Rowing Sessions Used
There are 4 main rowing workouts: Steady State, Interval, Pyramid, and Platform Training.
Steady State
This is continuous rowing with a consistent stroke rate and intensity over a set period of time. The duration of the workout can vary between 15-30 minutes. Stroke rates are usually between 18-24spm. Intensity 60-70% of your maximum heart rate.
Speed (shown on your monitor in m/s, mph, /500m, watts, cal/hr) – this number dependant on your fitness & rowing technique, the most important thing when rowing steady state is to hold your stroke rate & speed consistent.
Distance
This is steady state rowing for a certain distance, usually it is a little higher in stroke rate & intensity than a timed steady state piece. Set your monitor to a distance workout so you can count down a set distance for your session. Set a distance of 4000 meters up to 6000 meters (2.5 mile up to 3.5 miles). Time range is anywhere between 20 minutes up to 35 minutes. Stroke rates are usually around 22-24 strokes per minute (spm). Intensity 65-70% of your maximum heart rate.
Castles
This session breaks up a long steady state row into sets of different stroke ratings.
After a warm up of 5-10 minutes, increase your stroke rate by 2spm for 1 up to 2 minutes, then slow down your stroke rate for 1 or 2 minutes and repeat until your sessions is up. That is until 10 minutes up to 20 minutes is complete. Then cool down for 3 up to 5 minutes. The changes in stroke rate and intensity are small (this is not an interval session). Do not think of it being harder work, just a little
looser and quicker. Stroke rates can vary between 18-26spm. Intensity should be between 60-75% of your maximum heart rate.
10 Minute Pyramid Row
After 5-10 minutes warm up row, set your monitor to a timed workout of 10 minutes. Row in steps of 4 minutes -3 minutes -2 minutes -1 minute increasing the intensity and rating by 1-2 spm (strokes per minute) at every change.
The ratings given below are a guideline:
4 minutes rating 20-24 spm @ 60%,
3 minutes rating about 22-26 spm @ 65%
2 minutes rating 24-28 spm @ 70%
1 minutes rating 26-30 spm @ 75%
Do not go higher than 80% intensity for the first few times you do this session, after which you can
increase the last minute to 85% intensity. You can repeat the pyramid after 2-5 minutes of rest or light rowing to make it 20 minutes of intense work or continue with cooling down after the first 10 minutes.
Stroke Pyramid
After 5-10 minutes warm up row, begin the stroke pyramid.
10 strokes hard (high rating and at 85-90% effort) 10 strokes light (very light rowing):
20 strokes hard – 20 strokes light
30 strokes hard – 30 strokes light
40 strokes hard – 30 strokes light
30 strokes hard – 20 strokes light
20 strokes hard – 10 strokes light
10 strokes hard – cool down for 3-5 minutes of light rowing.
Note that you do not take more than 30 strokes light. After 4 weeks of doing this session regularly you can increase the strokes to 50 strokes hard but keep the 30 strokes light.
Training Schedule
You can find sample workouts in our Workouts section of the website. Make sure to follow the overview for each week and most importantly, listen to your body! The row sessions above coorespond to the workouts for each week. Please see above for workouts.
| Week | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Week 1 | DISTANCE ROW 4000-5000 meters & stretch | DAY OFF or STEADYSTATE row 15-25 mins or other exercise | 10 MIN PYRAMID & stretch | CASTLES 8-12 mins & stretch | DAY OFF | STEADYSTATE 10-20 mins & stretch | DAY OFF or other exercise – long walk |
| Week 2 | DISTANCE ROW 4000-5000 meters & stretch | DAY OFF or STEADYSTATE row 15-25 mins or other exercise | DISTANCE ROW 2000-3000 meters & stretch | CASTLES 8-12 mins & stretch | DAY OFF | 10 MIN PYRAMID & stretch | DAY OFF or other exercise – long walk |
| Week 3 | DISTANCE ROW 4000-5000 meters & stretch | DAY OFF or STEADYSTATE row 15-25 mins or other exercise | STROKE PYRAMID row & stretch | CASTLES 12-16 mins & stretch | DAY OFF | STEADYSTATE 10-20 mins & stretch | DAY OFF or other exercise – long walk |
| Week 4 | DISTANCE ROW 4000-5000 meters & stretch | DAY OFF or STEADYSTATE row 15-25 mins or other exercise | 10 MIN PYRAMID & stretch | CASTLES 8-12 mins & stretch | DAY OFF | STROKE PYRAMID row & stretch | DAY OFF or other exercise – long walk |
| Week 5 | DISTANCE ROW 4000-5000 meters & stretch | DAY OFF or STEADYSTATE row 15-25 mins or other exercise | DISTANCE ROW 2000-3000 meters & stretch | CASTLES 8-12 mins & stretch | DAY OFF | STEADYSTATE 10-25 mins & stretch | DAY OFF or other exercise – long walk |
| Week 6 | DISTANCE ROW 5000-6000 meters & stretch | DAY OFF or other exercise – long walk | 2x 10 MIN PYRAMID & stretch | CASTLES 12-16 mins & stretch | DAY OFF | STROKE PYRAMID row (up to 50 strokes) & stretch | DAY OFF or other exercise – long walk |