Want to increase your rowing gains? Try specific strength training for rowing performance with this strength-based workout from Orangetheory Coach Lara Gadsdon
Words: Lara Gadsdon | Images: Shutterstock & Marcel Grabowski
Do you eye up the rowing machine at the gym, wondering whether it’s worth your while? Hear this! Every stroke on the rower activates an impressive 85 per cent of your body’s muscles, helping to improve your endurance, boost strength and increase power. In short, the rower is great at providing a full-body workout whilst also keeping the impact light and kind on your joints. The net result is that the rower is the ultimate calorie burner! Powering the rower comes from a combination of 60 per cent leg, 20 per cent core and 20 per cent arm work, meaning that whatever body part you are trying to work on, hitting the rower is great for your goals.
There’s no doubt that the rower delivers an amazing cardio workout, but if you want to increase that stroke rate and row even stronger, strength training can help. Enter this resistance session from Orangetheory Coach Lara Gadsdon, which will work your entire body and boost your all-round rowing prowess.
How should you do it? Gadsdon recommends completing the following moves for 12 repetitions each. Do the exercises in order and clock three full rounds. Ready? Let’s row!
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Squat with power
An explosive movement that works both the calves and the quadriceps, and will help build a powerful stroke on the rower.
- Start with your feet flat on the floor, around shoulder-width apart and facing forwards in a neutral position. Your toes can point out slightly.
- Lower into a squat slowly (A), and just as your thighs hit parallel with the floor, explode up onto your toes, without jumping (B).
- Soften your knees on the descent, then rise and repeat.
Alternating full v-up
An explosive core movement that will be sure to help with your core strength and power.
- Start by lying face-up on your mat, with the back of your head on the floor. Place your arms straight up in front of you (A), this will help to minimise momentum.
- Raise one leg into the air, keeping the knee as straight as possible. As you do this, reach your arms out straight and crunch towards your shoelaces (B).
- Exhale on the way up, to contract your core more effectively, and inhale on the way back down. Then repeat, by lifting the other leg, and continue alternating for 12 reps each side.
Bird dog to crunch
This exercise will help to strengthen your core stability and posture.
- Start on all-fours, with your wrists under shoulders and knees under hips.
- Fully extend an opposite arm to leg (right arm; left leg) so that they are parallel to the floor (A). You will perform all reps on this side before switching.
- Bring the elbow of your right arm and the knee of your left leg in towards your belly button (B). Exhale as you perform this motion for a full crunch action.
- Release both arm and leg slowly until they are fully extended and parallel with the floor again. Repeat 12 times, then switch sides.
Broad jump to shuffle
Quick and dynamic, this will assist with powerful bursts of energy when rowing.
- Start with your feet just outside shoulder-width apart. Bend the knees, making sure to keep your back straight.
- Powerfully jump forwards, aiming to cover a body length in distance (A). Land softly and cushion yourself with slightly bent knees (B).
- As soon as you have got your balance, shuffle quickly on back to your start position and repeat 12 times.
High plank, low row
Get ready to fire up the core and upper body simultaneously.
- Grab a light-to-medium set of dumbbells. Start in a high plank position, with hands on the floor directly under shoulders and elbows straight. Be sure to brace your core and not allow your hips to sag to the floor (A).
- Both feet are on the floor and around shoulder-width apart – you can have feet in a narrow stance for a challenge, or widen them for an easier option.
- Choose one side and row the dumbbell into the body (B). Think of it as dragging elbow to hip to engage those back muscles.
- Lower slowly and repeat 12 times, then switch sides.
Alternating gorilla row
This movement will engage your core muscles while building your upper back strength.
- Start with feet nice and wide, so you have room to hinge forwards. Hold a medium-to-heavy dumbbell in each hand.
- Bend your knees and hinge your chest forwards by pushing your bottom back. Lean over your toes until your upper body is almost parallel with the floor. Pull your shoulder blades back and down to ensure you have a flat back.
- Raise the left dumbbell (A) by rowing your elbow in towards the hip bone. Lower to the floor slowly and repeat on the right side (B). Alternate for 12 reps.
Hip hinge swing
This movement is fast, and will be sure to activate those glutes and hamstrings to help with all round lower body strength.
- Grip a heavy dumbbell at the top and stand tall with feet just beyond shoulder-width apart. Keep a soft bend in your knees, and remember that this is a hinge and not a squat (so there will be minimal bending of the knees if possible).
- Push your bottom back behind you; arms straight holding the dumbbell. Hinge over until you feel the tension in the back of your upper legs and your chest is almost parallel with the floor (A).
- Explosively thrust your hips forward. This will allow the dumbbell to swing upwards until your arms are parallel to the floor (B). The arms merely act as a guide for the weight and shouldn’t physically lift the weight.
- Lower the weight with control, then repeat.
Orangetheory Fitness offers full-body group workouts focused on heart rate-based interval training. Each workout is backed by science and tracked by technology, which helps members monitor their results in real-time. Led by a certified coach to make sure you don’t overtrain or undertrain, the aim is to elevate your heart rate to 84 per cent of its max or higher for just 12 minutes out of the 60-minute workout. This produces strength and cardio benefits. orangetheory.com
