit your goals and fitness level.
However, always consult with your doctor before undertaking any new fitness regimen.
General Beginner Row #1
Total Workout Duration 15 minutes.
- Warmup (1 min): Start by rowing at a moderate pace for 1 minute to get your muscles warmed up and your heart rate elevated.
- Intervals (4 mins): Next, do a series of moderately intensive intervals. Row at a relatively challenging pace for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds. Repeat this sequence for a total of 4 sets.
- Steady-state endurance (5 mins): After the intervals, row at a moderate pace for 5 minutes to build your endurance. Focus on maintaining a consistent pace and good form.
- Cool down (5 mins): Finish your workout with 5 minutes of easy rowing to cool down and stretch out your muscles.
Specific Beginner Rows
Here are two beginner workouts that I personally find particularly effective.
I usually incorporate workouts like these into my schedule when I’m not particularly motivated to exercise on a particular day but want to keep my momentum going or to mix things up during the week.
They’re also great for when I’m just coming back from taking some time off from rowing due to vacation, sickness or injury and want to ease myself back into a routine.
During these rows, the goal is to focus on your rhythm while emphasizing proper rowing technique.
They are a great way to practice your form, improve mindfulness and elevate your heart rate for a quick and effective workout.
Beginner Row #2
Total Workout Duration 15 minutes.
- Warmup: 2 ½ minutes at 20 S/M (Strokes per minute)
- First Set: 2 minutes at 22 S/M
- Second Set: 1 minute at 24 S/M
- Third Set: 2 minutes at 22 S/M
- Fourth Set: 2 minutes at 20 S/M
- Fifth Set: 30 seconds at 26 S/M
Cool down with focus on form (5 mins):
- 2 minutes at 18 S/M
- 45 seconds of arms only at finish position
- 45 seconds of body over (do not bend knees)
- 45 seconds of half row (do not go all the way to front of rowing machine)
- 45 seconds of full row (complete stroke) at 24 S/M
Cool Down Terminology
Arms Only: Starting in the finish position where your back is between 10 and 11 o’clock, your core is fully engaged and arms and hands are closest to your body, simply move your arms back and forth while keeping your upper body stationery and legs fully extended. You should begin to feel some burning and shaking in your core as it will be engaged the entire time.
Body Over: Starting in the finish position as described in “Arms Only”, move your arms and upper body over your knees without bending fully extended legs before returning to the finish position. You should feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings when your arms are over the knees. Repeat accordingly.
Half Row: Starting in the finish position, perform “Arms Only” followed by “Body Over” and bend your knees. Slide about halfway towards the front of the rowing machine before returning to the finish position. Repeat accordingly.
Full Row: Starting in the finish position, perform “Arms Only” followed by “Body Over” and bend your knees. Slide all the way to the front of the rowing machine before returning to the finish position. This is the full stroke. Repeat accordingly.
These positions are all part of the rowing stroke and are used to coordinate the movements of the rower and maintain the rhythm of the stroke. Try to focus on each position as you build to the full row.
Beginner Row #3
Total Workout Duration 20 minutes.
Warmup (2 mins):
- 1 minute at 16 S/M
- 1 minute at 18 S/M
First Set (2 ½ mins):
- 2 minutes at 20 S/M
- 30 seconds recovery at 18 S/M
Second Set (4 mins):
- 3 minutes at 22 S/M
- 1 minute recovery at 20 S/M
Third Set (4 mins):
- 3 minutes at 24 S/M
- 1 minute recovery at 22 S/M
Fourth Set (2 ½ mins):
- 2 minutes at 22 S/M
- 30 seconds recovery at 20 S/M
Cool down (5 mins):
- 2 minutes at 18 S/M
- 2 minutes at 20 S/M
- 1 minute between 16-18 S/M
Conclusion
Remember to listen to your body and adjust the intensity and duration of the workout as needed.
As you get more comfortable with rowing, you can increase the length and intensity of your workouts.
It’s also a good idea to vary your workouts to keep things interesting and to challenge your muscles in different ways.
Be sure to check out our beginner’s guide to rowing here to learn more!
Happy rowing!
