Is It Better to Row Fast or Slow?

Neither is better. Slow rowing builds the aerobic base that everything else sits on; fast rowing develops power and the ability to cope with hard efforts. The useful question is what you need right now.

What “fast” and “slow” mean

On an erg, “fast” usually means a low split per 500m, a higher stroke rate or both. “Slow” means a pace you can hold for 30 minutes or longer while still holding a conversation. Two things are easy to confuse. The stroke rate is how many strokes per minute you take. The pace is how fast the boat or flywheel is moving. You can row at a slow rate with a hard stroke and be quick, or at a high rate with weak strokes and go nowhere. What counts as fast is personal, so use your own zones: see heart rate zones for rowing.

What slow rowing gives you

• A bigger aerobic base, which supports every distance from 2k to a marathon.
• Time to rehearse technique without fatigue getting in the way. Slowing the stroke lets you check each phase: catch, drive, finish, recovery.
• Lower stress, so you can train more often and recover quickly.
• A gentler way back for beginners or after a break.

Slow rowing can also be a way to practise concentration. Counting strokes, noticing the feel of the leg drive and holding a steady rhythm all train focus. Our guide to how much steady state is enough explains how much to include.

What fast rowing gives you

• Practice at race pace, which matters for a 2k or similar test.
• Higher power and a better tolerance for discomfort.
• Variety, which many find motivating.
• A bigger demand on the heart and lungs in a shorter time.

The cost is fatigue. Hard sessions need recovery, and doing too many leaves you tired and stale. They also magnify technique faults, so check form before you push hard.

How to mix them

A common pattern for regular rowers is two or three easy sessions and one or two harder sessions a week. Avoid the trap of rowing everything at a medium effort: it is hard enough to tire you, but not hard enough to improve race pace. Easy days should feel easy, hard days properly hard. Interval training is a good way to structure the harder work.

Day	Session	Effort
Monday	40 minutes steady, 18 to 20 spm	Easy, 3 to 4 out of 10
Wednesday	6 x 3 minutes at 22 to 24 spm, 2 minutes easy	Hard, 7 to 8 out of 10
Friday	30 minutes steady with technique drills	Easy
Sunday	60 minutes steady, or 8 x 500m fast	Easy, or hard in alternate weeks

When to change pace

• Feeling flat or run down: go easier for a few days.
• Plateau on steady pieces: add one structured interval session.
• Preparing for a test: include race-pace work in the final weeks.
• Technique falling apart: slow down until it holds.
• Sessions feel too easy: raise the pace slightly, or lengthen the piece, but not both.

Make each stroke count

At any speed, keep the sequence right: legs, body, arms on the drive; arms, body, legs on the recovery. Relax your shoulders and aim for an even rhythm, with the drive firm and the recovery unhurried and about twice as long. A useful drill is to row a few minutes at a very low rate with a strong drive, then bring the rate up by two or four without losing the length. Our stroke rate guide helps you pick a rate. More advice is in the training hub.