How to Row on a Rowing Machine

Co-authored by Monica Morris and Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA

Last Updated: August 26, 2020 References Approved

If you’re looking for a full-body workout, rowing might be the choice for you! Rowing machines work your core, legs, arms, and back muscles all at the same time. While rowing machines can seem tricky at first, they’re fairly easy to use. When you’re using the machine, extending your legs to push away from the base is called your “drive” and sliding back to start is called the “recovery.”

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Getting into the Starting Position

1
Sit down on the seat and bend your knees. Make sure your bottom feels comfortable on the seat and adjust yourself if necessary. Bend your knees so you can get closer to the base of the machine. Look for a flat surface near the bottom of the base where you feet will go, which is called the footplate. Then, find the handle that's attached to the cord on the machine.^{[1]
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- The handle will be in the center of the base or near the top of the base.
- Be careful as you sit down because the seat slides.
2
Secure the footplate strap around the top of your shoelaces. The balls of your feet are the only area that will maintain constant contact with the footplate, since you’ll likely need to lift your heels when your knees are bent. Pull the straps across the top of your foot until your feet feel secure. Make sure your feet don’t slide around on the footplate.^{[2]
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- It's best to wear rubber-soled shoes like sneakers, running shoes, or cross trainers while you're using a rowing machine. This makes it less likely your feet will slip.
- Don’t tighten the strap so tightly that it hurts. If your feet feel uncomfortable, loosen the straps and try again.
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3
Hold the handle using an overhand grip. The cord on the rowing machine has a handgrip that you’ll pull to work your arms. Grab onto the handle and pull it toward you. Adjust your hands on the handle so that they're in an overhand grip, which means your palms are facing down.^{[3]
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- Using an underhand grip rotates your arms and increases your risk of injury, so it's best to avoid positioning your hands palms up.
4
Engage your core and straighten your posture. Once you have the handle in your hand, check your posture to make sure your back and shoulders are straight. Tighten your core muscles so they’re working as you row.^{[4]
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- An engaged core also helps keep your posture straight. You don’t want to slump forward or lean too far back as you’re rowing.
5
Extend your arms and bend your knees to get into “the catch.” In rowing, the starting position is called “the catch.” While it might sound complicated, it’s a really natural pose to begin rowing. Pull the handle to extend the cord toward you, but keep your arms extended out away from your body. Then, bend your knees so that your seat is as close to the base of the machine as possible.^{[5]
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- When you're in the catch position, make sure your torso is hinged forward at your hips, your arms are straight out in front of you, and your shins are no more than perpendicular to the floor. Don't slide your seat as close to your feet as possible, as this can cause you to lean back. If you start your stroke with your shoulders behind your hips, you'll use your back in your push-off, which weakens your stroke and increases your risk of injury.
- Remember to keep your core engaged.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Performing a Drive

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Push off the footplate with your leg muscles. Your legs will do most of the work during your drives. Use the power you have in your leg muscles to push yourself. Keep your arms and upper body neutral at this time.^{[6]
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- Your legs should do 60% of the work while rowing.
2
Extend your legs until they’re straight. Roll your feet down onto the footplate so that they’re flat once your legs are fully extended. Flow directly into the upper body shift just before your legs are fully extended.^{[7]
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3
Bend at your hips to push your upper body slightly back. Be very careful with this step because you don’t want to curve your spine. Instead, hinge at your waist so that your entire upper body leans back with your spine straight and your core engaged. As soon as you lean back, start pulling with your arms.^{[8]
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- Your core will do about 20% of the work during your drive.
4
Pull the grip toward your lower rib cage. The arm motion is the final part of a rowing sequence. Bend your elbows to bring the handle toward you. Keep your wrists straight to protect them from injury.^{[9]
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- Your arms should provide the final 20% of power to complete your drive.
5
Bring your elbows back behind you as you pull the grip. It’s really important to follow through when you do the arm motion so you get the full upper body workout. When the handle is down at your rib cage, make sure your elbows are angled behind you and not at your sides. Keep them close to your body.^{[10]
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- This position is called “the finish” because it’s the end of the drive. Check that your legs are extended, your core is engaged, your upper body is leaning slightly back, and your handgrip is just below your rib cage.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Completing the Recovery

1
Extend your arms back in front of you. During your recovery, you’ll reverse the order of the drive. Start by straightening out your elbows to push the handle back out in front of you. Once your arms are extended, go directly into the upper body shift.^{[11]
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- Remember to keep your wrists straight as you do this.
- Don’t let go of the handle because the cord on the machine might snap back.
2
Hinge forward at your waist until you’re sitting up straight again. Keep your core engaged as you lean back up. Remember to hinge forward at your waist without curving your spine.^{[12]
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- Your legs will stay fully extended until you’re sitting back up.
3
Bend your knees to slide back to start. You’re almost there! Release the tension in your legs to slide back toward the base of the machine. Bend your legs as far as you comfortably can to return to “the catch” position.^{[13]
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- This completes 1 stroke.
4
Go directly into your next stroke if your workout isn't finished. A single stroke on a rowing machine has a drive and a recovery. At first, you might focus on mastering your form without worrying about how many strokes you're doing or how long you're rowing. Later, set a time limit to your workout or set a goal for how many meters you'll row. You might also use a preset rowing machine workout.^{[14]
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- At first, you might set a goal to row for 10 minutes straight. As the exercise becomes easier for you, try increasing your goal by 10 minutes at a time until you can do a 30 to 40 minute workout on the rowing machine.
- For an interval workout, you might row 1 minute on and then rest for 1 minute. Do this for 30 to 40 minutes to get a full body workout.
- You might also set a goal to row 1,000 meters. Once this becomes easy for you, try increasing the distance or doing multiple rounds of 1,000 meters with rests in between.

Expert Q&A
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Question

Is a rowing machine good for abs?

Michele Dolan
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Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

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Certified Fitness Trainer

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Yes, rowing works the abs and all the stabilizing muscles of the torso, as well as the psoas in the pelvis.
Question

What does the rowing machine do to your body?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

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When performed correctly and with intensity, the rowing machine exercises the cardiorespiratory system and most of the major muscles in your body, building physical endurance and strength.
Question

Which muscles does a rowing machine work?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

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Rowing on an erg, or rowing machine, works primarily the quadriceps, gluteus maximus, abdominals, the back (latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, spinal erectors) plus the shoulders (posterior deltoids) and arms (biceps).

Warnings

Practice proper technique until you master it. Using the machine incorrectly may cause injury.

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Be aware of your physical limits. Stop if you feel any pain or discomfort.

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