Bodyweight Exercises to Help You Row Better

You don’t need a gym to build the strength rowing asks for. A handful of bodyweight movements covers the legs that drive the stroke, the trunk that transfers the power, and the back and shoulders that hold the handle. This guide groups them by what they do for you, then gives three workouts you can run at home or on the road. Have a towel and some water to hand, because this kind of work gets sweaty quickly.

Why bodyweight work suits rowers

Rowing is a repetitive, low-impact sport. Strength work that is also low-impact is easy to recover from, so it slots around your rowing without wrecking the next session. Bodyweight movements teach you to control your own mass through a full range of movement, which is exactly what the stroke demands. They also travel: a hotel room floor is enough.

They have limits. Once 20 clean squats feels easy, your legs are no longer being challenged much, and you will need harder variations or external load to keep progressing. Our strength training for rowing guide covers that next step, and a rowing workout for strength and speed shows how to combine gym work with rowing intervals across a week.

Legs and hips

The drive starts with the legs, so most of your bodyweight time should go here.

• Squats: feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly, chest up. Sit back and down until your thighs are at least parallel, then drive through your heels to stand. Three sets of 12 to 15.
• Lunges: step forward, lower the back knee towards the floor and keep the front knee tracking over your toes. Press through the front heel to return. Eight to ten each side.
• Side lunges: step wide to one side, sit back into that hip with the other leg straight and the foot pointing forward, then push back to the start. These work the inner thigh and glutes in a way forward lunges miss.
• Glute bridges: lie on your back, feet flat, and drive your hips up. Squeeze at the top for a second. Three sets of 12 to 15.
• Squat jumps: a squat followed by an explosive jump, landing softly. Keep the reps low and the quality high.

For more on the hips and glutes, see glute exercises for rowing. If your legs are what’s holding you back, rowing with weak legs shows how to build them, and our comparison of rowing machines and the leg press shows what loaded leg work adds.

Core

A weak trunk leaks power between the legs and the handle.

• Plank: forearms down, elbows under shoulders, a straight line from head to heels, abs and glutes tight. Build from 20 seconds towards a minute and keep breathing.
• Side plank: the same on one forearm with feet stacked. Hold 20 to 30 seconds each side.
• Dead bugs and lying leg raises: slow and controlled, with your lower back pressed into the floor. If your back arches, bend the knees or shorten the range.
• Reverse crunch: knees bent over your chest, curl your hips a few centimetres off the floor, then lower slowly.
• Russian twists: seated with your feet down, turn from the ribs, not just the arms.
• Supermans: lying face down, lift arms and legs a few centimetres and hold for a count of two. This works the lower back and glutes. Eight to twelve reps.
• Mountain climbers: from a high plank, drive alternate knees towards your chest. This doubles as conditioning.

There is more detail in how to build a stronger core for rowing.

Upper body

The arms and back finish the stroke, but they should be the last link in the chain rather than the main engine. If arm shape is part of why you’re training, our page on whether rowing will tone your arms explains what the arms do in the stroke and what strength work adds.

• Press-ups: keep your body in one line from head to heels. Drop to your knees if you can’t complete a set cleanly. Spiderman press-ups, where a knee comes to the elbow on each rep, add trunk work.
• Hindu press-ups: from a piked position, sweep your chest down and forward, then back up. They stretch the shoulders and chest as well as strengthening them.
• Reverse flys: hinge at the hips with soft knees and raise your arms out to the sides, squeezing the shoulder blades together. This helps the upper back that rowing loads constantly.
• Inverted rows: if you have a sturdy bar or table you can safely pull from, pulling your chest to it mirrors the finish of the stroke.

Conditioning moves

Burpees, jumping jacks and plank jacks raise your heart rate without equipment. They suit a short circuit when you can’t get to the machine, but they don’t replace time on the erg or water. Keep burpees controlled if your back or knees are sore.

Three workouts

Warm up first with five minutes of easy movement, such as marching on the spot, arm circles and a few bodyweight squats.

Beginner

Three sets of each, with 30 seconds’ rest between sets.

Exercise	Reps
Press-ups	10
Squats	10
Lunges	10 each leg
Crunches	10

Intermediate

Four sets of each, with 30 seconds’ rest between sets.

Exercise	Reps or time
Press-ups	12 to 15
Squats	20
Walking lunges	10 to 12 each leg
Spiderman press-ups	10 to 12
Russian twists	12 to 15
Side plank	30 seconds each side
Jumping jacks	30 seconds

Circuit for experienced exercisers

Pick eight to ten exercises from the lists above. Work for 40 seconds, rest 20, move to the next. Complete the circuit three times with two minutes’ rest between rounds. Count your reps in each round and try to match or beat them next time. Aim for good form throughout, and stop an exercise if it causes sharp pain.

Common mistakes

• Rushing reps. Speed hides weak form. Slow the lowering phase of squats, lunges and press-ups.
• Sagging planks. A dropped hip loads the lower back. End the hold when the line goes.
• Doing too much before a hard row. Leave a day between heavy leg work and your key rowing sessions where you can.

Fitting it in

Two or three short sessions a week is plenty. If you’re starting out, your first month on the erg should come first. If you have an injury or a medical condition, check with a GP or physio before starting, and stop if pain increases.