10–15 Minute Indoor Rowing Workouts
Looking for an effective workout routine to improve your rowing score? Well, there are 10 – 15 minute indoor rowing exercises for everyone that you can try at home easily, once you know how to use a rowing machine. There are plenty of variations of the hinge, squat, push, and pull movements. Nonetheless, strength and muscle training is the most important aspect that improves rowing performance.
Your busy routine can make it difficult to devote substantial time for workout. But what if you could work those muscles in a short amount of time? Yes, there are multiple crossfit indoor rowing workouts as well as standard rowing workouts that are time-saving and improve health and stamina.
Also, rowers are required to practise some form of strength training throughout the year irrespective of their ability or body type to avoid the risk of injuries. It also serves as a superb warm-up to prepare rowers to move onto the next step.
Training for raw power and mass during the off-season is a viable stretching tactic to prepare for rowing performance and output during the on-season. Cooldown is an integral part of all types of training sessions regardless of the ability level. Avoiding cooldown sessions can lead to injuries and physical burnouts.
Insight Into Indoor Rowing
This practice involves interaction with the rowing machine that helps to engage 86% muscles of the body from head to toe. Rowing movements begin with the feet and transcend to the legs, thighs, hips, abs, shoulders, arms and hands. The practice builds strength and endurance together.
Rowing is a full-body exercise which is consistent and easy to learn. Whether your focus is on cardio or strength-building, it is easy to change the speed of your workout with an indoor rowing machine. Since there are no multiple motions involved in the training exercises, indoor rowing is a safe option to build your entire body with 10–15 minutes of practice every day.
Benefits of Indoor Rowing
- First and foremost, rowing is a full-body workout that can be easily performed in the comfort of your home.
- Rowing is high-intensity work to maintain your fitness level at home with low chances of injury.
- Modern indoor rowing machines are versatile and allow you to personalize your exercise to help reach your fitness goals. They are a great way to warm up major muscle groups before a heavy workout for 5–10 minutes.
- You can easily burn around 200 calories with 15 minutes of regular intense rowing working at home.
Indoor Rowing Exercises Guidelines
- Irrespective of your training level, remember to take it easy at the beginning and focus on learning the techniques correctly rather than chasing statistics and results.
- Focus plays a key role when performing constant or steady motion exercises. Since rowing is a high-intensity workout, the body may require double the amount of oxygen. Breathing plays a crucial role during the rowing practice to help the muscles perform their best.
- Since rowing is a water sport, the movements involved are fluid too. When you’re practising on a rowing machine indoors, it is vital to have a smooth practice session as it can eliminate joint problems.
- There is a lot of arm movement involved in rowing. Remember, hunching while practising rowing exercises can cause bad posture and lower back pain.
- It is easy to get tempted to pull the handle of the rowing machine upwards but it is necessary to keep in mind to pull the handle up to the ribs and not any further. Stretching above the ribs can cause possible injuries.
- It is okay if your feet move a little during the rowing practice. Do not strap the feet to anything if you want to avoid backaches or draw poor results. You should follow the correct order at all times.
- Power posing is an excellent way to keep your form correct during rowing practice. It helps to keep the back straight and strengthen your arms, legs and core.
Top 15-Minute Indoor Rowing Workouts
Rowing is the quickest and most effective full-body workout that builds strength and cardio endurance, burns fat and calories and keeps you healthy. Grab your water bottle and check out the best 15-minute indoor rowing practices on your machine:
- 100m Slow
At a stroke rate of 18–24 SPM, this is a great way to warm up all body parts and major muscle groups to focus on the upcoming strokes.
- 50m Fast
It is one of the first sprints where you have to row as fast as you can while maintaining form and following proper rowing techniques at a stroke rate of 28–36 SPM. Take a 2-minute break to cool down before the 200m sprint.
- 200m Slow
At a stroke rate of 18–24 SPM, use maximum strength and power to perform each stroke. Take a 1-minute break if needed.
- 100m Slow
Since 100 metres allows you to practise faster, it is essential to get into a rhythm by now with proper technique at a stroke rate of 18–24 SPM.
- 50m Fast
It is essential to note at this stage that speed is more vital than technique and you should aim for 28–36 SPM to check your top stroke rate for the workout session. Take a 2-minute break since you are halfway through with the exercise at this point and the next intervals are the toughest.
- 300m Slow
Again, target for a stroke rate of 18–24 SPM and find your rhythm at this pace.
- 100m Fast
Drive through the heels to engage every muscle group of the body at this point at a stroke rate of 28–36 SPM in the last lap of the workout.
- 500m Slow (Cooldown)
This will be the longest row of your indoor rowing workout session but it is also a cooldown practice. So, at this stage, you are free to choose whatever pace feels the best for your body.
This marks the end of the workout session.
For additional fitness tips, if you are willing to try a new indoor workout to circuit your strength include both side lunge squats, squat to overhead press with weights, bench press with a barbell, triceps extension using a dumbbell, bicep curl and plank.
It is essential to add lightweight extensions to regulate your movement. Choose a workout routine that includes your indoor rowing exercises ahead of time to balance the body parts and focus on the muscles to work. Regularly practicing for 15 minutes will boost your strength and stamina significantly.
Hi, my name is Sayed Hamed Hosseiny. I am a professional health and fitness trainer with nearly 20 years of experience using ellipticals, rowing machines, and spin bikes. I also have my own EU-based Rock Fitness Pro fitness brand where I design, import and sell exercise equipment such as rowing machines and spin bikes. I and writers on my team also often receive fitness equipment to review and evaluate their functionalities and performance from tens of different exercise machines manufacturers. Fitness equipment tips, guides, reviews, and comparisons on this website are my opinion (and opinions of my fitness expert colleagues) based on tens of criteria. I never accept payment to write reviews of products or say positive things about fitness equipment products. If brands are interested to have me review their rowers, ellipticals, or spin bikes, they can get in touch with me via email provided on the contact page and send a sample of their product.
