Rowing for Seniors: How to Do It Safely

Rowing for seniors can be done safely by starting with very short, easy sessions on an indoor machine, once you’ve checked with your GP. It’s seated and has no landing, which suits many older adults, and you can row as gently as you like. It isn’t right for everyone. Speak to your GP before you start, particularly if you have heart, blood pressure, joint, bone or balance concerns, and stop if anything feels wrong.

Talk to your GP first if you have

• Heart disease, high blood pressure, or chest pain on exertion
• Osteoporosis or a past fragility fracture
• A recent joint replacement, or recent surgery
• A hernia
• Back problems, or numbness in the legs
• Dizziness, falls or balance problems

Rowing asks you to bend forward at the hips and bring your knees to your chest, which can be a problem with some of these. Our page on using a rowing machine with osteoporosis lists questions to take to your appointment.

How rowing fits the NHS guidelines

The NHS guidance for adults aged 65 and over says to:

• Be active every day, even if it’s only light activity.
• Build up to at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity if you’re already active.
• Do activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least 2 days a week.
• Break up long periods of sitting.

Rowing counts towards the 150 minutes. Three 20-minute rows make 60 minutes, and five 18-minute walks would cover the other 90. Rowing also works your legs, back and arms, but it doesn’t train balance, so add something for that. As a rule of thumb, tai chi, yoga, or heel raises and sit-to-stands beside a sturdy chair are simple options.

Use the NHS talk test to judge effort. At moderate effort you can still talk, but you can’t sing. When you’re starting out, stay easier than that, so you could speak in full sentences.

Choosing a machine

What to check	Why it matters	What to look for
Seat height	Low seats are hard to get on and off	Try before you buy, or look at raised legs
Frame	A rocking machine feels unsafe	Stays still when you push
Foot straps	Bending to reach them can be awkward	Easy to adjust by hand
Monitor	You shouldn’t need to lean forward	Large, clear numbers
Resistance	Heavy settings strain the back	Starts light; on an air machine, keep the damper low

The Concept2 RowErg costs around £990 (checked 30 Oct 2026) on standard legs. The tall-legs version, around £1,149 (checked 30 Oct 2026), raises the seat for anyone who struggles to get down to it. Our guide to the best rowing machine for beginners compares cheaper options. Many gyms have ergs, and a session or two there will tell you whether you can manage the seat before you spend anything.

If you need more support, adaptive rowing covers options such as fixed seats and trunk supports. Our clubs directory can help you find a local club. Some run sessions for older rowers, including on the water.

Getting on and off safely

1. Stand astride the rail, facing the monitor, with the seat just behind you.
2. Hold the frame, or a sturdy chair beside the machine, and lower yourself slowly.
3. Put your feet in and do up the straps.
4. To finish, undo the straps first, then stand up slowly. Pause for a few seconds in case you feel dizzy.

Clear a level space with room to move around the machine. Keep water and a phone within reach. Wear flat, non-slip shoes and clothes that won’t catch in the seat rail, and make sure the room is well lit.

A gentle four-week build

Week	Sessions	Each session	Weekly total	What to do
1	2	5 to 8 minutes	10 to 16 minutes	Easy pace, legs-only or half slide practice
2	2 to 3	8 to 10 minutes	16 to 30 minutes	Full slide, easy effort
3	3	10 to 15 minutes	30 to 45 minutes	Take one-minute breaks if needed
4	3	15 to 20 minutes	45 to 60 minutes	Still at a talking pace

Add the warm-up to each session: 5 minutes of arms-only and half-slide rowing at a very light pressure. Increase time before effort, and repeat a week if you feel unusually tired. Take at least a day off between sessions at first. Our guide to your first month on the erg shows a similar progression at a slightly faster build.

If you reach the point of rowing 30 minutes comfortably and would like to train for a 2k, speak to your GP first, then look at our Masters 2k Programme, which builds in more recovery.

Good technique, slowly

Slow strokes at 16 to 20 a minute are fine, and there’s no target to hit. Our guide to how to use a rowing machine walks through the full stroke.

• Order: push with the legs, swing the body, draw the arms. Reverse it on the way back.
• Back: sit tall and tip forward from the hips. Avoid rounding your lower back at the front of the stroke. Our page on rowing and your abs explains how your core holds that position.
• Knees: come forward only as far as is comfortable. Shorten the slide if your knees or hips complain.
• Handle: move it smoothly. Don’t jerk it.
• Breathing: keep breathing. Don’t hold your breath on the drive.

A session with a coach at a club or gym is a sensible way to start.

Stop and get help

Stop rowing if you feel chest pain, dizziness, unusual breathlessness, numbness or sharp pain. Chest pain, or pain spreading to your arm, neck or jaw, is an emergency: call 999. For anything else that worries you, contact your GP before you row again.

Afterwards, row very gently for 2 or 3 minutes, then stretch your hips and hamstrings. A little stiffness the next day is normal in the first weeks. Our guide to rowing to recover from DOMS explains whether a gentle row can help. Joint pain that lasts is a reason to pause and ask.

If you row on water

Water brings extra risks: getting in and out of the boat, capsize and cold water. Only row with an experienced club, on water they say is suitable, with others around you, and wear a buoyancy aid if your club advises it. Learn indoors first, because the sequence is the same.