Rowing Machine Calories per Hour

By the Watta Team · Updated

Rowing Machine Calories per Hour: Rowing machine calories per hour is the energy an erg session burns per hour. The Concept2 PM5 shows about 660 Cal/hr at an easy 2:30 split and about 1210 at a hard 1:50, for a 175 lb rower; lighter rowers burn less and heavier rowers more.

What is Rowing Machine Calories per Hour?

Calorie burn on a rowing machine depends on body weight and how hard you row. The Concept2 PM5 estimates calories from power output (watts), so its figure rises with pace but takes no account of who is rowing. At a moderate 2:15 split the monitor shows about 790 Cal/hr, and it never shows less than the fixed 300 Cal/hr it allows for moving the body. It is important to note that the PM5 calorie display assumes a body weight of 175 lb (79 kg). Lighter individuals will burn fewer actual calories than displayed, and heavier individuals will burn more. Rowing engages approximately 86% of the body’s muscles, making it one of the most efficient calorie-burning exercises available.

Formula

Concept2 formula: Calories/hour = watts × 4 × 0.8604 + 300, where watts = 2.80 / pace³ and pace is in seconds per metre. The PM5 assumes a 175 lb (79 kg) rower; Concept2's correction is PM Cal/hr − 300 + 1.714 × body weight in lb.

How Watta Uses Rowing Machine Calories per Hour

Watta captures the calorie figure from your PM5 screen via AI OCR, giving you an automatic record of energy expenditure per session. The app also provides a Calorie Burn Calculator that adjusts the PM5 estimate for your actual body weight, providing a more accurate personal calorie figure.

Further Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories does rowing burn per hour?
On the PM5, moderate rowing at a 2:15–2:00 split shows about 790–1000 Cal/hr, and hard rowing at 1:50 about 1210. Those figures assume a 175 lb (79 kg) rower: at a 2:00 split for an hour, a 60 kg rower burns about 920 kcal and a 95 kg rower about 1060.
Is the calorie display on the Concept2 accurate?
The PM5 calorie display assumes a 175 lb (79 kg) rower. If you weigh less, you are burning fewer calories than displayed; if you weigh more, you are burning more. The Calorie Burn Calculator on this site applies Concept2's weight correction.
Does rowing burn more calories than running?
At comparable intensity levels, rowing and running burn similar calories per hour. However, rowing engages more muscle groups (approximately 86% vs 70% for running) and is lower impact, making it more sustainable for longer sessions.

Related Content

Calories (Rowing)Calories on a Concept2 ergometer are calculated from watts (power output), not from heart rate or individual body composition, using a standardised formula.Watts (Rowing)Watts in rowing measure the power output on an ergometer, calculated from the pace using the Concept2 formula: Watts = 2.80 / pace³.Body Composition (Rowing)Body composition in rowing refers to the ratio of lean muscle mass to body fat, which directly affects power-to-weight ratio and erg performance.Indoor Rowing BenefitsIndoor rowing provides full-body cardiovascular exercise that is low-impact, time-efficient, scalable to all fitness levels, and burns 400-800 calories per hour.Rowing Machine vs TreadmillThe rowing machine engages more muscles (86% vs 50%), is lower impact, and burns comparable calories to the treadmill, but the treadmill is more sport-specific for runners.Calorie Burn CalculatorWeight Adjustment CalculatorRowing for Weight LossSteady State Rowing GuideFor Weight LossFor Beginners
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