A 25-minute low intensity rowing workout to start your week — no performance targets, no pressure, just consistent easy effort that actually builds fitness. Zone 2 rowing at around 60–70% of your max heart rate is one of the most effective things you can do five days a week, and today I make the case for why, backed by what happened at parkrun on Saturday.

Today's session is on the Merach R50 — a budget-friendly alternative to the Concept2, and something I give an honest, warts-and-all assessment of during the stretches. If you're curious about whether it's worth buying, I've got a full review linked below and a 15% discount code for UK and EU shoppers.

There's also a thread running through the row about pacing under pressure — drawn from my 1K world record training, Saturday's parkrun PB (a 17-second improvement), and what happens mentally when the data tells you you're going faster than you've ever gone before. Do you trust it, or do you slow down?

Merach R50 rowing machine:

👀 Full review: https://youtu.be/3629bcR_AQA

🇬🇧 UK: https://uk.merachfit.com/?ref=JOHNSTEVENTON — 15% off with code JOHN15

🇪🇺 EU: https://merachfit.eu/?ref=JOHNSTEVENTON — 15% off with code JOHN15

(Discount code not available on the US site, sorry!)

Please consult your doctor or healthcare professional before beginning any new exercise programme, particularly if you have any existing health conditions or injuries. Listen to your body and work at a pace that's right for you.

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