Rowing and Strength Training: How to Combine Them

By the Watta Team · Updated

Rowing and strength training are complementary — rowing builds cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance while strength training adds power, muscle mass, and injury resilience. This guide explains how to programme both modalities together without overtraining or compromising either.

Why Combine Rowing and Strength

Rowing alone builds excellent aerobic fitness and muscular endurance but does not develop maximal strength or significant muscle hypertrophy. Strength training alone builds muscle and power but neglects cardiovascular conditioning. Combining both produces a well-rounded athlete: strong, fit, and resilient. For competitive rowers, strength training directly improves erg performance by increasing the force applied per stroke.

Programming Principles

Train each quality 2-4 times per week: 3-4 rowing sessions and 2-3 strength sessions. Separate high-intensity rowing and heavy strength sessions by at least 6 hours, ideally 24 hours. On the same day, row first if rowing is your priority; lift first if strength is your priority. Easy rowing sessions can follow strength training on the same day as active recovery.

Exercise Selection for Rowers

Prioritise exercises that build the muscles used in rowing: deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts (posterior chain), squats (leg drive), bent-over rows and pull-ups (pulling strength), and planks/pallof presses (core stability). Bench press and overhead press maintain pushing strength for muscular balance. Avoid excessive isolation work — compound movements are more time-efficient and more transfer to rowing performance.

Sample Weekly Schedule

Monday — Strength: lower body (squats, deadlifts, lunges). Tuesday — Rowing: 40 minutes steady state. Wednesday — Strength: upper body (rows, pull-ups, bench press, core). Thursday — Rowing: intervals (e.g., 8 x 500m). Friday — Strength: full body or power (cleans, push press, plyometrics). Saturday — Rowing: long steady state (45-60 minutes). Sunday — Rest. Adjust based on your priorities and recovery capacity.

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

  • +If time is limited, prioritise compound lifts (deadlifts, squats, rows, pull-ups) over isolation exercises.
  • +Do not row hard the day after heavy deadlifts — your lower back needs recovery time.
  • +Use the rowing machine for a 10-minute warm-up before strength sessions. It is more effective than a treadmill for full-body preparation.
  • +Track both rowing and strength sessions in Watta to monitor overall training load.
  • +Eat adequate protein (1.6-2.2 g per kg body weight) to support muscle recovery from both rowing and lifting.

Further Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

Will strength training make me slower on the erg?
No. Properly programmed strength training improves erg performance by increasing the force you can apply per stroke. The key is to avoid excessive hypertrophy training (bodybuilder-style programmes) that adds non-functional mass. Focus on strength and power movements.
Should I row or lift first on the same day?
It depends on your priority. If erg performance matters more, row first when fresh. If strength gains are the priority, lift first. For general fitness, either order works — just be aware that the second session will be slightly compromised.
How do I avoid overtraining?
Limit total training to 5-6 sessions per week with at least one full rest day. Monitor your resting heart rate, sleep quality, and perceived effort on easy sessions. If easy rowing starts feeling hard or your Watta Effort Scores decline at the same pace, you need more recovery.

Related Content

Rowing Machine Muscles WorkedSteady State Rowing GuideErg Interval WorkoutsRowing Machine BenefitsDaily Erg GuideRowing Machine MusclesRowing engages 86% of the body's muscles in every stroke, including the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, core, lats, biceps, and posterior chain.Watts (Rowing)Watts in rowing measure the power output on an ergometer, calculated from the pace using the Concept2 formula: Watts = 2.80 / pace³.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.UT2 TrainingUT2 training is low-intensity aerobic rowing at 55–65% of 2K power — heart rate 60–70% of heart-rate reserve, 18–22 spm — and it forms the foundation of a rower's endurance fitness.Lactate ThresholdLactate threshold in rowing is the exercise intensity at which blood lactate begins to accumulate exponentially (approximately 4 mmol/L), representing the upper boundary of sustainable aerobic effort.Recovery DayA recovery day in rowing is a planned rest or very light activity day that allows physiological adaptation and repair from hard training sessions.Effort Score CalculatorSplit to Watts ConverterHR Zone CalculatorFor RowersFor Competitive RowersFor Home GymFor CrossFit AthletesFor FirefightersFor Military FitnessFor Rugby PlayersPost-Strength Row
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