Rowing is a power endurance sport. To row quickly and efficiently, your muscles need to produce a lot of power in short bursts for a prolonged period. Old school rowing coaches would opt for circuit style training in their gym workouts to promote muscular endurance, skipping the strength workouts. However, endurance is built through doing the sport itself, it’s in the gym that you can be focusing on high volume, low intensity work to build muscle power and produce better strokes.

One person who knows a lot about rowing and training is world record holder Abbey Platten. Abbey holds the Concept 2 Indoor rowing British 24-hour record for her age category (20-29) and the mixed tandem 24-hour record.

As well as these amazing feats, Platten also participated in There She Rows, a 3000-mile row across the Atlantic from the Canary Islands to Antigua in 39 days. Along with a lot of rowing, Abbey incorporated strength training into her program to prepare her for these incredible sporting adventures. Here we’ve put together a list of her favourite strength training exercises for rowers.

Copenhagen Plank

30-60 seconds per side

The Copenhagen plank is an isometric strength exercise that targets the internal and external obliques and the adductor muscles (inner thigh). These are all muscles that help maintain good posture when rowing. This plank variation is an anti-rotation movement that helps to build a strong core and increase shoulder stability. 

Gorilla Row

5-6 reps

Any variation of a row will help to improve your technique for when you hit the water or row erg. The gorilla row is especially useful because the angle requires lengthening in your back muscles, something that can be transferred to rowing. This exercise uses your traps (trapezius), lats (latissimus dorsi), rhomboids and rear delts. Keeping your lower back neutral also builds core strength.

Cyclist Squat

6-10 reps

Cyclist squats are a quad dominant squat variation. By raising your heels you’re placing more emphasis on the front of the legs. The is also a great squat variation for anyone who struggles with ankle mobility and as a result, struggles with their squat depth. Again, the quadriceps are vital for producing power for power endurance sports such as rowing. Start doing this with your bodyweight, and work up to a 20kg kettlebell cyclist squat to build power.

Turkish Get Up

3-5 reps per side

A kettlebell Turkish get up is a full body exercise that relies on core and shoulder strength, both which are necessary for rowing. This exercise also requires a lot of mobility, especially in the hips. It’s better to stick to a smaller rep range as this is a time consuming, difficult exercise.

Half Kneeling Overhead Press

6-10 reps per side

The kneeling overhead press is a unilateral variation of a shoulder press. A half-kneeling position requires more core strength than a traditional overhead press to stay upright and it also requires oblique strength to stop your body from moving to one side. This exercise works the anterior and lateral deltoids, both of which are required for rowing.

Barbell Walking Lunge

5-6 reps

60% of the force used during rowing comes from your legs, so it is vital to train your lower body. Barbell walking lunges target the three biggest muscle groups in the legs, quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes. It’s a single leg movement, and balancing a 7ft Olympic Barbell requires good core stability.

High Box Step Up

6-10 reps

Plyos are not just simply Gym Jumping Boxes. High box step ups focus on glute strength, with the hamstrings and quadriceps used as secondary muscles. Your glutes are the biggest muscle in the body and produce lower body power, which is essential for strong, fast rowing.

Suitcase Carry

20-30 metres

The suitcase carry is an anti-rotation core exercise that works the external and internal obliques. It’s often classed as a ‘functional exercise’ because it’s a movement you replicate on a day-to-day basis, outside of the gym. The farmers carry is another exercise that will help rowers improve their posture and core strength.

Side Plank Cable Row

8-12 reps

The functional trainer is great for performing accessory movements such as a side plank cable row. This row variation not only works the muscles in the back, but also improves core strength in the obliques and promotes muscle stability in the leg abductors. As it’s an accessory exercise, you won’t be able to lift as much as a traditional rowing movement such as a bent over row, therefore it’s okay to work through a higher repetition range.

Pull Up

5-10 reps

Pull ups are the ultimate bodyweight back exercise, they specifically target the traps, lats and lateral deltoids, as well as requiring good core strength. One of the biggest benefits of pull ups is that they require minimal equipment and can be performed anywhere as long as you have a pull up bar. This is great for athletes on the move who need to keep training.

Give a few of these exercises a go, and you'll be on your way to building great functional strength.

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Tags: Equipment > Bars and Weight Plates ; Equipment > Dumbbells ; Exercise Type > Strength