Functional Fitness · Conditioning · Rowing
Indoor Rowing
Indoor rowing is a repeating leg drive and handle pull on a rowing machine. It trains cardiovascular endurance while working your legs, hips, back, and arms.
- Beginner
- Low injury risk
- Rest 45 sec
How to do it
- Sit on the seat with your feet secured under straps across the widest part of each foot.
- Slide forward until your shins are nearly vertical, with arms straight and your torso tilted slightly forward from your hips.
- Push through the footplates to straighten your legs, keeping your arms long.
- Lean your torso slightly behind vertical from your hips.
- Pull the handle toward your lower ribs.
- Extend your arms fully in front of you.
- Hinge forward at your hips until your torso is slightly ahead of vertical.
- Slide toward the footplates by bending your knees to return to the starting position.
Form cues
- Keep your grip light.
- Let your shoulders stay relaxed.
- Recover slower than you drive.
Common mistakes
- Knees rising too soonLet the handle pass your knees before bending them on the return.
- Bending your wristsKeep your knuckles aligned with your forearms throughout the stroke.
- Chasing stroke rateReduce strokes per minute until you can complete each stroke smoothly through a comfortable range.
Safety
High resistance, fatigue, or repeated rounding of your lower back can strain your back. Forcing a deep starting position can irritate your knees.
- Start with low-to-moderate resistance rather than the highest setting.
- Adjust the footplates so you can reach the starting position without forcing your knees toward your chest.
- End the interval when you can no longer maintain your back position.
- Return the handle to its holder under control before getting off.
If you have ongoing back, hip, or knee pain, shorten the stroke and seek advice from a physiotherapist before increasing effort.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Rowing Ergometer
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–4
- Target
- 250–500 meters
- Rest
- 45 sec
Start at an effort that lets you speak in full sentences, recording elapsed time alongside distance.