The Rower: Gym Shorts (How To)

Rower Correct Form

Gym Shorts videos provide short video demonstrations of correct form for various exercises.

How to Row: Follow These Steps

• Place strap over widest part of the foot
• Pull strap snug
• Adjust damper setting as desired
• Turn on / check monitor & set up to your preference
• Start position
  • Torso at 1 o’clock
  • Arms straight
  • Knees bent
• End position
  • Torso at 11 o’clock
  • Elbows back and out
  • Legs extended
• Legs press pedals away to begin
• Arms pull to finish

What is the Rower

This is a device that allows for conditioning, whether it be steady state aerobic efforts, warming up, or higher intensity intervals.

Gyms abound with concept 2s and similar products, and cheaper options exist to outfit your home gym as well. Conveniently, many can also be stored vertically, to take up less floor space.

These serve as useful tools for metabolic conditioning or cardiovascular training. Many if not most can provide information such as distance traveled or time riding, allowing for time or distance intervals. Furthermore, most allow for adjustments in resistance.

Because of the prevalence and variety of price points, rowers are good options for lifters for life looking to add conditioning, whether it be steady state aerobic or glycolytic intervals.

Programming the Rower

Concept 2 and similar products offer a great way to perform a general warm up, especially if you’re lifting in a cold garage or feeling a little stiff. Simply jump on it and row a comfortable pace for 5-10 minutes.

Most lifters will use these rowers for interval training after they have completed their primary and supplemental lifts, often on lower body day.

Novice lifters on a 3-day split may perform intervals on Wednesdays and Saturdays, or Mondays and Fridays, either at the end of their lifting or, if on Saturday, on a day of rest.

Intermediate lifters on a 4-day split typically perform intervals on lower body days at the end of their workouts.

Lifters who value conditioning or have specific rowing or conditioning goals, such as competitive rowing or something like CrossFit that demands a high level of rowing, may need to dedicate more time and effort to the rower. Just as with advanced strength programming, greater volume and frequency and variety of intensities will be needed.

To begin, a lifter might perform 6 rounds of 15 seconds of hard effort with 45 seconds of rest or recovery. Rounds may increase to 10 over time. Intervals may also increase over time, to 30 seconds with 90 seconds of rest or recovery. The work-to-rest ratio may also increase over time, as the lifter’s metabolic conditioning approves.

Lifters may want intervals programmed by distance, not time, with shorter intervals of 100-300m and longer 400-1000m distances.

If you want to add conditioning to your lifting or have a great way to warm up before your lifts, consider adding rowing to your workouts.

Click HERE for our video on high intensity interval training (HIIT) and HERE to read the first article in a series on coaching athletes with endurance training.