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Rowing Machine
A seated ergometer row that trains legs, back, and arms in one stroke, delivering high-output full-body conditioning with low impact.
CardioCardioHorizontal pull with leg drive
GoLightWeight mediarowing-machine
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
QuadricepsLatissimus dorsi
Secondary
GlutesHamstringsSpinal erectorsBiceps
Equipment
Cardio
Pattern
Horizontal pull with leg drive
Setup
- 01Strap the feet in so the strap crosses the ball of the foot.
- 02Set the damper between 3 and 5 for most training.
- 03Grip the handle with straight wrists, hands just outside the hips' width.
- 04Sit tall at the catch with shins vertical and arms long.
Execution
- 01Drive the legs first while the arms stay straight.
- 02As the legs finish, hinge the torso back slightly and pull the handle to the lower ribs.
- 03Return in reverse order: arms away, torso forward, then knees bend on the slide.
- 04Repeat with a stroke rhythm of roughly one beat drive, two beats recovery.
Checkpoints
- -The sequence is legs, then back, then arms on every drive.
- -The handle travels in a level line, not up and down.
- -The back stays neutral at the catch rather than rounding.
- -The recovery is slower than the drive.
Common mistakes
- -Pulling with the arms before the legs finish driving.
- -Cranking the damper to 10 and grinding slow, heavy strokes.
- -Rounding the lower back at the catch.
- -Rushing up the slide and bouncing at the catch.
Programming notes
- -Use 500 meter to 1000 meter repeats with 1 to 3 minutes rest for conditioning.
- -Use 20 to 40 minutes of steady rowing at a conversational pace for aerobic base work.
- -2000 meter time trials benchmark overall conditioning a few times per year.
Related exercises
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