Rowing and Strength Training: How to Combine Them

Why Combine Rowing and Strength

Rowing alone builds excellent aerobic fitness and muscular endurance but does not develop maximal strength or significant muscle hypertrophy. Strength training alone builds muscle and power but neglects cardiovascular conditioning. Combining both produces a well-rounded athlete: strong, fit, and resilient. For competitive rowers, strength training directly improves erg performance by increasing the force applied per stroke.

Programming Principles

Train each quality 2-4 times per week: 3-4 rowing sessions and 2-3 strength sessions. Separate high-intensity rowing and heavy strength sessions by at least 6 hours, ideally 24 hours. On the same day, row first if rowing is your priority; lift first if strength is your priority. Easy rowing sessions can follow strength training on the same day as active recovery.

Exercise Selection for Rowers

Prioritise exercises that build the muscles used in rowing: deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts (posterior chain), squats (leg drive), bent-over rows and pull-ups (pulling strength), and planks/pallof presses (core stability). Bench press and overhead press maintain pushing strength for muscular balance. Avoid excessive isolation work — compound movements are more time-efficient and more transfer to rowing performance.

Sample Weekly Schedule

Monday — Strength: lower body (squats, deadlifts, lunges). Tuesday — Rowing: 40 minutes steady state. Wednesday — Strength: upper body (rows, pull-ups, bench press, core). Thursday — Rowing: intervals (e.g., 8 x 500m). Friday — Strength: full body or power (cleans, push press, plyometrics). Saturday — Rowing: long steady state (45-60 minutes). Sunday — Rest. Adjust based on your priorities and recovery capacity.

Tips

• +If time is limited, prioritise compound lifts (deadlifts, squats, rows, pull-ups) over isolation exercises.
• +Do not row hard the day after heavy deadlifts — your lower back needs recovery time.
• +Use the rowing machine for a 10-minute warm-up before strength sessions. It is more effective than a treadmill for full-body preparation.
• +Track both rowing and strength sessions in Watta to monitor overall training load.
• +Eat adequate protein (1.6-2.2 g per kg body weight) to support muscle recovery from both rowing and lifting.

Further Reading

• Concept2 Training Resources — Official training guides and workout of the day from Concept2.
• British Rowing — Indoor Rowing — Training plans and resources from the national governing body.
• Concept2 Rankings — Global erg rankings by distance, age, and weight category.