How Often You Need to Row to Consistently Get Better 

I row 5 times a week, my husband does it everyday. We’ve gotten to the point where we feel guilty if we miss days. I’m 58, he’s 60, and we both wish we would have started years ago. It has done wonders for our bodies and helped us mentally through this messed up pandemic. Now our goal is to get our sons each a machine. Our motto, “A couple who rows together, stays together”.

i row 5 times a week. i love it. cant wait to go to the gym and row. it has been 3 months since i have started, lost weight, gain confidence, fell in love with rowing after hating every minute at the gym. rowing is awesome.

Just started rowing with the concept2 machine. love it. wished i had started years ago. i am targeting rowing 4-5 days a week for 20-30 mnutes at a good pace. Will start adding in some swimming on the other days. At 70 years young, this feels right for me.

I've been rowing on my Model C consistently 4-6 times a week since 1998, following a brief stint where I used a Model B at a gym in the early part of the decade. Once I discovered the extent to which rowing exercises and tones all the major muscle groups and promotes cardiovascular fitness with minimal impact, I knew this was (along with my then NordicTrack Pro skier) the path to health, fitness, strength and energy. Now of course I complement my workouts with the SkiErg. I was talking up the merits of rowing to people for over 20 years...naturally no one heeded my advice back in the day.

I love rowing. I do half an hour every other day. It's been 6 months now and the results are amazing.

44 year old veteran with multiple injuries here.I recently discovered rowing and your amazing tutorials. I am very grateful for this free resource and look forward to improving my level of fitness with rowing. Thanks and God bless you Sir

At one time between diet and rowing, I dropped almost 60lbs in about 7 months. I was Rowing 4-5x/week. Only 10-20 minutes a day.

I have settled into a routine of rowing every other day. I usually do 10 intervals of 1000 meters / 1 minute rest. I’m 63 and it gives me a great workout.

My wife and I row a lot . We row about everything. Always rowing about this and that.

Oops, I've literally been rowing almost everyday since I started in November. I love it, and can't imagine only doing it twice a week. I've been following your beginner workouts and look forward to rowing every morning. Thanks for posting these.

Just wanted to say thanks for all the great content. Being an Active Duty Marine, I just started rowing about three weeks ago as a means to a finding a lower impact form of cardio than running.

I started rowing a few weeks ago and I am HOOKED. Ive been binging your videos and kept it at about twice a week. Its enough to keep me interested in my other work out and excited for rowing too. Can't wait to see the growth!

I'm 62, just bought a Sunny row machine. I love it and have learned everything about rowing from you, due to Covid. I'm 5'8 small frame ,weigh 165 and just feel sluggish cause I have no tone. Before the rowing machine, I walk my dog a couple of times a day, exercise in a pool and still feel I need more movement. I do have hip pain and have osteoporosis. Thanks to you, I became interested in the low impact exercise. I have been rowing twice a day, everyday, worked up to 15 minutes on #3 tension. My 72 year old husband is also doing this. Thanks again! We've only been doing this for almost 3 weeks. Some soreness, but overall feel great! Will keep watching your videos.

Since I started this week. 10 to 15 min twice a day. Which includes practicing. But so far am enjoying this.

I am currently at 4 times a week and I love it. My times, physique and form on the machine has drastically improved.

Been rowing at least an hour a day 6 days a week...I do love it! I jog the day I don't row. I supposed I will slow down so I won't get burned out.

rowing is the staple of my fitness regime, low impact great benefits. I was rowing about an hour at a time, love this machine, Concept 2 is the goat

I was rowing five days a week, absolutely loved it. I dropped 70 pounds. At 51, that’s pretty damn good. Looked and felt better than I did in my 30’s This year I had a double discectomy. Two discs removed from my neck and three vertebrae fused together. I spent the last 12 weeks in a neck brace. I don’t think rowing caused it, and I’m dying to start again - put 20 pounds back on even though I’ve been walking a lot. But I’m a little scared to start back. I had total numbness in my arm and couldn’t lift a 2 litter before surgery and excruciating pain. Damn I want to row. No dr approval to start back yet

We got a Concept 2 rower at my fire station in 2018. I used it semi regularly but it was by far my favorite exercise. I got injured on the job (tendon tear, right foot) in October and had surgery to repair in December. I have always been a heavier guy but I put on 20plus lbs being off my feet with no outlet for cardio for almost 4 months. Bought a concept for home (hilariously it arrived the day after surgery) and now row 6/7 days a week. Longer days and shorter days. In 3 weeks I have only lost a few of the pounds but cardio and health wise I feel like I've gone through the roof. At this point I'm in it for the weight loss (shooting for 40 lbs) and get my cardio back. Establishing my base line times/distances this month. Thinking a good training plan set up for a longer distance (10k) would do me good.

I am 83 and have been doing 10-15000m nearly every day for the last two years (since I stopped cycling). my splits have gone up in the last year a bit, but the rowing keeps me fit (I hope), and I still enjoy it a lot. Wouldn't be without the good old C2.

I started rowing about 3 weeks ago. I do 2 classes a week. I see improvement in my technique. It’s exciting to see and feel improvement in my stroke and technique!

My Angels will sing soon!! Iam rowing twice a week and I was sure that it is not enough..now Iam happy to hear it!!!

You forgot one....I am losing weight, my trainer has me rowing 5 days a week and uses it either in my circuits or in between them. Lost near 100, got more to go!💪

5-6 times a week for me like. Being ex army I needed something more than basic. About 45 minutes with warm up and cool down. Love your vids.

I’ve been using a cgm and a concept2 it’s awesome just 30 minutes in the morn it cleans all the “dawn” glucose out of my system and sets me up to burn fat the rest of the day. Combined with intermittent fasting you have great control over your blood sugar and insulin. The key is the “low” intensity, complete body workout the concept2 provides. if it was a harder workout, combined with fasting, the body would start to break down muscle for energy instead of using fat. It takes up space but whether youre taking off fat or keeping it off it’s a great tool in the fight against fat!

I’m getting my machine next week! I plan to do every other day and on off day I’ll do my elliptical! I want to work on the discipline of doing cardio daily! That’s where I am!

So, not a rower. Probably will never be a rower. But I just started a few weeks ago after a friend encouraged me. I liked it and look forward to incorporating it to my routine. Like with most things I start new, I am all over the place. Needed a bit of direction and definitely appreciate and benefited your video.

After two years without gym I do five good rowing minutes and I got tired :) After a week, 6 minutes. I expect to get to 20m and then a begginer plan like the one you have suggested in other video..

I generally follow a 3-1-3 routine with one day off each week and 30 minute rowing sessions. Weeks with 2 days off do pop up every now and then.

I've been rowing six days a week since I bought my ergometer. best decision of my life.

I LOVE the Concept II.......best $ I've ever invested into my fitness.

Monday thru Friday every other day. Saturday and Sunday is my rest day. It is one heck'uv a cardio . I incorporated it in to my workout at the gym. I set it at 7.5

I just started rowing. I did my first three lessons (included with my membership). I was wondering this exact question so that I don’t get burned out and also allowing my body to get used to these new movements. Thank you for this and I am now subscribed.

When the weather is not great out I will row 4 to 5 times per week. When the weather is great I will alternate rowing and outdoor running. I love them both !

I just did my first 2K after an injured hand and a broken toe so I wasn't expecting greatness. I'm a collegiate rower so while my score wasn't good, now that I'll be erging 4 times a week for 80 minutes each day, I'm sure I'll improve quickly. I enjoy watching these videos because it's not cross fitters that think they know how to row when they don't really. So thanks for providing quality content. :)

I have concept 2 model d, just got it 2 months ago and I like that it's low impact. My feet hurt sometimes on my treadmill. I use the rower and spin bike sometimes instead of the treadmill. 2-3 times a week on the rower is good enough for me and I find that doesn't interfere with my other training.

I love the fact the row machines are always open because most people at the gym has no clue the benefits of rowing. I row 4 times a week 15 minutes doing hard HIIT 4 times for 30 seconds. I’m working to increase my HIIT when rowing. Any recommendations anyone how long I should do HIIT? 1 minute?

I train 4x times a week on the erg doing 20k rows each time, sticking to zone 3 (70-80% max. heart rate.) This sweet spot training is why I can train for so long, and slowly watch my fitness levels climb. One of the biggest mistakes in cardio I ever made - it's not the same as weight lifting, and going at maximum intensity is actually less productive.

Thanks for this video! I've been trying to improve my rowing method and times and I'm glad I found this channel!

Ex-Competitive Oarsman here who's been looking to get back on to the lake. Thanks for the videos DHR. Even if I know most of the basic to intermediate stuff it's great to see you reinforcving technique and better training methods!

I used to do 4x/week. One day in the weight room, total body 45 mins. 2 days off. Worked for me.

I found for me every other day.....I want to do it every day but after a week or two I get so exhausted between my active job and then 5k+ meters that I'm constantly worn out. I dunno where people say "omg cardio and working out will give you energy".....starting to think they just do meth.

I picked up my very first machine two weeks ago. Unfortunately I have minimal time, no chance of getting to a gym, the reason I bought my own is because I though if I have to do one thing it's gonna be rowing. I had basicly no movement in my life and felt I needed to change that, especially with a rapidly changing blood pressure and heart rate. So far I've been doing your 20-30 minute workouts every second day, each time changing it to something else, just to get used to it. Since I don't do much else aside from rowing, once I get myself used to it, I'm gonna step it up to two times row, one time rest rotation. In just two weeks my blood pressure started to normalize and I can feel how my unused back muscles started to come to life (little painfully at first but that went away now). The reason I will keep going is your very professional method of doing these videos and how engaging you are. Thank you for changing my life... or I could say thank you for showing me how I can change my life. Keep it up!

Great advice. As someone who used to row twice a day (plus gym time) for high performance, I now heartily endorse a diversified fitness regimen. Rowing 3 times a week can lead to boredom, 4 times to discomfort, 5 times to repetitive stress injury. Twice a week PLUS elements such as dynamic load-bearing (eg basketball, squash) and strength training is what a body needs. *Subscribed!*

Dark Horse Rowing since I got back from a business trip I'm rowing 5k daily (8 consecutive days so far). Since getting back into C2 rowing I rowed 4.5K in Jan 100k in Feb 48k so far in March (aiming for 125K) I've lost 16lb since January! My resting heart rate has gone from 71 to 54. I'm loving the challenge. I hope to row 5k x 25 days in March My stroke rate ave ~24/ min (focusing on quality) I have knocked 2 min off my best 5 k time from Feb. Definitely room for improvement. Aiming to do some interval training April to mix it up a bit. Thanks for the great videos and the inspiration! 👍😉

Thank you, Thank you. I have been rowing consistently for four months and for the last three, it's been three days a week at one hour and between 1500 and 1800 reps. Once I did 2100 in an hour and fifteen minutes. Didn't like that so much. Here's the thing. Because of a few different factors, I had weeks to where I only rowed twice a week. Major, I mean Major guilt from that. But, I looked better faster. I'll be damned if I could figure that out. Now, the thing is, I row for fitness, to look good and to take the place of swimming in the winter, but mostly I do it for my head. I am on a cloud of happiness for at least twelve hours after I row. After this video, I can get rid of some of the guilt. Some will stay, but I can deal with that. Also, I didn't know that you could see results, small ones of course, but results every week on your body. I only bike fifty miles a week, three single arm dumbbell workouts a week, row and do Tai Chi. That's it. I only workout maybe ten hours a week and wow, what results. I am definitely hooked and I thank you again. But I noticed that once my abs got strong enough, I am able to stay in a more laid back position and can feel the abs work, but it is difficult to maintain that kind of stress down there, plus it makes my balls hurt, but I know that's a good thing because that means my groin muscles are getting a workout and the pain goes away. I'll have to find a happy medium on position, meanwhile, what a great journey. I'll be sixty in April and my mantra is "six packs by sixty." Affection to all of you. Leo

I’ll do it daily till I loose 30 lbs. Then I’ll go to ever other day.

Stop asking the same crazy question. He's obviously talking to people that just started rowing. If you're a pro, you already know proper position (quality over quantity), and doing it every day for hours.

7 days a week at least 20 min but I guess I’ll take it down to 2 may 4 times a week I love it 🥰

5x per week. I am not even close to burnout. I sure was when my results died on the spin bike and weight training - and I am well-trained. I wish I had done this sooner in my life. Rowing and Weight Training - Bodyweight Training is the best thing you can do provided you strive for proper form in all modalities.

I don't want to over do it in the beginning. I am getting the Aviron and need to learn it and make sure I am doing it correctly. I am worried about the correct form and am out of shape so need to start out slow. I just saved several of your videos to a playlist for when I get my machine. But I'm not trying to lose weight I am trying to tone up my body arms abs and legs. I'll do easy for a long time which is fine I just know I'll like the Aviron and it's programs too and will want to do it every day probably.

Just found you guys recently and I love your videos! Your explanations are so clear that I'm going to start using them to explain to my rowers what or why they should be doing something. As for training.. I've been focused on coaching this past year, but really eager to start again. Gonna do a 30k in Venice and a 100k in the Netherlands within a week of each other... Wish me luck...

I alternate rowing every other day with a kettlebell swing/ strength program. I love rowing. I love kettlebells.

went from not working out at all, to rowing 5-6 times a week. 1 months in and just over 8 min 2k. just seeing the time get lower and lower is motivation for me

I like rowing.

Three times a week twice for 30 minute ones for 60 minutes and it has transformed my physical life!

I just started back rowing. I haven't really been on my C2 since 2010. Did just 4K the last week in January. >70K in Feb so far. I'm really enjoying it. I'm really focusing on technique keeping my stroke rake lower than I ever used to. I'm doing some high intensity 2k and 5K and seeing some improved times and my ability to sustain a pace I would have found punishing a month ago. Really enjoying your videos. I wonder if I'm overdoing it but I really look forward to my rowing sessions now even the high intensity workouts. Will start adding in some interval training sessions next week. I think variety is key and seeing steady improvement in technique and times. I want to work up towards doing a half marathon and maybe a full marathon by the end of the year.

I've been following your 30 minute beginner video and I should move down to twice a week, cause doing it 3 times a week is getting painful, I've been rowing for about 6 months now and it's gotten harder the better my form has gotten.

Thank’s for the advice. Grettings from Puerto Rico in the caribean. I have my concept 2 rowing machines as part of my wourkouts in the week💪🏻🚣🏼‍♂️💨. But I am doing HIIT or tabattas for 30 minutes 4 or 5 days in a week.

Your Chanel is getting popular among the rowers in China too

You don't have to love rowing to row more than 2 times a week I love the results. I just started rowing 2 weeks ago 6 times a week half hour each time. I can see and feel the results already. I cycle 6 times a week 30 minutes each time now I combime the rowing 6 days a week 30 minutes each time for an hour of cardio and I breathe easier. I will keep it up along with weight training which I started a year ago.

I've been rowing since the 13 Jan, and have been noticing that my ability to go longer distances has increased, and once I realized what a 10K was, my time to get there has been decreasing. I'm just under 50 minutes now, but considering pushing through to at least the 60 minute mark instead of being so focused on stopping at 10k.

I row every day. The machine is next to my bed - which apparently where I needed it to be to use it.😊 Been doing this every day for about 2 years now. People keep telling me I look fantastic. I am 58. Has been brilliant coming back from a lupus diagnosis/flare up, where my weight maxed out at 104kg and I was week as a kitten. Combined with yoga for the first year post diagnosis - some days - especially in the beginning - I could only do a couple of minutes of each. Actually, the first month on the rower was 30 secs a day. But I stuck with it. I now row every day, 20mins most days and can easily flow thru to 30mins, but on an off day it might only be 2-3 mins and I am wiped. But I persist and believe the off days have as much value as the "good" days. My recovery time for injuries, fractured foot, ruptured all the tendons in that foot- then fractured ribs and torn intercostals - have been very fast. Like 3x faster than people in my age group with the same injuries according to the physio. Also - I fully recovered each time, in terms of strength and mobility. Inactive compatriots never got/get it back. Thank you for this resource 🙏 Edit - the only down side. When I was at the ER with my fractured ribs it was packed, so I had waited for like 5 hours already, by the time the room cleared around 2am. By 5am I was really wondering. I am the only oerson here, but I am still not being seen. The nurse was popping her head around the corner every 20 mins or so. Finally, around 5am she popped her head around the corner and called my name and then looked surprised when I responded. I asked her, why are you surprised? I am the only one here. It had to be me. And she apologized. Apparently, I could have been seen alot earlier, but because she was looking for a 58 year old female each time and apparently I don't look like one , she thought I wasn't there ! 😆🤷‍♂️

I bought a machine and started rowing without knowing anything about it. The first 2 weeks I rowed twice a day, 2 km each time. It took about 11 minutes. After the first 2 weeks, I switched to twice a day 1 km each time. It took about 5 to 6 minutes. Later seeming that you can row with legs and hands, or just with hands I started rowing once a day just with hand - time for one km a little under 6 minutes, and with legs and hands it takes a little under 5 minutes. Now after 10 weeks, I do not feel any strains or muscle pain or strain. Breathing a little hard. I hope my lungs will learn to cope with the new mission. My age - passed 79 years old. Natanzon

I just started getting into rowing although I did it not being serious. I did it with other cardio exercises previously. I have a disc injury so now I've taken up rowing.. I'm 68 yo

I feel a bit sheepish. After all these years of rowing and feeling guilty about not rowing every day, it's a relief to hear that I'm not slacking. Instead I find I'm in the "sweet spot". Surprisingly, this is the first I've heard how much to row.

My gym just got two new ones, I rowed for 30 minutes today and I will do it again tomorrow with higher intensity.

Great video. Thanks

great video

. I feel I get the most from a rowing exercise in my routine and I break it into my workouts .

I row 6 times a week on tue, wed, thurs, fri, sat and sun. Tue and thurs are fitness sessions

Great video, Im new to rowing and need it for my pt test.

Wow 2x that seems light, I am doing it every other day along with my TRX and strength training same day - other day I do the spin bike for 45Min endurance

I run 3 times a week and row twice a week , its a good balance for me anyway

I like rowing so much, would you say more than 3 times a week is too much? I am rowing at least 5 times a week.

every fucking day! I love it!

Great video. Thanks for sharing. Great to see quality content

Twice a week. No. I would get rid of my rowerg if I only rowed twice a week. 4-6 days a week and sometimes twice a day. As a minimum must complete 100kms a month. Obsessed yes. (Still do my other gym work too).

Great stuff. I need all of this. Spot on. Luv it.

This is a confusing video. I'm not sure who the audience for the video is supposed to be. In the video, DH refers to his "athletes." It's hard for me to imagine athletes being "overwhelmed" by rowing three times a week. On the other hand, it's hard for me to imagine people whose only workout is rowing to get much benefit from rowing only two times a week. I row 7 days a week, 20 minutes a day, and feel very lucky to do so. It's a magnificent workout that provides mental as well as physical benefits.

I row twice a week with my team. On Wednesdays we go rowing on the rowing machine and on Sundays we go rowing in the boat and the actual water

Hi! Really good content here. Do you recommend rowing daily for a beginner? I’m loving it but I just don’t know if it makes any sense to do it that often.

Interesting to listen to. I get the rationale. I am 67. Started 3 months ago. Dropped 8lbs to 105 lbs, core feels great, look amazing feel amazing. Just bought a 2nd hand concept 2. On training regime by my rowing club. Will never race, too lightweight but experience is Awesome. I train 3 x a week roughly. I get twitchy if I don't. Our club has brilliant coaches. We get videod....and critiqued. Love it

I just do 2km every day, as soon as I get out of bed. I take it easy most days and concentrate on technique. Works for me 👍

another ton of info.... thanks !

My rower is going in front of the TV (I don't have anywhere else to put it) so I expect to row a lot more than twice a week, LOL.

Shane, Thank you for your awesome channel. Looking forward to watching your videos and doing the workouts. Really appreciate your advice: If I aim to do 2 aerobic intervals a week (rowing can be one or both) and additional aerobic (calisthenics, hiking and jogging) and strength training at least 3-4 times a week (with body weight, bands and pull-up bar), since rowing involves strength + aerobic conditioning, how would you schedule rowing in relation to the strength workouts and other aerobic workouts? Which days would you do rowing, calisthenics, hiking and jogging, and which days would you do strength training? Rowing and other aerobic in AM and strength training in evening? Would you avoid back, biceps and shoulder strength training on rowing days?

Your videos are great!

I'm 62 and I row for 20:00 minutes every other day, and that works great for me. I need the day to recover, but I come back to my rower each time raring to go. Just sayin...

At 46 y.o. I just purchased a Concept 2 and started rowing after doing obsessive research. I think I fall into your target audience, however how do you reconcile that the manual that comes with the Erg suggests 5-6 times a week? In the last 6 days (my first workouts) I've rowed 4 times and average about 3-4 thousand meters. That said it is a fairly tough regimen, and I don't want to become an attrition statistic.

Thanks for the tips!

Everyday 10K 💙

This video has some comedic value bc of the RU-vid algorithm. I was searching how to get better at sex and got this vid instead. Some of this advice is still helpful.

thank you for this! This is helpful.

I bought model D last year. I have been trying to row 2 or 3 times a week. But I am not so sure which kinds of workouts I should follow. 5000 meters or 10000 meters or 30mins row or 1 hour row. Could I have your advice?

Thanks for the good tips. You didn’t give us a span of how many minutes to row during one session.

Since rowing involves aerobic conditioning as well as strength conditioning for back, biceps, shoulders and legs, which other strength exercises would you make sure to do (like chest press/pushups) to balance our your rowing strength training?

My wife and I were looking for low impact equipment to lose winter weight and gain some strength. I was wondering if these videos are for people who are rowing to train for the actual sport, or just rowing as exercise. I guess the fundamentals are the same.

I watched a 'beginner's rowing video' with Shane Farmer. He said to row every day for 3 weeks. I have not heard this anywhere else. Please advise. thank you..

Here I was expecting you to say "There's no reason not to row everyday". 2 days a week! Surprised me.