How to Use a Rowing Machine (Correct Form)

By the Watta Team · Updated

Good technique is the foundation of effective, injury-free rowing. This guide breaks down the rowing stroke into its four phases, identifies the most common form errors, and provides drills you can use to build and maintain correct technique on the Concept2 erg.

The Four Phases of the Stroke

The catch — sit forward with shins vertical, arms straight, body tilted slightly from the hips. The drive — push with the legs first, keeping arms straight until the legs are nearly extended. Then swing the back from 1 o'clock to 11 o'clock. Finally, pull the handle to the lower ribs. The finish — legs straight, slight lean back, handle touching the lower ribs. The recovery — extend arms first, then rock the body forward, then bend the knees to slide back to the catch. The sequence is always legs-back-arms on the drive and arms-back-legs on the recovery.

Common Form Errors

Shooting the slide — the seat moves back but the handle stays still, meaning legs are pushing without transferring force. Fix: focus on pushing feet away while the handle moves at the same speed as the seat. Opening the back too early — swinging the torso back before the legs finish. Fix: keep the arms straight and body angle unchanged until the legs are 70% extended. Gripping too hard — a death grip on the handle causes forearm fatigue. Fix: use a hook grip with relaxed fingers.

Technique Drills

Legs-only rowing — row with arms straight and body fixed, using only leg drive. This isolates the leg push and builds correct sequencing. Arms-only rowing — with legs flat, row using only the arm pull to feel the handle path. Pause drills — pause for 2 seconds at the catch or finish to build awareness of body position. Row at rate 16 — deliberately slow stroke rates force you to execute each phase cleanly without rushing.

Breathing and Rhythm

At stroke rates below 24, breathe twice per stroke — exhale on the drive, inhale at the finish, exhale as you rock forward, inhale at the catch. At higher rates (28+), switch to one breath per stroke — exhale on the drive, inhale on the recovery. Rhythmic breathing helps maintain a consistent stroke pattern and prevents the gasping that leads to early fatigue.

Choosing an app?

Which app should you use with your Concept2? →

Seven erg trackers ranked, free options first: ErgData, the Concept2 Logbook, Watta and more — what each is best for.

Tips

  • +Film yourself from the side and compare to a technique video. Visual feedback accelerates learning dramatically.
  • +The drive-to-recovery ratio should be approximately 1:2. The recovery should take twice as long as the drive.
  • +Keep your chin up and look straight ahead, not down at the monitor, to maintain a neutral spine.
  • +Practise at low stroke rates (16-18 spm) when working on technique. Speed masks errors.
  • +Check the force curve on the PM5 — a smooth, hill-shaped curve indicates good technique. Jagged curves suggest timing issues.
  • +Watch the split as your technique improves. Watta, a free iPhone app for Concept2 ergs, logs each session from a photo of the PM5 screen — split, distance, time and stroke rate — so you can see cleaner strokes turning into a faster split at the same rate.

Further Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles should I feel working?
The primary muscles you should feel are the quadriceps and glutes during the leg drive, the lats and rhomboids during the arm pull, and the core throughout. If you feel excessive strain in the lower back or arms, your technique likely needs adjustment — power should come primarily from the legs.
How long does it take to learn good rowing form?
Most people can learn the basic stroke sequence in 2-3 sessions. Developing consistently good form under fatigue takes 4-6 weeks of focused practice. Even experienced rowers regularly revisit technique drills to maintain quality.
Should I strap my feet in tightly?
The foot straps should be snug but not tight. Position the strap across the ball of your foot (the widest part). You should be able to lift your heels at the catch position. Too-tight straps restrict ankle mobility and force you to pull yourself forward with your feet rather than using momentum.

Related Content

Erg Technique GuideRowing for BeginnersRowing Warm-Up GuideRowing Machine Muscles WorkedRowing for SeniorsRowing FormRowing form is the overall quality of body positioning, movement sequence, and mechanical efficiency throughout the rowing stroke on the erg.Force CurveThe force curve is a graph on the Concept2 PM5 that shows how much force you apply to the handle during each stroke, used to diagnose rowing technique.Stroke RateStroke rate, or strokes per minute (SPM), is the number of complete rowing strokes you take in one minute on the ergometer.Concept2 RowErgThe Concept2 RowErg is the industry-standard air-resistance indoor rowing machine used by Olympic teams, universities, CrossFit boxes, and home gyms worldwide.Split TimeSplit time is the pace expressed as the time it takes to row 500 metres on an ergometer, displayed in minutes and seconds (e.g. 2:00.0/500m).Rowing BreathingRowing breathing follows a rhythmic pattern synchronised with the stroke: exhale during the drive, inhale during the recovery, with 1-2 breaths per stroke depending on rate.The RecoveryThe recovery is the non-power phase of the rowing stroke where the rower returns to the catch position, following an arms-back-legs sequence.The CatchThe catch is the starting position of the rowing stroke where the blade enters the water (or on the erg, where the chain becomes taut), with shins vertical and body compressed forward.The FinishThe finish is the end position of the rowing stroke where the handle is drawn to the lower ribs, legs are flat, and the body is leaning slightly back.Rowing Pace CalculatorEffort Score CalculatorFor BeginnersFor Home GymFor Personal TrainersFor Adaptive RowingFor PT Clients
Free on iPhone

Every erg counts.

Photograph your erg screen after the piece and Watta logs it for you.

Download on the App Store

iPhone, iOS 15.1 or later · no subscription · Android beta

See everything Watta does