Rowing fitness exercises

If you want to get in shape, rowing is one of the best ways to do it. And the popularity of indoor ergometers such as the Concept 2 means that you can now develop rowing fitness without ever taking to the water!

Indeed, there are now regular indoor rowing competitions for those who have developed their fitness on an ergometer.

As this is considered to be one of the most physically demanding of all sports, the best way to get in shape for rowing is to do it! However, if you want to race, it's worth considering the typical tactics in a race, and what that means to your fitness.

In a typical 2000m race, competitors sprint the first 500m in order to look back at their competitors. This is followed by around 1000m of very high steady-state aerobic effort, and concludes with an exhaustive 500m sprint.

This type of race therefore places high demands on both the aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways, and also requires an exceptionally high tolerance to lactate accumulation.

To prepare for this, training should therefore include these elements. That means a mix of longer endurance sessions to build up an aerobic base, and shorter more intense intervals to increase anaerobic capacity and develop tolerance to lactic acid buildup.