HIIT Rowing Machine Workout
HIIT Rowing Machine Workout
I don’t write many blog articles about ‘traditional’ cardio, mostly because I don’t really use it with my personal training clients, nor in my own training. I do use sprints, or high intensity interval training (HIIT) cardio such as this HIIT rowing machine workout that my Stockport personal training client David did the other day…
HIIT Rowing Machine Workout
- 1000m Row as fast as possible (AFAP)
- 3 minutes rest
- 750m Row (AFAP)
- 2 minutes 30 seconds rest
- 500m Row (AFAP)
- 2 minutes rest
- 250m Row (AFAP)
- 1 minute 30 seconds rest
- 750m Row (AFAP)
It’s a bit of a killer by all accounts…
If you are short on time and need a quick cardio burst, you could do a lot worse than this HIIT rowing machine workout. In less than 20 minutes you can produce a cardio response that would beat a steady state effort hands down! High intensity interval training really is the best cardio option there is – both for improving fitness and fat loss.
This HIIT Rowing Machine Workout is just 1 of many more featured in my ‘Ultimate HIIT Workout Book’. There’s a whole chapter on HIIT rowing machine workout ideas in the book, giving you plenty of rowing machine ideas and challenges!
As a cardio option, the rowing machine is a decent choice for the following reasons…
- No impact on the joints.
- The technique requires scapular retraction – this helps protect the shoulders.
- It requires involvement from almost all of the body.
Far too often you see people plodding on a cross trainer or a stationary bike – kit that requires almost no concentration or effort. In my gym the cardio kit has in-built TV and card games and lots of members use the stationary bike as an excuse to catch up a soap or even play cards – the rower certainly doesn’t allow that! You have to concentrate to execute proper technique.
For proper technique, check out this video by Melanie Wilson from the GB Rowing Team…
The rower of choice is the Concept 2. I have been in hundreds of gyms over the years and the vast majority use it. Concept 2 even supply the GB rowing team – the best in the world. They have solid build quality, years of experience, excellent support website and a large community of users around the world with whom you can interact on all things rowing!
Here is the Concept 2 machine – available at a discount on Amazon!
I love HIIT Rowing machine workouts so much, I dedicated a whole chapter on them in my book, The Ultimate HIIT Workout Book. For the price of a sandwich you can have 52 workout ideas that you can use to help you get fit and burn fat fast!
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Hi and thanks so much for putting this really useful HIIT Rowing Workout on the net. I am a 40-year old that is at least 15kg overweight. Today my pants split and that was it. I joined a 24 hour gym and this evening got on the Concept2 and followed your workout. Feeling strong now =)
Hi Eugene!
I’m really glad you have been inspired to get fit using one of my workouts!
I’d love to help you and keep track of your progress – keep coming back and the very best of luck to you!
Steve
Hello, when you say “rest” between going As Fast As Possible, do you mean – stop rowing and do nothing, or do you mean, just row slowly..?
Hi Amanda!
The idea is to slowly bring yourself to a close, then do no rowing whilst you recover. You can use this time to have a drink, stretch and get your breath back.
The work intervals are supposed to be hard – a lot of effort. The rest is to give you as much energy back as possible so the next work interval can be performed at a high intensity too.
Hope this helps!
Steve
What is the definition of ‘intensive’? I do four ten-minute steady-state rows, averaging sub-2minute 500m, burning 1,000 calls an hour, with a three minute break between each – 2,500m a row. Am I wasting my time? Seems like I’m working hard for an old, fat, bald 50-year old.
Hi Ant!
You’re certainly not wasting your time!
I’d ask you this though – are your times improving? Are you getting better? Quicker, stronger etc?
If not, it’s time for a change. Time to make the workout harder – the one in the article will be a shock to the system, but the results will be well worth it!
As for intensity, on a scale of 1-10 (1 being about as exhausted as you would be lying down and 10 feeling as though you are about to pass out from the effort), I’d be looking for you to hit 7-8. At that level you would be really out of breath but able to recover within a few minutes.
Hope this helps.
Steve
I’ve now incorporated this indoor rower HIIT into my regime and can testify it’s a real killer. Fall-off the machine, sleep in the corner of the gym killer. Thanks for the advice.
This is fun! I have to do the same.
Have you given it a go yet? If so, what did you think? It’s a tough one!
Wondering what sort of level it should be on. Hadn’t read the questions on here before starting it so did it (or some if it) on max. 10. Got as far as (and including) the 500m with a slower pace in the rests (I know, I know) but ultimately couldn’t complete it. Burned 164 calories in 12 mins though. So did I set myself too high a standard? Or is 10 what it should be done on? Thanks
Hi Andy
Personally I shoot for 10, but would drop the level as low as 7 for a new client.
Getting to the 500m is still respectable – especially on your first go. It means you’ve covered at least 2250 (assuming you finished the 500m), which at a fast pace is a solid foundation to build on.
You haven’t set yourself too high a standard – you’ve tried a really tough workout and will keep getting better with each additional attempt!
Steve
Hi Steve
What sort of warm up would you recommend..2-3 minutes steady rate?
Planning to giving this a go this afternoon!
Thanks
Pete
Hi Pete! 2 mins or 500m will do. Just make sure you treat it as a gentle warm up, don’t exhaust yourself – you’ll have plenty of opportunity to do that in the workout!
Hello, I am doing your workout to get back on track and lose some fat after injury. I just wanted to ask if it is possible to post some benchmark times for each section. I am saving all my workouts times to track progress and in average I go 3:38 (1000m), 2:43 (750m), 1:40 (500m), 0:50 (250) and 2:44 (750m) on level 9. Thank you! Daniel
Hi Daniel!
Your times are actually pretty impressive, so well done to you!
Here are some bench mark times for you…
250m – 43 seconds
500m – 1.35
750m – 2.30
1000m – 3.45 (so you are really doing well here!)
It’s a tough workout so you have to plan for fatigue. Often people go all out in the first round and leave nothing in the tank for the later rounds!
Around how many calories does this workout burn?
Hi Massimo!
Depends on how hard you work, but if you put in maximum effort you’d easily go over 500 calories in the session.
This looks tough! I love to row…wondering how often would you recommend rowing in a week? Is it safe to do daily when using it for HIIT?
Hi Jessica!
It is tough, but if you pace yourself well it’s certainly achievable! When you do it regularly your time will drop as you get quicker!
HIIT is fine multiple times per week, as long as you are recovering properly!
Steve