Technique & Training
Row better, train smarter
Stroke technique, pacing, breathing, and machine literacy for the RowErg, one skill at a time.
21 July 2026
Winter is base season
Steady winter rowing builds the aerobic engine everything else runs on, and a proper base block takes exactly as long as there is until spring.
18 July 2026
Why elite rowers train by watts
Split time flatters slow efforts and hides how much a fast one really costs. Watts measure the actual work in every stroke.
06 July 2026
Stroke rate is not speed
More strokes per minute doesn't mean more metres. Power per stroke and a patient recovery win.
05 July 2026
What your erg screen is actually telling you
Move beyond the split. Split, watts, rate and stroke length each tell you something different about your row.
04 July 2026
The damper is not a difficulty knob
Cranking the damper to 10 doesn't make you a better rower. It changes the feel, and often works against you.
03 July 2026
Push before you pull
A powerful stroke starts with your legs, not your grip. Legs, body, arms, in that order.
02 July 2026
Most people row too hard before they row well
Chasing intensity before you own the technique is the fastest way to hit a plateau. Strong before fast.
01 July 2026
The rowing machine is not the warm-up
The indoor rower is a full-body strength and cardio engine, not the thing you do before the real work.
24 July 2025
GQ says rowing beats running. Here’s why they’re right
GQ made the case for the rowing machine over running. The short version: keep the intensity, lose the impact. Here is the mechanism, and what it changes on your next row.
06 June 2025
Why Rowing Slower Can Actually Make You Fitter
Capping your stroke rate doesn't make a session easier. It forces more power into every stroke, and it's the base elite rowers build their whole season on.
22 Apr 2025
Rowing for Strength
Is rowing strength training? Yes. Every drive loads your legs, hips and back in one low-impact push. How to row so each stroke builds real strength.
Put it into practice
Every workout in the Row Nation app is built on this technique. Grab a session and try it on the erg.