RowAlong – Indoor Rowing Machine Workouts

This follow along rowing workout works on a Concept2, WaterRower, Aviron or almost any rowing machine. Join me for 25 minutes of low-intensity indoor rowing, steady cardio fitness and technique coaching.

👉 Full RowAlong Daily Workout playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8ookhrQKwvKEfSfOxp73vX02j8LrtUil

Sometimes the thing getting in the way of your training isn’t fitness.

It isn’t always technique either.

Sometimes it’s your routine, your confidence, your expectations, or simply the fact that the way you’ve organised your training no longer fits your life.

That’s the bigger thought behind today’s row.

If you planned to row in the morning but keep lying in bed thinking “I just can’t face it today”, the useful question isn’t whether you’re tough enough.

It’s why does that keep happening? 0110

Maybe you’re genuinely tired. Maybe mornings just don’t suit you. Maybe the workout feels too daunting. Maybe what used to work for you simply doesn’t anymore.

And if the same thing keeps happening, perhaps the answer isn’t to keep forcing the same routine. It might be better to change it — move the workout to lunchtime, later in the day, or whenever you’re actually more likely to get it done. 0110

That applies whether you’re training for a fast 2K, trying to improve your rowing, or simply using the machine to stay fit and healthy.

The more you understand about what makes you tick, the easier it becomes to build training that you can actually stick with.

Today is 21 minutes of low-intensity rowing followed by a 4 minute cool down, with plenty of technique coaching and general chat along the way.

So RowAlong with me, get the body moving, and maybe use the time to think about one question:

What keeps getting in your way?

21 min low-intensity rowing

4 min cool down

Low stroke rate / comfortable effort

00:00 Welcome & today’s workout

01:18 Set your resistance

01:47 Seat position & posture

02:34 Foot stretcher setup

03:05 Handle grip

03:47 Start rowing

09:12 Free up your movement

13:30 Connection through the handle

17:31 Posture & body position

19:22 Technique check-in

24:55 4 minute cool down

32:53 How I pace harder rows

35:52 Understanding the real problem

38:45 Confidence, performance & mindset

40:15 Know what works for you

44:26 Understand yourself

44:42 When you just can’t face the workout

45:19 Change the routine if you need to

47:24 Finish

⚠️ Health Warning:

Please make sure you’re fit enough for exercise before taking part. If you have any medical concerns, injuries or are unsure whether this workout is suitable for you, speak to a qualified health professional first. Stop immediately if you feel pain, dizziness or anything that doesn’t feel right.

#rowingworkout #rowalong #indoorrowing #rowingfitness #followalongworkout

Find more indoor rowing workouts, training plans, and rowing technique guides at rowalong.com

Watch the full video versions on YouTube: youtube.com/@rowalong

Join the community: facebook.com/groups/rowalong

Instagram: @rowalong_workouts

RowAlong is a free follow-along rowing workout podcast for indoor rowers of all levels. Every session is time-based and works on any rowing machine — Concept2, WaterRower, Hydrow, NordicTrack, or any gym rower. Press play. Strap in. Let's RowAlong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This follow along rowing workout works on a Concept2, WaterRower, Aviron or almost any rowing machine. Join me for 25 minutes of low-intensity indoor rowing, steady cardio fitness and technique coaching.

👉 Full RowAlong Daily Workout playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8ookhrQKwvKEfSfOxp73vX02j8LrtUil

Most of us naturally gravitate towards the type of rowing we already enjoy.

If you like low-intensity rowing, it’s easy to keep doing more of it. If you love hard intervals, it’s easy to keep hammering those instead.

But sometimes the workout you want to do isn’t the one you actually need.

That’s the thought behind today’s row.

I’m doing my usual 21 minutes at low intensity followed by a 4 minute cool down, but I also spend some time talking about how different kinds of training expose different weaknesses.

Power, tempo work, aerobic fitness, high-rate rowing, easy rowing — they all matter for different reasons.

And if you only ever train the area you’re already good at, it’s very easy to hide from the part that might actually move your rowing forward.

That doesn’t mean every workout needs to be hard.

It means being honest enough to ask:

What am I good at?

What do I avoid?

And what would actually help me improve?

So RowAlong with me today, keep the effort comfortable, and use the session to think about the bigger picture of your own training.

Because sometimes the row you avoid is exactly the row you need.

Workout

21 min low-intensity rowing

4 min cool down

Low stroke rate / comfortable effort

Chapters

00:00 Welcome & today’s workout

00:55 Set your resistance

01:08 Seat position & posture

01:48 Foot stretcher setup

03:05 Handle grip

03:44 Start rowing

15:46 Why different training matters

19:27 Finding your performance ceiling

23:27 Why hard rowing feels mentally tough

25:49 Finding the weakness in your rowing

26:07 The RowAlong Energy Test

28:06 Max power test

30:00 What different tests tell you

40:49 Know what you need to work on

41:44 We all love training our strengths

41:54 Are you hiding from the tough stuff?

42:30 Finish

⚠️ Health Warning:

Please make sure you’re fit enough for exercise before taking part. If you have any medical concerns, injuries or are unsure whether this workout is suitable for you, speak to a qualified health professional first. Stop immediately if you feel pain, dizziness or anything that doesn’t feel right.

#rowingworkout #rowalong #indoorrowing #rowingtraining #followalongworkout

Find more indoor rowing workouts, training plans, and rowing technique guides at rowalong.com

Watch the full video versions on YouTube: youtube.com/@rowalong

Join the community: facebook.com/groups/rowalong

Instagram: @rowalong_workouts

RowAlong is a free follow-along rowing workout podcast for indoor rowers of all levels. Every session is time-based and works on any rowing machine — Concept2, WaterRower, Hydrow, NordicTrack, or any gym rower. Press play. Strap in. Let's RowAlong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This follow along rowing workout works on a Concept2, WaterRower, Aviron or almost any rowing machine. Join me for 25 minutes of low-intensity indoor rowing, technique coaching and steady cardio fitness.

👉 Full RowAlong Daily Workout playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8ookhrQKwvKEfSfOxp73vX02j8LrtUil

Rowers get told what to do all the time.

Keep your hands away.

Get your elbows through the sides.

Sit tall.

Relax your arms.

But how often does anyone actually explain why?

That’s the thought running through today’s RowAlong.

Rather than simply giving you technique cues and expecting you to copy them, I want to explain what those cues are actually trying to achieve.

Because once you understand the reason behind something, it becomes much easier to decide whether it helps your own stroke.

You’ll also hear me talk about the fact that different coaches can explain the same movement in different ways. Sometimes I’ll tell you that something is simply my preferred way of doing it rather than pretending there’s only one correct answer.

So listen to advice. Try things. Learn from good coaching.

But don’t switch your brain off.

Ask why. Understand the purpose. Then use the bits that help you row better.

Today’s workout is 21 minutes of low-intensity, low-rate rowing followed by a 4 minute cool down, giving us plenty of time to work on the stroke without chasing pace or numbers.

And if you’ve ever followed a rowing cue simply because somebody told you to...

today might make you look at it slightly differently.

21 min low-intensity rowing

4 min cool down

Low stroke rate / comfortable effort

00:00 Welcome & today’s workout

01:16 Set your resistance

01:37 Seat position & posture

02:21 Foot stretcher setup

03:23 Handle grip

03:58 Start rowing

10:34 Different coaches, different cues

17:52 Why elbows go through the sides

24:11 But nobody tells you why...

25:02 4 minute cool down

29:46 Post-row stretching

33:21 Don’t blindly trust advice

33:39 Interrogate what you’re told

40:59 The problem with bad fitness advice

43:32 Use your brain — ask why

44:04 Final thoughts

⚠️ Health Warning:

Please make sure you’re fit enough for exercise before taking part. If you have any medical concerns, injuries or are unsure whether this workout is suitable for you, speak to a qualified health professional first. Stop immediately if you feel pain, dizziness or anything that doesn’t feel right.

#rowingworkout #rowalong #indoorrowing #rowingtechnique #followalongworkout

Find more indoor rowing workouts, training plans, and rowing technique guides at rowalong.com

Watch the full video versions on YouTube: youtube.com/@rowalong

Join the community: facebook.com/groups/rowalong

Instagram: @rowalong_workouts

RowAlong is a free follow-along rowing workout podcast for indoor rowers of all levels. Every session is time-based and works on any rowing machine — Concept2, WaterRower, Hydrow, NordicTrack, or any gym rower. Press play. Strap in. Let's RowAlong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This follow along rowing workout works on a Concept2, WaterRower, Aviron or almost any rowing machine. Join me for 25 minutes of low-intensity indoor rowing, steady cardio fitness and technique coaching that can help whether you’re brand new, coming back after time away, or just looking to reconnect with good rowing habits.

👉 Full RowAlong Daily Workout playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8ookhrQKwvKEfSfOxp73vX02j8LrtUil

Today’s row is all about the benefit of not doing this on your own.

Sometimes the biggest help isn’t a complicated workout or a big motivational speech — it’s simply having someone there to row with, keep you moving, and talk you through the session stroke by stroke.

That’s what this workout is for.

I row 21 minutes at a low intensity, followed by a 4 minute cool down, while coaching technique and keeping the whole thing approachable and useful.

If you’re newer to rowing, or coming back after a break, the technique chat should really help you settle in, understand the stroke better, and feel more confident on the machine.

And if you’re already experienced, this is still a great chance to row with company, reinforce good habits, and put a bit of quality into an easier session.

So if you want a row that helps you build fitness, improve your movement, and makes the whole thing feel a little less lonely…

don’t row alone.

21 min low-intensity rowing

4 min cool down

Low intensity / technique-focused / steady effort

00:00 Welcome & today’s workout

00:00 Start rowing

25:00 Cool down

29:00 Wrap up & final thoughts

⚠️ Health Warning:

Please make sure you’re fit enough for exercise before taking part. If you have any medical concerns, injuries or are unsure whether this workout is suitable for you, speak to a qualified health professional first. Stop immediately if you feel pain, dizziness or anything that doesn’t feel right.

#rowingworkout #rowalong #indoorrowing #rowingtechnique #followalongworkout

Find more indoor rowing workouts, training plans, and rowing technique guides at rowalong.com

Watch the full video versions on YouTube: youtube.com/@rowalong

Join the community: facebook.com/groups/rowalong

Instagram: @rowalong_workouts

RowAlong is a free follow-along rowing workout podcast for indoor rowers of all levels. Every session is time-based and works on any rowing machine — Concept2, WaterRower, Hydrow, NordicTrack, or any gym rower. Press play. Strap in. Let's RowAlong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This RowAlong rowing workout works on a Concept2, WaterRower, Aviron or almost any rowing machine. Join me for 25 minutes of low-intensity indoor rowing, technique coaching and steady cardio fitness.

👉 Full RowAlong Daily Workout playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8ookhrQKwvKEfSfOxp73vX02j8LrtUil

Today’s row is about using the easier sessions to build the stroke you want to rely on later.

When the effort is comfortable, you’ve got the time and mental space to think about what you’re doing — your posture, your connection at the front, the order of legs, body and arms, and how smoothly you move through the recovery.

That matters because once a workout gets properly hard, you won’t always have the capacity to consciously manage every part of your technique.

Eventually, the stroke needs to look after itself.

That’s why rows like this are useful. You can concentrate on good movement now, repeat it, and gradually make it feel more natural until it becomes the stroke your body falls back on when you’re concentrating on pace, breathing or simply getting through the hard stuff.

Today I row 21 minutes at low intensity, followed by a 4 minute cool down. You can match my stroke rate, adjust the pace to suit your fitness, and use the time to work on the parts of your stroke that you want to improve.

You don’t need perfection.

Just keep reinforcing the movement you want to be there when you stop consciously thinking about it. That’s exactly the point I come back to later in the row: these sessions are where you develop a more automatic stroke that’s less likely to fall apart when the effort rises.

Build it here.

Use it when you need it.

21 min low-intensity rowing

4 min cool down

Low stroke rate / controlled effort

00:00 Welcome & today’s workout

00:51 Set your resistance

01:08 Seat position & posture

01:37 Foot stretcher setup

03:03 Handle grip

03:37 Start rowing

09:40 Technique drills & recovery order

24:34 4 minute cool down

30:25 Post-row stretching

31:07 Use the easy rows for technique

31:52 Build the movement through repetition

32:34 What happens during a hard 2K

35:20 When the stroke becomes automatic

35:42 Build the stroke that won’t fall apart

36:37 Technique through the cool down

⚠️ Health Warning:

Please make sure you’re fit enough for exercise before taking part. If you have any medical concerns, injuries or are unsure whether this workout is suitable for you, speak to a qualified health professional first. Stop immediately if you feel pain, dizziness or anything that doesn’t feel right.

#rowingworkout #rowalong #indoorrowing #rowingtechnique #followalongworkout

Find more indoor rowing workouts, training plans, and rowing technique guides at rowalong.com

Watch the full video versions on YouTube: youtube.com/@rowalong

Join the community: facebook.com/groups/rowalong

Instagram: @rowalong_workouts

RowAlong is a free follow-along rowing workout podcast for indoor rowers of all levels. Every session is time-based and works on any rowing machine — Concept2, WaterRower, Hydrow, NordicTrack, or any gym rower. Press play. Strap in. Let's RowAlong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This follow along rowing workout works on a Concept2, WaterRower, Aviron or almost any rowing machine. Join me for 25 minutes of indoor rowing and make the session work for your fitness, your energy and your day.

👉 Full RowAlong Daily Workout playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8ookhrQKwvKEfSfOxp73vX02j8LrtUil

One of the nice things about these Daily Rows is that you don’t have to use them exactly the way I do.

My standard session is 21 minutes of low-intensity rowing followed by a 4 minute cool down. For me, that’s an easy workout that gets my body moving without taking too much out of the rest of my day.

But your needs might be completely different.

You can keep the same 25 minutes and row at an easy intensity.

You can add more power and turn it into a stronger standalone workout.

Or you can start rowing with me and simply keep going, using the video as company while you build more duration.

There isn’t one “correct” version.

The important thing is choosing the row that fits what you need today, while still paying attention to how much energy you want left for everything else you have planned.

There’s plenty of technique coaching and general chat along the way too — including another slight detour into rowing machines, DJs, editing software and why people get so tribal about the tools they use!

But the workout itself stays simple.

Make it yours, RowAlong with me, and get the session that works for you today.

21 min low-intensity rowing

4 min cool down

Or increase the effort / duration to suit you

00:00 Welcome & today’s workout

01:12 Set your resistance

01:26 Seat position & posture

01:54 Foot stretcher setup

02:25 Handle grip

03:19 Start rowing

04:26 Find connection with the machine

11:00 Technique check-in

18:46 Find the right amount of power

25:05 Cool down

27:00 Why the machine isn’t the important bit

32:00 Tools, technology & opinions

36:28 Does skill still matter?

38:11 Why everyone has a favourite

40:03 Another small rant...

41:10 Final-day editing chaos

43:39 Keep rowing if you want more

44:00 Three ways to use this workout

45:01 Finish

⚠️ Health Warning:

Please make sure you’re fit enough for exercise before taking part. If you have any medical concerns, injuries or are unsure whether this workout is suitable for you, speak to a qualified health professional first. Stop immediately if you feel pain, dizziness or anything that doesn’t feel right.

#rowingworkout #rowalong #indoorrowing #rowingmachine #followalongworkout

Find more indoor rowing workouts, training plans, and rowing technique guides at rowalong.com

Watch the full video versions on YouTube: youtube.com/@rowalong

Join the community: facebook.com/groups/rowalong

Instagram: @rowalong_workouts

RowAlong is a free follow-along rowing workout podcast for indoor rowers of all levels. Every session is time-based and works on any rowing machine — Concept2, WaterRower, Hydrow, NordicTrack, or any gym rower. Press play. Strap in. Let's RowAlong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This follow along rowing workout works on a Concept2, WaterRower, Aviron or almost any rowing machine. Join me for 25 minutes of low-intensity rowing, technique coaching and steady cardio fitness.

👉 Full RowAlong Daily Workout playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8ookhrQKwvKEfSfOxp73vX02j8LrtUil

Today I ended up describing rowing technique in terms of primary, secondary and tertiary colours.

The primary colours are the big building blocks of the stroke:

Legs → Body → Arms

Arms → Body → Legs

Get those right first.

Then you can start adding the secondary details — posture, forward tilt, shins vertical, a strong finish, good recovery sequencing — and finally the smaller details that help everything feel smoother, stronger and more connected.

That’s really the point of this row.

You don’t need to make technique complicated from the start. Build the basics first, then layer the finer details on top.

Today is 21 minutes of low-intensity, low-rate rowing followed by a 4 minute cool down, so there’s plenty of time to settle into the stroke and actually feel those pieces coming together.

If you’re newer to rowing, concentrate on the big movements first. If you’ve been rowing for years, use the session to check whether those foundations are still as solid as you think they are.

Get the primary colours right — then build from there.

21 min low-intensity rowing

4 min cool down

Low stroke rate / controlled effort

00:00 Welcome & today’s workout

00:48 Set your resistance

01:20 Seat position & posture

02:15 Foot stretcher setup

03:22 Handle grip

04:03 Start rowing

08:58 Back to the fundamentals

10:07 The primary colours of rowing

10:34 Adding the secondary colours

11:15 Catch position & connection

12:14 Colouring between the big movements

14:52 A stronger finish

15:32 Recovery sequencing

16:28 The tertiary details

25:16 Cool down

31:22 Technique, fitness & building the foundation

46:31 Why the basics matter

46:58 Primary, secondary & tertiary colours

47:12 Wrap up

⚠️ Health Warning:

Please make sure you’re fit enough for exercise before taking part. If you have any medical concerns, injuries or are unsure whether this workout is suitable for you, speak to a qualified health professional first. Stop immediately if you feel pain, dizziness or anything that doesn’t feel right.

#rowingworkout #rowalong #indoorrowing #rowingtechnique #followalongworkout

Find more indoor rowing workouts, training plans, and rowing technique guides at rowalong.com

Watch the full video versions on YouTube: youtube.com/@rowalong

Join the community: facebook.com/groups/rowalong

Instagram: @rowalong_workouts

RowAlong is a free follow-along rowing workout podcast for indoor rowers of all levels. Every session is time-based and works on any rowing machine — Concept2, WaterRower, Hydrow, NordicTrack, or any gym rower. Press play. Strap in. Let's RowAlong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This follow along rowing workout works on a Concept2, WaterRower, Aviron or almost any rowing machine. Join me for 25 minutes of low-intensity rowing, technique coaching and steady cardio fitness.

👉 Full RowAlong Daily Workout playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8ookhrQKwvKEfSfOxp73vX02j8LrtUil

Today I’m rowing on a different machine, but the important part of the workout hasn’t changed.

The machine can feel different. The resistance can feel different. The seat, handle and footplates can all be different.

But your job is still the same.

Find a resistance that gives you something useful to push against. Get yourself into a good catch position. Connect your legs, body and arms. Put useful power into the machine and let your own effort determine the workout.

That’s really the point of today’s row:

Don’t worry too much about what machine I’m using. Focus on how YOU are rowing on yours.

You don’t need the most expensive machine in the room to get a worthwhile session. What matters far more is whether your machine lets you move properly, gives you enough resistance to work against, and allows you to row with good technique.

Today is my usual 21 minutes at low intensity, followed by a 4 minute cool down, with plenty of technique reminders along the way.

If you’re on a Concept2, WaterRower, Aviron, MERACH or another rower entirely, set things up so they work for you and RowAlong with me.

Because at the end of the day, you are what matters here. If you get a good workout from your machine, that’s the important bit.

21 min low-intensity rowing

4 min cool down

Around 20 strokes per minute

00:00 The machine doesn’t matter

00:41 Set your resistance

01:12 Seat position & posture

02:08 Foot stretcher setup

03:10 Handle grip

03:34 Start rowing

04:05 Different machine, same principles

13:58 Legs, body, arms — keep it flowing

23:04 Why the machine doesn’t matter

24:17 The Toyota Corolla analogy

27:16 Can a cheaper rower still give you a good workout?

27:44 What your machine actually needs to do

28:36 Workout complete

29:58 Post-row stretching

37:00 Same workout, different machine

40:39 You are what matters here

42:12 It’s about the workout, not the machine

44:27 Finish

⚠️ Health Warning:

Please make sure you’re fit enough for exercise before taking part. If you have any medical concerns, injuries or are unsure whether this workout is suitable for you, speak to a qualified health professional first. Stop immediately if you feel pain, dizziness or anything that doesn’t feel right.

#rowingworkout #rowalong #indoorrowing #rowingmachine #followalongworkout

Find more indoor rowing workouts, training plans, and rowing technique guides at rowalong.com

Watch the full video versions on YouTube: youtube.com/@rowalong

Join the community: facebook.com/groups/rowalong

Instagram: @rowalong_workouts

RowAlong is a free follow-along rowing workout podcast for indoor rowers of all levels. Every session is time-based and works on any rowing machine — Concept2, WaterRower, Hydrow, NordicTrack, or any gym rower. Press play. Strap in. Let's RowAlong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This follow along rowing workout works on a Concept2, WaterRower or any rowing machine. Join me for 25 minutes of low-intensity indoor rowing, technique coaching and steady cardio fitness.

👉 Full RowAlong Daily Workout playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8ookhrQKwvKEfSfOxp73vX02j8LrtUil

Some weeks training goes exactly to plan.

Other weeks, work gets busy, your energy drops, life gets in the way, and suddenly the sessions you intended to do start disappearing.

That’s one of the reasons I value these Daily Rows so much.

They’re simple. They’re familiar. And they give me something I can fall back on when everything else starts to feel like too much.

Today is 21 minutes at a low intensity and low stroke rate, followed by a 4 minute cool down. You can match my stroke rate, row easier, or add a little more power depending on what your body needs today.

There’s plenty of technique coaching along the way, but the bigger thought today is about routine.

You don’t need every workout to be heroic.

Sometimes the important thing is simply having something dependable that keeps you moving, keeps you connected to your training, and makes it easier to pick everything else back up again when life settles down.

That’s what this row does for me.

Hopefully it can do the same for you.

21 min low-intensity rowing

4 min cool down

Around 20 strokes per minute

00:00 Why I keep doing these rows

00:59 Resistance / drag factor

01:48 Seat position & posture

02:50 Foot stretcher setup

04:28 Start rowing

05:33 Find your low-intensity effort

08:46 Settle into 20 SPM

22:06 Stroke rate alone isn’t enough

23:27 New to rowing? You’re welcome here

25:30 4 minute cool down

28:38 Use the cool down for technique

32:24 When training starts to feel like a slog

33:23 Work, stress & missed workouts

34:19 Knowing when to back off

40:33 Building useful habits

44:45 Why routine matters

46:42 Finish

⚠️ Health Warning:

Please make sure you’re fit enough for exercise before taking part. If you have any medical concerns, injuries or are unsure whether this workout is suitable for you, speak to a qualified health professional first. Stop immediately if you feel pain, dizziness or anything that doesn’t feel right.

#rowingworkout #rowalong #indoorrowing #rowingmachine #followalongworkout

Find more indoor rowing workouts, training plans, and rowing technique guides at rowalong.com

Watch the full video versions on YouTube: youtube.com/@rowalong

Join the community: facebook.com/groups/rowalong

Instagram: @rowalong_workouts

RowAlong is a free follow-along rowing workout podcast for indoor rowers of all levels. Every session is time-based and works on any rowing machine — Concept2, WaterRower, Hydrow, NordicTrack, or any gym rower. Press play. Strap in. Let's RowAlong.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Row Along workout works on a Concept2, WaterRower or any rowing machine. Join me for 25 minutes of low-intensity indoor rowing, technique coaching and steady cardio fitness. But hang around for my epic rant - which starts with a pair of Boxer Shorts.

👉 Full RowAlong Daily Workout playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8ookhrQKwvKEfSfOxp73vX02j8LrtUil

Sometimes the hardest part of a workout is simply deciding to start.

I came into today’s row with absolutely no idea what I was going to talk about. I figured I’d climb onto the machine, get moving and see what happened.

And then apparently I couldn’t stop talking. And I think rowing can work exactly the same way.

You can have days where you look at the rowing machine and think:

Do I actually fancy this today?

You don’t necessarily feel tired. There’s nothing particularly wrong. You’re just not bursting with enthusiasm to get started. And that’s okay.

Rather than waiting for motivation to magically arrive, sometimes it’s worth simply getting onto the machine and taking the first few strokes.

Let your body warm up. Find your rhythm. Give yourself a few minutes.

Because quite often, somewhere along the way, the session you weren’t sure you wanted to do becomes a row you’re really enjoying.

That’s the idea behind today’s workout.

I row 21 minutes at a low intensity and low stroke rate, followed by a 4 minute cool down. You can match my stroke rate, row easier than me, or put more power into each stroke if that suits you better.

There’s plenty of useful rowing coaching along the way too, with reminders about posture, connection and getting more from the stroke without turning the workout into a technique lecture.

And then, once the rowing is done, things go slightly off the rails.

What starts with a pair of boxer shorts somehow turns into a proper rant, so if you make it to the end of the workout, you may as well stay for that too.

So if you’re sitting there wondering whether you feel like rowing today, don’t overthink it.

Start the row.

See where it takes you.

21 minutes low-intensity rowing

4 minute cool down

Low stroke rate / comfortable effort

00:00 Welcome & today’s row

00:43 Set your resistance

01:11 Seat position & posture

02:21 Foot stretcher setup

04:03 Catch position & connection

04:35 Start rowing

05:16 Legs, body, arms

07:41 Set your position before the catch

10:49 Chain path, body angle & power

13:57 Technique habits that can hold you back

16:53 How my rowing technique changed

18:01 Make the flywheel move — not just the handle

21:31 Where more rowing power comes from

23:24 Technique, comfort & effective workouts

25:45 4 minute cool down

31:27 Post-row stretching

41:52 Then I go into something of a rant...

48:36 Final wrap-up

⚠️ Health Warning:

Please make sure you’re fit enough for exercise before taking part. If you have any medical concerns, injuries or are unsure whether this workout is suitable for you, speak to a qualified health professional first. Stop immediately if you feel pain, dizziness or anything that doesn’t feel right.

#rowingworkout #indoorrowing #rowalong #rowingmachine #followalongworkout

Find more indoor rowing workouts, training plans, and rowing technique guides at rowalong.com

Watch the full video versions on YouTube: youtube.com/@rowalong

Join the community: facebook.com/groups/rowalong

Instagram: @rowalong_workouts

RowAlong is a free follow-along rowing workout podcast for indoor rowers of all levels. Every session is time-based and works on any rowing machine — Concept2, WaterRower, Hydrow, NordicTrack, or any gym rower. Press play. Strap in. Let's RowAlong.

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