Join me for this easy 22-minute steady state rowing workout designed to build fitness without the burnout. In this low intensity follow along, we'll row at a calm 20 strokes per minute while I continue my "secret origin story"—chapter three: how discovering squash at 18 changed everything, and how it ultimately destroyed my shoulder (and sent me to rowing instead).

I'm rowing 5K every day throughout 2026, and I'm inviting you to join me. Not to hit a distance target — the "5K" is just a clever title, really. What matters is getting around 21-26 minutes of good, easy rowing into your body. If you finish before me, cool down. If you need longer, I prattle on at the end.

The workout:

• 5,000 meters at an easy, conversational pace
• Around 19-20 strokes per minute
• Takes approximately 21-22 minutes + cooldown
• Zone 2 intensity — low and steady
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What you'll get: ✅ Easy cardio on your rowing machine — no pressure, just company and a good story ✅ Detailed technique breakdown: handle release, arms away, sit up, tilt forwards, then push with your legs — not pull with your arms ✅ Machine setup tips: drag factor at 130, sitting forward on the seat, foot stretcher positioning ✅ Chapter three of my origin story: how the squash players at Milngavie Bears took me under their wing, how their generosity shaped my entire personality, and why everything I do now is about sharing what I know ✅ The rant: "Rowing is NOT about arms" — plus why weak arms are no excuse

Today's chat covers: How squash entered my life at 18 after leaving the band with no friends, the incredible generosity of those first squash mentors (which defined how I approach teaching now), playing for three different clubs (Milngavie Bears, Acers, David Lloyd Renfrew), discovering rowing machines as cross-training for squash (18-minute 5Ks with zero technique!), the shoulder injury that ended my squash career, and why the surgeon told me to pick another sport. Plus: why I created a DJing website in 1995, wrote "DJing for Dummies," and basically do the same thing with rowing that I did with beat matching.

The backdrop today is EXR's Yacht Club route. Free trial at exrgame.com — use code RA26 for 15% off (I get nothing, you get a discount).

Row at your own pace — you might finish before me or after me. The point is just to get 21-22 minutes in your body. If you need more time, start rowing during the intro.

Pro tip: Start rowing during my intro if you need more time to complete your 5K!

#rowing #concept2 #homefitness #5Keveryday #rowingmachine #cardioworkout #exrgame

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